SURAH AL-BALAD (THE CITY, THIS COUNTRYSIDE)

YUSUFALI: In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
PICKTHAL: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
SHAKIR: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

090.001
YUSUFALI: I do call to witness this City;-
PICKTHAL: Nay, I swear by this city -
SHAKIR: Nay! I swear by this city.

090.002
YUSUFALI: And thou art a freeman of this City;-
PICKTHAL: And thou art an indweller of this city -
SHAKIR: And you shall be made free from obligation in this city--

090.003
YUSUFALI: And (the mystic ties of) parent and child;-
PICKTHAL: And the begetter and that which he begat,
SHAKIR: And the begetter and whom he begot.

090.004
YUSUFALI: Verily We have created man into toil and struggle.
PICKTHAL: We verily have created man in an atmosphere:
SHAKIR: Certainly We have created man to be in distress.

090.005
YUSUFALI: Thinketh he, that none hath power over him?
PICKTHAL: Thinketh he that none hath power over him?
SHAKIR: Does he think that no one has power over him?

090.006
YUSUFALI: He may say (boastfully); Wealth have I squandered in abundance!
PICKTHAL: And he saith: I have destroyed vast wealth:
SHAKIR: He shall say: I have wasted much wealth.

090.007
YUSUFALI: Thinketh he that none beholdeth him?
PICKTHAL: Thinketh he that none beholdeth him?
SHAKIR: Does he think that no one sees him?

090.008
YUSUFALI: Have We not made for him a pair of eyes?-
PICKTHAL: Did We not assign unto him two eyes
SHAKIR: Have We not given him two eyes,

090.009
YUSUFALI: And a tongue, and a pair of lips?-
PICKTHAL: And a tongue and two lips,
SHAKIR: And a tongue and two lips,

090.010
YUSUFALI: And shown him the two highways?
PICKTHAL: And guide him to the parting of the mountain ways?
SHAKIR: And pointed out to him the two conspicuous ways?

090.011
YUSUFALI: But he hath made no haste on the path that is steep.
PICKTHAL: But he hath not attempted the Ascent -
SHAKIR: But he would not attempt the uphill road,

090.012
YUSUFALI: And what will explain to thee the path that is steep?-
PICKTHAL: Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Ascent is! -
SHAKIR: And what will make you comprehend what the uphill road is?

090.013
YUSUFALI: (It is:) freeing the bondman;
PICKTHAL: (It is) to free a slave,
SHAKIR: (It is) the setting free of a slave,

090.014
YUSUFALI: Or the giving of food in a day of privation
PICKTHAL: And to feed in the day of hunger.
SHAKIR: Or the giving of food in a day of hunger

090.015
YUSUFALI: To the orphan with claims of relationship,
PICKTHAL: An orphan near of kin,
SHAKIR: To an orphan, having relationship,

090.016
YUSUFALI: Or to the indigent (down) in the dust.
PICKTHAL: Or some poor wretch in misery,
SHAKIR: Or to the poor man lying in the dust.

090.017
YUSUFALI: Then will he be of those who believe, and enjoin patience, (constancy, and self-restraint), and enjoin deeds of kindness and compassion.
PICKTHAL: And to be of those who believe and exhort one another to perseverance and exhort one another to pity.
SHAKIR: Then he is of those who believe and charge one another to show patience, and charge one another to show compassion.

090.018
YUSUFALI: Such are the Companions of the Right Hand.
PICKTHAL: Their place will be on the right hand.
SHAKIR: These are the people of the right hand.

090.019
YUSUFALI: But those who reject Our Signs, they are the (unhappy) Companions of the Left Hand.
PICKTHAL: But those who disbelieve Our revelations, their place will be on the left hand.
SHAKIR: And (as for) those who disbelieve in our communications, they are the people of the left hand.

090.020
YUSUFALI: On them will be Fire vaulted over (all round).
PICKTHAL: Fire will be an awning over them.
SHAKIR: On them is fire closed over.