وَٱللَّهُ فَضَّلَ بَعۡضَكُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٍ۬ فِى ٱلرِّزۡقِۚ فَمَا ٱلَّذِينَ فُضِّلُواْ بِرَآدِّى رِزۡقِهِمۡ عَلَىٰ مَا مَلَڪَتۡ أَيۡمَـٰنُہُمۡ فَهُمۡ فِيهِ سَوَآءٌۚ أَفَبِنِعۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِ يَجۡحَدُونَ
And Allah has favored some of you over others in provision. But those who were favored would not hand over their provision to those whom their right hands possess so they would be equal to them therein. Then is it the favor of Allah they reject?
Allah tells us that He is controlling the affairs of His servants. He is the One Who created them out of nothing, then He will cause them to die. But there are some of them that He allows to grow old, which is a physical weakness, as Allah says:
(Allah is He Who created you in (a state of) weakness, then gave you strength after weakness, then after strength gave (you) weakness) (30:54)
(so that they know nothing after having known.) meaning, after he knew things, he will reach a stage where he knows nothing because of weakness of mind due to old age and senility. Thus Al-Bukhari, when commenting on this Ayah, reported a narration from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah used to pray:
(I seek refuge with You from miserliness, laziness, old age, senility, the punishment of the grave, the Fitnah of the Dajjal and the trials of life and death.) Zuhayr bin Abi Sulma said, in his famous Mu`allaqah: "I became exhausted from the responsibilities of life. Whoever lives for eighty years, no wonder he is tired. I saw death hitting people like a crazed camel, and whoever it hit dies, but whoever is not hit lives until he grows old.''
(71. And Allah honored some of you over others with wealth and properties. Then, those who are so honored will by no means hand over their wealth and properties to those (captives of war) whom their right hands possess, so that they may be equal with them in that. Do they then deny the favor of Allah)
وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٲجً۬ا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَزۡوَٲجِڪُم بَنِينَ وَحَفَدَةً۬ وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِۚ أَفَبِٱلۡبَـٰطِلِ يُؤۡمِنُونَ وَبِنِعۡمَتِ ٱللَّهِ هُمۡ يَكۡفُرُونَ
And Allah has made for you from yourselves mates and has made for you from your mates sons and grandchildren and has provided for you from the good things. Then in falsehood do they believe and in the favor of Allah they disbelieve?
Allah explains to the idolaters the ignorance and disbelief involved in their claim that Allah has partners while also admitting that these partners are His servants. In their Talbiyah for Hajj, they used to say, "Here I am, there are no partners for You except Your own partner, You own him and everything he owns.'' Allah says, denouncing them: `You would not accept for your servant to have an equal share in your wealth, so how is it that Allah would accept His servant to be His equal in divinity and glory As Allah says elsewhere:
(He sets forth a parable for you from yourselves: Do you have partners among those whom your right hands possess (i.e. your servant) to share as equals in the wealth We have granted you, those whom you fear as you fear each other) (30:28) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas mentioned this Ayah, saying, "Allah is saying - `If they did not want their servant to have a share with them in their wealth and wives, how can My servant have a share with Me in My power' Thus Allah says:
(Do they then deny the favor of Allah)'' According to another report, Ibn `Abbas said: "How can they accept for Me that which they do not accept for themselves''
(Do they then deny the favor of Allah) meaning, they assign to Allah a share of the tilth and cattle which He has created. They denied His blessings and associated others in worship with Him. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: "Umar bin Al-Khattab wrote this letter to Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari: `Be content with your provision in this world, for the Most Merciful has honored some of His servants over others in terms of provision as a test of both. The one who has been given plenty is being tested to see if he will give thanks to Allah and fulfill the duties which are his by virtue of his wealth...''' It was reported by Ibn Abi Hatim.
