Sura 90, al-Balad (the land), Mecca 35

90: 4

Asad Verily, We have created man into [a life of] pain, toil and trial. [note 3]

Yusuf Ali Verily We have created Man into toil and struggle.

Pickthall We verily have created man in an atmosphere:

Transliteration Laqad halaqnal insa_na fi kabad

[ Ruby’s note – I agree with Asad’s following explanation of the general meaning. Because this generality is conveyed in the entire sura, especially in verse 4, the entire humankind is mentioned. ]

[ Asad’s notes – 1. Lit., “while thou art dwelling in this land”. The classical commentators give to the term ‘balad’ the connotation of ‘city’, and maintain that the phrase ‘hadha ‘l-balad’ (‘this city’) signifies Mecca, and that the pronoun “thou” in the second verse refers to Muhammad. ………………seems to warrant a wider, more general interpretation. In my opinion, the worlds ‘hadha ‘l-balad’ denote “this land of man”, i.e., the earth (which latter term is, according to all philologists, one of the primary meaning s of balad). Consequently, the “thou” in verse 2 relates to man in general, and that which is metaphorically “called to witness” is his earthly envioronment.

Note 2. Lit., “the begetter and that which he has begotten”. According to Tabari’s convincing explanation, this phrase signifies “every parent and all their offspring” – i.e., the human race from its beginning to its end. (The masculine form al-walid denotes, of course, both male and femle parents.)

Note 3. The term ‘kabad’, comprising the concepts of ‘pain’, ‘hardship’, ‘toil’, ‘trial’, etc., can be rendered only by a compound expression like the one above. ]

[ Ali’s notes - 6130 The appeal to the close ties between the holy Prophet and his parent City of Makkah has been explained in the Introduction to this Sura. It is a symbol of man's own history. Man is born for toil and struggle, and this is the substantive proposition in verse 4 below, which this appeal leads up to. (90.1)

6131 Hillun: an inhabitant, a man with lawful rights, a man freed from such obligations as would attach to a stranger to the city, a freeman in a wider sense than the technical sense to which the word is restricted in modern usage. The Prophet should have been honoured in his native city. He was actually being persecuted. He should have been loved, as a parent loves a child. Actually his life was being sought, and those who believed in him were under a ban. But time was to show that he was to come triumphant to his native city after having made Madinah sacred by his life and work. (90.2)

6132 A parent loves a child: ordinarily the father is proud and the mother, in spite of her birth-pains, experiences supreme joy when the child is born. But in abnormal circumstances there may be misunderstanding, even hatred between parent and child. So Makkah cast out her most glorious son, but it was only for a time. Makkah was sound at heart; only her power had been usurped by an ignorant autocracy which passed away, and Makkah was to receive back her glory at the hands of the son whom she had rejected but whom she welcomed back later. And Makkah retains for all time her sacred character as the centre of Islam. (90.3)

6133 Cf. "Man is born unto troubles as the sparks fly upward" (Job, v. 7); "For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief" (Ecclesiastes, ii. 23). Man's life is full of sorrow and vexation; but our text has a different shade of meaning: man is born to strive and struggle; and if he suffers from hardships, he must exercise patience, for Allah will make his way smooth for him (lxv. 7; xciv. 5-6). On the other hand no man should boast of worldly goods or worldly prosperity (see verses 5-7 below). (90.4) ]

90: 5

Asad Does he, then, think that no one has power over him?

Yusuf Ali Thinketh he that none hath power over him?

Pickthall Thinketh he that none hath power over him?

Transliteration Ayahsabu alay yaqdira alaihi ahad

90: 6

Asad He boasts, “I have spent wealth abundant!” [note 4]

Yusuf Ali He may say (boastfully): "Wealth have I squandered in abundance!"

Pickthall And he saith: I have destroyed vast wealth:

Transliteration Yaqu_lu ahlaku ma_lal lubada_

90: 7

Asad Does he, then, think that no one sees him? [note 5]

Yusuf Ali Thinketh he that none beholdeth him?

Pickthall Thinketh he that none beholdeth him?

Transliteration Ayahsabu alam yarahu_ ahad

90: 8

Yusuf Ali Have We not made for him a pair of eyes?

Pickthall Did We not assign unto him two eyes

Transliteration Alam najal lahu_ ainain

90: 9

Yusuf Ali And a tongue and a pair of lips?

Pickthall And a tongue and two lips,

Transliteration Wa lisanaw wa syafatain

90: 10

Yusuf Ali And shown him the two highways?

Pickthall And guide him to the parting of the mountain ways?

Transliteration Wa hadaina_hun najdain

Ayah 11

Yusuf Ali But he hath made no haste on the path that is steep.

Pickthall But he hath not attempted the Ascent

Transliteration Falaqtahamal aqabah

Ayah 12

Yusuf Ali And what will explain to thee the path that is steep?

Pickthall Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Ascent is!

Transliteration Wa ma_ adra_ka mal aqabah

Ayah 13

Yusuf Ali (It is:) freeing the bondman;

Pickthall (It is) to free a slave,

Transliteration Faku raqabah

Ayah 14

Yusuf Ali Or the giving of food in a day of privation

Pickthall And to feed in the day of hunger

Transliteration Au ita_mun fi yaumin zi masgabah

Ayah 15

Yusuf Ali To the orphan with claims of relationship

Pickthall An orphan near of kin,

Transliteration Yatiman za_ maqrabah

Ayah 16

Yusuf Ali Or to the indigent (down) in the dust.

Pickthall Or some poor wretch in misery,

Transliteration Au miskinan za matrabah

Ayah 17

Yusuf Ali Then will he be of those who believe and enjoin patience (constancy and self-restraint) and enjoin deeds of kindness and compassion.

Pickthall And to be of those who believe and exhort one another to perseverance and export one another to pity.

Transliteration Suma ka_na minal lazina a_manu_ wa tawa_sau bisabri wa tawa_sau bil marhamah

Ayah 18

Yusuf Ali Such are the Companions of the Right Hand.

Pickthall Their place will be on the right hand.

Transliteration Ula_ika asha_bul maimanah

Ayah 19

Yusuf Ali But those who reject Our Signs they are the (unhappy) companions of the Left Hand.

Pickthall But those who disbelieve Our revelations, their place will be on the left hand.

Transliteration Walazina kafaru_ bi a_ya_tinahum asha_bul masamah

Ayah 20

Yusuf Ali On them will be Fire Vaulted over (all round).

Pickthall Fire will be an awning over them.

Transliteration Alaihim na_rum musadah