Surah Balad in English (“The City”) is the 90th chapter of the Qur’an
with 20 ayat. The Surat al-Balad, in spite of its brevity, contains some thought-provoking ideas.
Summary of Surah Al-Balad
• 1-7 Man, though created in misery, boasts of his
riches
• 8-16 Captives to be freed and the poor and orphan to be
fed
• 17-20 Description of the companions of the right and left
hand
In the first part of the Surat, after mentioning some meaningful oaths,
this fact is pointed out that Man’s life, in this world, is always full of
toil and struggle which prepares him to be able to face troubles and
difficulties and therefore, he should not expect absolute tranquility and
comfort in the present world; that which is possible only in the next life.
In the next part of this Sura, a few of the greatest divine bounties
created for Man are enumerated and then, the discussion is given showing his
ingratitude.
In the last part of the Surah, people are divided into two groups: the
people of the Right Hand and the people of the Left Hand. Then, some
characteristics of the good deeds of the first group and their final fate are
stated and compared to the destiny of the opposite group; the Unbelievers
and sinners.
The senses derived from the verses of this Surah are decisive and vigorous,
the statements are short and categorical and the words are extremely effective
and explicit. The form and content of the verses show that the Surah is one of
the Meccan ones.
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Surah Al-Balad in English Text Transliteration
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Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Laaa Uqsimu Bihaazal Balad
Wa Anta Hillum Bihaazal Balad
Wa Waalidinw Wa Maa Walad
Laqad Khalaqnal Insaana Fee Kabad
Ayahsabu Al-lai Yaqdira 'alaihi Ahad
Yaqoolu Ahlaktu Maalal Lubadaa
Ayahsabu Al Lam Yarahooo Ahad
Alam Naj'al Lahoo 'aynayn
Wa Lisaananw Wa Shafatayn
Wa Hadaynaahun Najdayn
Falaq Tahamal-'aqabah
Wa Maaa Adraaka Mal'aqabah
Fakku Raqabah
Aw It'aamun Fee Yawmin Zee Masghabah
Yateeman Zaa Maqrabah
Aw Miskeenan Zaa Matrabah
Summa Kaana Minal Lazeena Aamanoo Wa Tawaasaw Bissabri Wa Tawaasaw
Bilmarhamah
Ulaaa'ika As-haabul Maimanah
Wallazeena Kafaroo Bi Aayaatinaa Hum As-haabul Mash'amah
Alaihim Naarum Mu'sadah
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Surah Balad English Translation Text
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In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
I do call to witness this City;-
And thou art a freeman of this City;-
And (the mystic ties of) parent and child;-
Verily We have created man into toil and struggle.
Thinketh he, that none hath power over him?
He may say (boastfully); Wealth have I squandered in abundance!
Thinketh he that none beholdeth him?
Have We not made for him a pair of eyes?-
And a tongue, and a pair of lips?-
And shown him the two highways?
But he hath made no haste on the path that is steep.
And what will explain to thee the path that is steep?-
(It is:) freeing the bondman;
Or the giving of food on a day of privation
To the orphan with claims of relationship,
Or to the indigent (down) in the dust.
Then will he be of those who believe, and enjoin patience, (constancy, and
self-restraint), and enjoin deeds of kindness and compassion.
Such are the Companions of the Right Hand.
But those who reject Our Signs, are the (unhappy) Companions of the Left
Hand.
On them will be Fire vaulted over (all around).
Surah Al Balad Pdf in English and Arabic
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Surah Balad in Arabic with Urdu Text Online
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
اللہ کے نام سے شروع جو نہایت مہربان ہمیشہ رحم فرمانے والا ہے
1. لَا أُقْسِمُ بِهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ
میں اس شہر (مکہ) کی قَسم کھاتا ہوں
2. وَأَنْتَ حِلٌّ بِهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ
(اے حبیبِ مکرّم!) اس لئے کہ آپ اس شہر میں تشریف فرما ہیں٭
٭ یہ ترجمہ ”لا زائدہ“ کے اعتبار سے ہے۔ لا ”نفئ صحیح“ کے لئے ہو تو ترجمہ یوں
ہوگا: میں (اس وقت) اس شہر کی قَسم نہیں کھاؤں گا (اے حبیب!) جب آپ اس شہر سے
رخصت ہو جائیں گے۔
3. وَوَالِدٍ وَمَا وَلَدَ
(اے حبیبِ مکرّم! آپ کے) والد (آدم یا ابراہیم علیہما السلام) کی قَسم اور (ان
کی) قَسم جن کی ولادت ہوئی٭
٭ یعنی آدم علیہ السلام کی ذریّتِ صالحہ یا آپ ہی کی ذات گرامی جن کے باعث یہ
شہرِ مکہ بھی لائقِ قَسم ٹھہرا ہے۔
4. لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ
بیشک ہم نے انسان کو مشقت میں (مبتلا رہنے والا) پیدا کیا ہے
5. أَيَحْسَبُ أَنْ لَنْ يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ
کیا وہ یہ گمان کرتا ہے کہ اس پر ہرگز کوئی بھی قابو نہ پا سکے گا؟
6. يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُبَدًا
وہ (بڑے فخر سے) کہتا ہے کہ میں نے ڈھیروں مال خرچ کیا ہے
7. أَيَحْسَبُ أَنْ لَمْ يَرَهُ أَحَدٌ
کیا وہ یہ خیال کرتا ہے کہ اسے (یہ فضول خرچیاں کرتے ہوئے) کسی نے نہیں دیکھا
8. أَلَمْ نَجْعَلْ لَهُ عَيْنَيْنِ
اور (اسے) ایک زبان اور دو ہونٹ (نہیں دئیے)
9. وَلِسَانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ
اور (اسے) ایک زبان اور دو ہونٹ (نہیں دئیے)
10. وَهَدَيْنَاهُ النَّجْدَيْنِ
اور ہم نے اسے (خیر و شر کے) دو نمایاں راستے (بھی) دکھا دیئے
11. فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ
وہ تو (دینِ حق اور عملِ خیر کی) دشوار گزار گھاٹی میں داخل ہی نہیں ہوا
12. وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ
