ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا رَّجُلًا فِيهِ شُرَكَآءُ مُتَشَـٰكِسُونَ وَرَجُلًا سَلَمًا لِّرَجُلٍ هَلْ يَسْتَوِيَانِ مَثَلًا ۚ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ 29
Translations
Allāh presents an example: a man [i.e., slave] owned by quarreling partners and another belonging exclusively to one man - are they equal in comparison? Praise be to Allāh! But most of them do not know.
Transliteration
Daraba Allahu mathalan rajulan feehi shuraka'u mutashakisun wa rajulan salaman li rajulin hal yastawiyani mathalan al-hamdu lillahi bal aktharu hum la ya'lamun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah presents a parable comparing two men: one owned by multiple quarrelsome partners who constantly dispute over him, and another owned by a single master in peace and harmony. This parable illustrates the contrast between polytheism (shirk), where the soul is enslaved to numerous conflicting desires and false gods, and monotheism (tawhid), where one submits peacefully to the One God alone. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this demonstrates the incoherence and discord of polytheism versus the unity and tranquility of Islamic monotheism, yet most people fail to grasp this fundamental truth.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Mecca during the Meccan period when the Prophet faced fierce Meccan opposition to his message of tawhid. This ayah appears within Surah Az-Zumar's broader context of refuting polytheism and clarifying the superiority of monotheistic belief, serving as a rational argument against the idolatrous practices of pre-Islamic Arabia.
Related Hadiths
The concept of tawhid's superiority is reinforced in Sahih Bukhari (Hadith 5327) where the Prophet said, 'The best supplication is 'La ilaha illallah' (there is no deity except Allah).' Additionally, related themes appear in Sunan At-Tirmidhi regarding the prohibition of shirk and the peace found in sincere monotheism.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true freedom and peace come only through exclusive devotion to Allah alone, not through division of one's loyalty among multiple false deities or worldly desires. For modern readers, it serves as a reminder that fragmented spiritual commitments—whether to materialism, idols of culture, or competing ideologies—create internal conflict, while sincere monotheism brings harmony and purpose to life.