Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nahl Verse 76

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And Allah gives another example: There are two men. One of them is dumb who is unable to do anything, and he is a burden on his master. Wherever he directs him to, he brings no good. Can he be equal to the one who enjoins justice and is on the straight path?

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And Allah sets forth a parable of two men: one of them is dumb, incapable of anything. He is a burden on his master. Wherever he is sent, he brings no good. Can such a person be equal to the one who commands justice and is on the Straight Path?[[ The two parables emphasize that Almighty Allah masterfully conducts the affairs of the heavens and the earth, whereas false gods are incapable of anything. If this is the case, these gods are not His equal and He is the only one worthy of worship.]]

Ruwwad Translation Center

And Allah makes a comparison of two men, one of them is dumb and unable to do anything, and he is a burden to his master; wherever he directs him, he brings no good. Is he equal to the one who enjoins justice and follows a straight path?

A. J. Arberry

God has struck a similitude: two men, one of them dumb, having no power over anything, and he is a burden upon his master -- wherever he despatches him, he brings no good. Is he equal to him who bids to justice, and is on a straight path?

Abdul Haleem

God presents another illustration: two men, one of them dumb, unable to do anything, a burden to his carer- whatever task he directs him to, he achieves nothing good- can he be considered equal to one who commands justice and is on the straight path?

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And Allah propoundeth a similitude: there are two men, one of them dumb who hath of Power over aught and is a weariness unto his master, whithersoever he directeth him he bringeth not any good; is he equal with one who commandeth justice and in himself on a straight patht?

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah sets forth (another) Parable of two men; one of them dumb, with no power of any sort; a wearisome burden is he to his master; whichever way be directs him, he brings no good; is such a man equal with one who commands Justice, and is on a Straight Way?

Abul Ala Maududi

Allah sets forth another parable: There are two men, one of whom is dumb and has no power over anything; he is a burden to his master, and wheresoever his master directs him, he fails to bring forth any good. Can such a person be the equal of one who enjoins justice and himself follows the Right Way?

Ahmed Ali

God presents another example of two men, one dumb and unable to do a thing and is a burden on his master. Wherever he is sent he returns without any good (result). Could he be equal to one who enjoins what is just, and follows the right path?

Ahmed Raza Khan

And Allah has illustrated an example – two men – one of them dumb, unable to do anything, and he is a burden on his master – wherever his master sends him, he brings back no good; will he be equal to one who gives the command of justice and is on the Straight Path?

Ali Quli Qarai

Allah draws [another] parable: Two men, one of whom is dumb, having no power over anything and who is a liability to his master: wherever he directs him he does not bring any good. Is he equal to someone who enjoins justice and is [steady] on a straight path?

Ali Ünal

And God strikes a parable of two (other) men: one of them dumb, unable to control anything (unable to answer any call, unable to decide any matter or meet any need). He is a burden upon his master; wherever he directs him, he brings no good. Is he equal with one who enjoins right and justice and is himself on a straight path?

Amatul Rahman Omar

And Allâh sets forth an excellent description of (other) two men. One of them is dumb and has no power over anything and he is a useless burden on his master; wherever he sends him he fetches no good. Can he be like the man who enjoins justice and who follows the exact right path? (No, not at all.)

English Literal

And God gave an example (of) two men, one of them (B) is mute, he is not capable/able on (of) a thing, and he is tired/weak (tiresome/burdensome) on (to) his master/friend/owner wherever he aims/turns him, he does not come/bring with goodness , does he become equal/alike, he and who orders/commands with the justice/equality and he is on a straight/direct/balanced road/way?

Faridul Haque

And Allah has illustrated an example - two men - one of them dumb, unable to do anything, and he is a burden on his master - wherever his master sends him, he brings back no good; will he be equal to one who gives the command of justice and is on the Straight Path?

Hamid S. Aziz

And Allah coins another similitude (parable): two men, one of them dumb, able to do nothing, a burden to his lord; wherever he directs him he brings no success; is he to be held equal with him who bids what is just and who is on the Straight Way?

Hilali & Khan

And Allah puts forward (another) example of two men, one of them dumb, who has no power over anything (disbeliever), and he is a burden to his master, whichever way he directs him, he brings no good. Is such a man equal to one (believer in the Islamic Monotheism) who commands justice, and is himself on a Straight Path?

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Allah sets forth a parable: There is a slave, the property of another, controlling naught, and there is one to whom we have granted from ourselves goodly provisions, so he spends from it secretly and openly. Are the two alike? Praise be to Allah! Nay, most of them know not.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And Allah sets forth a parable of two men; one of them is dumb, not able to do anything, and he is a burden to his master; wherever he sends him, he brings no good; can he be held equal with him who enjoins what is just, and he (himself) is on the right path?

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And Allah coineth a similitude: Two men, one of them dumb, having control of nothing, and he is a burden on his owner; whithersoever he directeth him to go, he bringeth no good. Is he equal with one who enjoineth justice and followeth a straight path (of conduct)?

Muhammad Sarwar

God tells a parable about two men. One of them is dumb and useless and a burden on his friend. Wherever he goes, he returns with nothing. Can he be considered equal to the one who maintains justice and follows the right path?

Qaribullah & Darwish

And Allah strikes a parable. Two men, one is dumb and powerless, a burden to his master wherever he sends him he returns with no good. Is he equal with one who orders justice and follows the Straight Path?

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

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

Wahiduddin Khan

God makes another comparison between two men, one of whom is dumb and cannot do a thing, and is a burden on his master. Wherever he sends him on an errand, he brings [him] no good. Is he equal to someone who commands justice and is on a straight path?

Talal Itani

And God cites the example of two men: one of them dumb, unable to do anything, and is a burden on his master; whichever way he directs him, he achieves nothing good. Is he equal to him who commands justice, and is on a straight path?

Tafsir jalalayn

And God strikes a similitude (mathalan, this is substituted by [the following, rajulayn]) two men, one of whom is dumb [from birth], having no power over anything, as he cannot understand nor be understood, and who is a liability, burdensome, to his master; -- the [legal] guardian of his affairs -- wherever he directs him, he does not bring, therefrom, any good, he does [not] succeed, and this is the similitude of the disbeliever. Is he, that is, the dumb one mentioned, equal to one who enjoins justice, that is, to one who is able to speak, of benefit to people, since he enjoins it [justice] and encourages [others to] it, and follows a path, a way, that is straight? -- this being the second [man], the believer -- No [he is not equal to him]. It is also said that this [last similitude] is a similitude of God, while the [similitude of the] dumb one is of the idols, so that the preceding [verse] contains the similitude of the disbeliever and the believer.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Another Example

Allah tells;

وَضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلً رَّجُلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَبْكَمُ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىَ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ كَلٌّ عَلَى مَوْلاهُ

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;

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.

أَيْنَمَا يُوَجِّههُّ

whichever way he directs him,

meaning, wherever he sends him.

لَا يَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ

he brings no good.

meaning, he does not succeed in what he wants.

هَلْ يَسْتَوِي

Is such a man equal,

meaning, a man who has these attributes,

هُوَ وَمَن يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ

to one who commands justice,

meaning fairness, one whose words are true and whose deeds are righteous.

وَهُوَ عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ



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