Az-Zumar: 29

Ayah

Word by Word

ضَرَبَ

Allah sets forth

ٱللَّهُ

Allah sets forth

مَثَلٗا

an example

رَّجُلٗا

a man

فِيهِ

belonging to

شُرَكَآءُ

partners

مُتَشَٰكِسُونَ

quarreling

وَرَجُلٗا

and a man

سَلَمٗا

(belonging) exclusively

لِّرَجُلٍ

to one man

هَلۡ

are

يَسۡتَوِيَانِ

they both equal

مَثَلًاۚ

(in) comparison

ٱلۡحَمۡدُ

All praise

لِلَّهِۚ

(be) to Allah

بَلۡ

Nay

أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ

most of them

لَا

(do) not

يَعۡلَمُونَ

know

Translation

Allah puts forth a Parable a man belonging to many partners at variance with each other, and a man belonging entirely to one master: are those two equal in comparison? Praise be to Allah! but most of them have no knowledge.

Tafsir

The Parable of the Life of this World

Allah says,

أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاء مَاء

See you not that Allah sends down water from the sky,

Allah tells us that water originates in the sky.

This is like the Ayah:

وَأَنزَلۡنَا مِنَ السَّمَأءِ مَأءً طَهُوراً

and We send down pure water from the sky. (25:48)

So, Allah sends down water from the sky, and it settles in the earth, then He causes it to flow wherever He wills, and He causes springs, great and small, to flow as needed.

Allah says:

فَسَلَكَهُ يَنَابِيعَ فِي الاَۡرۡضِ

and causes it to penetrate the earth, as water springs,

Sa`id bin Jubayr and `Amir Ash-Sha`bi said that all the water on earth has its origins in the sky.

Sa`id bin Jubayr said, its origins lie in the snow, meaning that snow piles up in the mountains, then settles at the bottom (of the mountains) and springs flow from the bottom of them.

ثُمَّ يُخۡرِجُ بِهِ زَرۡعًا مُّخۡتَلِفًا أَلۡوَانُهُ

and afterward thereby produces crops of different colors,

means, then from the water which comes down from the sky or flows from springs in the earth, He brings forth crops of different colors, i.e., different kinds of forms, tastes, scents, benefits, etc.

ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصۡفَرًّا

and afterward they wither and you see them turn yellow;

means, after they have been ripe and fresh, they become old and you see them turn yellow when they have dried out.

ثُمَّ يَجۡعَلُهُ حُطَامًا

then He makes them dry and broken pieces.

means, then they become brittle.

إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَذِكۡرَى لاُِوۡلِي الاَۡلۡبَابِ

Verily, in this is a reminder for men of understanding.

means, those who are reminded by this and who learn the lesson from it, that this world is like this -- it is green and fresh and beautiful, then it will become old and ugly. The young man will become a weak, senile old man, and after all of that comes death. The blessed one is the one whose state after death will be good. Allah often likens the life of this world to the way He sends down water from the sky and crops and fruits grow thereby, then they become dry and brittle.

This is like the Ayah:

وَاضۡرِبۡ لَهُم مَّثَلَ الۡحَيَوةِ الدُّنۡيَا كَمَأءٍ أَنۡزَلۡنَـهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَاخۡتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الاٌّرۡضِ فَأَصۡبَحَ هَشِيمًا تَذۡرُوهُ الرِّياحُ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ مُّقۡتَدِرًا

And put forward to them the example of the life of this world:it is like the water (rain) which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But (later) it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allah is able to do everything. (18:45)

The People of Truth and the People of Misguidance are not Equal

Allah says,

أَفَمَن شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدۡرَهُ لِلِۡسۡلَمِ فَهُوَ عَلَى نُورٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِ

Is he whose breast Allah has opened to Islam, so that he is in light from his Lord,

means, is this person equal to the one who is hard-hearted and far from the truth?

