16. Sura al-Nahl
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
16: 75. Allah sets forth the Parable (of two men: one)
... عَبْدًا مَّمْلُوكًا لاَّ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ...
a slave under the dominion of another; he has no power of any sort;
C2107. The first parable is of two men, one of whom is a slave completely under the dominion of another, with no powers of any sort, and another a free man, who is gifted in every way, and is most generous in bestowing out of his opulent wealth (material as well as intangible), privately and publicly, without let or hindrance; for he is his own master and owes no account to any one.
- The first is like the imaginary gods which men set up, -whether powers of nature, which have no independent existence but are manifestations of Allah, or deified heroes or men, who can do nothing of their own authority but are subject to the Will and Power of Allah;
- the second describes in a faint way the position of Allah, the Self-Subsistent, to Whom belongs the dominion of all that is in heaven and earth, and Who bestows freely of His gifts on all His creatures.
... وَمَن رَّزَقْنَاهُ مِنَّا رِزْقًا حَسَنًا فَهُوَ يُنفِقُ مِنْهُ سِرًّا وَجَهْرًا...
and (the other) a man on whom We have bestowed goodly favors from ourselves, and he spends thereof (freely), privately and publicly:
... هَلْ يَسْتَوُونَ...
are the two equal? (By no means);
... الْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٧٥﴾
praise be to Allah.
But most of them understand not.
Pickthall’s Version:
16: 75
Pickthall Allah coineth a similitude: (on the one hand) a (mere) chattel slave, who hath control of nothing, and (on the other hand) one on whom We have bestowed a fair provision from Us, and he spendeth thereof secretly and openly. Are they equal? Praise be to Allah! But most of them know not.
Transliteration Daraballa_hu masalan 'abdam mamlu_kal la_ yaqdiru 'ala_ syai'iw wa mar razaqna_hu minna_ rizqan hasanan fa huwa yunfiqu minhu sirraw wa jahra_(n), hal yastawu_n(a), al hamdu lilla_h(i), bal aksaruhum la_ ya'lamu_n(a).