﴿ظˆظژظ„ظژظ‚ظژط¯ظ’ ط¶ظژط±ظژط¨ظ’ظ†ظژط§ ظ„ظگظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژط§ط³ظگ ظپظگظ‰ ظ‡ظژظ€ط°ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ‚ظڈط±ظ’ط،ظژط§ظ†ظگ ظ…ظگظ† ظƒظڈظ„ظ‘ظگ ظ…ظژط«ظژظ„ظچ﴾

(And indeed We have put forth for men, in this Qur'an every kind of parable) means, `We have explained things to mankind in it ﴿the Qur'an﴾ by setting forth examples and parables.'

﴿ظ„ظژط¹ظژظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظژطھظژط°ظژظƒظ‘ظژط±ظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾

(in order that they may remember.) Because parables bring the meaning closer to people's minds. As Allah says:

﴿ط¶ظژط±ظژط¨ظژ ظ„ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظ‘ظژط«ظژظ„ط§ظ‹ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ†ظ’ ط£ظژظ†ظپظڈط³ظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’﴾

(He sets forth for you a parable from yourselves) (30:28). meaning, `so that you may learn it from yourselves.' And Allah says:

﴿ظˆظژطھظگظ„ظ’ظƒظژ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒظ…ظ’ط«ظژط§ظ„ظڈ ظ†ظژط¶ظ’ط±ظگط¨ظڈظ‡ظژط§ ظ„ظگظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژط§ط³ظگ ظˆظژظ…ظژط§ ظٹظژط¹ظ’ظ‚ظگظ„ظڈظ‡ظژط¢ ط¥ظگظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¹ظژظ€ظ„ظگظ…ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾

(in Order that they may have Taqwa of Him.) (29:43).

﴿ظ‚ظڈط±ظ’ط،ظژط§ظ†ط§ظ‹ ط¹ظژط±ظژط¨ظگظٹظ‘ط§ظ‹ ط؛ظژظٹظ’ط±ظژ ط°ظگظ‰ ط¹ظگظˆظژط¬ظچ﴾

(An Arabic Qur'an, without any crookedness (therein)) means, it is in a plain Arabic tongue, with no crookedness, deviation or confusion. It is plain, clear proof. Allah has made it like this and has revealed it like this,

﴿ظ„ظژط¹ظژظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظژطھظ‘ظژظ‚ظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾

(in order that they may have Taqwa of Him) means, in order that they may heed the warnings contained therein, and strive to attain the promises therein. Then Allah says:

﴿ط¶ظژط±ظژط¨ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ظ…ظژط«ظژظ„ط§ظ‹ ط±ظ‘ظژط¬ظڈظ„ط§ظ‹ ظپظگظٹظ‡ظگ ط´ظڈط±ظژظƒظژط¢ط،ظڈ ظ…ظڈطھظژط´ظژظ€ظƒظگط³ظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾

(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.

﴿ظˆظژط±ظژط¬ظڈظ„ط§ظ‹ ط³ظژظ„ظژظ…ط§ظ‹ ظ„ظ‘ظگط±ظژط¬ظڈظ„ظچ﴾

(and a (slave) man belonging entirely to one master.) means, no one owned him except that one man.

﴿ظ‡ظژظ„ظ’ ظٹظژط³ظ’طھظژظˆظگظٹظژط§ظ†ظگ ظ…ظژط«ظژظ„ط§ظ‹﴾

(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:

﴿ط§ظ„ظ’ط­ظژظ…ظ’ط¯ظڈ ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ﴾

(All the praises and thanks be to Allah!) i.e., for establishing proof against them.

﴿ط¨ظژظ„ظ’ ط£ظژظƒظ’ط«ظژط±ظڈظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژط¹ظ’ظ„ظژظ…ظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾

(But most of them know not. ) means, and for this reason they associate others in worship with Allah.