SURAH BALAD
َل ٓا ُأ ْق ِس ُم ِب َه ٰـ َذا ٱ ْل َب َل ِد ١
َو َأن َت ِح ٌّۢل ِب َه ٰـ َذا ٱ ْل َب َل ِد ٢
َو َوا ِل ٍۢد َو َما َوَل َد ٣
َل َق ْد َخ َل ْق َنا ٱ ْل ِإن َس ٰـ َن ِفى َك َب ٍد ٤
َأ َي ْح َس ُب َأن َّلن َي ْق ِد َر َع َل ْي ِه َأ َح ٌۭد ٥
َي ُقو ُل َأ ْه َل ْك ُت َما ًۭلا ُّل َب ًدا ٦
َأ َي ْح َس ُب َأن َّل ْم َي َر ُهۥٓ َأ َح ٌد ٧
َأ َل ْم َن ْج َعل َّل ُهۥ َع ْي َن ْي ِن ٨
َو ِل َسا ًۭنا َو َش َف َت ْي ِن ٩
َو َه َد ْي َن ٰـ ُه ٱل َّن ْج َد ْي ِن ١٠
َف َلا ٱ ْق َت َح َم ٱ ْل َع َق َب َة ١١
َو َم ٓا َأ ْد َر ٰى َك َما ٱ ْل َع َق َب ُة ١٢
َف ُّك َر َق َب ٍة ١٣
َأ ْو ِإ ْط َع ٰـ ٌۭم ِفى َي ْو ٍۢم ِذى َم ْس َغ َب ٍۢة ١٤
َي ِتي ًۭما َذا َم ْق َر َب ٍة ١٥
َأ ْو ِم ْس ِكي ًۭنا َذا َم ْت َر َب ٍۢة ١٦
ُث َّم َكا َن ِم َن ٱ َّل ِذي َن َءا َم ُنو۟ا َو َت َوا َص ْو۟ا ِبٱل َّص ْب ِر َو َت َوا َص ْو۟ا ِبٱ ْل َم ْر َح َم ِة ١٧
ُأ ۟وَل ٰٓـ ِئ َك َأ ْص َح ٰـ ُب ٱ ْل َم ْي َم َن ِة ١٨
َوٱ َّل ِذي َن َك َف ُرو۟ا ِب َٔـا َي ٰـ ِت َنا ُه ْم َأ ْص َح ٰـ ُب ٱ ْل َم ْش َٔـ َم ِة ١٩
َع َل ْي ِه ْم َنا ٌۭر ُّم ْؤ َص َد ٌۢة ٢٠
SURAH BALAD
Verses 1–3: The Oath
)3( ) َوَو اِلٍد َوَم ا َو َلَد2( ) َو َأنَت ِح ٌّل ِبَه َذا اْلَبَلِد1( اَل ُأْق ِس ُم ِبَه َذا اْلَبَلِد
“I swear by this city (Makkah). And you (O Prophet) are permitted in this city. And by the parent
and that which he begot.”
Allah swears by Makkah, the sacred city. Oaths in the Qur’an emphasize importance.
“You are permitted” means: although Makkah is a sanctuary (no killing/fighting
allowed), at the time of the Prophet ’ﷺs conquest of Makkah, fighting was made
temporarily lawful for him.
“Parent and what he begot” is interpreted as Adam (parent of mankind) and his
offspring, or any parent and child —emphasizing the chain of human life.
Lesson: Life, lineage, and sacred places all point to responsibility before Allah.
Verse 4: Human Struggle
َلَق ْد َخ َلْق َنا اِإْلنَس اَن ِف ي َكَبٍد
“Indeed, We created man in hardship.”
Human life is full of toil, struggle, and tests — from birth to death.
Ibn Kathir: man is created to face difficulties — hunger, sickness, striving for survival,
and ultimately the trial of faith.
Lesson: Hardship is part of our nature; dunya is not paradise.
