And strike for your people a parable, and say to them: What do you say about a man from the slaves who has partners among them with disagreement and dispute: each one of them claims that he is his slave? They pull him and contend with him in various professions and disputes, and if a need arises for him, they push him away. He is confused about his matter, lost. His worries have branched out in his heart and his thoughts are scattered. He does not know which of them will be pleased with his service? And upon which of them does he rely for his needs? In another case: he has submitted to one master and has been freed for him, so he is devoted to what he is obligated to in his service, relying on him for what will benefit him. His concern is one and his heart is united. Which of these two slaves is in a better state and more beautiful in condition? The intended meaning is to illustrate the state of one who establishes various deities, and what it necessitates according to the principle of his doctrine that each one of them claims his servitude, and they quarrel over that and compete, as Allah, glorified and exalted is He, said: 'And some of them have raised others above others,' while he remains confused and lost, not knowing which of them to worship? And upon which lord does he rely? From whom does he seek his provision? From whom does he seek kindness? His understanding is scattered, and his heart is fragmented. The state of one who has established only one deity is that he is fulfilling what he has been commanded, aware of what pleases him and what angers him, favored by Him in this world, hopeful for reward in the Hereafter. And in it is a connection of partners, as you say: they have shared in it. The quarreling and contention is disagreement; you say: his conditions have quarreled, and his teeth have contended. 'Peace for a man' is read as 'salam' for a man, meaning: free from partnership, from their saying: I have surrendered the estate to him. It is also read in the nominative as a beginning, meaning: there is a man safe for a man. He made him a man to be more perceptive of what he has suffered or benefited from, for a woman and a child may be oblivious to that. Do they both equal a parable? Do they equal? It is a description for distinction. The meaning is: do their attributes and states equal? He only specified in the distinction to indicate the kind. It is read as 'two parables,' like Allah, glorified and exalted is He, said: 'And more wealth and children,' along with His saying: 'Stronger than them in might.' And it is permissible for those who read 'two parables' that the pronoun in 'do they equal' refers to the two parables, because the estimation is: the parable of a man and the parable of a man. The meaning is: do they equal in what pertains to description, as you say: 'Sufficient are they as two men.' Praise be to Allah, the One who has no partner with Him, above all other deities besides Him, meaning: praise should be directed to Him alone and worship, for it has been established that there is no deity except Him. But most of them do not know, so they associate others with Him.