(72. And Allah has made for you mates of your own kind, and has made for you, from your mates, sons and grandsons, and has granted you good provisions. Do they then believe in false deities and deny favor of Allah)
وَيَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَمۡلِكُ لَهُمۡ رِزۡقً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا وَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ
And they worship besides Allah that which does not possess for them [the power of] provision from the heavens and the earth at all, and [in fact], they are unable.
Allah mentions the blessing He has bestowed upon His servant by giving them mates from among themselves, mates of their own kind. If He had given them mates of another kind, there would be no harmony, love and mercy between them. But out of His mercy He has made the Children of Adam male and female, and has made the females wives or mates for the males. Then Allah mentions that from these wives He creates children and grandchildren, one's children's children. This was the opinion of Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak and Ibn Zayd. Shu`bah said, narrating from Abu Bishr from Sa`id bin Jubayr from Ibn `Abbas: "Children and grandchildren, who are one's children and one's children's children.'' It was also said that this means servants and helpers, or it means sons-in-law or in-laws. I say: if we understand
(grandsons) to refer back to wives, then it must mean children, children's children, and sons-in-law, because they are the husbands of one's daughter or the children of one's wife.
(and has granted you good provisions.) meaning your food and drink. Then Allah denounces those who associate others in worship with the One Who bestows blessings on them:
(Do they then believe in false deities), meaning idols and rivals to Allah
(and deny the favor of Allah) meaning, by concealing the blessings that Allah has given them and attributing them to others. According to a Sahih Hadith, the Prophet said:
(Allah will say to His servant on the Day of Resurrection, reminding him of His blessings: "Did I not give you a wife Did I not honor you Did I not subject horses and camels to your use, and cause you to occupy a position of leadership and honor'')
(73. And they worship others besides Allah such as do not have power to grant them any provision from the heavens or the earth nor the ability to do so.) (74. So do not give examples on behalf of Allah. Truly, Allah knows and you know not.)
فَلَا تَضۡرِبُواْ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡأَمۡثَالَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعۡلَمُ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ
So do not assert similarities to Allah. Indeed, Allah knows and you do not know.
Allah mentions the blessing He has bestowed upon His servant by giving them mates from among themselves, mates of their own kind. If He had given them mates of another kind, there would be no harmony, love and mercy between them. But out of His mercy He has made the Children of Adam male and female, and has made the females wives or mates for the males. Then Allah mentions that from these wives He creates children and grandchildren, one's children's children. This was the opinion of Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak and Ibn Zayd. Shu`bah said, narrating from Abu Bishr from Sa`id bin Jubayr from Ibn `Abbas: "Children and grandchildren, who are one's children and one's children's children.'' It was also said that this means servants and helpers, or it means sons-in-law or in-laws. I say: if we understand
(grandsons) to refer back to wives, then it must mean children, children's children, and sons-in-law, because they are the husbands of one's daughter or the children of one's wife.
(and has granted you good provisions.) meaning your food and drink. Then Allah denounces those who associate others in worship with the One Who bestows blessings on them:
(Do they then believe in false deities), meaning idols and rivals to Allah
(and deny the favor of Allah) meaning, by concealing the blessings that Allah has given them and attributing them to others. According to a Sahih Hadith, the Prophet said:
(Allah will say to His servant on the Day of Resurrection, reminding him of His blessings: "Did I not give you a wife Did I not honor you Did I not subject horses and camels to your use, and cause you to occupy a position of leadership and honor'')
(73. And they worship others besides Allah such as do not have power to grant them any provision from the heavens or the earth nor the ability to do so.) (74. So do not give examples on behalf of Allah. Truly, Allah knows and you know not.)
۞ ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلاً عَبۡدً۬ا مَّمۡلُوكً۬ا لَّا يَقۡدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىۡءٍ۬ وَمَن رَّزَقۡنَـٰهُ مِنَّا رِزۡقًا حَسَنً۬ا فَهُوَ يُنفِقُ مِنۡهُ سِرًّ۬ا وَجَهۡرًاۖ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوُ ۥنَۚ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِۚ بَلۡ أَڪۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ
Allah 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 Allah! But most of them do not know.
