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Surah Al-Balad (undefined)

سُورَةُ البَلَدِ

Surah 90 of the Holy Quran · Meccan · 20 verses

Also spelled: Balad, Al Balad, AlBalad, The City

Surah Al-Balad (undefined) is the 90th chapter of the Holy Quran. It was revealed in Mecca and contains 20 verses (ayahs). Read it below with the Arabic text, transliteration, and English translation, or open it as interactive flashcards to memorize it verse by verse.

  1. 90:1

    لَآ أُقْسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ

    Laaa uqsimu bihaazal balad

    I swear by this city, Makkah -

  2. 90:2

    وَأَنتَ حِلٌّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ

    Wa anta hillum bihaazal balad

    And you, [O Muhammad], are free of restriction in this city -

  3. 90:3

    وَوَالِدٍۢ وَمَا وَلَدَ

    Wa waalidinw wa maa walad

    And [by] the father and that which was born [of him],

  4. 90:4

    لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ فِى كَبَدٍ

    Laqad khalaqnal insaana fee kabad

    We have certainly created man into hardship.

  5. 90:5

    أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌۭ

    Ayahsabu al-lai yaqdira 'alaihi ahad

    Does he think that never will anyone overcome him?

  6. 90:6

    يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًۭا لُّبَدًا

    Yaqoolu ahlaktu maalal lubadaa

    He says, "I have spent wealth in abundance."

  7. 90:7

    أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ

    Ayahsabu al lam yarahooo ahad

    Does he think that no one has seen him?

  8. 90:8

    أَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عَيْنَيْنِ

    Alam naj'al lahoo 'aynayn

    Have We not made for him two eyes?

  9. 90:9

    وَلِسَانًۭا وَشَفَتَيْنِ

    Wa lisaananw wa shafatayn

    And a tongue and two lips?

  10. 90:10

    وَهَدَيْنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجْدَيْنِ

    Wa hadaynaahun najdayn

    And have shown him the two ways?

  11. 90:11

    فَلَا ٱقْتَحَمَ ٱلْعَقَبَةَ

    Falaq tahamal-'aqabah

    But he has not broken through the difficult pass.

  12. 90:12

    وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْعَقَبَةُ

    Wa maaa adraaka mal'aqabah

    And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass?

  13. 90:13

    فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ

    Fakku raqabah

    It is the freeing of a slave

  14. 90:14

    أَوْ إِطْعَٰمٌۭ فِى يَوْمٍۢ ذِى مَسْغَبَةٍۢ

    Aw it'aamun fee yawmin zee masghabah

    Or feeding on a day of severe hunger

  15. 90:15

    يَتِيمًۭا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ

    Yateeman zaa maqrabah

    An orphan of near relationship

  16. 90:16

    أَوْ مِسْكِينًۭا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍۢ

    Aw miskeenan zaa matrabah

    Or a needy person in misery

  17. 90:17

    ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْمَرْحَمَةِ

    Summa kaana minal lazeena aamanoo wa tawaasaw bissabri wa tawaasaw bilmarhamah

    And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion.

  18. 90:18

    أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ

    Ulaaa'ika As-haabul maimanah

    Those are the companions of the right.

  19. 90:19

    وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ

    Wallazeena kafaroo bi aayaatinaa hum as-haabul Mash'amah

    But they who disbelieved in Our signs - those are the companions of the left.

  20. 90:20

    عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌۭ مُّؤْصَدَةٌۢ

    Alaihim naarum mu'sadah

    Over them will be fire closed in.

About Surah Al-Balad

Al-Balad, the City, swears by the city of Makkah and reminds the human being that they were created to face struggle. It describes the steep path of righteousness as freeing a slave, feeding the hungry, the orphan, and the poor, and being among those who believe and encourage one another to patience and compassion.

Themes: Life as struggle, The steep path, Feeding the needy, Compassion

Arabic: Uthmani script (Hafs). Translation: English. Recitation: Mishary Rashid Alafasy. See Sources for full attribution.