But they who disbelieved in Our signs - those are the companions of the left.
20
٢٠
ʿalayhim nārun mu'ṣadatun
Over them will be fire closed in.
Surah Al-Balad (The City) — Full Text
Ayah 1
لَآ أُقْسِمُ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ
I swear by this city [i.e., Makkah]
Allah opens this surah by swearing an oath by the city of Makkah — one of the most sacred places on Earth. When Allah swears by something, it's to draw your attention to how important it is. Makkah was made sacred by Allah from the day He created the heavens and the earth, and it holds a special place in human history as the site of the Ka'bah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself said that even though he was forced to leave Makkah during the migration, it was the dearest place on earth to him.
Ayah 2
وَأَنتَ حِلٌّۢ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ
And you, [O Muḥammad], are free of restriction in this city
And you, O Muhammad, are a resident of this sacred city — which makes it even more honored. There's also a deeper layer here: despite Makkah being a place where even harming a tree is forbidden, the Quraysh felt free to persecute the Prophet (peace be upon him) within its boundaries. The verse acknowledges this injustice while also hinting at a future prophecy — that one day Makkah would be made lawful for the Prophet to enter as a conqueror, which is exactly what happened during the Conquest of Makkah.
Ayah 3
وَوَالِدٍ وَمَا وَلَدَ
And [by] the father1 and that which was born [of him],
Allah then swears by every parent and child — going all the way back to Adam (peace be upon him), the father of all humanity, and every human being who came after him. This is a massive oath that covers all of us. After swearing by the city we live in and the family ties that connect us, Allah is about to drop a fundamental truth about what it means to be human.
Ayah 4
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ فِى كَبَدٍ
We have certainly created man into hardship.
Here's the core message the oath was building up to: human beings were created to endure struggle. The Arabic word "kabad" means toil, hardship, and difficulty. From the moment you're carried in the womb, to the pain of birth, to teething as a baby, to hustling for a living, to aging and eventually facing the reality of death — life is one challenge after another. If you were expecting a smooth, effortless ride through this world, that was never the deal. The sooner you accept that struggle is built into the human experience, the better you can channel it toward something meaningful.
Ayah 5
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ
Does he think that never will anyone overcome him?
Despite being created in constant struggle, some people develop an arrogant attitude. They think nobody can overpower them — not even God. This verse calls out that mindset: does this person really think they're untouchable? Their wealth, status, and strength have given them a false sense of invincibility, as if no one will ever hold them accountable for how they earned their money and how they spent it.
Ayah 6
يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُّبَدًا
He says, "I have spent wealth in abundance."
This person brags about spending heaps of money — maybe on parties, showing off, or fighting against the truth — and thinks that makes them impressive. They say things like "I've blown through so much wealth!" as if wasting money on pointless or harmful things is some kind of achievement. The irony is that they flex about spending, but they never spent where it actually mattered — on the people who needed it most.
Ayah 7
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
Does he think that no one has seen him?
Does this person really think nobody is watching them? They act like their actions are invisible, like there's no record being kept. But Allah sees everything — every dollar earned and spent, every intention behind every action, even the things you do when you think absolutely no one is looking. This is a wake-up call: you're never truly off the radar.
Ayah 8
أَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عَيْنَيْنِ
Have We not made for him two eyes?
Allah now shifts the tone and reminds us of His incredible blessings, starting with two eyes. Think about how complex your eyes are — they automatically adjust to light, blink to protect themselves, and let you take in the entire world around you. These aren't random; they're precision-designed gifts from your Creator. If He gave you the ability to see, don't you think He also sees you?
Ayah 9
وَلِسَانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ
And a tongue and two lips?
Then there's your tongue and two lips — the tools of communication. Your tongue can express what's deep inside your heart in a fraction of a second. It's powerful enough that a single word can take you to Paradise (like declaring faith) or destroy your relationships entirely. And Allah gave you lips to help form those words but also, in a sense, as a reminder to guard what comes out. Think of them as a built-in "think before you speak" system.
Ayah 10
وَهَدَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلنَّجْدَيْنِ
And have shown him the two ways?1
On top of all these physical gifts, Allah showed every human being the two clear paths — the path of good and the path of evil. The Arabic word "najdayn" means two elevated, clearly visible roads. You're not stumbling around in the dark; deep down, you know right from wrong. Allah gave you a conscience, sent prophets and scriptures, and made the moral choice clear. The question is: which path are you going to take?
