Quran 39:29 — Az-Zumar, verse 29
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
God puts forward this illustration: can a man who has for his masters several partners at odds with each other be considered equal to a man devoted wholly to one master? All praise belongs to God, though most of them do not know.
ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا رَجُلًا فِيهِ شُرَكَاءُ مُتَشَاكِسُونَ وَرَجُلًا سَلَمًا لِرَجُلٍ هَلْ يَسْتَوِيَانِ مَثَلًا ۚ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
ḍaraba l-lahu mathalan rajulan fīhi shurakāu mutashākisūna warajulan salaman lirajulin hal yastawiyāni mathalan l-ḥamdu lillahi bal aktharuhum lā yaʿlamūna
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- God has struck a similitude -- a man in whom partners disagreeing share, and a man the property of one man. Are the two equal in likeness? Praise belongs to God! Nay, but most of them do not know.
- Muhammad Asad
- [To this end,] God sets forth a parable: A man who has for his masters several partners, [all of them] at variance with one another, and a man depending wholly on one person: can these two be deemed equal as regards their condition? [Nay,] all praise is due to God [alone]: but most of them do not understand this.
- Sahih International
- Allāh presents an example: a man [i.e., slave] owned by quarreling partners and another belonging exclusively to one man - are they equal in comparison? Praise be 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 | مَثَلًۭاmathalan | an example | مثل |
| 4 | رَّجُلًۭاrajulan | a man | رجل |
| 5 | فِيهِfīhi | about him | — |
| 6 | شُرَكَآءُshurakāu | partners | شرك |
| 7 | مُتَشَـٰكِسُونَmutashākisūna | quarreling | شكس |
| 8 | وَرَجُلًۭاwarajulan | and a man | رجل |
| 9 | سَلَمًۭاsalaman | (belonging) exclusively | سلم |
| 10 | لِّرَجُلٍlirajulin | to one man | رجل |
| 11 | هَلْhal | are | — |
| 12 | يَسْتَوِيَانِyastawiyāni | they both equal | سوي |
| 13 | مَثَلًا ۚmathalan | (in) comparison | مثل |
| 14 | ٱلْحَمْدُl-ḥamdu | All praise | حمد |
| 15 | لِلَّهِ ۚlillahi | (be) to Allah | أله |
| 16 | بَلْbal | Nay | — |
| 17 | أَكْثَرُهُمْaktharuhum | most of them | كثر |
| 18 | لَاlā | (do) not | — |
| 19 | يَعْلَمُونَyaʿlamūna | know | علم |