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Surah 16. An-Nahl, Ayah 76

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وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا رَّجُلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَبْكَمُ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ وَهُوَ كَلٌّ عَلَىٰ مَوْلَىٰهُ أَيْنَمَا يُوَجِّههُّ لَا يَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ ۖ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى هُوَ وَمَن يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْعَدْلِ ۙ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
Wa d araba All a hu mathalan rajulayni a h aduhum a abkamu l a yaqdiru AAal a shayin wahuwa kallun AAal a mawl a hu aynam a yuwajjihhu l a yati bikhayrin hal yastawee huwa waman yamuru bi a lAAadli wahuwa AAal a s ir at in mustaqeem in
And God propounds [to you] the parable of two [other] men - one of them dumb,86 unable to do anything of his own accord, and a sheer burden on his master: to whichever task the latter directs him,87 he accomplishes no good. Can such a one be considered the equal of [a wise man] who enjoins the doing of what is right and himself follows a straight way?88
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., who is not only wise and righteous but also has the strength and authority to enjoin a righteous way of living upon others. Thus, while in the first parable the main issue is the contrast between freedom and bondage or - more generally - between dependence and independence, in the second parable we are given the antithesis of dumbness and incompetence, on the one hand, and wisdom, justice and competence, on the other; and in both parables the implication is the same (see note [85] above).

The term abkam signifies "dumb" both in the literal, physiological sense and (as in colloquial English) in the sense of being "unable to speak properly" on account of intellectual weakness: i.e., "dull-witted" or "stupid". Both these meanings are contained in the above Qur'anic description.

Or: "wherever he sends him".

Well! Allah gives you another example of two men: one of them is dumb and has no ability do anything - a burden on his master - whenever he sends him on an errand, he does nothing useful. Can he be equal to the one who executes orders properly and follows the directions in a Right Way?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And Allah sets forth a parable of two men: one of them is dumb, incapable of anything. He is a burden on his master. Wherever he is sent, he brings no good. Can such a person be equal to the one who commands justice and is on the Straight Path?1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 The two parables emphasize that Almighty Allah masterfully conducts the affairs of the heavens and the earth, whereas false gods are incapable of anything. If this is the case, these gods are not His equal and He is the only one worthy of worship.

And Allah coineth a similitude. Two men, one of them dumb, having control of nothing, and he is a burden on his owner; whithersoever he directeth him to go, he bringeth no good. Is he equal with one who enjoineth justice and followeth a straight path (of conduct)?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Allah sets forth (another) Parable of two men: one of them dumb with no power of any sort; a wearisome burden is he to his master; whichever way he directs him he brings no good: is such a man equal with one who commands justice and is on a straight way? 2108 2109
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In the second Parable, one man is dumb; he can explain nothing, and he can certainly do nothing; he is only a wearisome burden to his master, no matter what his master asks him to do; or perhaps he is really harmful instead of bringing any good; such are idols (literal and metaphorical) when taken as false gods. The other man is in a position to command, and he commands what is just and righteous; not only his commands but his doings also are on the path of righteousness. Such are the qualities of Allah.

The gist of the argument is that those who deviate from the worship of Allah commit twofold treason. (1) They do not recognise the immense difference between the Creator and created things, although, in their own little selfish lives, they are tenacious of any little differences there may be between themselves and other fellow-creatures not so gifted. (2) They are guilty of gross ingratitude in forgetting that the source of goodness and power is Allah, to Whom alone they owe all the gifts they enjoy in life.

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