The Quran

Preface

وَهٰذا كِتابٌ أَنزَلناهُ مُبارَكٌ مُصَدِّقُ الَّذي بَينَ يَدَيهِ وَلِتُنذِرَ أُمَّ القُرىٰ وَمَن حَولَها ۚ وَالَّذينَ يُؤمِنونَ بِالآخِرَةِ يُؤمِنونَ بِهِ ۖ وَهُم عَلىٰ صَلاتِهِم يُحافِظونَ

Yusuf Ali

And this is a Book which We have sent down, bringing blessings,¹ and confirming (the revelations) which came before it: that thou mayest warn the mother² of cities and all around her. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in this (Book), and they are constant in guarding their prayers.³

Mubarak blessed, as having received God’s blessing; bringer of blessings to others, as having been blessed by God. God’s highest blessing is the Guidance and Light which the Book brings to us, and which brings us nearer to Him.
Mother of Cities: Mecca, now the Qiblah and Centre of Islam. If this verse was (like the greater part of the Chapter) revealed in Mecca before the Hijrat, and before Mecca was made the Qiblah of Islam, Mecca was nonetheless the Mother of Cities, being traditionally associated with Abraham and with Adam and Eve (see 2:125, and n. 217 to 2:197).
All round Mecca: would mean, the whole world if we look upon Mecca as the Centre.
An earnest study of the Qur-ān is true worship; so is Prayer, and so are all deeds of goodness and charity.