Al-Balad

Laaa uqsimu bihaazal balad

NAY! I call to witness this land –

Wa anta hillum bihaazal balad

this land in which thou art free to dwell -

Wa waalidinw wa maa walad

and [I call to witness] parent and offspring:

Laqad khalaqnal insaana fee kabad

Verily, We have created man into [a life of] pain, toil and trial.

Ayahsabu al-lai yaqdira 'alaihi ahad

Does he, then, think that no one has power over him?

Yaqoolu ahlaktu maalal lubadaa

He boasts, "I have spent wealth abundant!"

Ayahsabu al lam yarahooo ahad

Does he, then, think that no one sees him?

Alam naj'al lahoo 'aynayn

Have We not given him two eyes,

Wa lisaananw wa shafatayn

and a tongue, and a pair of lips,

Wa hadaynaahun najdayn

and shown him the two highways [of good and evil]?

Falaq tahamal-'aqabah

But he would not try to ascend the steep uphill road...

Wa maaa adraaka mal'aqabah

And what could make thee conceive what it is, that steep uphill road?

Fakku raqabah

[It is] the freeing of one's neck [from the burden of sin],

Aw it'aamun fee yawmin zee masghabah

or the feeding, upon a day of [one's own] hunger,

Yateeman zaa maqrabah

of an orphan near of kin,

Aw miskeenan zaa matrabah

or of a needy [stranger] lying in the dust –

Summa kaana minal lazeena aamanoo wa tawaasaw bissabri wa tawaasaw bilmarhamah

and being, withal, of those who have attained to faith, and who enjoin upon one another patience in adversity, and enjoin upon one another compassion.

Ulaaa'ika As-haabul maimanah

Such are they that have attained to righteousness;

Wallazeena kafaroo bi aayaatinaa hum as-haabul Mash'amah

whereas those who are bent on denying the truth of Our messages – they are such as have lost themselves in evil,

Alaihim naarum mu'sadah

[with] fire closing in upon them.