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Surah 90. Al-Balad

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90:6
يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُّبَدًا Yaqoolu ahlaktu m a lan lubad a n
He boasts, "I have spent wealth abundant!"4
  - Mohammad Asad

Implying that his resources - and, therefore, his possibilities - are inexhaustible. We must remember that the term "man" is used here in the sense of "human race": hence, the above boast is a metonym for the widespread belief - characteristic of all periods of religious decadence - that there are no limits to the power to which man may aspire, and that, therefore, his worldly "interests" are the only criteria of right and wrong.

He may boast: "I have squandered wealth in abundance!"
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
boasting, 'I have wasted enormous wealth!'?
  - Mustafa Khattab
And he saith: I have destroyed vast wealth:
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
He may say (boastfully): "Wealth have I squandered in abundance!" 6135
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The man who feels no responsibility and thinks that he can do what he likes in life forgets his responsibility to Allah. He boasts of his wealth and scatters it about, thinking that he can thus purchase the support of the world. For a time he may. But a rude awakening must come soon, for he bases his hopes on unsubstantial things. Or if he spends his substance on self-indulgence, he is weakening himself and putting himself into snares that must destroy him.

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90:7
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ Aya h sabu an lam yarahu a h ad un
Does he, then, think that no one sees him?5
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "Does he think that he is responsible to none but himself?"

Does he think that no one observes him?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Do they think that no one sees them?
  - Mustafa Khattab
Thinketh he that none beholdeth him?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Thinketh he that none beholdeth him? 6136
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah watches him, and sees all his acts and motives, and all the secret springs of his follies. But lest he should think the higher forces too remote for him, let him look within himself and use the faculties which Allah has given him. See the next verses following.

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90:8
أَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عَيْنَيْنِ Alam najAAal lahu AAaynayn i
Have We not given him two eyes,
  - Mohammad Asad
Have We not given him two eyes to observe?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Have We not given them two eyes,
  - Mustafa Khattab
Did We not assign unto him two eyes
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Have We not made for him a pair of eyes?
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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90:9
وَلِسَانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ Walis a nan washafatayn i
and a tongue, and a pair of lips,6
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., to recognize and to voice the truth of God's existence or, at least, to ask for guidance.

One tongue and two lips to control it?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
a tongue, and two lips;
  - Mustafa Khattab
And a tongue and two lips,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And a tongue and a pair of lips? 6137
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The eyes give us the faculty of seeing, and may be taken in both the literal and the metaphorical sense. In the same way the tongue gives us the faculty of tasting in both senses. Along with the lips, it also enables us to speak, to ask for information and seek guidance, and to celebrate the praises of Allah.

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90:10
وَهَدَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلنَّجْدَيْنِ Wahadayn a hu a l nnajdayn i
and shown him the two highways [of good and evil]?
  - Mohammad Asad
Then shown him the two high ways (good leading towards paradise and evil leading towards hell)?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
and shown them the two ways 'of right and wrong'?
  - Mustafa Khattab
And guide him to the parting of the mountain ways?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And shown him the two highways? 6138
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The two highways of life are: (1) the steep and difficult path of virtue, which is further described in the verses following, and (2) the easy path of vice, and the rejection of Allah, referred to in verses 19-20 below. Allah has given us not only the faculties implied in the eyes, the tongue, and the lips, but has also given us the judgment by which we can choose our way; and He has sent us Teachers and Guides, with Revelation, to show us the right and difficult way.

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90:11
فَلَا ٱقْتَحَمَ ٱلْعَقَبَةَ Fal a iqta h ama alAAaqaba ta
But he would not try to ascend the steep uphill road....
  - Mohammad Asad
Yet he does not attempt to tackle the Aqabah (steep path)!
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
If only they had attempted the challenging path 'of goodness instead'!
  - Mustafa Khattab
But he hath not attempted the Ascent
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
But he hath made no haste on the path that is steep. 6139
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In spite of the faculties with which Allah has endowed man and the guidance which He has given him, man has been remiss. By no means has he been eager to follow the steep and difficult path which is for his own spiritual good. Cf. Matt. vii. 14: "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto live, and few there be that find it".

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90:12
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْعَقَبَةُ Wam a adr a ka m a alAAaqaba tu
And what could make thee conceive what it is, that steep uphill road?
  - Mohammad Asad
And what will explain to you what the Aqabah is?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And what will make you realize what 'attempting' the challenging path is?
  - Mustafa Khattab
Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Ascent is!
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And what will explain to thee the path that is steep?
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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90:13
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ Fakku raqaba tin
[It is] the freeing of one's neck [from the burden of sin],7
  - Mohammad Asad

Thus 'Ikrimah, as quoted by Baghawi; also Razi. Alternatively, the phrase fakk raqabah may be rendered as "the freeing of a human being from bondage" (cf. note [146] on 2:177 ), with the latter term covering all those forms of subjugation and exploitation - social, economic or political which can be rightly described as "slavery".

