ٱرۡجِعِيٓ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةٗ مَّرۡضِيَّةٗ 28

28 “Return to the (Mercy of) your Creator in such a manner that you be pleased with Him and He be pleased with you.”

فَٱدۡخُلِي فِي عِبَٰدِي 29

29 “So enter the company of My (esteemed) slaves.” 

وَٱدۡخُلِي جَنَّتِي 30

30 “And you enter My Paradise (along with them).” (Hence, the company of pious persons is very important in the worldly life in order to expect their com-pany in the Hereafter).

لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ 1

1 I swear by this city (Makkah) [which is the place of birth and residence of Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). Hence, it is a very esteemed city as also mentioned in Surah At-Tin:3].

وَأَنتَ حِلُّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ 2

2 You are the resident of this city (or, the fighting is made lawful for you in this city temporarily during the conquest of Makkah).

وَوَالِدٖ وَمَا وَلَدَ 3

3 By the father (Adam) and his children.

لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ فِي كَبَدٍ 4

4 Man is created to struggle through toil and trouble (Tabari).

أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ أَحَدٞ 5

5 Does man (i.e. the disbeliever) think that nobody can make him accountable?

يَقُولُ أَهۡلَكۡتُ مَالٗا لُّبَدًا 6

6 He declares (boastfully): “I have spent a lot of wealth (in world-ly pursuits)!”

أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّمۡ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ 7

7 Does he think that none sees him? (i.e. Allah does not see him spending lavishly in sinful activities and, therefore, He will not punish him).

أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ عَيۡنَيۡنِ 8

8 (Allah reminds about His Favours to man so that he should avoid sinful activities.) Have We not made for him two eyes (with which he can see),

وَلِسَانٗا وَشَفَتَيۡنِ 9

9 And a tongue and two lips? (He speaks with the tongue and expresses his inner feelings. He makes use of lips for speaking and eating. And they add to the beauty of the face).

وَهَدَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجۡدَيۡنِ 10

10 And We showed him two ways (good and evil).

فَلَا ٱقۡتَحَمَ ٱلۡعَقَبَةَ 11

11 So man did not follow the steep path yet (i.e. he has not yet struggled against the hardships which are necessary to avoid sin).

وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡعَقَبَةُ 12

12 What do you know about that steep path?

فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ 13

13 (Some of those difficult tasks are) to free a slave.

أَوۡ إِطۡعَٰمٞ فِي يَوۡمٖ ذِي مَسۡغَبَةٖ 14

14 Or giving food on a day of hunger (famine),

يَتِيمٗا ذَا مَقۡرَبَةٍ 15

15 To an orphan who is a near relative.

أَوۡ مِسۡكِينٗا ذَا مَتۡرَبَةٖ 16

16 Or to a needy who is sitting on dust (due to extreme poverty).

ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡمَرۡحَمَةِ 17

17 (By fulfilling these human obligations,) then you become one of those who believe, and motivate one another to remain patient and recommend one another to adhere to piety and compassion.