Surah An-Nahl Ayah 76

An-Nahl · Ayah 76 · Juz 14 · Page 275

وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلٗا رَّجُلَيۡنِ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَبۡكَمُ لَا يَقۡدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَيۡءٖ وَهُوَ كَلٌّ عَلَىٰ مَوۡلَىٰهُ أَيۡنَمَا يُوَجِّههُّ لَا يَأۡتِ بِخَيۡرٍ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِي هُوَ وَمَن يَأۡمُرُ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٖ مُّسۡتَقِيمٖ ٧٦

Wa ḍaraballāhu mathalar rajulayni aḥaduhumā abkamu lā yaqdiru ʿalā shayʾiw wa huwa kallun ʿalā mawlāhu aynamā yuwajjihhu lā yaʾti bikhayrin hal yastawī huwa wa may yaʾmuru bil-ʿadli wa huwa ʿalā ṣirāṭim mustaqīm.

And Allāh presents an example of two men, one of them dumb and unable to do a thing, while he is a burden to his guardian. Wherever he directs him, he brings no good. Is he equal to one who commands justice, while he is on a straight path?

Translation: Sahih International

Tafsir

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 (76)

Another Example

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

وَمَن يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ

(to one who commands justice) meaning fairness, one whose words are true and whose deeds are righteous.

وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ 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.

Word by word29 words

  • وَضَرَبَAnd Allah sets forth
  • ٱللَّهُAnd Allah sets forth
  • مَثَلٗاan example
  • رَّجُلَيۡنِ(of) two men
  • أَحَدُهُمَآone of them
  • أَبۡكَمُ(is) dumb
  • لَاnot
  • يَقۡدِرُhe has power
  • عَلَىٰon
  • شَيۡءٖanything
  • وَهُوَwhile he
  • كَلٌّ(is) a burden
  • عَلَىٰon
  • مَوۡلَىٰهُhis master
  • أَيۡنَمَاWherever
  • يُوَجِّههُّhe directs him
  • لَاnot
  • يَأۡتِhe comes
  • بِخَيۡرٍwith any good
  • هَلۡIs
  • يَسۡتَوِيequal
  • هُوَhe
  • وَمَنand (the one) who
  • يَأۡمُرُcommands
  • بِٱلۡعَدۡلِ[of] justice
  • وَهُوَand he
  • عَلَىٰ(is) on
  • صِرَٰطٖa path
  • مُّسۡتَقِيمٖstraight

Repeated phrases

Read Surah An-Nahl from ayah 76Open in the mushaf, page 275

An-Nahlالنحل

The Bee · Meccan · 128 ayahs

Juz
14
Page
275
Hizb
28