90
اَلْبَـلَدِ
[This] Countryside

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ۔

لَآ اُقْسِمُ بِهٰذَا الْبَلَدِ۔ وَ اَنْتَ حِلٌّ٘ بِهٰذَا الْبَلَدِ۔ وَ وَالِدٍ وَّ مَا وَلَدَ۔ لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْاِنْسَانَ فِيْ كَبَدٍ۔ؕ اَيَحْسَبُ اَنْ لَّنْ يَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ اَحَدٌ۔ يَقُوْلُ اَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُّبَدًا۔ؕ اَيَحْسَبُ اَنْ لَّمْ يَرَهُٓ اَحَدٌ۔ؕ اَلَمْ نَجْعَلْ لَّهُ عَيْنَيْنِ۔ وَ لِسَانًا وَّ شَفَتَيْنِ۔ وَ هَدَيْنٰهُ النَّجْدَيْنِ۔ فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ۔ وَ مَآ اَدْرٰىكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ۔ؕ فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ۔ اَوْ اِطْعٰمٌ فِيْ يَوْمٍ ذِيْ مَسْغَبَةٍ۔ يَّتِيْمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ۔ اَوْ مِسْكِيْنًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ۔ ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَ تَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ وَ تَوَاصَوْا بِالْمَرْحَمَةِ۔ؕ اُولٰٓىِٕكَ اَصْحٰبُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ۔ؕ وَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا بِاٰيٰتِنَا هُمْ اَصْحٰبُ الْمَشْـَٔمَةِ۔ؕ عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُّؤْصَدَةٌ۔

In the name of God—the most compassionate, the most merciful.

I swear by [this] countryside, you are a native settled on this land as well as any parent and whatever he may father. 

We have created man under stress. Does he reckon that no one can do anything against him? He says: “I have used up piles of money!” Does he consider that no one sees him? 

Have We not granted him both eyes, a tongue and two lips, and guided him along both highroads? Yet he does not tackle the Obstacle! What will make you realize what the Obstacle is? 

[It means] redeeming the captive, or feeding some orphaned relative on a day of famine or some needy person in distress. 

Then he will act like someone who believes, recommends patience and encourages mercifulness. Those will be the companions on the righthand side, while the ones who disbelieve in Our signs will be companions on the sinister side: above them a fire will hem them in. 

A clear statement concerning free will or the choice which is offered Muslims is made here. Reciting it brings us spiritual blessings, especially on Fridays.

The term Al-Balad contained in the title is difficult to translate, for its meaning ranges from the idea of ‘city’ to ‘country’, and includes that of district, home town, municipality, community, or land. Various versions use most of these English terms. It here means the sacred surroundings of Mecca.

Man has never been able to free himself from hardship. This shows that he is subordinate to some Superior Power. Similarly, man’s eyes show that there is also a Superior Eye which is watching him. His power of speech indicates that there is One capable of speech over and above him, who has bestowed upon him the power of speech and showed him the right path. If a man realizes himself in the true sense, then he will certainly recognize God.

God has commanded man to scale two heights—one is to treat others with justice, and help them in their hour of need. The other is to have firm faith in God. When such belief enters the inner depths of a human being, it does not remain confined to his own thinking but rather makes him become communicative. He then attempts to lead others along the path of Truth which he himself has adopted.