This is like the Ayah:

أَوَمَن كَانَ مَيۡتًا فَأَحۡيَيۡنَـهُ وَجَعَلۡنَا لَهُ نُورًا يَمۡشِي بِهِ فِى النَّاسِ كَمَن مَّثَلُهُ فِي الظُّلُمَـتِ لَيۡسَ بِخَارِجٍ مِّنۡهَا كَذَلِكَ

Is he who was dead and We gave him life and set for him a light (i.e. Belief) whereby he can walk amongst men -- like him who is in the darkness (i.e., disbelief) from which he can never come out. (6:122)

Allah says:

فَوَيۡلٌ لِّلۡقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُم مِّن ذِكۡرِ اللَّهِ

So, woe to those whose hearts are hardened against remembrance of Allah!

meaning, they do not become soft when Allah is mentioned, and they do not feel humility or fear, and they do not understand.

أُوۡلَيِكَ فِي ضَلَلٍ مُبِينٍ

They are in plain error!

The Description of the Qur'an

Here Allah praises His Book, the Noble Qur'an, which was revealed to His noble Messenger.

Allah says,

اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحۡسَنَ الۡحَدِيثِ كِتَابًا مُّتَشَابِهًا مَّثَانِيَ

Allah has sent down the Best Statement, a Book, its parts resembling each other (and) oft-repeated.

Mujahid said,

This means that the entire Qur'an's parts resemble each other and are oft-repeated.

Qatadah said,

One Ayah resembles another and one letter resembles another.

Ad-Dahhak said,

It is oft-repeated so that people will understand what their Lord tells them.

Ikrimah and Al-Hasan said,

There may be an Ayah in one Surah, and another Ayah in another Surah that resembles it.

Sa`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him:

Oft-repeated means that parts of the Qur'an resemble one another and repeat one another.

Some of the scholars said that it was narrated from Sufyan bin `Uyaynah that

مُّتَشَابِهًا مَّثَانِيَ

(its parts resembling each other (and) oft-repeated), means,

that some passages of the Qur'an may sometimes refer to one thing, so they resemble one another, and sometimes they mention a thing and its opposite. Such as when the believers then the disbelievers are mentioned, or when Paradise then Hell are described, and so on, and this is the meaning of oft-repeated.

Examples include the Ayat:

إِنَّ الاٌّبۡرَارَ لَفِى نَعِيمٍ

وَإِنَّ الۡفُجَّارَ لَفِى جَحِيمٍ

Verily, the most righteous will be in delight; and verily, the most wicked will be in the blazing Fire (Hell). (82:13-14)

كَلَّ إِنَّ كِتَابَ الفُجَّارِ لَفِي سِجِّينٍ

(Nay! Truly, the Record of the most wicked is (preserved) in Sijjin), until

كَلَّ إِنَّ كِتَابَ الاَۡبۡرَارِ لَفِي عِلِّيِّينَ

(Nay! Verily, the Record of the most righteous is (preserved) in `Illiyyin), (83:7-18)

هَذَا ذِكۡرٌ وَإِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ لَحُسۡنَ مَأبٍ

(This is a Reminder. And verily, for those who have Taqwa is a good final return (Paradise)), until;

هَذَا

وَإِنَّ لِلطَّاغِينَ لَشَرَّ مَأبٍ

(This is so! And for those who transgress, there will be an evil final return (Fire)). (38:49-55)

And there are other similar passages. All of this has to do with it being oft-repeated, i.e., when two meanings are referred to. But when a passage is about one thing, with some parts of it resembling others, this is;

its parts resembling each other.

This is not the same as the Mutashabihat mentioned in the Ayah:

مِنۡهُ ايَـتٌ مُّحۡكَمَـتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الۡكِتَـبِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَـبِهَـتٌ

In it are Ayat that are entirely clear, they are the foundations of the Book; and others not entirely clear. (3:7)

that refers to something else altogether.

تَقۡشَعِرُّ مِنۡهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخۡشَوۡنَ رَبَّهُمۡ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمۡ وَقُلُوبُهُمۡ إِلَى ذِكۡرِ اللَّهِ

The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it. Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah.

means, this is the description of the righteous, when they hear the Words of the Compeller, the Protector, the Almighty, the Oft-Forgiving, because they understand the promises and warnings contained therein. The frightening words and threats make their skin shiver from fear.

ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمۡ وَقُلُوبُهُمۡ إِلَى ذِكۡرِ اللَّهِ

(Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah), because of their hope for His mercy and kindness. They are unlike others, the wicked, immoral sinners, in a number of ways:

- First They listen to the recitation of the Ayat (of the Qur'an), while those (sinners) listen to poetic verse recited by female singers.

- Second When the Ayat of Ar-Rahman are recited to them, they fall down in prostration weeping, with the proper attitude of fear, hope, love, understanding and knowledge, as Allah says:

إِنَّمَا الۡمُوۡمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتۡ قُلُوبُهُمۡ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَـتُهُ زَادَتۡهُمۡ إِيمَـناً وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمۡ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَوةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَـهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ

أُوۡلـيِكَ هُمُ الۡمُوۡمِنُونَ حَقّاً لَّهُمۡ دَرَجَـتٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ وَمَغۡفِرَةٌ وَرِزۡقٌ كَرِيمٌ

The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Ayat are recited unto them, they increase their faith; and they put their trust in their Lord; Who perform the Salah and spend out of that We have provided them. It is they who are the believers in it.

For them are grades of dignity with their Lord, and forgiveness and a generous provision (i.e., Paradise). (8:2-4)

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُواۡ بِـَايَـتِ رَبِّهِمۡ لَمۡ يَخِرُّواۡ عَلَيۡهَا صُمّاً وَعُمۡيَاناً

And those who, when they are reminded of the Ayat of their Lord, fall not on them (as if they were) deaf and blind. (25:73)

When they hear the Ayat of Allah, they are not too busy to pay attention to them; they listen to them and understand their meanings. So they act upon them and prostrate when they hear them, out of understanding, not out of ignorance and blind following of others.

- Third they adhere to the correct etiquette when they listen to them. As the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to do when they listened to the words of Allah recited by the Messenger of Allah. Their skin would shiver, and their hearts would soften to the remembrance of Allah. They did not shout or do other actions that are not natural; on the contrary, they would sit quietly with the proper attitude of fear, in an unparalleled fashion. They attained the victory of praise from their Lord in this world and the Hereafter.

Abdur-Razzaq said, Ma`mar told us that Qatadah, may Allah have mercy on him, recited,

(The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it. Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah), and said,

`This is the characteristic of the friends of Allah; Allah has described them in this manner, saying that their skin shivers, their eyes weep and their hearts find rest to the remembrance of Allah. He did not say that they lose their minds and swoon; that is the characteristic of the followers of innovation, and that comes from the Shaytan.'

Allah's saying:

ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهۡدِي بِهِ مَنۡ يَشَاء

That is the guidance of Allah. He guides therewith whom He wills;

means, this is the characteristic of those whom Allah has guided, and anyone who does anything different is one of those whom Allah has sent astray.

وَمَن يُضۡلِلۡ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنۡ هَادٍ

and whomever Allah sends astray, for him there is no guide.

The Final Destination of the Disbelievers

Allah says,

أَفَمَن يَتَّقِي بِوَجۡهِهِ سُوءَ الۡعَذَابِ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَامَةِ

Is he then, who will confront with his face the awful torment on the Day of Resurrection?

وَقِيلَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ

And it will be said to the wrongdoers:

He will be rebuked and he and the evildoers like him will be told:

ذُوقُوا مَا كُنتُمۡ تَكۡسِبُونَ

Taste what you used to earn!

`Is this like the one who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection' as Allah says:

أَفَمَن يَمۡشِى مُكِبّاً عَلَى وَجۡهِهِ أَهۡدَى أَمَّن يَمۡشِى سَوِيّاً عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ

Is he who walks prone on his face, more rightly guided, or he who walks upright on the straight way; (67:22)

يَوۡمَ يُسۡحَبُونَ فِى النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمۡ ذُوقُواۡ مَسَّ سَقَرَ

The Day they will be dragged on their faces into the Fire (it will be said to them):Taste you the touch of Hell! (54:48)

and,

أَفَمَن يُلۡقَى فِى النَّارِ خَيۡرٌ أَم مَّن يَأۡتِى ءَامِناً يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَـمَةِ

Is he who is cast into the Fire better or he who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection? (41:40)

In each of these Ayat, it was sufficient to refer to one of the two groups.