اور آپ کیا سمجھے ہیں کہ وہ (دینِ حق کے مجاہدہ کی) گھاٹی کیا ہے
13. فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ
وہ (غلامی و محکومی کی زندگی سے) کسی گردن کا آزاد کرانا ہے
14. أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ فِي يَوْمٍ ذِي مَسْغَبَةٍ
یا بھوک والے دن (یعنی قحط و اَفلاس کے دور میں غریبوں اور محروم المعیشت
لوگوں کو) کھانا کھلانا ہے (یعنی ان کے معاشی تعطل اور ابتلاء کو ختم کرنے کی
جدّ و جہد کرنا ہے)
15. يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ
قرابت دار یتیم کو
16. أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ
یا شدید غربت کے مارے ہوئے محتاج کو جو محض خاک نشین (اور بے گھر) ہے
17. ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ
وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْمَرْحَمَةِ
پھر (شرط یہ ہے کہ ایسی جدّ و جہد کرنے والا) وہ شخص ان لوگوں میں سے ہو جو
ایمان لائے ہیں اور ایک دوسرے کو صبر و تحمل کی نصیحت کرتے ہیں اور باہم رحمت و
شفقت کی تاکید کرتے ہیں
18. أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ
یہی لوگ دائیں طرف والے (یعنی اہلِ سعادت و مغفرت) ہیں
19. وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ
اور جن لوگوں نے ہماری آیتوں کا انکار کیا وہ بائیں طرف والے ہیں (یعنی اہلِ
شقاوت و عذاب) ہیں
20. عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُؤْصَدَةٌ
ان پر (ہر طرف سے) بند کی ہوئی آگ (چھائی) ہوگی
Surah Al Balad Pdf in Arabic
Surah Balad Benefits and Virtues
Surah Balad Benefits
1. Our Beloved Prophet Muhammad sallal laahu alaihi wasallam, has said
that whoever recites Surah Balad will be safe from the Wrath of Allah (s.w.t.)
on the Day of Reckoning.
2. Those who recite Sura Balad in their farz prayers will be counted
among the pious and will be given a high status in the company of the Prophets
and martyrs.
3. Writing Surah Al-Balad as a talisman and tying it around the neck of
a child keeps him safe from illness.
4. If water of Surat Balad Taweez is put in the nostrils acts as a
cure for nose ailments.
5. Those who recite Surah Al-Balad Allah would keep him safe
from His anger and displeasure and exempt him from the fire of hell.
6. If Surah Al-Balad is written on paper and put on around the neck of
a newborn child as a taweez the child would inshallah remain safe from those
ailments which usually afflict children, moreover the child would not cry much
and fits would not attack him.
7. Recite Surah Al-Balad with safety from the anger of Allah.
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Surah Balad English Translation Youtube Video
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Surah Al Balad Tafseer in English
90:1 لَا أُقْسِمُ بِهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ
1) I swear by this city (Makkah)
There are different ways that an oath can be taken in Arabic. In addition to
using the preposition, ‘waw’ one can also use ‘bi’ which is not used commonly
in the Quran. For example, bil-lahi is another usage of wallahi. Another way
of taking an oath is to spell it out by using the phrase ‘I swear’ although
this is not normal usage. Allah (SWT) never says ‘oqsimu’ in the Quran by
itself rather He (SWT) will say something like ‘laa oqsimu’.
The significance of this laa is spoken about a lot amongst linguists,
grammarians, and the mufassiroon. Firstly it is not meant to be taken literally
according to most scholars. In other words, it does not make sense to say ‘I do
not swear by this city.
Some scholars though nonetheless have tried to interpret it in this way. The
benefit of this is that it can be considered Allah’s way of proclaiming that
what He (SWT) is about to say is so powerful that He (SWT) does not even have
to take an oath. However, this is not the majority of the stronger opinion.
Laa actually underscores the existence of a counterargument. Allah (SWT) is
about to say something that is contrary to what people believe but before He
(SWT) teaches them the right thing He (SWT) says ‘no’ to and negates
everything that they believe and hold to be true.
In other words, a lot of nonsense is being said and before the people can be
corrected they have to be silenced and this is done by saying ‘no!’ In our
times it is equivalent to us saying – ‘stop!’ or ‘no, no, no – let me tell
you!’ So this laa is there to negate all other ideas and others have commented
that it refers to the attitudes that were highlighted in the previous surah.
Allah (SWT) negates the weak characteristics man had when he thought badly of
his Creator due to his wealth and blessings being limited.
The word balad also appeared in the previous surah but the reference was to
other cities where corruption and rebellion were rampant. These accounts were
not simply historical lessons rather they are lessons that need to be learned
for this city – Makkah.
There is a transition made from those cities to this one and this will be a
continuous style in this section of the Quran. Allah (SWT) will mention
something in the general or in the past and then bring it right up to date in
relation to the life and struggles of the messenger (saw).
It is worth reminding ourselves that swearing by something is a means by which
something is elevated and honored. Thus, by Allah (SWT) swearing by this city, it is honored. Additionally, people’s attention is drawn to the thing that is
sworn by and the response to the oath must be related to this city.
