Surah Al-Balad (chapter 90 of the Qur’an) was revealed in Makkah. This Surah concisely summarizes the essence of Islam. The main themes of this Surah are:
a) Reminding mankind that Allah is All-Knower of what they do
b) Reminding mankind that Allah has given them ability to differentiate between the good and the evil
c) Characteristics of the true believers
d) Rewards for the true believers in the next life
e) Punishments for those who are not true believers
SUMMARIZED INTERPRETATION OF SURAH AL-BALAD:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
[In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.]
MAKKAH IS A SANCTUARY:
1) لَا أُقْسِمُ بِهَـٰذَا الْبَلَدِ
[I swear by this city (Makkah);]
2) وَأَنتَ حِلٌّ بِهَـٰذَا الْبَلَدِ
[And you are free (from sin, and to punish the enemies of Islam on the day of the Conquest) in this city (Makkah).]
Makkah is the most sacred city in the world. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, about the sanctity of this city:
“Verily, Allah made this city sacred on the Day that He created the heavens and the earth. Therefore, it is sacred by the sanctity of Allah until the Day of Judgment. Its trees should not be uprooted, and its bushes and grasses should not be removed. And it was only made lawful for me (to fight in) for one hour of a day. Today its sanctity has been restored just as it was sacred yesterday.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
LIFE OF MAN IS FULL OF HARDSHIPS:
3) وَوَالِدٍ وَمَا وَلَدَ
[And by the begetter (i.e. Adam) and that which he begot (i.e. his progeny).]
4) لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ
[Verily, We have created man in toil.]
The birth of a child and his subsequent upbringing is full of hardships that a mother has to endure. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his parents. His mother bears him with hardship. And she brings him forth with hardship, and the bearing of him, and the weaning of him is thirty months.” [Al Qur’an 46:15]
5) أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ
[Does he think that none can overcome him?]
WEALTH IS A TEST FOR MAN:
6) يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُّبَدًا
[He says (boastfully): “I have wasted wealth in abundance!”]
7) أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُ أَحَدٌ
[Does he think that none sees him?]
ALLAH HAS SHOWN WAYS TO THE GOOD & THE EVIL:
8) أَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُ عَيْنَيْنِ
[Have We not made for him two eyes,]
9) وَلِسَانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ
[And a tongue and two lips?]
10) وَهَدَيْنَاهُ النَّجْدَيْنِ
[And shown him the two ways (good and evil)?]
Allah has shown mankind the ways to the good and the evil and then granted him freedom to choose between these two ways. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, We have created man from Nutfah (mixed drops of male and female sexual discharge), in order to try him, so We made him hearer and seer.
Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful.” [Al Qur’an 76:2-3]
MOST MEN DO NOT FOLLOW THE WAY TO THE GOOD:
11) فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ
[But he has not attempted to pass on the path that is steep (i.e. the path which will lead to goodness and success).]
CHARACTERISTICS OF TRUE BELIEVERS:
12) وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ
[And what will make you know the path that is steep?]
13) فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ
[(It is) freeing a neck (slave)]
Freeing people from slavery or unjust captivity has great virtues. The Prophet said:
“Whoever frees a Muslim slave, Allah will save all the parts of his body from the (Hell) Fire, as he has freed the body-parts of the slave.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhari]
14) أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ فِي يَوْمٍ ذِي مَسْغَبَةٍ
[Or giving food in a day of hunger (famine),]
15) يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ
[To an orphan near of kin.]
The Prophet encouraged his followers to treat the poor and the needy people kindly, with an emphasis on the relatives who are in need. He said:
“Charity given to the poor person is counted as one charity, while if it is given to a relative it is counted as two – charity and connecting the ties (of kinship).” [Narrated by At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasai’i]
16) أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ
[Or to a Miskîn (needy) cleaving to dust (out of misery).]
According to the interpretation of Ibn Abbas, the cousin of the Prophet and the great commentator of the Qur’an, “cleaving to dust” refers to those who are dejected in the street and who have no house or anything else to protect them against the dirt. [Tafsir Ibn Kathir]
17) ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْمَرْحَمَةِ
[Then he became one of those who believed (in Islamic Monotheism) and recommended one another to perseverance and patience, and (also) recommended one another to pity and compassion.]
True believers are compassionate towards others. The Prophet said:
“The merciful people will be treated with mercy by the Most Merciful (Allah). Be merciful to those who are on the earth and He Who is above the heavens will be merciful to you.” [Tafsir Ibn Kathir]
RECOMPENSE OF THE BELIEVERS & THE RIGHTEOUS:
18) أُولَـٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ
[They are those on the Right Hand (i.e. the dwellers of Paradise),]
Those who possess the characteristics of true believers as mentioned in verses 12 to 17 of this Surah will be successful in the next life. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it (i.e. does righteous deeds of Allah’s obedience) while he is a believer (in the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism) – then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated, (thanked and rewarded by Allah).” [Al Qur’an 17:19]
RECOMPENSE OF THE DISBELIEVERS & THE WICKED:
19) وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ
[But those who disbelieved in Our Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they are those on the Left Hand (the dwellers of Hell).]
20) عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُّؤْصَدَةٌ
[The Fire will be shut over them (i.e. they will be enveloped by the Fire without any opening or window or outlet).]
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, a companion of the Prophet and one of the earliest converts to Islam said: “When those (who are destined to remain in the Hell-fire forever) will be thrown in the Hell-fire, each of them will be put in a separate Tabût (Box) of Fire, so that he will not see anyone punished in the Hell-fire except he himself.” [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, At-Tabari and Al-Qurtubi]
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