Transliteration:( Darabal laahu masalan 'abdam mammlookal laa yaqdiru 'alaa shai'inw wa marrazaqnaahu mminnaa rizqan hasanan fahuwa yunfiqu minhu sirranw wa jahra; hal yasta-woon; alhamdu lillaah; bal aksaruhum laa ya'lamoon )
"Allah has explained an example [159]: there is a slave who has a master; he does not have power over anything, and one whom We have provided from Ourselves with good provision, then he spends out of it secretly and openly. Are they equal [160]? All Praise is to Allah, but most of them do not know [161]."
This example is not of Allah Himself, as He is beyond all comparisons. Instead, this parable is used to highlight the absurdity of polytheism. It illustrates the contrast between:
A helpless slave, with no control or power of his own,
And a free, independent man, whom Allah has blessed with wealth and the ability to spend it generously, both secretly and openly.
Just as these two individuals are clearly not equal, likewise Allah and false deities—which have no power or ability—can never be considered equal.
This rhetorical question—"Are they equal?"—is meant to reject the idea entirely. The answer is obviously no. If even among humans a slave and a wealthy, generous man are not equal, then how can powerless idols be equated with the All-Powerful Lord?
Similarly, this verse indirectly refutes the claim of those who put themselves on par with Prophets, as even among servants of Allah, the Prophets are of the highest rank—they are leaders of the servants.
This means that most people are unaware of this truth and fail to reflect on such clear and logical comparisons. Or, it could mean that despite having knowledge, they remain disbelievers due to stubborn arrogance.
75. Allah gives the example of a servant under the possession of another, he has no power of any sort, and a man on whom We have bestowed good provisions from Us, and he spends from that secretly and openly. Can they be equal (By no means). All the praises and thanks are to Allah. Nay! (But) most of them know not.
Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said: “This is the example which Allah gives of the disbeliever and the believer.” This was also the view of Qatadah and Ibn Jarir. The servant who has no power over anything is like the disbeliever, and the one who is given good provisions and spends of them secretly and openly is like the believer. Ibn Abi Najih reported that Mujahid said: “This is an example given of the idol and the True God – can they be the same” Once the difference between them is so clear and so obvious, no one can be unaware of it except the one who is foolish. Allah says:
(All the praises and thanks are to Allah. Nay! (But) most of them know not.)
(16:75) Allah sets forth a parable:[66] There is one who is a slave and is owned by another and has no power over anything; and there is one whom We have granted good provision Ourselves, of which he spends both secretly and openly. Can they be equal? All praise be to Allah.[67] But most of them do not even know (this simple fact).[68]
66. In the preceding verse, the mushriks were told not to make comparisons between Allah and His creatures, for there is nothing like Him. As the bases of their comparison were wrong, their conclusions were also misleading. In this verse appropriate similitude have been cited and right comparisons have been made to lead them to reality.
67. Between the last question and “Praise be to Allah” there is a gap which is to be filled with the help of the latter. When the question was posed, obviously the mushriks could not say that the two men were equal. So some of them would have admitted that they were not equal, while the others would have kept quiet for fear that in case of admission, they would have to abide by its logical conclusion, that is, the admission of refutation of the doctrine of shirk. Therefore, the words, “Praise be to Allah” have been put in the mouth of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in answer to both kinds of the response to the question. In the first case, it would mean: “Praise be to Allah” you have admitted at least so much. In the second case, it would mean: “Praise be to Allah” you have kept quiet in spite of all your obduracy and have not had the audacity to say that both were equal.
68. “But most of them do not know” this simple thing that while they feel and carefully observe the distinction between those who have powers and those who are powerless, they neither feel nor observe the clear distinction between the Creator and His creation. That is why they associate the creatures with the Creator in His Attributes and Powers and show the kind of allegiance to them as is the exclusive right of the Creator. The pity is that in their everyday life, they would beg for some thing from the master of the house and not from the servants but in contrast to this, they would beg for their needs from the servants of Allah and not from Him.
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