Makki · 20 ayat
The City
Translation: Saheeh International
Al-Balad (Arabic: سُورَةُ البَلَدِ, meaning: ‘The City’) is surah 90 of the Quran — a Meccan surah with 20 verses. Below you’ll find the complete classical tafsir (commentary) of Imam at-Tabari on every verse, faithfully translated — searchable, offline and free.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
لَآ أُقْسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ
ل
I swear by this city, Makkah -
وَأَنتَ حِلٌّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ
وَأَ
And you, [O Muhammad], are free of restriction in this city -
وَوَالِدٍۢ وَمَا وَلَدَ
وَوَالِ
And [by] the father and that which was born [of him],
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ فِى كَبَدٍ
لَقَ
We have certainly created man into hardship.
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌۭ
أَيَحْسَبُ أ
Does he think that never will anyone overcome him?
يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًۭا لُّبَدًا
يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَال
He says, "I have spent wealth in abundance."
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
أَيَحْسَبُ أ
Does he think that no one has seen him?
أَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عَيْنَيْنِ
أَلَمْ نَ
Have We not made for him two eyes?
وَلِسَانًۭا وَشَفَتَيْنِ
وَلِسَا
And a tongue and two lips?
وَهَدَيْنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجْدَيْنِ
وَهَدَيْنَ
And have shown him the two ways?
فَلَا ٱقْتَحَمَ ٱلْعَقَبَةَ
فَلَا
But he has not broken through the difficult pass.
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْعَقَبَةُ
وَم
And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass?
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ ١٣
It is the freeing of a slave
أَوْ إِطْعَٰمٌۭ فِى يَوْمٍۢ ذِى مَسْغَبَةٍۢ
أَوْ إِ
Or feeding on a day of severe hunger
يَتِيمًۭا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ
يَتِي
An orphan of near relationship
أَوْ مِسْكِينًۭا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍۢ
أَوْ مِسْكِي
Or a needy person in misery
ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْمَرْحَمَةِ
ثُ
And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion.
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ
أُ
Those are the companions of the right.
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ
وَ
But they who disbelieved in Our signs - those are the companions of the left.
عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌۭ مُّؤْصَدَةٌۢ
عَلَيْهِمْ نَا
Over them will be fire closed in.
