Parables of the QuranA parable of the Quran · An-Nahl 16:75

The owned slave and the generous free man

مثل العبد المملوك والحر المنفق

A slave who owns nothing is not equal to a free man who spends freely: how then can a creature be equal to the Creator?

Quran

What it means

Allah strikes a parable: a slave owned by another, with power over nothing, and one to whom He has given good provision, who spends from it in secret and openly. Are they equal (16:75)?

As-Sa'di explains that even two creatures like these are not equal; how then can a created servant, poor in every way, be made equal to the Lord who creates, owns and has power over everything? That is why the verse ends in praise of Allah: if people truly knew, they would not dare to associate partners with Him.

Evidence

QuranAn-Nahl (The Bee)Quran 16:75

۞ 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 ٧٥

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.

Saheeh International · QuranEnc v1.1.2

Another translation: Al-Hilali & Muhsin Khan · QuranEnc v1.1.2

75. 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.

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