Ayah 11
فَلَا ٱقْتَحَمَ ٱلْعَقَبَةَ
But he has not broken through the difficult pass.1
But despite all these gifts and clear guidance, most people still haven't attempted the steep path. The Arabic word "aqabah" means a steep, difficult mountain pass — and it's used here as a metaphor for doing the hard but right thing. Good deeds aren't always easy or convenient; they require real effort, sacrifice, and pushing past your comfort zone. That's exactly why most people avoid them.
Ayah 12
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْعَقَبَةُ
And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass?
Allah builds the suspense: and what will make you understand what this steep path actually is? When the Quran uses this phrasing — "what will make you know" — it means you're about to hear something serious and profound. Allah is about to break down exactly what it takes to climb that steep path of goodness, and it's not what most people would expect.
Ayah 13
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ
It is the freeing of a slave
The first thing Allah mentions as part of the steep path is freeing a slave — literally, freeing a human neck from bondage. In the Prophet's time, this was one of the most valued acts of worship because it gave someone their entire life back. Today, this principle extends to freeing people from any kind of oppression, debt, or injustice. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that whoever frees a believing slave, Allah will free every limb of theirs from the Hellfire, limb for limb.
Ayah 14
أَوْ إِطْعَـٰمٌ فِى يَوْمٍ ذِى مَسْغَبَةٍ
Or feeding on a day of severe hunger
The second act on the steep path: feeding someone on a day of severe hunger. Not just any day, but specifically on a day when food is scarce and people are truly desperate. It's easy to share when you have plenty; the real test is giving when things are tight for everyone. That's when your generosity actually counts the most and carries the heaviest reward.
Ayah 15
يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ
An orphan of near relationship
And who should you prioritize feeding? An orphan who is a close relative. This is a two-for-one: you're feeding a hungry person AND maintaining family ties at the same time. Islam puts huge emphasis on looking after orphans — kids who lost their fathers and have no provider. When that orphan is also family, the reward is doubled because you're fulfilling the rights of kinship alongside charity.
Ayah 16
أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ
Or a needy person in misery
Or a person in absolute poverty — someone so destitute they're basically clinging to the dust, with no home, no shelter, and nothing to protect them. The Arabic phrase "dha matrabah" paints a vivid picture of someone face-down in the dirt with nothing. This verse is saying: look for the most vulnerable people around you, the ones everyone else ignores, and take care of them. The greater someone's need, the greater the reward for helping them.
And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion.
But here's the key — all those good deeds only count if they're paired with genuine faith. On top of believing, you also need to be part of a community that encourages each other to have patience (sabr) and shows each other compassion. Patience here means holding yourself back from doing wrong and pushing through when doing right is hard. And compassion means genuinely caring about others' pain and actively trying not to cause harm. This isn't a solo journey — you need your people reminding you to stay on track.
Ayah 18
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ
Those are the companions of the right.1
Those who live this way — freeing people, feeding the hungry, believing sincerely, and building each other up with patience and mercy — they are the Companions of the Right Hand. In the Quran, the Right Hand side is the side of honor, success, and Paradise. This is the ultimate goal: not just personal piety, but a life of faith expressed through radical compassion and community.
But they who disbelieved in Our signs - those are the companions of the left.1
But those who rejected Allah's signs and refused to walk the steep path? They are the Companions of the Left Hand — the losing side. They had every opportunity: eyes to see the truth, a conscience to feel it, and clear guidance to follow it. But they chose arrogance, greed, and indifference instead. Their outcome is the opposite of those who chose compassion.
Ayah 20
عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُّؤْصَدَةٌۢ
Over them will be fire closed in.1
Their fate is a Fire that will be sealed shut over them — completely enclosed with no escape, no light, and no way out. The Arabic word "mu'sadah" means locked and closed on all sides. This is the ultimate consequence of ignoring every sign, wasting every blessing, and refusing to help others while you had the chance. The surah ends with this stark contrast to make the choice crystal clear: the steep path of goodness is hard, but the alternative is infinitely worse.