16-71 And Allah has made some of you excel others in the means of subsistence; so those who are made to excel give not away their sustenance to those whom their right hands possess, so that they may be equal therein. Will they then deny the favour of Allah?a
وَٱللَّهُ فَضَّلَ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ فِى ٱلرِّزْقِ ۚ فَمَا ٱلَّذِينَ فُضِّلُوا۟ بِرَآدِّى رِزْقِهِمْ عَلَىٰ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ فَهُمْ فِيهِ سَوَآءٌ ۚ أَفَبِنِعْمَةِ ٱللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ (۷۱)
16-71a: Differences in people’s status and receiving revelation: The context clearly shows that by مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُم are meant those people who work in a subordinate role, or workers who are exploted to generate great wealth for themselves, and perhaps it is for this reason that the word رَآدِّى (رادّین meaning those who give back) is used. This section gives some analogies to draw attention to the fact that the recipient of the revelation, the Holy Prophet, has been granted superiority over ordinary humans by Allah. In this first example, Allah has conveyed that even in the economic sphere which is equally open to everyone, Allah has made some people to excel others. There are some who are workers, charged with performing certain tasks, and there are others who are supervisors, charged with making sure the workers perform adequately. Similarly, in spiritual matters people have varying degree of abilities to which attention is drawn towards the end of the verse by bringing in the words نِعْمَةِ ٱللَّهِ or the favours of Allah. In particular the term favours of Allah applies to Divine revelation because it is truly the greatest favor of Allah to humans. Some other commentators have also made this interpretation.
فَمَا ٱلَّذِينَ فُضِّلُوا۟ so those who are made to excel is a parenthetical sentence which some have taken to mean that one should treat one’s subordinates as equals. This interpretation is in line with a hadith in which the Holy Prophet said to give them the same kind of food as you eat and similar clothes to your own. Another interpretation can be that the systems of the world cannot function if there is complete equality in the distribution of wealth and hence differences in status is a natural consequence. The differences in spiritual abilities are mentioned here because the kind of blessings that Divine revelation can generate are such that humans cannot produce by their own effort. This is illustrated in the last section with the example of the honeybee. This answers the objection raised of: why does Divine revelation not come to everybody if it is so necessary. This objection of the disbelievers is mentioned in the Quran:
حَتَّىٰ نُؤْتَىٰ مِثْلَ مَآ أُوتِىَ رُسُلُ ٱللَّه : till we are given the like of which Allah’s messengers are given (6-124a). Some commentators consider this example to be about polytheism because polytheists attribute the blessings bestowed by Allah to their idols.
16-72 And Allah has made wives for you from among yourselves, and has given you sons and daughters from your wives, and has provided you with good things. Will they then believe in falsehood and deny the favor of Allah?a
وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَزْوَٰجِكُم بَنِينَ وَحَفَدَةًۭ وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ ۚ أَفَبِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ يُؤْمِنُونَ وَبِنِعْمَتِ ٱللَّهِ هُمْ يَكْفُرُونَ (۷۲)
16-72a: أَنفُسِكُمْ – By أَنفُسِكُمْ is meant جنسکم و نوعکم (RM) of the same genus and kind, which sheds light on what is meant by وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا : and created its mate of the same (kind) (4:1).
حَفَدَةًۭ – is the plural of حَافِد and the meaning of حفد is service and speedily doing work. Accordingly, the prayer known as Dua e Qunoot has in it و الیك نَسۡعیٰ و نَحۡفِدُ meaning we are quick in action and service, by which is meant sincerity in obedience. The meaning of حَفَدَۃ is helper and faithful server. Daughters are also called حَفَدَۃ and according to some, it means grandsons and according to others it means in-laws or son in law (LA). Ibn Jarir has cited various opinions and concludes that in reality it means those who serve, and all the relationships cited are included in it. Even the spouse and sons can be included in it.
This verse also draws attention to the differences in rank. Although all humans are the same, the relationships between them are different. For example, some are male and some female, some are fathers and some sons, some are fathers in law and some sons in law. In short, differences in rank and status are at the core of how the world functions. At the end of the verse a contrast is made between the favor of Allah, or Divine revelation, and a belief in falsehood, or idol worship, and this is manifestly discussed in the next verse.