90:2 َوَأَنْتَ حِلٌّ بِهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ
2) And you (Muhammad) are an inhabitant of this city
And you (Muhammad) are going to be allowed (to fight) in this city
After mentioning Makkah, which is the chief of all cities, Allah (SWT)
mentions the leader of all His (SWT) slaves, the messenger (saw). At the end
of the previous surah, Allah (SWT) addresses the tranquil soul and of all souls, Muhammad (saw) is the most tranquil and so naturally he (saw) is the first
person mentioned here. Allah (SWT) says that he is ‘hil’ in this city.
The word hil has many origins and one of its variations is mustahal which
would render the meaning of this verse as ‘You (Muhammad) have become
permissible in this city. The people of Makkah including the polytheists
enjoy the peace of Makkah and they respect it to the extent that they do not
even hunt in the city, preferring to go outside the city to hunt.
They even called the city Al Haram (a place where killing is not allowed) and
recognise this city as a sanctuary and this was passed on through the
teachings of their forefather Prophet Ibrahim (as). Yet, when it comes to the
messenger (saw) these disbelievers suddenly consider it halal to kill him and
so the messenger (saw) is being told that a time is coming when the mushrikeen
will make halal this sacred law that has been made haram for them.
The forces of kuffar and disbelief have a constitution and certain ethics,
rules, and values that they uphold and take pride in but this illustrates that
when it comes to opposition with the Muslims and any who stand by the mission
of Islam that they are willing to break their rules.
Thus, they are hypocritical when they say that they are standing by their
principles by opposing the prophet, as it is these very principles that they
break when they confront the Muslims. For example in a nation where you have
the idea of due process and the principle that everyone is innocent until
proven guilty, this very principle is sometimes set aside when it comes to Muslims.
They can often be portrayed as evil ones so that people do not perceive
them as humans who should be equal in the sight of the law. In the time of
Fir’aun, his family had protection and were considered off limits. Yet, Musa
(as) was attacked and fought so that he would leave Islam despite being raised
in that house.
Similarly, the Arabs would not attack someone from their own tribe and so in
order to deal with Muhammad (saw) they had to come up with a way around this
problem which led to the scheme where one member of each clan would
participate in the murder thereby distributing blame to the point, there was no
blame at all.
This is important for us to know as Allah (SWT) is preparing us to expect
injustice and opposition even by the standards of the disbelievers when we
give dawah and spread and stand up for the message of Islam. They will break
their own standards in opposition to those who believe and this is found over
and over in the history of the prophets.
A second opinion regarding hil is that Allah (SWT) is informing the messenger
(saw) that something will be made permissible for him that has not been made
permissible for anyone before him. This implies that at the conquest of Makkah for
one day only it was permissible for Muhammad (saw), within the sanctuary, to
order the execution of certain war criminals that had to be punished (although
on the most part there was forgiveness).
On that day also the messenger (saw) said in reference to a certain time
during the day of the conquest of Makkah that ‘Surely Allah made Makkah
Sacred/haram the day He created the skies and the Earth, and it will remain
Holy/sacred until the establishment of the Final Hour. It was not made
permissible (Hil) to anyone before me or to anyone after me, and it was not
made permissible to me except for an hour in a day.
Allah (swt) is telling the messenger (saw) that it will be halal for him to
exact punishment on the disbeliever, which does not make sense in the Makkan
context, and this surah by consensus is Makki. It only makes sense in the
context of victory and so in this statement, there is a guarantee of the
victory of Islam.
This is one of the interpretations of this verse that exist even from the time
of the companions. So, on the one hand, the believer’s conflict is illustrated through the word ‘hil’ but on the other hand, the victor in this
conflict is also illustrated by the same word.
A third opinion comes from the understanding that the word hil also can mean
to arrive at or to descend on a place (e.g. ‘I have landed in this city and I
am going to stay here and not move’). By this, the messenger (saw) is being
told that he is a permanent fixture of the city.
In other words, even when he is expelled from the city, he will nevertheless
come back and establish his rule and this is another way in which the
guarantee of the victory of Islam has been given to the messenger (saw). The
root origin of the word ‘hil’ is ‘halla’ and literally means to untie
something. For example the dua of Musa (as) in Surah Taha: And untie the knot
in my tongue (20:27).
When a traveler descends on a city the first thing he does is untie and
unpack his bags, which is why the word hil was used for arrival. The
implication captured in the language is that the messenger (saw) went up the
mountain, received revelation, and then descended to the city with it. In these
opening two verses, Allah (SWT) has honored Makkah twice.
Firstly, by taking an oath by this blessed city, and secondly by giving a
messenger who descended on the city with revelation. In a hadith found in Ibn
Kathir (classed as Hasan by Al-Albani), narrated in the context of this verse,
the messenger (saw) said that no one has ever been tortured for the sake of
Allah like he has. Thus, the word hil has a lot of heavy context in it
implying constant struggle but the tranquillity mentioned at the end of the
previous surah will only be attained by the one struggling for Allah (SWT).
90:3 وَوَالِدٍ وَمَا وَلَدَ
3) And by the father and what he fathered
In the previous surah forefathers and ancestors were mentioned but wrongdoers like the people of ‘Aad and Thamud. Now, Allah (SWT) shows the
other side. Ma means ‘what’ but it can also be used for ta’ajjub (amazement)
as if to say ‘what an amazing son he fathered!’ The father according to many
mufassiroon refers to Adam (as) but in the context of this surah the stronger
view is that it refers to Ibrahim (as) and from him came his son Ishmael (as)
and through his lineage Muhammad (saw), the final Messenger of Allah (SWT).
