
How to Read the Quran with Understanding
Learn how to read the Quran with understanding through careful recitation, reliable translations, trusted tafsir, thoughtful reflection, and practical application.
The City • Mecca • 20 ayahs
البَلَدِ
Recitation
Arabic Recitation
Translation language
Ayah by ayah mode selected.
Ayah 90:1
لَآ أُقْسِمُ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ١
I swear by this city [i.e., Makkah]
Ayah 90:2
وَأَنتَ حِلٌّۢ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ٢
And you, [O Muḥammad], are free of restriction in this city
Ayah 90:3
وَوَالِدٍ وَمَا وَلَدَ٣
And [by] the father1 and that which was born [of him],
Ayah 90:4
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ فِى كَبَدٍ٤
We have certainly created man into hardship.
Ayah 90:5
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ٥
Does he think that never will anyone overcome him?
Ayah 90:6
يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُّبَدًا٦
He says, "I have spent wealth in abundance."
Ayah 90:7
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ٧
Does he think that no one has seen him?
Ayah 90:8
أَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عَيْنَيْنِ٨
Have We not made for him two eyes?
Ayah 90:9
وَلِسَانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ٩
And a tongue and two lips?
Ayah 90:10
وَهَدَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلنَّجْدَيْنِ١٠
And have shown him the two ways?1
Ayah 90:11
فَلَا ٱقْتَحَمَ ٱلْعَقَبَةَ١١
But he has not broken through the difficult pass.1
Ayah 90:12
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْعَقَبَةُ١٢
And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass?
Ayah 90:13
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ١٣
It is the freeing of a slave
Ayah 90:14
أَوْ إِطْعَـٰمٌ فِى يَوْمٍ ذِى مَسْغَبَةٍ١٤
Or feeding on a day of severe hunger
Ayah 90:15
يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ١٥
An orphan of near relationship
Ayah 90:16
أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ١٦
Or a needy person in misery
Ayah 90:17
ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا وَتَوَاصَوْا بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِٱلْمَرْحَمَةِ١٧
And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion.
Ayah 90:18
أُولَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ١٨
Those are the companions of the right.1
Ayah 90:19
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ١٩
But they who disbelieved in Our signs - those are the companions of the left.1
Ayah 90:20
عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُّؤْصَدَةٌۢ٢٠
Over them will be fire closed in.1
Surah Al-Balad (The City) is a Meccan chapter of the Quran with 20 ayahs. Read the complete Arabic text with Urdu tarjuma (Fatah Muhammad Jalandhari) and English translation (Sahih International) — with ayah-by-ayah links to Urdu tafseer where available.
Quran text and translations are supplied through Quran.com. English uses Sahih International; Urdu uses Fatah Muhammad Jalandhari. Tafseer detail pages identify the source returned by the provider.
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