THE LIVELY SIMILITUDE OF THE FAITHFUL AND FAITHLESS (VERSE NO. 75 - 77)

      In the first parable above, the likeness of the disbeliever and polytheist has been illustrated as that of a slave, who is completely under the power and control of another man; say his slave master. The slave has no power or authority of anykind in all the aspects of life.

      The second man of the parable is a free man who is gifted with power, wealth and authority. He can easily spend his wealth secretly or openly, to whoever, and whenever, he wills. Are these two men in the above parable alike? Of course not. A man who is the servant of God can never live like a man who is the servant of another man himself.

      Some of the commentators of Qurän have understood the above parable in another way. They say:ِ ``In this parable some attributes of Allah have been compared with those of the idols and false gods whom the polytheists worshipped.'' The parable implies that; the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and whatever exists in them belongs to All-mighty Merciful God who is the creator of All. He bestows His gifts freely on His creatures as He likes.

      In the second parable too, there are two men. One of them is dumb and can do nothing. He cannot even utter a word or explain a matter. He is only a burden upon the shoulder of his master, and wherever he directs him, he brings nothing useful. The second man is sound and safe and he has authority and power, and always enjoins justice, because he is a righteous man.

      Through the two said parables; right and wrong, truth and falsehood, faithful and faithless, Allah and false gods, have all been metaphorically, and by way of suggesting a likeness and analogy has been illustrated. Therefore we may conclude that; Almost all of us are inclined to hold fast to any little difference that may exist between us and other men. How dare of us then, to compare some imaginary deified persons or some false gods with the Gracious God who has created all of us and all of them.

      The God Who is most generous in bestowing out of His infinite wealth and power to whom He will. How should we put the source of all goodness, and power in one dish of the scale, and an inanimate piece of carved stone who is void of sense, power, and knowledge, in the second dish to compare the two?

THE FREE AND SLAVE

      On contrary to what some people may think, Monotheism is not merely a matter of belief alone. It has wonderful effect upon all aspects of our life. In any heart to which Monotheism penetrates, it infuses the heart with a new kind of life and power, and extends the field and horizon of human sight. In the aboves verses the polytheist is said to be like a dumb who can do nothing. He cannot even utter a word or explain a matter. He is only a troublesome burden upon the shoulder of his guardian, and wherever he directs him to do something, he fails due to his lack of wisdom, insight and ability. He is not a free human for being a captive in the paws of superstition, and in the claws of imagination. He has his destiny in the hands of some fetishes, idols, and false gods. Wherever he goes, or he is sent to do something, he fails and brings nothing good with him.

      To make it short; Monotheism is not only an idea or merely a motive. It rather is a pattern, an exemplar. It is a guide, or a model proposed for a worthy imitation. Making a passing reference to the Monotheists and polytheists in the begining of the Islamic Era, will make the values of both of the parties clear.