This is the more likely interpretation as the oaths began with the city of
Makkah, which Ibrahim (as) inaugurated. By excluding the definite article from
the words Walid and walad these multiple implications become possible.
However, when the Arab hears the word Walid (father) he would think of his
forefather Ibrahim (as).
In the Quran and especially Makkan Quran we find that the three prophets
mentioned most often in the discourse of dawah are Ibrahim (as), Musa (as), and
Eesa (as). This is because the Makkans considered their lineage attached to
Ibrahim (as) whilst the other audience of the messenger (saw) were the Jews
and the Christians who affiliate themselves with Musa (as) and Eesa (as)
respectively.
These prophets feature the most as these are the three that are most likely to
capture the ears of the audience of the prophet (saw). Allah (SWT) here is
referring to the father of this city who inaugurated it and started this
legacy and built the house of Allah (SWT).
It was Ibrahim (as) who made the dua in Surah Baqarah: ‘Our Lord and send
among them a messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your verses and
teach them the Book and wisdom and purify them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in
Might, the Wise’ (2:129). The fulfillment of that dua was Ishmael (as) and
finally Muhammad (saw), the final messenger of Allah (SWT).
The word walad includes all the children and so it includes Muhammad (saw) but
also the progeny of Ishmael (as), the vast majority of whom were doing
shirk. Allah (SWT) here is showing His amazement to the Messenger of Allah who
is staying true to the message of his father Ibrahim (as) but also His shock
that the vast majority of Ibrahim’s children are rebelling against the legacy
of their own father by rebelling against the messenger (saw).
How can the Quraysh plot the murder of Muhammad (saw) who is simply reviving
the religion of their father Ibrahim (as)?
90:4 لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ
4) Indeed We have created man (to live) in the hard struggle
At the end of these oaths comes the response which is the central message of
this surah. The human being has been created in kabad. Some of the mufassiroon
commented that kabad means intense labor, toil that is overwhelming you
from every direction.
Allah (SWT) is saying that the human being has been created in an endless and
exhausting struggle. In the previous surah man incorrectly thought that when
Allah (SWT) gives him prestige and honor that all his troubles are over and
that he has been honored. However, when his rizq has gone away he thinks that
his lord has humiliated him.
This surah begins with ‘laa’ – no. This implies that no matter your financial
situation, what people think of you, or the life you live, whether they think
you have a good life or a tough life, each and every human being has been
created in an intense struggle. No matter where you come from man never stops
worrying although one man’s problems may not be an issue for someone else.
A wealthy person may be worried about his relationship with his family but
that may be a trivial issue for someone who enjoys good relations with his
family but is worried about his finances. Similarly, people in one part of the
world will have completely different worries to someone in another part of the
world.
A child in the west may be concerned he does not have the latest gaming
platform whereas a child in a less affluent part of the world is concerned
about clean water and when his next meal will come.
Allah (SWT) lets us know that no matter your situation you are in enormous
struggle. It is important to note that there are two paths that are going to
be discussed in this surah. The right path, the path of Allah (SWT), and the
path of other than Allah (SWT).
One can follow the path that Allah (SWT) wants you to follow and face a
struggle or one could follow a path that his desires lead him to follow but
still find it a struggle. Neither is easy but one appears easy and one appears
hard. So you might as well struggle for something which will lead you to
Allah’s mercy and reward rather than His anger and punishment.
People run away from the commandments of Allah (SWT) thinking that it is going
to bring difficulty whereas in reality turning away from guidance still leads
to challenges and difficulties. Non-Muslims that are close to Islam are often
dissuaded by a perception that following the commandments of Allah (SWT) is
difficult.
However, in Surah An-Nisa Allah (SWT) says: Allah desires that He should make
light your burdens and man is created weak (4:28). Allah (SWT) knows what is
better for us. Our lives are full of burdens but by following His (SWT)
commandments it will become light. The medicine may taste bitter but it will
bring comfort, ease, and relaxation to you.
The word kabad means the middle of the day which was the toughest part of the
day for the Arabs. It also means to be immersed in the middle of a sand dune
makes walking difficult as your feet become embedded in the sand.
The word kabad also refers to the liver and kibd was used when your liver was
injured resulting in pain and hardship. Some of the mufassiroon commented and
this was even an opinion amongst some of the companions that the word kabad
refers to the different stages of life.
The fact that the human struggles to come out of the womb struggles to drink
its mother’s milk struggles to walk and then struggles throughout its life
until death. Others have disagreed due to the fact that these difficulties are
not unique to humans and because other creatures share them. Furthermore, as
Allah (SWT) says ‘insaan’ there must then be another exhaustion that man
suffers from in addition. Another opinion is that perhaps this labor is the
covenant that Allah (SWT) put on every human being at the beginning of
creation acknowledging that Allah (SWT) is their Rabb.
This is the burden mankind carries. If they deny their duty to Allah (SWT) He
will give them hardships in life but if they recognize and obey Allah (SWT)
then these very hardships will elevate their status in the sight of Allah
(SWT).
Other mufassiroon say that the word insaan here refers specifically to a
kaafir called Abul Asht, a wealthy man who spent his wealth in opposition to
the Muslims. He was also known for his strength. He would place leather under
his foot wagering that none could pull it out from under it and the leather
would rip but his foot would not move.
Some of the companions thought this referred to him because kabad means
strength and Allah (SWT) created that human with enormous strength although
the majority of mufassiroon say that when insaan is used it is really a
commentary on the entire human race and that all human beings are created in
this toil and struggle.
