This is because such acts do not ordinarily bring about the kind of benefit to others that makes them revere a person and give him a position of leadership in the way that teaching and generous spending do. At its root, envy only arises over the dignity and authority another receives; otherwise, the mere performer of devotional acts is not usually envied—even if he enjoys more food, drink, and marital pleasure than others. The two previously mentioned categories, by contrast, are greatly envied. For this reason we find among scholars who have followers a degree of envy not found in those who have none, and the same appears among people whose followers gather around them because of their spending. One nourishes others’ hearts, the other nourishes their bodies, and all people need that which puts both heart and body in good order.

For that very reason Allah, glorified be He, has set forth two parables to illustrate the point. He says in Sūrat al-Naḥl: “Allah has coined a parable: a slave who is owned and has no power over anything, and another whom We have provided from Ourselves with a good provision, so he spends from it secretly and openly. Can they be equal? Praise be to Allah! But most of them do not know.” (Q 16:75) And He says: “Allah has coined a parable of two men: one of them is dumb, powerless over anything, a burden upon his master—wherever he directs him he brings no good. Can he be equal to one who commands justice and who is on a straight path?” (Q 16:76).

Allah, exalted is He, struck these two parables concerning His own exalted Self and concerning whatever is worshiped besides Him. The idols can neither perform a beneficial deed nor utter a beneficial word. Consider, then, a slave who is owned and powerless, set against another whom Allah has endowed with a goodly provision and who spends of it both secretly and openly—can this powerless slave, unable to show kindness, be equal to that benefactor who is able to do good for people, secretly and openly? Allah, glorified be He, is able to bestow good upon His servants and is ever bountiful toward them. How, then, can the powerless, owned slave who cannot do anything be likened to Him, to the point that he is taken as a partner alongside Him? This corresponds to the one whom Allah has given wealth and who spends it night and day.

The second parable imagines two persons: one is dumb—he neither understands, speaks, nor is capable of anything, and on top of that he is a burden upon his master; wherever he is directed he brings no benefit whatsoever. He contains no good at all; rather, he is a liability to the one who looks after him. The other is a learned, just man who commands justice and puts it into practice; he is upon a straight path. This is analogous to the one to whom Allah has granted wisdom—he acts upon it and teaches it to others.

Thus did Allah cast a parable for His own Self: He, exalted be He, is Knowing, Just, Powerful; He commands justice and upholds equity upon a straight path, as He says: “Allah bears witness that there is no deity but Him—and so do the angels and those endowed with knowledge—maintaining justice. There is no deity but Him, the Almighty, the All-Wise.” (Q 3:18) And He says in Sūrat Hūd: “Indeed, my Lord is upon a straight path.” (Q 11:56)

For this reason people used to hold in great esteem