Surah 90 · 20 verses · Makki
Surah Al-Balad البلد
The 90th chapter of the Quran, Surah Al-Balad (“The City”), has 20 verses. It is a Makki surah, revealed in Makkah before the Hijrah, and was the 35th surah to be revealed. It sits in juz 30, on page 594 of the Madani Mushaf. It belongs to Juz Amma, the last part of the Quran, which many people memorise first.
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Read Surah Al-Balad with English translation
Arabic: Uthmani script. English: Saheeh International. Tap a verse number to open that verse.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
- 1
لَآ أُقْسِمُ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ
I swear by this city [i.e., Makkah]
- 2
وَأَنتَ حِلٌّۢ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ
And you, [O Muḥammad], are free of restriction in this city
- 3
وَوَالِدٍ وَمَا وَلَدَ
And [by] the father and that which was born [of him],
- 4
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ فِى كَبَدٍ
We have certainly created man into hardship.
- 5
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ
Does he think that never will anyone overcome him?
- 6
يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُّبَدًا
He says, "I have spent wealth in abundance."
- 7
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
Does he think that no one has seen him?
- 8
أَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عَيْنَيْنِ
Have We not made for him two eyes?
- 9
وَلِسَانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ
And a tongue and two lips?
- 10
وَهَدَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلنَّجْدَيْنِ
And have shown him the two ways?
- 11
فَلَا ٱقْتَحَمَ ٱلْعَقَبَةَ
But he has not broken through the difficult pass.
- 12
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْعَقَبَةُ
And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass?
- 13
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ
It is the freeing of a slave
- 14
أَوْ إِطْعَـٰمٌ فِى يَوْمٍ ذِى مَسْغَبَةٍ
Or feeding on a day of severe hunger
- 15
يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ
An orphan of near relationship
- 16
أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ
Or a needy person in misery
- 17
ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا وَتَوَاصَوْا بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِٱلْمَرْحَمَةِ
And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion.
- 18
أُولَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ
Those are the companions of the right.
- 19
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ
But they who disbelieved in Our signs - those are the companions of the left.
- 20
عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُّؤْصَدَةٌۢ
Over them will be fire closed in.
Frequently asked questions
How many verses are in Surah Al-Balad?
Surah Al-Balad has 20 verses (ayat) and about 82 words, on page 594 of the Madani Mushaf.
Is Surah Al-Balad Makki or Madani?
It is Makki: revealed in Makkah, 35th in the order of revelation.
Which juz is Surah Al-Balad in?
Surah Al-Balad is in juz 30.
What does Al-Balad mean?
Al-Balad (البلد) means “The City”.
How do I make a Surah Balad video with translation?
Open AyahReel, choose Surah Al-Balad and the verses you want, pick a reciter and a background, and choose English, Urdu, Indonesian or German for the translation line. Save the 9:16 video and share it to TikTok, Instagram, YouTube or WhatsApp.
Similar surahs
Also Makki, close in length.
Revealed around the same time
Nearest in the order of revelation.