It is also said that Allah (SWT) emphasizes in this oath that human beings
are meant to struggle which they can’t escape, in it is also confirmation
and strengthening to the messenger (saw) that he is not the only one
struggling but rather struggle is a part of human legacy. When the messenger
(saw) learned that something was from the Qadr (destiny) of Allah (SWT),
including his struggle for Islam, he was satisfied and content.
90:5 أَيَحْسَبُ أَنْ لَنْ يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ
5) Does he think that no one will have power over him?
Allah (SWT) describes the psychological conflict of the human being. On the
inside man is stressed and worried but trying to maintain an exterior that
does not indicate stress. This is manifest in our society most clearly amongst
celebrities who on the outside exhibit confidence and happiness but behind the
scenes may be stressed out, taking drugs, and suffering from depression.
This display of confidence is found in other people too from the young
reckless driver who does not think he will be caught and considers himself
above the law to the unchallenged tyrannical ruler that brings death to his
people because he does not believe he can be stopped.
Allah (SWT) says that this person assumes (yahsab) that he is above everyone
else and that none can overpower him. The word ahad was used in the previous
surah to explain that Allah’s punishment is like no other and here the same
word is used to indicate that this person thinks that no one, not even Allah
(SWT) can overpower him.
The surah thus far has alluded to things in the past but the word ‘lan’ is a
negative particle forcing the tense into the future and with it, there is now
an attitude of heedlessness of the future. This person is not concerned about
the future and anyone who does not reflect on the past and how Allah (SWT) has
dealt with arrogant people before him has not prepared for the future.
90:6 يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُبَدًا
6) ‘I have wasted abundant wealth’ he says
In this verse, this person’s arrogant assumptions and thoughts develop and get
strong enough to the point that he actually says some things out loud. Lubad
comes from libda which is a sticky liquid almost like a glue that you can pile
things on top of and lubad is used for a huge pile that is stuck together.
This person is essentially saying that he has amassed wealth upon wealth and
then destroyed large parts of it. This is very similar to someone in our time
remarking that they have ‘blown’ a large amount of money on a new car for
example and is a means by which arrogance is shown.
This person does not say that he spent a lot of money rather he specifically
wants to show people that he has wasted money. This is his way of publicizing
the fact that he is so rich that he does not even care about the money he has
wasted. People often spend a lot of money updating their car or building up
their handbag collection so that people will admire it.
People will show off to others by telling them how much money they have spent
on their clothes just so that they can build up their esteem by seeing the
shocked expression on someone’s face. This person thinks that the only way to
get respect in society is through amassing wealth and then spending it openly
and recklessly remember this very person in the previous surah felt that
his lord had belittled him when his wealth was restricted.
The other way this verse is interpreted is that when the call is made to spend
on a good cause like the orphans and the needy, this person will say that he
has blown all his money as an excuse to avoid donating. As this person is
known to be wealthy in society he is concerned that he will be approached
first to donate and so he takes pre-emptive action by broadcasting the news
that he has already spent a lot of money making it easier for him to decline.
Alternatively, if this insaan is referring to the most adamant disbelievers
struggling against Islam then some have interpreted it as referring to Abul
Asht mentioned earlier who said that he should be considered the leader of the
disbelievers as he had spent the most in opposition to the messenger (saw).
Notice also that this verse is a contrast to the same human being in the
previous surah who in verse twenty-four regretted not spending for his future
life in the hereafter whereas this verse shows us what he was doing with his
money in this world. Allah (SWT) is showing us that this person will
eventually regret wasting his money on fruitless endeavors when he could have
been investing for his real life in the next world.
90:7 أَيَحْسَبُ أَنْ لَمْ يَرَهُ أَحَدٌ
7) Does he think that no one saw him?
Allah (SWT) asks if this person assumes that no one saw him. The word lam is a
negative particle and forces the tense of the verb into the past. The Quraysh
had begun to believe that they had a natural-born right to the honors and
riches of Makkah.
However, it was Allah (swt) who gave this barren city life, its rizq, and made
it safe only through the dua of Ibrahim (as) and if the Quraysh are unwilling
to reflect on the legacy of Ibrahim (as) then they should at least reflect on
their own life and the provisions they enjoy but are not entitled to. They
should know that Allah (SWT) is watching the evil they do and the way they
earn and spend their money against His Messenger.
90:8 أَلَمْ نَجْعَلْ لَهُ عَيْنَيْنِ
8) Did We not give him eyes?
Immediately after Allah (SWT) asks cannot the One who gave you your eyes see
all that you do? All the money this person possesses would not be able to
afford this blessing alone that Allah (SWT) has given. This person may think
that he owns a house and his camels but he has paid nothing for the eyes that
Allah (SWT) gave.
90:9 وَلِسَانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ
9) And a tongue and two lips?
According to a hadith, the lips are a means by which you control your tongue.
Allah (SWT) has given two lips to control and silence our tongues. The tongue
which a few verses ago boasted about the wealth is wasted. This person’s
arrogance was shown through his tongue, firstly at his assumption that none
can control him and then that no one who saw him, will be a witness against him on
the Day of Judgement.
The tongue truly is a remarkable creation that allows us to process our
thoughts into words in a fraction of a second and therefore requires us to
exercise caution in our speech.
90:10 وَهَدَيْنَاهُ النَّجْدَيْنِ
10) And shown him the two ways (good and evil)?
The following hadith of the messenger (saw) helps put this verse into context:
‘Rush towards your Lord people because certainly that which is little and
enough is better than something plentiful but deceptive. People, there are
only two paths, the path of good and the path of evil, so what makes you love
the path of evil more than the good path?’