16-73 And they serve besides Allah that which controls for them no sustenance at all from the heavens and the earth; nor have they any power.
وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ رِزْقًۭا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ (۷۳)
16-74 So coin not similitudes for Allah. Surely Allah knows and you know not.a
فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا۟ لِلَّهِ ٱلْأَمْثَالَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ (۷۴)
16-74a: أَمْثَالَ – It can be the plural of مَثۡل and in that case by أَمْثَالَ would mean do not make partners with Him, and the meaning of تَضْرِبُوا۟ will be تجعلوا as in فَلَا تَجْعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ أَندَادًۭا :so do not set up rivals to Allah (2:22). This is the interpretation by Ibn Abbas. However, more commonly أَمْثَالَ is considered the plural of مَثَل and in that case the meaning is no one should be likened to Him and He should not be likened to any other, or that no one should be made a partner in His attributes.
16-75 Allah sets forth a parable: There is a slave, the property of another, controlling naught, and there is one to whom We have granted from Ourselves goodly provisions, so he spends from it secretly and openly. Are the two alike? Praise be to Allah! Nay, most of them know not.a
ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا عَبْدًۭا مَّمْلُوكًۭا لَّا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍۢ وَمَن رَّزَقْنَـٰهُ مِنَّا رِزْقًا حَسَنًۭا فَهُوَ يُنفِقُ مِنْهُ سِرًّۭا وَجَهْرًا ۖ هَلْ يَسْتَوُۥنَ ۚ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (۷۵)
16-75a: This is the parable of a disbeliever and a believer (IJ) and the purpose is the same as mentioned before. There is a manifest difference in the state of a disbeliever and a believer, which helps us understand how vastly different the disbelievers are from the foremost believer, the Holy Prophet. Another explanation is that by رِزْقًا حَسَنًۭا , goodly provision, is meant Divine revelation and the one to whom this goodly provision is given is the Holy Prophet, the recipient of the revelation. The last words of the next verse are supportive of this interpretation. سِرًّۭا is using one’s powers in the service of humanity and جَهْرًا is spending one’s wealth to serve humanity. The disbeliever or polytheist is a slave or عَبْدًۭا مَّمْلُوكًۭ because he considers himself subjugated to the things that he is created to rule and he considers these things as his deities and worships them. Such a person is لَّا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىْۢ, controlling naught, because he does not fully develop the excellent abilities bestowed on him and consequently he achieves nothing:
لَّا يَقْدِرُونَ مِمَّا كَسَبُوا۟ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍۢ ۚ They have no power over aught they have earned (14:18).
16-76 And Allah sets forth a parable of two men: One of them dumb, controlling naught, and he is a burden to his master; wherever he sends him, he brings no good. Is he equal with him who enjoins justice, and he is on the right path?a
وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًۭا رَّجُلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَبْكَمُ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍۢ وَهُوَ كَلٌّ عَلَىٰ مَوْلَىٰهُ أَيْنَمَا يُوَجِّههُّ لَا يَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ ۖ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى هُوَ وَمَن يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْعَدْلِ ۙ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ (۷۶)
16-76a: كَلٌّ – كَلٌّ is that which brings all the elements together, and the meaning of کَلّ یَکِلُّ کَلّاً is to get tired. It refers to one who is dependent on another or one who is part of the household of another so that the head of the household has to carry his burden (LA).
This example is also similar to the previous one with greater clarity given by adding
مَن يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْعَدْلِ ۙ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ :who enjoins justice and he is on the right path. In view of these words some commentators have thought that “him who enjoins justice” refers to Allah, the Most High, and by أَبْكَمُ are meant idols, and have similarly surmised the example in the previous verse. However, Allah cannot be compared to anything as Allah Himself has stated earlier in this section: فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا۟ لِلَّهِ ٱلْأَمْثَالَ : So coin not similitude with Allah (16:74). So, by مَن يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْعَدْلِ is meant the Holy Prophet and he is the one who is on the right path. The example in this verse also draws attention to the topic of this section أَيْنَمَا يُوَجِّههُّ لَا يَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ :wherever he sends him, he brings no good, namely that the disbelievers will not succeed in their designs.
Bayan-ul-Quran 