Surah al-Zumar (The Groups)

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

[Surah al-Zumar (39): verse 29]

“Allah sets forth a parable: a man owned by quarrelling partners and a man belonging exclusively to one man. Are they equal in comparison? All praise is due to Allah! But most of them do not know.” (29)

This is a parable that Allah, glorified be He, sets forth for the polytheist and the worshipper of Allah alone. The polytheist is like a slave owned by several people who dispute with one another, disagree, and jealously compete over him.

A quarrelsome man is one who is ill-tempered. Since the polytheist worships various gods, he is likened to a slave owned by several people competing for his service: he cannot satisfy them all.

Since the worshipper of Allah alone worships none but Him, he is like a slave belonging exclusively to one master. He knows his master’s aims and understands how to please him. He is therefore free from the strife of joint owners competing over him. Rather, he belongs exclusively to his master, with no dispute over his ownership, while his master treats him with kindness, mercy, tender care, and generosity, and attends to his interests. Are these two slaves equal?

This is among the most eloquent parables. A slave belonging exclusively to one master is entitled to help, kindness, attention, and care for his interests from his master in a way that a slave belonging to quarrelling partners is not. “All praise is due to Allah! But most of them do not know.”