The word hadaa means to guide someone and by Allah (SWT) saying that He has
guided us to two paths the majority opinion is that this refers to the paths
of good and evil. This has also been illustrated in other places in the Quran
for example in Surah Al Baqarah: There is no compulsion in religion; truly the
right way has become clearly distinct from error; therefore whoever rejects
evil and believes in Allah has indeed laid hold on the firmest handle which
shall not break off Allah hears and knows all things (2:256).
The implication here is that Allah (SWT) has clearly shown what is right and
what is wrong.
Makkan Quran talks a lot about universal good, for example, taking care of
orphans and giving to the needy, the rights of neighbors, etc. So before the
finer details of the shariah are mentioned Allah (SWT) imparts general moral
principles that anyone can relate to even the polytheists of Makkah who had no
exposure to divine scripture like the people of the book.
This is something that Allah (SWT) has pre-programmed into every human being
and so it is part of human nature to know that killing is wrong. Studies in
psychology have shown that when someone lies for the first time or someone who
is not a professional liar lies (e.g. a politician or actor) there are
physiological changes in that person such as an increase in his blood
pressure, a change in the pitch of his voice and the hair on his skin may even
stand up.
Essentially, the human being was not programmed to lie and his fitrah is
inclined towards truth and this is why all cultures and societies unanimously
love truthfulness and dislike lying as a trait in people.
Other places in the Quran where the word hadaa is found sometimes see it
accompanied with a preposition but here as in Al Fatiha, there is no
preposition. The removal of prepositions linguistically makes a phrase more
comprehensive and meaningful.
In this case, removing the ‘to’ or ‘ila’ enhances the meaning from simply
‘guided to two paths’ to ‘guide to and along the two paths. When someone
chooses the path of good sincerely Allah (SWT) facilities that path for them
and guides them along it and when someone chooses the path of evil Allah (SWT)
makes that path achievable for them.
The word najd means a mountain that has no vegetation or trees and is bare
rock and in there is a clear path leading up. The image given in this verse is
that of a man at the foot of a mountain with two paths ahead of him, one
leading right and one leading left and Allah (SWT) has clearly shown where
each path leads. These two paths both lead up and both involve climbing which
means that both require labor in ascension.
This has been taught to us already in this surah where we learned that man was
created in struggle and this is now being reinforced with this image. Now
imagine that one of these paths is easy but gets difficult the further up you
get and the second is difficult early on but gets easier as one progresses
further. There is a parallel here to the struggle of man. As far as man is
concerned the human being will always prefer ease over difficulty preferring
to defer difficulty to a later date how often when presented with a task
does one say that they’ll deal with it later.
90:11 َلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ
11) Yet he has not attempted the steep path
The word ‘aqabah is also a word used to refer to a path heading up a
mountain range and so is almost synonymous with the word najd except that the
word ‘aqabah means a path that is very difficult to climb. So Allah (SWT) has
shown us two paths one of which is not just najd but also ‘aqabah. ‘Iqtihaam
is to jump into something without giving it any thought and to involve
yourself in a task that will involve a lot of work only to realize later that
it is exhausting.
Furthermore, once you have committed yourself to this task there is no backing
out, like putting together furniture, you think you can do it but then it
starts getting difficult and you realize at the halfway point that this is
tougher than you first thought. Allah (SWT) is telling us that after showing
man the two paths he chose not to commit himself to the hard path.
The first word in the verse is laa and precedes the word iqtahama which is in
the past tense. Maa would have been the normal expected negative particle here
as laa is not typically used with the past tense (laa yaqtahimu would be
deemed normal). There are some subtle implications here captured by the change
in just one word. Laa necessitates that multiple things are being negated
which is one reason it is used instead of maa.
‘iqtahama though is just one act whereas in ‘aqabah there are multiple things
involved, which will become apparent as the surah progresses, and as a result, this is what some scholars say the laa refers to. Laa can also imply a dua
rendering the meaning ‘Why didn’t he? Why didn’t he climb the tougher path?’
Allah (SWT) has given man eyes and the ability to do so why didn’t he climb
the steep path?
Thus, the falaa actually has the meaning of limadha (why) almost as if Allah
(SWT) is complaining that the human did not jump right in and take up the struggle, and in doing it is almost as if He (SWT) is giving us the challenge to engage in
this struggle. Others comment that this path is the path to salvation and
there is an indication given at the end of this surah as to what you will see
when you start reaching the top of this path.
90:12 َمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ
12) And what will make you know what the steep path is?
In the Quran we find both ‘wa ma adraaka’ and ‘wa ma yudreeka’. The former is
the past tense and the latter is the present tense. Allah (SWT) asks in the
past tense what would have given any clue as to what that steep path is and
whenever the question is asked in the past tense information is given but not
when the question is asked in the present tense. For example, Allah (SWT) does
not inform us of when the final hour will come to pass. Thus, it is a mercy
that the word adraaka is used here as it means that Allah (SWT) will teach us
what this path is because if we did not know we would never be able to take
it.
90:13 فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ
13) It is to free a slave
The literal meaning of this verse is to rescue someone from slavery. Ikrimah
bin Abi Jahl (ra) had a unique opinion about this verse and interpreted it as
freeing oneself from the slavery of sins by making repentance. This however is
not the majority opinion. In the Quran, there are two words used for rescue.
Ankadha is to rescue someone from some kind of danger like fire and fakah is
used when you are trying to rescue someone from prison or slavery.
The word raqabah literally means the back of the neck and the imagery here is
of a chain tied around the neck. If the chain is pulled from the front then
the person in chains would have to follow his master. If the chain is pulled
from the back however the slave is choked and this depicts the pain of being a
slave.
