Al-Qur'an Surah Az-Zumar Verse 29

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Allah has given an example: There is a man (enslaved and) owned by some partners having rivalry with each other, and (on the other hand,) there is a man solely owned by a single man. Can they be equal in comparison? Praise be to Allah! (The truth stands established). But, most of them do not know.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Allah sets forth the parable of a slave owned by several quarrelsome masters, and a slave owned by only one master. Are they equal in condition?[[ The slave owned by several quarrelsome masters will always be confused because their masters will always give them conflicting orders—similarly, one who worships multiple gods will never find peace between them. This parable is a logical argument against the existence of multiple gods, since each god would try to covet what it created. See {23:91} for a similar argument. ]] Praise be to Allah! In fact, most of them do not know.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Allah makes a comparison of a slave owned by several quarrelsome masters, and a slave owned by only one master. Are they equal in comparison? All praise be to Allah. But most of them do not know.

A. J. Arberry

God has struck a similitude -- a man in whom partners disagreeing share, and a man the property of one man. Are the two equal in likeness? Praise belongs to God! Nay, but most of them do not know.

Abdul Haleem

God puts forward this illustration: can a man who has for his masters several partners at odds with each other be considered equal to a man devoted wholly to one master? All praise belongs to God, though most of them do not know.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Allah propoundeth a similitude: man having several partners,"quarelling, and a man wholly belonging to one man. Are the two equal in likeness? All praise Unto Allah. But most of them know not.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah puts forth a Parable a man belonging to many partners at variance with each other, and a man belonging entirely to one master; are those two equal in comparison? Praise be to Allah! but most of them have no knowledge.

Abul Ala Maududi

Allah propounds a parable: there is a man whose ownership is shared by several quarrelsome masters, each pulling him to himself; and there is another who is exclusively owned by one man. Can the two be alike? All praise and thanks be to Allah. But most of them are unaware.

Ahmed Ali

God advances the example of a man who is owned (as slave in common) by a number of men at loggerheads, and another man who is owned by only one. Are these two alike in attribute? God be praised; yet many of them do not know.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Allah illustrates an example – “A man having several wicked masters as partners, and another man belonging wholly to just one master; are the two equal in comparison?” All praise is to Allah; in fact, most among them do not know.

Ali Quli Qarai

Allah draws an example: a man jointly owned by several contending masters, and a man belonging entirely to one man: are the two equal in comparison? All praise belongs to Allah! But most of them do not know.

Ali Ünal

God strikes a parable: a man in (the employment of) many partners who continuously dispute with one another, and another man employed by one person: are those two equal in likeness? All praise and gratitude are for God (the only Sovereign Lord of the creation). But most people have no knowledge (of the meaning of this truth).

Amatul Rahman Omar

Allâh describes the condition of a man belonging to several partners contending with one another; and (there is) another man devoted wholly to one person. Are the two alike in condition? (No how can they be?) All true and perfect praise belongs to Allâh. But most of them do not know (this truth).

English Literal

God gave an example/proverb (of) a man, adversaries/ill-mannered/quarrelsome partners (subject of controversy is) in him, (and) a man peaceful/secure/without blemish , to a man, do they (B) become equal/alike (in) an example/proverb? The praise/gratitude (is) to God, but most of them do not know.

Faridul Haque

Allah illustrates an example - “A man having several wicked masters as partners, and another man belonging wholly to just one master; are the two equal in comparison?” All praise is to Allah; in fact, most among them do not know.

Hamid S. Aziz

Allah sets forth a similitude: There is a slave who belongs to several partners, differing (or quarrelling) with one another, and there is another slave wholly owned by one man. Are the two alike in condition? (All) praise is due to Allah. Nay! most of them do not know.

Hilali & Khan

Allah puts forth a similitude: a (slave) man belonging to many partners (like those who worship others along with Allah) disputing with one another, and a (slave) man belonging entirely to one master, (like those who worship Allah Alone). Are those two equal in comparison? All the praises and thanks be to Allah! But most of them know not.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

An Arabic Qur’an without any crookedness, that they may guard against evil.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Allah sets forth an example: There is a slave in whom are (several) partners differing with one another, and there is another slave wholly owned by one man. Are the two alike in condition? (All) praise is due to Allah. Nay! most of them do not know.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Allah coineth a similitude: A man in relation to whom are several part-owners, quarrelling, and a man belonging wholly to one man. Are the two equal in similitude? Praise be to Allah! But most of them know not.

Muhammad Sarwar

God tells a parable in which there is a company of quarrelsome people and only one of them is well disciplined. Can they be considered as equal? It is only God who deserves all praise. In fact, most of them do not know.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Allah has struck an example of a man shared by disagreeing partners, and a man who is owned by just one man, are the two equally alike? Praise belongs toAllah, but most of them do not know.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Allah puts forth a parable: a man belonging to many partners disputing with one another, and a man belonging entirely to one master. Are those two equal in comparison All the praises and thanks be to Allah! But most of them know not.

Wahiduddin Khan

God sets forth a parable: there are two men -- one belonging to many masters, all disagreeing with one another, and the other belonging entirely to one master: are those two equal in comparison? Praise be to God! But most of them have no knowledge.

Talal Itani

God cites the example of a man shared by partners at odds, and a man belonging exclusively to one man. Are they equal in status? Praise be to God, but most of them do not know.

Tafsir jalalayn

God strikes, for the idolater and the believer in God's Oneness, a similitude; a man (rajulan, substitutes for mathalan, `a similitude') shared by several [masters], quarrelling, disputing, ill-mannered, and a man belonging exclusively to one man. Are the two equal in comparison? (mathalan, for specification), in other words, the slave of many [masters] is not the same as the slave of a single person. For in the case of the former, if all of his masters were to demand his service simultaneously, he would be confused as to whom of them he should serve -- which is the similitude of the idolater; the latter [the slave of one] is the similitude of the one who believes in the One God. Praise be to God!, alone. Nay, but most of them, that is, the people of Mecca, do not know, the chastisement in which they will end up and so they associate others with God.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلً رَّجُلً فِيهِ شُرَكَاء مُتَشَاكِسُونَ

Allah puts forth a parable;a man belonging to many partners disputing with one another,

meaning, they were disputing concerning that slave in whom they all had a share.

وَرَجُلً سَلَمًا لِّرَجُلٍ

and a (slave) man belonging entirely to one master.

means, no one owned him except that one man.

هَلْ يَسْتَوِيَانِ مَثَلً

Are those two equal in comparison?

meaning, they are not the same.

By the same token, the idolator who worships other gods besides Allah and the sincere believer who worships none besides Allah, with no partner or associate, are not equal. What comparison can there be between them?

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid and others said,

"This Ayah is the parable of the idolator and the sincere believer."

Because this parable is so clear and obvious,

Allah then says;

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ

All the praises and thanks be to Allah!

i.e., for establishing proof against them.

بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ



But most of them know not.

means, and for this reason they associate others in worship with Allah.
The fact that the Messenger of Allah and Quraysh will die, and how They will dispute before Allah

Allah's saying;

إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُم مَّيِّتُونَ