سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ
Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 75
۞ ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا عَبْدًا مَّمْلُوكًا لَّا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ وَمَن رَّزَقْنَـٰهُ مِنَّا رِزْقًا حَسَنًا فَهُوَ يُنفِقُ مِنْهُ سِرًّا وَجَهْرًا ۖ هَلْ يَسْتَوُۥنَ ۚ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿75﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Allâh puts forward the example of (two men - a believer and a disbeliever); a slave (disbeliever) under the possession of another, he has no power of any sort, and (the other), a man (believer) on whom We have bestowed a good provision from Us, and he spends thereof secretly and openly. Can they be equal? (By no means). All the praises and thanks are to Allâh. Nay! (But) most of them know not.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ ضَرَبَ
ḍaraba
Allah sets forth
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah sets forth
مَثَلًا
mathalan
the example
عَبْدًۭا
ʿabdan
(of) a slave
مَّمْلُوكًۭا
mamlūkan
(who is) owned
لَّا
lā
not
يَقْدِرُ
yaqdiru
he has power
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
شَىْءٍۢ
shayin
anything
وَمَن
waman
and (one) whom
رَّزَقْنَـٰهُ
razaqnāhu
We provided him
مِنَّا
minnā
from Us
رِزْقًا
riz'qan
a provision
حَسَنًۭا
ḥasanan
good
فَهُوَ
fahuwa
so he
يُنفِقُ
yunfiqu
spends
مِنْهُ
min'hu
from it
سِرًّۭا
sirran
secretly
وَجَهْرًا ۖ
wajahran
and publicly
هَلْ
hal
Can
يَسْتَوُۥنَ ۚ
yastawūna
they be equal
ٱلْحَمْدُ
l-ḥamdu
All praise
لِلَّهِ ۚ
lillahi
(is) for Allah
بَلْ
bal
Nay
أَكْثَرُهُمْ
aktharuhum
but most of them
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَعْلَمُونَ
yaʿlamūna
know
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
Allah sets forth a parable: there is a slave who is owned by another, having no power over anything, and another whom We have provided with good provision, and he spends from it secretly and openly. Are they equal [74]? All praise is due [75] to Allah alone, but most people do not know (even this simple matter) [76].
[74] Now, instead of the false examples of the polytheists, Allah presents a correct example that even a person of ordinary intellect can understand. And in this example, a new style of refutation of shirk is presented. For instance, one person is himself a slave; he does not own anything, nor does he have the authority to dispose of his master's property. Even if he wishes to spend something, he cannot, because he is utterly powerless. In contrast, there is another person who is free, independent, and the owner of vast wealth and property. He has complete authority to spend this wealth and property, and he continues to spend it at all times, both secretly and openly. So, can these two persons be equal? That is, on one side are the false deities who are themselves created, owned, and slaves. They possess nothing of their own. And if they are living beings, they are dependent for every single need. On the other side is the Being of Allah, who is absolutely sovereign, possesses the treasures of the heavens and the earth, and continues to spend them at all times. So, can Allah and the deities of the polytheists be equal?
[75]
The Refutation of Shirk: The Example of Asking from a Slave
In response to the question posed to the polytheists, they cannot say, "Yes, both can be equal." Now, if they say, "No, they cannot be equal," then it is as if the criminal has confessed to his crime. And if they remain silent or cannot come up with an answer, this is proof of their helplessness and lack of argument. Thus, in both cases, their shirk is invalidated, and Allah said to His Messenger that in either case, say, "Alhamdulillah." That is, praise be to Allah that at least something has reached them, and with this simple and understandable argument, your point has been understood by them.
[76]
The Practice of the Polytheists is Contrary to This
Despite understanding this straightforward and simple matter, their condition is such that if they need to ask something from their neighbor, they ask the owner of the house, not the slave, because the owner is authoritative, not the slave. But when it comes to the Creator and the created, they leave the authoritative Creator and extend their hands in supplication before the powerless creation. What could be greater ignorance and injustice than this?
[74] Now, instead of the false examples of the polytheists, Allah presents a correct example that even a person of ordinary intellect can understand. And in this example, a new style of refutation of shirk is presented. For instance, one person is himself a slave; he does not own anything, nor does he have the authority to dispose of his master's property. Even if he wishes to spend something, he cannot, because he is utterly powerless. In contrast, there is another person who is free, independent, and the owner of vast wealth and property. He has complete authority to spend this wealth and property, and he continues to spend it at all times, both secretly and openly. So, can these two persons be equal? That is, on one side are the false deities who are themselves created, owned, and slaves. They possess nothing of their own. And if they are living beings, they are dependent for every single need. On the other side is the Being of Allah, who is absolutely sovereign, possesses the treasures of the heavens and the earth, and continues to spend them at all times. So, can Allah and the deities of the polytheists be equal?
[75]
The Refutation of Shirk: The Example of Asking from a Slave
In response to the question posed to the polytheists, they cannot say, "Yes, both can be equal." Now, if they say, "No, they cannot be equal," then it is as if the criminal has confessed to his crime. And if they remain silent or cannot come up with an answer, this is proof of their helplessness and lack of argument. Thus, in both cases, their shirk is invalidated, and Allah said to His Messenger that in either case, say, "Alhamdulillah." That is, praise be to Allah that at least something has reached them, and with this simple and understandable argument, your point has been understood by them.
[76]
The Practice of the Polytheists is Contrary to This
Despite understanding this straightforward and simple matter, their condition is such that if they need to ask something from their neighbor, they ask the owner of the house, not the slave, because the owner is authoritative, not the slave. But when it comes to the Creator and the created, they leave the authoritative Creator and extend their hands in supplication before the powerless creation. What could be greater ignorance and injustice than this?