In Islamic literature, slavery is mentioned in two ways, firstly literal or
physical slavery, and secondly the slavery of a debt which is also like a chokehold on someone. The first word in this verse is in the nominal and not the
verbal form and therefore implies commitment whereas the verbal form would
mean one has freed a slave only once. The commitment is manifested in
committing oneself to free slaves, those imprisoned unjustly, and the
oppressed.
Makkan Quran is very forthright in the cause of freeing slaves and we are
taught here that if you want to climb the right path then become committed to
freeing the slave. This is an apt response to critics of Islam who question
why Islam endorses slavery whereas the truth is that Islam systematically
abolished the institution of slavery.
90:14 أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ فِي يَوْمٍ ذِي مَسْغَبَةٍ
14) To feed at a time of hunger
In the previous surah, we read about selfish people and the first act of
climbing the mountain is to become selfless. In the Quran, there are
specifically four words used for hunger and the word used here is masghabah
which means widespread hunger. In our times this may be referred to as famine
or even bad economic times.
Allah (SWT) is saying that this mountain is tough to climb because you have to
feed and be committed to feeding and notice again the nominal form (a timeless
commitment) of the word itt’aam. Furthermore, this feeding must occur
especially in bad economic times. In a time which is possessed with
overwhelming hunger that has come to everyone meaning that you are reluctant
to give as you yourself are hungry.
However, if you want to become a true humanitarian you have to give preference
to others over yourself. Allah (SWT) has not yet spoken in this surah about
Imaan and the akhirah but rather the universal ethics and morals of becoming
selfless. The previous surah taught us that kufr leads to corruption in the
cities and here Allah (SWT) is instructing us to oppose this corruption by
being selfless and helping the weak and oppressed (the people most affected by
this corruption).
90:15 َتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ
15) An orphaned relative
Dhaa maqrabah means not only the orphan close to you i.e. related to you but
also the orphan who is in close proximity to you i.e. the orphan in your
community or neighborhood. Allah (SWT) encourages the kind treatment of
orphans and this is almost a response to the verse in the previous surah which
reprimands those that do not honor the orphans: No indeed! You (people) do
not honor orphans (Al-Fajr 89:17).
Allah (SWT) first calls for kind treatment of orphans in your family like your
niece or nephew and then for those in our communities therefore we should
try to know the orphans in our communities. Even the disbeliever can relate to
these verses because this address is to the insaan in general and not
specifically the believers.
90:16 أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ
16) Or to a needy person in distress
The word miskeen comes from maskana and is used in many places in the Quran.
One of the ways it has been defined is as someone who barely has the life
essentials to survive like assets, savings, and maybe even home but somehow
they still survive.
The kind of person who when you meet them causes you to wonder how they can
possibly survive like this. Allah (SWT) says that this needy person possesses
dust. The word turab means dust and matraba literally mean clinging to the
dust. Thus, this person is completely covered and overwhelmed by dust. This
has been interpreted as meaning that this person is homeless as if he had a
home he would not be covered in dust.
Secondly, he is going around looking for food which causes him to get covered
in dust and thirdly his bed is dust and so naturally when he gets up he is
covered in dust. This poor person walks around without a home, barely
surviving. This is the response to the verse in the previous surah which
discussed not just those who do not feed the needy but also those who do not
encourage others to feed them: And you do not encourage one another to feed
the poor (Al-Fajr 89:18).
90:17 ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ
وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْمَرْحَمَةِ
17) And to become one of those who urge one another to perseverance,
patience, and compassion
There are many charitable organizations that work to feed and provide for the
poor, hungry, and homeless (may Allah reward them). However, despite their
efforts year on year the scale of the problem increases. Charities, therefore, do not advertise how big the problem is so that people are not overwhelmed and
dissuaded from donating. In fact, they will often concentrate on what people
can do to help by making the problem appear smaller.
For example, schemes such as sponsoring an orphan’s education. These are
problems in our societies that have always been there and the previous surah
in fact informed us that this happens because people have caused corruption by
rebelling against Allah (SWT).
Therefore, although humanitarian work is essentially the most effective way to
deal with this problem of corruption and inequality is to strike at the heart
of the problem and to return to Allah (SWT).
This is why after mentioning the freeing of the slaves, and giving to the orphans
and the needy, Imaan is discussed.
Allah (SWT) says about the believers in Surah An-Noor that He will establish
them on the earth and will replace them after fear, peace, and safety
(An-Noor 24:55). This is because belief and safety are connected and when you
turn to Allah (SWT) He will send His blessings from the sky and by His justice
and revelation create a society in which these problems are properly dealt
with. This is proven through the lives of the famous Khulafa like Umar bin al
Khattab (RA). All this justice and enrichment of society was due to one thing;
Imaan – guidance from Allah (SWT) and its implementation.
The word tawasaw is in the plural form and means they are enjoined yet kaana is in
the singular. Allah (SWT) informs us that after he came to Imaan he then
became one of those who believe and who enjoin each other in perseverance and
urge one another to compassion. The immediate switch to the plural means that
when you become a person of Imaan you join the ranks of other believers.
You are not in this struggle to help humanity alone but rather you are now in
a larger communal struggle of believers. The word wasiyya is to leave a will
or a legacy and tawaasi are to advise, motivate, encourage, and counsel one
another. They have now become believers but the situation still seems hopeless
so they have to advise and counsel one another to keep motivated and patient.
The word sabr captures four different attributes in English, patience,
commitment, consistency, and constancy. So no matter how hard something might
be or how great the challenge is, they continue to advise each other in
persevering in this cause. The task of climbing this hill is difficult and one
may lose hope and so you need someone to encourage you. It is almost like
saying to one another, ‘Come on, we can do this. Let’s stay firm, the reward
is great. The disbelievers were too lazy to climb the steep path and did not
have the self-restraint to prevent themselves from indulging in their desires.