Allah's statement,

كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ فَأَتَاهُمۡ الۡعَذَابُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَ

Those before them denied, and so the torment came on them from directions they perceived not.

means, the previous generations who denied the Messengers were destroyed by Allah for their sins. And none had they to protect them from Allah

فَأَذَاقَهُمُ اللَّهُ الۡخِزۡيَ فِي الۡحَيَاةِ الدُّنۡيَا

So Allah made them to taste the disgrace in the present life,

means, by means of the punishment and revenge which He sent down upon them, and the rejoicing of the believers for what happened to them. So, let those who are addressed beware, for they have rejected the noblest of the Messengers and the Seal of the Prophets. And what Allah has promised them of severe punishment in the Hereafter is worse than whatever befell them in this world.

Allah says:

وَلَعَذَابُ الاۡخِرَةِ أَكۡبَرُ لَوۡ كَانُوا يَعۡلَمُونَ

but greater is the torment of the Hereafter if they only knew!

The Parable of Shirk

Allah says,

وَلَقَدۡ ضَرَبۡنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِي هَذَا الۡقُرۡانِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ

And indeed We have put forth for men, in this Qur'an every kind of parable,

means, `We have explained things to mankind in it (the Qur'an) by setting forth examples and parables.'

لَّعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

in order that they may remember.

Because parables bring the meaning closer to people's minds.

As Allah says:

ضَرَبَ لَكُمۡ مَّثَلً مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ

He sets forth for you a parable from yourselves. (30:28)

meaning, `so that you may learn it from yourselves.' in Order that they may have Taqwa of Him.

And Allah says:

وَتِلۡكَ الاٌّمۡثَالُ نَضۡرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ وَمَا يَعۡقِلُهَأ إِلاَّ الۡعَـلِمُونَ

And these are the examples We give for mankind; but none will understand them except those who have knowledge (of Allah). (29:43)

قُرانًا عَرَبِيًّا غَيۡرَ ذِي عِوَجٍ

An Arabic Qur'an, without any crookedness (therein),

means, it is in a plain Arabic tongue, with no crookedness, deviation or confusion. It is plain, clear proof. Allah has made it like this and has revealed it like this,

لَّعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُونَ

in order that they may have Taqwa of Him,

means, in order that they may heed the warnings contained therein, and strive to attain the promises therein.

Then Allah says

ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلً رَّجُلً فِيهِ شُرَكَاء مُتَشَاكِسُونَ

Allah puts forth a parable:a man belonging to many partners disputing with one another,

meaning, they were disputing concerning that slave in whom they all had a share.

وَرَجُلً سَلَمًا لِّرَجُلٍ

and a (slave) man belonging entirely to one master.

means, no one owned him except that one man.

هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِيَانِ مَثَلً

Are those two equal in comparison?

meaning, they are not the same.

By the same token, the idolator who worships other gods besides Allah and the sincere believer who worships none besides Allah, with no partner or associate, are not equal. What comparison can there be between them?

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid and others said,

This Ayah is the parable of the idolator and the sincere believer.

Because this parable is so clear and obvious,

Allah then says:

الۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ

All the praises and thanks be to Allah!

i.e., for establishing proof against them.

بَلۡ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

But most of them know not.

means, and for this reason they associate others in worship with Allah.

The fact that the Messenger of Allah and Quraysh will die, and how They will dispute before Allah

Allah's saying;

إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُم مَّيِّتُونَ

Verily, you will die, and verily, they (too) will die.

This is one of the Ayat which Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, quoted when the Messenger of Allah died, so that the people would realize that he had really died.

