Quran 16:75 — An-Nahl, verse 75
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
God presents this illustration: a slave controlled by his master, with no power over anything, and another man We have supplied with good provision, from which he gives alms privately and openly. Can they be considered equal? All praise belongs to God, but most of them do not recognize this.
ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا عَبْدًا مَمْلُوكًا لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَيْءٍ وَمَنْ رَزَقْنَاهُ مِنَّا رِزْقًا حَسَنًا فَهُوَ يُنْفِقُ مِنْهُ سِرًّا وَجَهْرًا ۖ هَلْ يَسْتَوُونَ ۚ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
ḍaraba l-lahu mathalan ʿabdan mamlūkan lā yaqdiru ʿalā shayin waman razaqnāhu minnā riz'qan ḥasanan fahuwa yunfiqu min'hu sirran wajahran hal yastawūna l-ḥamdu lillahi bal aktharuhum lā yaʿlamūna
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- God has struck a similitude: a servant possessed by his master, having no power over anything, and one whom We have provided of Ourselves with a provision fair, and he expends of it secretly and openly. Are they equal? Praise belongs to God! Nay, most of them know not.
- Muhammad Asad
- God propounds [to you] the parable of [two men-] a man enslaved, unable to do anything of his own accord, and a [free] man upon whom We have bestowed goodly sustenance [as a gift] from Ourselves, so that he can spend thereof [at will, both] secretly and openly. Can these [two] be deemed equal? All praise is due to God [alone]: but most of them do not understand it.
- Sahih International
- Allāh presents an example: a slave [who is] owned and unable to do a thing and he to whom We have provided from Us good provision, so he spends from it secretly and publicly. Can they be equal? Praise to Allāh! But most of them do not know.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ۞ ضَرَبَḍaraba | Allah sets forth | ضرب |
| 2 | ٱللَّهُl-lahu | Allah sets forth | أله |
| 3 | مَثَلًاmathalan | the example | مثل |
| 4 | عَبْدًۭاʿabdan | (of) a slave | عبد |
| 5 | مَّمْلُوكًۭاmamlūkan | (who is) owned | ملك |
| 6 | لَّاlā | not | — |
| 7 | يَقْدِرُyaqdiru | he has power | قدر |
| 8 | عَلَىٰʿalā | on | — |
| 9 | شَىْءٍۢshayin | anything | شيأ |
| 10 | وَمَنwaman | and (one) whom | — |
| 11 | رَّزَقْنَـٰهُrazaqnāhu | We provided him | رزق |
| 12 | مِنَّاminnā | from Us | — |
| 13 | رِزْقًاriz'qan | a provision | رزق |
| 14 | حَسَنًۭاḥasanan | good | حسن |
| 15 | فَهُوَfahuwa | so he | — |
| 16 | يُنفِقُyunfiqu | spends | نفق |
| 17 | مِنْهُmin'hu | from it | — |
| 18 | سِرًّۭاsirran | secretly | سرر |
| 19 | وَجَهْرًا ۖwajahran | and publicly | جهر |
| 20 | هَلْhal | Can | — |
| 21 | يَسْتَوُۥنَ ۚyastawūna | they be equal | سوي |
| 22 | ٱلْحَمْدُl-ḥamdu | All praise | حمد |
| 23 | لِلَّهِ ۚlillahi | (is) for Allah | أله |
| 24 | بَلْbal | Nay | — |
| 25 | أَكْثَرُهُمْaktharuhum | but most of them | كثر |
| 26 | لَاlā | (do) not | — |
| 27 | يَعْلَمُونَyaʿlamūna | know | علم |