Allah tells us about the Mushrikin who worship others besides Him, even though He alone is the bountiful Provider, the Creator and Sustainer, without partners or associates, but they still worship idols and make rivals for Him. He says:
(such as do not have power to grant them any provision from the heavens or the earth) meaning, nobody can cause rain to fall, or make plants and trees grow. They cannot do these things for them - selves, even if they wanted to. Thus Allah says:
(So do not give examples on behalf of Allah.) meaning, do not set up rivals to Him or describe anything as being like Him.
(Truly, Allah knows and you know not.) meaning, He knows and bears witness that there is no god but Him, but you are ignorant and associate others in worship with Him.
(75. Allah gives the example of a servant under the possession of another, he has no power of any sort, and a man on whom We have bestowed good provisions from Us, and he spends from that secretly and openly. Can they be equal (By no means). All the praises and thanks are to Allah. Nay! (But) most of them know not.)
وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلاً۬ رَّجُلَيۡنِ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَبۡڪَمُ لَا يَقۡدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىۡءٍ۬ وَهُوَ ڪَلٌّ عَلَىٰ مَوۡلَٮٰهُ أَيۡنَمَا يُوَجِّههُّ لَا يَأۡتِ بِخَيۡرٍۖ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِى هُوَ وَمَن يَأۡمُرُ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِۙ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ صِرَٲطٍ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ۬
And Allah presents an example of two men, one of them dumb and unable to do a thing, while he is a burden to his guardian. Wherever he directs him, he brings no good. Is he equal to one who commands justice, while he is on a straight path?
Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said: "This is the example which Allah gives of the disbeliever and the believer.'' This was also the view of Qatadah and Ibn Jarir. The servant who has no power over anything is like the disbeliever, and the one who is given good provisions and spends of them secretly and openly is like the believer. Ibn Abi Najih reported that Mujahid said: "This is an example given of the idol and the True God - can they be the same'' Once the difference between them is so clear and so obvious, no one can be unaware of it except the one who is foolish. Allah says:
(All the praises and thanks are to Allah. Nay! (But) most of them know not.)
(76. And Allah gives an example of two men, one of them dumb, who has no power over anything, and he is a burden on his master; whichever way he directs him, he brings no good. Is such a man equal to one who commands justice, and is himself on the straight path)
وَلِلَّهِ غَيۡبُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَمَآ أَمۡرُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ إِلَّا كَلَمۡحِ ٱلۡبَصَرِ أَوۡ هُوَ أَقۡرَبُۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬
And to Allah belongs the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth. And the command for the Hour is not but as a glance of the eye or even nearer. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.
Mujahid said, "This also refers to idols and the True God, may He be exalted.'' Meaning that the idol is dumb and cannot speak or say anything, good or otherwise. It cannot do anything at all, no words, no action, it is dependent and is a burden on its master.
(whichever way he directs him,) meaning, wherever he sends him
(he brings no good.) meaning, he does not succeed in what he wants.
(Is such a man equal) meaning, a man who has these attributes
(to one who commands justice) meaning fairness, one whose words are true and whose deeds are righteous.
(and is himself on the straight path) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said: "This is also an example of the disbeliever and the believer'', as in the previous Ayah.
(77. And to Allah belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. And the matter of the Hour is not but as a twinkling of the eye, or even nearer. Truly, Allah is able to do all things.) (78. And Allah has brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while you knew nothing. And He gave you hearing, sight, and hearts, that you might give thanks.) (79. Do they not see the birds held (flying) in the midst of the sky None holds them up but Allah. Verily, in this are clear signs for people who believe.)
وَٱللَّهُ أَخۡرَجَكُم مِّنۢ بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرَ وَٱلۡأَفۡـِٔدَةَۙ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ
And Allah has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and intellect that perhaps you would be grateful.
Mujahid said, "This also refers to idols and the True God, may He be exalted.'' Meaning that the idol is dumb and cannot speak or say anything, good or otherwise. It cannot do anything at all, no words, no action, it is dependent and is a burden on its master.