Another Ayah which he quoted was:

وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلاَّ رَسُولٌ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِن قَبۡلِهِ الرُّسُلُ أَفإِيۡن مَّاتَ أَوۡ قُتِلَ انقَلَبۡتُمۡ عَلَى أَعۡقَـبِكُمۡ وَمَن يَنقَلِبۡ عَلَى عَقِبَيۡهِ فَلَن يَضُرَّ اللَّهَ شَيۡياً وَسَيَجۡزِى اللَّهُ الشَّـكِرِينَ

Muhammad is no more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels? And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will do to Allah; and Allah will give reward to those who are grateful. (3:144)

The meaning of this Ayah is that you will certainly depart this world and be gathered before Allah in the Hereafter. You will dispute the issues of Tawhid and Shirk before Allah, things over which you disputed in this world, and He will judge between you with truth, and He is the Judge, the All-Knowing. So, He will save the sincere believers who worship Him alone, and He will punish the disbelievers who deny His Oneness and associate others in worship with Him.

Although this Ayah speaks about the believers and disbelievers, and how they will dispute in the Hereafter, it also includes all disputants in this world, for their disputes will come back to them in the Hereafter.

Ibn Abi Hatim, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Ibn Az-Zubayr, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

When the Ayah

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمۡ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَامَةِ عِندَ رَبِّكُمۡ تَخۡتَصِمُونَ

Then, on the Day of Resurrection, you will be disputing before your Lord.

was revealed, Az-Zubayr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, `O Messenger of Allah, will we repeat our disputes?'

He said, Yes.

He (Az-Zubayr) said, `This is a very serious matter.'

Ahmad recorded from Az-Zubayr bin Al-`Awwam, may Allah be pleased with him, that when this Surah was revealed to the Messenger of Allah:

إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُم مَّيِّتُونَ

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمۡ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَامَةِ عِندَ رَبِّكُمۡ تَخۡتَصِمُونَ

Verily, you will die, and verily, they (too) will die. Then, on the Day of Resurrection, you will be disputing before your Lord.

Az-Zubayr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, O Messenger of Allah, will the sins that we committed against others in this world be repeated for us?

He said,

نَعَمۡ لَيُكَرَّرَنَّ عَلَيۡكُمۡ حَتۡى يُوَدَّى إِلَى كُلِّ ذِي حَقَ حَقُّه

Yes, they will be repeated until everyone who is entitled will have his rights restored to him.

Az-Zubayr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, By Allah, it is a very serious matter.

It was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi, who said Hasan Sahih.

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمۡ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَامَةِ عِندَ رَبِّكُمۡ تَخۡتَصِمُون

(Then, on the Day of Resurrection, you will be disputing before your Lord), means,

the truthful one will dispute with the liar, the oppressed will dispute with the oppressor, the one who is guided will dispute with the one who is misguided and the weak will dispute with the arrogant.

Ibn Mandah recorded in Kitab Ar-Ruh that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

The people will dispute on the Day of Resurrection, to the extent that the soul will dispute with the body. The soul will say to the body, `You did such and such,' and the body will say to the soul, `You told me to do it and you tempted me.'

Then Allah will send an angel to judge between them, and he will say, `You two are like a man who cannot walk but can see, and a man who cannot see but can walk.'

They went into a garden and the one who could not walk said to the one who was blind, `I see fruit there, but I cannot reach it.'

The blind man said, `Climb on me and get it.'

So he climbed on him and got it. So which of them is the wrongdoer

They will say, `Both of them.'

The angel will say to them, `You have passed judgement against yourselves.'

The body was a means of transportation for the soul.

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

This Ayah was revealed and we did not know what it was revealed about:

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمۡ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَامَةِ عِندَ رَبِّكُمۡ تَخۡتَصِمُون

(Then, on the Day of Resurrection, you will be disputing before your Lord).

He said,

We said, what will we dispute about? There is no dispute between us and the People of the Book, so what will we dispute about until the Fitnah occurred.

Then Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

This is what our Lord promised us we would dispute about.

This was recorded by An-Nasa'i.