Surah Az Zumar Tafseer

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