(whichever way he directs him,) meaning, wherever he sends him
(he brings no good.) meaning, he does not succeed in what he wants.
(Is such a man equal) meaning, a man who has these attributes
(to one who commands justice) meaning fairness, one whose words are true and whose deeds are righteous.
(and is himself on the straight path) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said: "This is also an example of the disbeliever and the believer'', as in the previous Ayah.
(77. And to Allah belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. And the matter of the Hour is not but as a twinkling of the eye, or even nearer. Truly, Allah is able to do all things.) (78. And Allah has brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while you knew nothing. And He gave you hearing, sight, and hearts, that you might give thanks.) (79. Do they not see the birds held (flying) in the midst of the sky None holds them up but Allah. Verily, in this are clear signs for people who believe.)
أَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ إِلَى ٱلطَّيۡرِ مُسَخَّرَٲتٍ۬ فِى جَوِّ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَا يُمۡسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَـٰتٍ۬ لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يُؤۡمِنُونَ
Do they not see the birds controlled in the atmosphere of the sky? None holds them up except Allah. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.
Mujahid said, "This also refers to idols and the True God, may He be exalted.'' Meaning that the idol is dumb and cannot speak or say anything, good or otherwise. It cannot do anything at all, no words, no action, it is dependent and is a burden on its master.
(whichever way he directs him,) meaning, wherever he sends him
(he brings no good.) meaning, he does not succeed in what he wants.
(Is such a man equal) meaning, a man who has these attributes
(to one who commands justice) meaning fairness, one whose words are true and whose deeds are righteous.
(and is himself on the straight path) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said: "This is also an example of the disbeliever and the believer'', as in the previous Ayah.
(77. And to Allah belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. And the matter of the Hour is not but as a twinkling of the eye, or even nearer. Truly, Allah is able to do all things.) (78. And Allah has brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while you knew nothing. And He gave you hearing, sight, and hearts, that you might give thanks.) (79. Do they not see the birds held (flying) in the midst of the sky None holds them up but Allah. Verily, in this are clear signs for people who believe.)
وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۢ بُيُوتِڪُمۡ سَكَنً۬ا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّن جُلُودِ ٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ بُيُوتً۬ا تَسۡتَخِفُّونَهَا يَوۡمَ ظَعۡنِكُمۡ وَيَوۡمَ إِقَامَتِڪُمۡۙ وَمِنۡ أَصۡوَافِهَا وَأَوۡبَارِهَا وَأَشۡعَارِهَآ أَثَـٰثً۬ا وَمَتَـٰعًا إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬
And Allah has made for you from your homes a place of rest and made for you from the hides of the animals tents which you find light on your day of travel and your day of encampment; and from their wool, fur and hair is furnishing and enjoyment for a time.
Then Allah tells His servants to look at the birds held (flying) in the sky, between heaven and earth, and how He has caused them to fly with their wings in the sky. They are held up only by Him, it is He Who gave them the strength to do that, subjecting the air to carry them and support them. As Allah says in Surat Al-Mulk:
(Do they not see the birds above them, spreading their wings out and folding them in None holds them up except the Most Gracious (Allah). Verily, He is the All-Seer of everything.) (67:19) And here Allah says:
(Verily, in this are clear signs for people who believe.)
(80. And Allah had made your homes a place of rest for you, and made dwellings for you out of the hides of the cattle which you find so light when you travel and when you camp; and furnishings and articles of convenience out of their wool, fur, and hair - comfort for a while.) (81. And Allah has made shade for you out of that which He has created, and He has made places of refuge in the mountains for you, and He has made garments for you to protect you from the heat, and coats of mail to protect you from your violence. Thus does He perfect His favor for you, that you may submit yourselves to His will.) (82. Then, if they turn away, your duty (O Muhammad) is only to convey (the Message) in a clear way.) (83. They recognize the grace of Allah, yet they deny it (by worshipping others besides Allah) and most of them are disbelievers.)