As for the meaning of His statement: "that He should set forth a parable," it means that He clarifies and describes, just as He—exalted be His praise—said: {He sets forth a parable for you from yourselves} [Surah Ar-Rūm: 28], meaning: He described to you; and as al-Kumayt said:
And that is the striking of fifths intended ... for sixths, peradventure they shall not be. (1)
Meaning: describing fifths.
And al-mathal means likeness (al-shabah). It is said: "This is the mathal of this and its mithl," just as it is said: "its shabah and its shibh." And from this is the saying of Kaʿb ibn Zuhayr:
The promises of ʿUrqūb were a likeness for her ... and her promises were nothing but falsehoods. (2)
Meaning: a likeness. Thus, the meaning of His statement, then, "Indeed, God is not ashamed to set forth a parable" is: indeed
Notes
- (1) This verse was plagiarized by al-Kumayt, treating it as a proverb he cited. Its origin is that an old man was among his camels, accompanied by his sons as nomads grazing them, having been away from their family for a long time. So he said to them one day: "Graze your camels on a ribʿ" (with a kasra then a sukūn: which is withholding them from water for three days and bringing them on the fourth day), so they grazed them on a ribʿ towards the direction of their family. Then they said: If only we grazed them on a khims! (with a kasra then a sukūn: withholding them for four days and bringing them on the fifth), so they added a day towards their family. Then they said: If only we grazed them on a sids! (withholding them for five days and bringing them on the sixth). The old man realized what they intended, so he said: "You are nothing but striking fifths for sixths; your concern is not grazing them, your concern is only your family!" And he began saying:
And that is a striking of fifths, as I see it, ... for sixths, peradventure they may not be.
So their saying "striking fifths for sixths" became a proverb struck for one who evades and displays one thing while intending another.
And the reality of his statement "'striking' in the sense of 'describing'" is that it comes from striking a camel or beast to turn its face in the direction one desires, driving it to travel it. So their saying: "He struck a parable for him," i.e., drove it to him, and it conveys the meaning of clarification through the driven parable. And this is clear.
- (2) His Dīwān: 8; and in the manuscript: "wa-mā mawāʿīduhu"; and ʿUrqūb—according to what they allege—is ʿUrqūb ibn Naṣr, a man from the Amalekites who settled in Medina before the Jews settled there after Jesus son of Mary, peace be upon him. He used to resort to tricks to break promises through procrastination, as is well known in his story.
This translation was produced with AI assistance and is part of an ongoing human-review process. Found a mistake? Use the feedback option in the reader menu.
