Surah Balad Full Transliteration, Arabic, And Translation In English

Surah Balad which means The City is the 90th chapter of the Qur’an. It contains 20 ayat (verses). Here is the full transliteration and translation of this surah in English.

Summary Of Surah Al Balad

Surah Balad In Arabic Text

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

1. لا أُقْسِمُ بِهَذَا الْبَلَدِ
2. وَأَنتَ حِلٌّ بِهَذَا الْبَلَدِ
3. وَوَالِدٍ وَمَا وَلَدَ
4. لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الإِنسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ
5. أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ
6. يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالا لُّبَدًا
7. أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُ أَحَدٌ
8. أَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُ عَيْنَيْنِ
9. وَلِسَانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ
10. وَهَدَيْنَاهُ النَّجْدَيْنِ
11. فَلا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ
12. وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ
13. فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ
14. أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ فِي يَوْمٍ ذِي مَسْغَبَةٍ
15. يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ
16. أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ
17. ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْمَرْحَمَةِ
18. أُوْلَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ
19. وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ
20. عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُّؤْصَدَةٌ.

Surah Balad Transliteration

1. Laaa uqsimu bihaazal balad
2. Wa anta hillum bihaazal balad
3. Wa waalidinw wa maa walad
4. Laqad khalaqnal insaana fee kabad
5. Ayahsabu al-lai yaqdira ‘alaihi ahad
6. Yaqoolu ahlaktu maalal lubadaa
7. Ayahsabu al lam yarahooo ahad
8. Alam naj’al lahoo ‘aynayn
9. Wa lisaananw wa shafatayn
10. Wa hadaynaahun najdayn
11. Falaq tahamal-‘aqabah
12. Wa maaa adraaka mal’aqabah
13. Fakku raqabah
14. Aw it’aamun fee yawmin zee masghabah
15. Yateeman zaa maqrabah
16. Aw miskeenan zaa matrabah
17. Summa kaana minal lazeena aamanoo wa tawaasaw bissabri wa tawaasaw bilmarhamah
18. Ulaaa’ika As-haabul maimanah
19. Wallazeena kafaroo bi aayaatinaa hum as-haabul Mash’amah
20. Alaihim naarum mu’sadah.

Surah Balad in English

• 1. Verily I swear by this city
• 2. And you are a resident of this city
• 3. and by parent and offspring
• 4. We have indeed created man in toil and hardship.
• 5. Does he think that no one can ever have power over him?
• 6. He says: I have squandered enormous wealth!
• 7. Does he think that no one saw him?
• 8. Have We not given him two eyes
• 9. and a tongue, and a pair of lips,
• 10. and shown him the two ways [good and evil]?
• 11. But he has not attempted the steep path
• 12. and how could you know what the steep path is?
• 13. [It is] freeing a slave,
• 14. or giving food on a day of privation
• 15. to an orphan near of kin,
• 16. or one who is poor and destitute,
• 17. while being [first and foremost] among those who believe and exhort one another to be steadfast and to show compassion.
• 18. Such will be those on the right.
• 19. And those who reject Our signs will be those on the left,
• 20. With fire closing in upon them.

Surah Balad Tafseer in English

In this Surah, Allah swears (by this city) that is, by this secure city, namely Makkah al-Mukarramah, which is the best of all cities, especially at the time when the Messenger was living there.

And by parent and offspring namely Adam and his progeny.

What is attested to is mentioned in the following verse: We have indeed created man in toil and hardship.

It may be that what is meant is what man suffers and goes through of hardships in this world, in al-barzakh, and on the Day of Resurrection.

So man should strive hard to do that which will bring him relief from these hardships and lead to eternal bliss and joy, for if he does not do that, he will continue to suffer severe punishment for all eternity.

We have created man in the best form and shape so that he is able to take action and deal with tough and difficult situations, yet despite that he does not give thanks to Allah for this great blessing; rather he becomes arrogant because of his well-being, and he opposes his Creator.

Therefore in his ignorance and wrongdoing he thinks that this situation will last forever and that his ability to dispose of his own affairs will never cease.

Hence Allah says: Does he think that no one can ever have power over him and therefore he shows arrogance and boasts of what he has spent of wealth on his own desires, so he says:

I have squandered enormous wealth! that is, huge amounts of wealth?

Allah describes spending on desires and sins as squandering, because the spender does not benefit from what he spends, and his spending only leads to regret, loss, exhaustion and diminishing of wealth, unlike the one who spends on good causes, seeking the pleasure of Allah.

The latter is, as it were, making deals with Allah and he gains many times more than he spends.

Allah says, warning the one who boasts of what he spends on his desires:

Does he think that no one saw him? That is, does he think, when he does that, that Allah does not see him and will not bring him to account for everything, small or great?

Rather Allah does indeed see him and records his deeds against him; He has appointed noble scribes to write down whatever he does of good or evil.

Then Allah reminds him of His blessings, saying: Have We not given him two eyes and a tongue, and a pair of lips, so as to give him a beautiful appearance, and so that he may see and speak?

And We have bestowed upon him other necessary faculties. This refers to worldly blessings.

Then Allah says, concerning the blessings of religion:

And shown him the two ways [good and evil] that is, the paths of good and evil; We have shown him guidance as distinct from misguidance.

These immense blessings require a person to fulfil his duties towards Allah, to give thanks to Allah for His blessings, and not to use them in disobedience to Him.

But this person does not do that. (But he has not attempted the steep path) that is, he has not attempted it or crossed over it, because he is following his whims and desires, so this steep path is very difficult for him.

Then Allah explains what is meant by that steep path, as He says: [it is] freeing a slave that is, freeing a person from slavery by manumitting him or helping him to buy his freedom; it is even more appropriate to ransom Muslim prisoners who are held by the disbelievers.

Or giving food on a day of privation that is, on the day of severe hunger, by giving food at the time when people need it most.

To an orphan near of kin] that is, one who is both a poor orphan and a close relative {(or one who is poor and destitute]).

While being [first and foremost] among those who believe that is, who believe in their hearts in that in which it is obligatory to believe, and they do righteous deeds with their physical faculties, in terms of both words and deeds, actions that are both obligatory and recommended.

And exhort one another to be steadfast in obeying Allah and in refraining from disobedience, and in accepting the painful decree of Allah, by urging one another to submit to that and comply with it, with complete acceptance and contentment.

And to show compassion to people, by giving to the needy, teaching the ignorant, taking care of all their needs of various kinds, helping them in their endeavours to do that which is in their best interests in both religious and worldly terms, and loving for them what they love for themselves and hating for them what they hate for themselves.

Those who meet this description, whom Allah has enabled to climb that steep path, will be those on the right because they did what Allah enjoins of duties towards Him and towards His slaves, and they refrained from that which they were forbidden to do.

This is the sign of being among the blessed.

And those who reject Our signsjs by turning their backs on these matters, so they do not believe in Allah and do not do righteous deeds or show compassion towards the slaves of Allah, (will be those on the left, with fire closing in upon them)?

And they will be confined behind doors barred with huge beams so that they cannot be opened, and they will find themselves in distress and hardship.

This is the end of the commentary on Surah al-Balad. All praise and thanks are for Allah, and may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions abundantly until the Day of Judgement.