Verses 5–7: Human Arrogance
)5( َأَيْح َس ُب َأن َّلن َيْق ِدَر َعَلْيِه َأَحٌد
“Does he think no one has power over him?”
)6( َيُق وُل َأْه َلْكُت َم ااًل ُّلَبًدا
“He says: I have squandered enormous wealth.”
)7( َأَيْح َس ُب َأن َّلْم َيَر ُه َأَحٌد
“Does he think no one sees him?”
The arrogant disbeliever boasts of wasting/spending huge wealth in pride or sin.
He assumes no accountability, no one above him.
Allah reminds: every deed is seen and recorded.
Lesson: Wealth is a test. Boasting and wasting it without accountability leads to downfall.
SURAH BALAD
Verses 8–10: Divine Gifts
)10( ) َو َه َدْيَناُه الَّنْجَدْيِن9( ) َو ِلَس اًنا َو َش َف َتْيِن8( َأَلْم َنْجَعل َّلُه َعْيَنْيِن
“Did We not give him two eyes, a tongue and two lips, and show him the two ways?”
Allah reminds of blessings: sight, speech, expression.
“The two ways” = the path of good and the path of evil (guidance vs misguidance).
Some tafseer say it refers to two paths: gratitude or ingratitude.
Lesson: With blessings comes responsibility — you can choose your path.
Verses 11–16: The Steep Path
) َأْو ِإْطَعاٌم ِف ي َيْو ٍم ِذي13( ) َف ُّك َر َق َبٍة12( ) َوَم ا َأْدَر اَك َم ا اْلَع َق َبُة11( َف اَل اْق َتَح َم اْلَعَق َبَة
)16( ) َأْو ِم ْس ِكيًنا َذا َم ْتَر َبٍة15( ) َيِتيًم ا َذا َم ْق َر َبٍة14( َمْس َغَبٍة
“But he has not attempted the steep path. And what will make you know what the steep path is?
It is freeing a slave, or feeding on a day of hunger an orphan near of kin, or a needy one lying in
the dust.”
“The steep path” = difficult but rewarding deeds that save a person.
Examples:
o Freeing a slave (big sacrifice in a slave-based society).
o Feeding the hungry, especially an orphan relative or a destitute poor person.
Lesson: True righteousness is not easy talk but sacrifice for others.
Verses 17–18: The People of the Right Hand
َأ ُأ
) ْو َلِئَك ْص َح اُب17( ُثَّم َكاَن ِم َن اَّلِذيَن آَم ُنوا َو َتَو اَصْو ا ِبالَّص ْبِر َو َتَو اَصْو ا ِباْلَمْر َح َم ِة
)18( اْلَم ْيَم َنِة
“Then he is among those who believe, and advise one another to patience and compassion. They
are the people of the right hand.”
After righteous deeds, faith is the foundation.
Believers also support one another with patience (in trials) and mercy (in kindness).
“Right hand” = symbol of honor, salvation, paradise.
Lesson: Islam is belief + action + community support.
SURAH BALAD
Verses 19–20: The People of the Left Hand
)20( ) َعَلْيِه ْم َناٌر ُّم ْؤ َص َدٌة19( َو اَّلِذيَن َكَف ُر وا ِبآَياِتَنا ُه ْم َأْص َح اُب اْلَم ْش َأَم ِة
“But those who disbelieve in Our signs, they are the people of the left hand. Over them will be a
Fire closed in.”
Rejecters of truth = “left hand” people, sign of disgrace.
“Fire closed in” = Hellfire sealed tight, no escape.
Lesson: Disbelief and arrogance lead to eternal regret.
Key Themes of Surah Al-Balad
1. Life is a test of hardship and responsibility.
2. Human arrogance over wealth and power is meaningless before Allah.
3. Allah reminds us of our blessings (eyes, tongue, guidance).
4. The “steep path” = difficult good deeds that require sacrifice.
5. True success = faith + good deeds + supporting others.
6. Two outcomes: People of the Right (Paradise) vs People of the Left (Hellfire).