The word rahma means mercy but marhama is extremely powerful mercy that
goes in every direction. Allah (SWT) is telling us that you can only be a true
humanitarian if you prefer others over yourself constantly with Imaan. Thus,
they encourage each other for the sake of universal mercy as having Imaan
means that you have mercy for mankind as a whole. However, real mercy is not
just caring for the welfare of humans in this life but also the welfare of
humans in the next life and this is done by encouraging each other to Islam
and to commit to Islam. Simply taking care of one’s welfare in this life
will not help the welfare of that person in the next life.
90:18 ُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ
18) Those who do this will be on the right-hand side
The term ashab al yameen refers to those people who are on the right side, who
will dwell in paradise, and who will have their books given in their right
hands. The term ashab al maymanah though refers to those people who are on the
far right, people who are extra secure on the right path, closer to Allah’s
mercy, and far from the center. May Allah make us from them.
Something interesting to point out is the subtle difference in the sequencing
between this surah and the previous surah. In the previous surah, the people of
hellfire were mentioned before the people of paradise. In this surah the
reverse is true and the people of paradise are mentioned first and then the
people of hellfire.
Similarly, in this surah, we found the yateem mentioned before the miskeen
whereas in the previous surah the miskeen was mentioned first. Also, the end
of Surah Al-Fajr mentions Jannah whilst the end of this surah mentions the
hellfire.
90:19 َالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ
19) But those who disbelieve in Our revelations will be on the left-hand
side
Until now there has been no discussion on revelation in the whole surah. Most
of the surah has been about al ‘aqabah and humanitarian work with a little
mention of Imaan but now the root cause of all this is given. It is disbelief
in the miraculous signs of Allah (SWT). Often when one thinks of Imaan they
think of Imaan in Allah (SWT) but this surah is highlighting Imaan in
something else, Imaan in the revelations of Allah (SWT).
This is because the revelation of Allah (SWT) is the one true guide to solving
the problems of humanity. Those who are in disbelief of this guidance are in
kufr and will continue to experience corruption in the land. In English, the
word ayah is often translated as a verse which in English literature is used for
poetry, and in the biblical context, it is used to refer to verses of the bible.
This is perhaps not a translation that should sit comfortably with Muslims as
the Quran emphatically declares it has nothing to do with poetry. Furthermore,
some people claim that parts of the Quran came from the bible and so the last
thing you want people to think about when they are thinking about the Quran is
the bible. Thus, when the Quran is translated we have to be careful about not
just the words but also the messages those words send to the audience
listening.
The word ayah in the Quran means two things, a sign, and a miracle and so can
be translated as a miraculous sign. It is a word used to describe the
miraculous birth of Eesa (as) or the staff of Musa (as) turning into a snake.
Something that points to the oneness of Allah (SWT) is also called an ayah and
as the revelation and the creation, when you reflect on them, both point to
the oneness of Allah (SWT), they are called ayat. The word mashamah in Arabic
means the overwhelming curse and ash-shu’oom is something vile and disgusting
so much so that people stay away from you out of disgust almost as if you are
cursed. Thus, Allah (SWT) is saying that those who disbelieve in His
miraculous signs are people associated with the curse or the left side as
mashamah also means the left-hand side.
The Arabs considered things associated with the left-hand side as a cursed or
vile things and this is something that has continued in the tradition of Islam.
For example in purification Muslims use the left hand and use the right hand
for good and blessed things and this is the sunnah of the messenger (saw) (and
it may be that the Arabs originally got this tradition from the religion of
their father Prophet Ibrahim (as)).
The ayat of Allah (SWT) is of two kinds, revelation and creation. We
often understand a disbeliever to be someone who denies the revelation but
there can also be kufr in the other signs of Allah (SWT). There are miraculous
signs inside and outside us in addition to the miraculous signs inside the
revelation of Allah (SWT).
In this surah alone there are miraculous signs in how Allah (SWT) looks inside
the psyche of the human and tells us what he is thinking without that person
even disclosing it. It is one thing for the messenger to know what the person
said but how can he know what the person thinks?
Thus, Allah (SWT) has captured these people’s inner thoughts in his miraculous
revelation and yet even this they deny, refusing to reflect on it. The
ultimate message of this surah is that the people who will have the easiest
transition to Islam are those people that are decent human beings, the people
that are not engulfed in self-pleasure and who have concern for humanity.
90:20 َلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُؤْصَدَةٌ
20) And the Fire will close in on them
Upon them will be the Fire, enveloping them with closed exits
When Allah (SWT) spoke of the people of the right hand he did not mention
Jannah but when he spoke about the people of the left hand he gave extra
detail and mentioned hellfire. This is because every surah has a climate and
atmosphere and the climate of this surah is very tough as is indicated by the
tough words used throughout e.g. la, najdayn, ‘aqabah, ‘iqtahama.
The ending of this surah focuses and emphasizes more so the people of hellfire
whilst the previous surah had an ending that emphasised more so the people of
paradise. The word wasad means to seal something with another thing on top.
For example, placing a lid on a cooking pot so that the steam does not escape.
It is also used to describe closing the door in a room that has no other
escape.
The imagery therefore given here is of a fire from which there is no escape
and which in addition is sealed so that the heat of the fire does not
escape, thereby intensifying further the heat inside. At the beginning of this
surah, we learned that man is created in toil in this Dunya and at the end, we
learn that if he does not do the right thing and toil for Allah (SWT) there is
a far worse toil coming which will last forever. May Allah (SWT) protect us
from the fire and enter us directly into Jannah.
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