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Al-Balad

Aaya: 1

لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ

1. I (God) swear by this town (of Makkah)¹.

1. Are we working, each in his own way, to make this sacred city (of Makkah and Madinah) a sign of hope and love for those who live here and those who visit from outside. May we be in solidarity with, and friends of, all the people coming here, as living examples of kindness and truth, so that the Qur’an and Sunnah might become the heart of the world.

Aaya: 2

وَأَنتَ حِلُّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ

2. And you are (O Muhammad) free of restriction (to fight for a while) in this (sacred) city (of Makkah)².

2. On the day of the liberation of Makkah Mohammad (ﷺ), God's messenger, declared: “This town was sanctified by Allah when He created the heavens and earth and for this it is sanctified until the Day of Judgement. It was not ever allowed for anyone before me to fight in it. Fighting (in it) was only allowed for me for part of a day. (I repeat) It is sanctified for its sanctification by Allah until the Day of Judgement. Its thorn (branches) shall not be torn down (for fodder), its game (prey) shall not be scared off, lost belongings in it should not be forfeited unless announced and its saplings shall not be cut down.”

Aaya: 3

وَوَالِدٖ وَمَا وَلَدَ

3. And by a father and his son³.

3. I.e., Abraham and Ishmael: the first builders of the Ka’bah. And was also interpreted as Adam and his offspring.

Aaya: 4

لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ فِي كَبَدٍ

4. We have created man to be in toil.

Aaya: 5

أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ أَحَدٞ

5. Does he think that no one can overpower him?

Aaya: 6

يَقُولُ أَهۡلَكۡتُ مَالٗا لُّبَدًا

6. He says (boastfully): "I have wasted enormous wealth (in display of glory and grandeur)."

Aaya: 7

أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّمۡ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ

7. Does he think that no one sees him?

Aaya: 8

أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ عَيۡنَيۡنِ

8. Have We not made for him two eyes?

Aaya: 9

وَلِسَانٗا وَشَفَتَيۡنِ

9. And a tongue and two lips?

Aaya: 10

وَهَدَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجۡدَيۡنِ

10. And shown him the two ways (of good and bad)?

Aaya: 11

فَلَا ٱقۡتَحَمَ ٱلۡعَقَبَةَ

11. Yet, he did not enter and pass the narrow Path⁴.

4. By studying the Qur’an, and applying His Word, by praying daily, paying the poor-rate, and serving the people.

Aaya: 12

وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡعَقَبَةُ

12. What will make you know what is [entering through] the narrow path⁵.

5. Paths are different not just in size, but in reasons for why they are this way. The path to destruction is seen as wide because in our fallen world, sin is plentiful and can be found everywhere. We are encouraged, at times, to focus on ourselves rather than others and that greed, pride, and power are all worthy attributes to have. Many will go through this path because it is easy, enticing, and fulfills all their needs and wants, even if temporarily. The difficult path is narrow and few will go through it. It is the path to salvation, of surrendering one’s life to Allah and following a path that can be challenging but rewarding at times. You will grow more spiritually while on this path, and realize that the world (offered through the wide path) doesn’t have as much to offer you as the difficult path does. Muhammad (ﷺ), the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Paradise is surrounded by adversity, and Hellfire is surrounded by lusts.”

Aaya: 13

فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ

13. (It is by) the freeing of a slave⁶,

6. Or a captive from the bondage of slavery, debt and other afflictions. Helping the stranded foreigners and strangers.

Aaya: 14

أَوۡ إِطۡعَٰمٞ فِي يَوۡمٖ ذِي مَسۡغَبَةٖ

14. Or the feeding on a day of hunger -

Aaya: 15

يَتِيمٗا ذَا مَقۡرَبَةٍ

15. Of an orphan near of kin,

Aaya: 16

أَوۡ مِسۡكِينٗا ذَا مَتۡرَبَةٖ

16. Or to the poor (down) in the dust.

Aaya: 17

ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡمَرۡحَمَةِ

17. Then he is of those who believe and advise one another to have patience and advise one another to show mercy.

Aaya: 18

أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَيۡمَنَةِ

18. These are the people of the right hand.

Aaya: 19

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمۡ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَشۡـَٔمَةِ

19. But as for those who deny Our verses they are the people of the left hand.

Aaya: 20

عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَارٞ مُّؤۡصَدَةُۢ

20. On them shall be a Fire closed in (on all sides).