In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
A summary of the Tafsir of al-Tabari.
Abridged by Dr. 'Aqil ibn Salim al-Shammar.
Surah al-Balad.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
“Nay, I swear by this city -” (90:1)
“And thou art an indweller of this city -” (90:2)
"And by the begetter and what he begot."
“We verily have created man in an atmosphere:” (90:4)
“Thinketh he that none hath power over him?” (90:5)
“And he saith: I have destroyed vast wealth:” (90:6)
“Thinketh he that none beholdeth him?” (90:7)
He swears, O Muhammad, by this sacred city.
Which is Makkah.
And you, O Muhammad, are permitted within this city.
You may do within it as you wish regarding those you intend to kill.
And take captive those you intend to take captive.
That is permitted for you.
And He swears by the father and by the child he begot.
Man was created to struggle through affairs and endure them with hardship.
Does this man, confident in his resilience and strength, think?
That no one will ever overpower or defeat him?
Yet Allah is his Overpowerer and Subduer.
This arrogant, strong man says:
"I have squandered vast wealth in opposing Muhammad."
Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
And he spent that wealth against him.
Yet he is lying in his claim.
Does this speaker, who says "I have squandered vast wealth," think?
That no one saw him in the state of spending what he claims to have spent?
“Did We not assign unto him two eyes” (90:8)
And a tongue and two lips.
And We have shown him the two ways.
So he has not attempted the steep path.
“Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Ascent is! -” (90:12)
It is the freeing of a slave.
“And to feed in the day of hunger.” (90:14)
An orphan of near kinship.
“Or some poor wretch in misery,” (90:16)
Have We not granted this speaker, who says "I have squandered vast wealth,"
Two eyes with which he sees the proofs of Allah against him?
And a tongue with which he expresses whatever he wishes?
And two lips?
A favor from Us to him in that.
And We have guided him to the two paths.
The path of good and the path of evil.
Yet he has not traversed the steep path.
So as to cross it and pass through it.
It is mentioned that the "steep path" is a mountain in Hell.
And what could make you know, O Muhammad, what the steep path is?
Then He, the Almighty, clarified for him what the steep path is and what the salvation from it is.
And what the nature of traversing it is.
He said that traversing and crossing it is:
Freeing a neck from slavery and the bondage of servitude.
Or feeding on a day of severe hunger an orphan who has no father, from among his relatives.
Or a destitute person who has been pressed into the dust by poverty and need.
“And to be of those who believe and exhort one another to perseverance and exhort one another to pity.” (90:17)
Those are the people of the right hand.
“But those who disbelieve Our revelations, their place will be on the left hand.” (90:19)
Upon them is a fire closed over.
Then, this person who said "I have squandered vast wealth" was not:
Among those who believed in Allah and His Messenger.
So that they might believe along with them as they believed.
And among those who enjoin one another to patience regarding what befalls them for the sake of Allah.
And enjoin one another to mercy.
Those who performed these deeds that I have mentioned:
Such as freeing slaves, feeding the orphan, and other such acts.
They are the people of the right hand.
Those who will be led on the Day of Resurrection to the right, toward Paradise.
As for those who disbelieved in Our signs and Our markers,
And Our proofs from the scriptures, the messengers, and otherwise:
They are the people of the left hand on the Day of Resurrection.
Those who will be led to the left.
Upon them is the fire of Hell on the Day of Resurrection, closed over.
A summary of the Tafsir of al-Tabari.