It is the freeing of a neck (slave) from bondage;
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
It is to free a slave;
  - Mustafa Khattab
(It is) to free a slave,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
(It is:) freeing the bondman; 6140
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The difficult path of virtue is defined as the path of charity or unselfish love, and three specific instances are given for our understanding: viz. (1) freeing the bondman, (2) feeding the orphan, and (3) feeding the indigent down in the dust.

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90:14
أَوْ إِطْعَـٰمٌ فِى يَوْمٍ ذِى مَسْغَبَةٍ Aw i t AA a mun fee yawmin th ee masghaba tin
or the feeding, upon a day of [one's own] hunger,
  - Mohammad Asad
or the giving of food in a day of famine
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
or to give food in times of famine
  - Mustafa Khattab
And to feed in the day of hunger
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Or the giving of food in a day of privation 6141
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Feed those who need it, both literally and figuratively; but do so especially when there is privation or famine.

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90:15
يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ Yateeman tha maqraba tin
of an orphan near of kin,
  - Mohammad Asad
to an orphan relative,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
to an orphaned relative
  - Mustafa Khattab
An orphan near of kin,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
To the orphan with claims of relationship 6142
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

All orphans should be fed and helped. But ordinary orphans will come under the indigent in verse 16 below. The orphans related to us have a special claim on us. They should be near and dear to us, and if charity begins at home, they have the first claim on us.

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90:16
أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ Aw miskeenan tha matraba tin
or of a needy [stranger] lying in the dust -
  - Mohammad Asad
or to a needy in distress;
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
or to a poor person in distress;
  - Mustafa Khattab
Or some poor wretch in misery,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Or to the indigent (down) in the dust. 6143
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Persons down in the dust can only be helped from motives of pure charity, because nothing can be expected of them-neither praise nor advertisement nor any other advantage to the helper. Such help is help indeed. But there may be various degrees, and the help will be suited to the needs.

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90:17
ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْمَرْحَمَةِ Thumma k a na mina alla th eena a manoo wataw as aw bi al ss abri wataw as aw bi a lmar h ama ti
and being, withal, of those who have attained to faith, and who enjoin upon one another patience in adversity, and enjoin upon one another compassion.
  - Mohammad Asad
besides this, he should be of those who believe, enjoin fortitude, encourage kindness and compassion.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
and- above all- to be one of those who have faith and urge each other to perseverance and urge each other to compassion.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And to be of those who believe and exhort one another to perseverance and export one another to pity.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then will he be of those who believe and enjoin patience (constancy and self-restraint) and enjoin deeds of kindness and compassion. 6144
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Such practical charity and love will be the acid test of Faith and the teaching of all virtues. The virtues are summed up under the names of Patience (the Arabic word includes constancy and self-restraint) and compassionate kindness. Not only will they be the test by which the sincerity of their Faith will be judged; they will be the fruit which their Faith will constantly produce.

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90:18
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ Ol a ika a s ha bu almaymana ti
Such are they that have attained to righteousness;8
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "people (ashab) of the right side",: see note [25] on 74:39 .

Such are the people of the right hand (going towards paradise).
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
These are the people of the right.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Their place will be on the right hand.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Such are the Companions of the Right Hand. 6145
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. lvi. 27-40, also n. 5223. They will be those who achieve salvation.

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90:19
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ Wa a lla th eena kafaroo bi a y a tin a hum a s ha bu almashama ti
whereas those who are bent on denying the truth of Our messages - they are such as have lost themselves in evil,
  - Mohammad Asad
But those who disbelieve Our revelations, they are the people of the left hand (going towards hell),
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
As for those who deny Our signs, they are the people of the left.1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Other sûrahs describing the people of the right and the people of the left include 56 and 69.

But those who disbelieve Our revelations, their place will be on the left hand.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
But those who reject Our Signs they are the (unhappy) companions of the Left Hand. 6146
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. lvi. 41-56, also n. 5223. They will be the unfortunate ones enveloped in the Fire of lasting Penalty, heaped over them and all round them.

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90:20
عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُّؤْصَدَةٌۢ AAalayhim n a run mu s ada tun
[with] fire closing in upon them.9
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the fires of despair in the life to come "rising over the [sinners'] hearts" and "closing in upon them": cf. {104:6-8} and the corresponding note [5]. The phrase rendered by me as "such as have lost themselves in evil" reads, literally, "people of the left side (al-mash'amah)".

having fire all around them.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The Fire will be sealed over them.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Fire will be an awning over them.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
On them will be Fire Vaulted over (all round).
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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