Examples

You lived in the dwellings of those who wronged themselves, and you saw how We dealt with them, yet you failed to take heed.

14:45And (have ye not) dwelt in the dwellings of those who wronged themselves (of old) and (hath it not) become plain to you how We dealt with them and made examples for you?

O people, a parable is set forth, listen to it:

22:73O mankind! A similitude is coined, so pay ye heed to it: Lo! those on whom ye call beside Allah will never create a fly though they combine together for the purpose. And if the fly took something from them, they could not rescue it from it. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought!

Allah sets forth a parable: A slave owned by another, powerless to do anything, compared to one whom We have granted good provision, which he spends freely, are they equal? Praise be to Allah, but most people do not understand.

16:75Allah coineth a similitude: (on the one hand) a (mere) chattel slave, who hath control of nothing, and (on the other hand) one on whom we have bestowed a fair provision from Us, and he spendeth thereof secretly and openly. Are they equal? Praise be to Allah! But most of them know not.

Or consider the one who passed by a ruined city and wondered, ‘How will Allah bring this back to life after its destruction?’ So, Allah caused him to die for a hundred years, then revived him. Allah asked, ‘How long have you remained?’ He replied, ‘Perhaps a day or part of a day.’ Allah said, ‘No! You have remained here for a hundred years! Look at your food and drink, they have not spoiled. But now, look at your donkey! And so, We have made you a sign for humanity. Look at the bones, how We bring them together and clothe them with flesh!’ When this was made clear to him, he declared, ‘Now I know that Allah is Most Capable of everything.

2:259Or (bethink thee of) the like of him who, passing by a township which had fallen into utter ruin, exclaimed: How shall Allah give this township life after its death? And Allah made him die a hundred years, then brought him back to life. He said: How long hast thou tarried? (The man) said: I have tarried a day or part of a day. (He) said: Nay, but thou hast tarried for a hundred years. Just look at thy food and drink which have not rotted! Look at thine ass! And, that We may make thee a token unto mankind, look at the bones, how We adjust them and then cover them with flesh! And when (the matter) became clear unto him, he said: I know now that Allah is Able to do all things.

And Allah sets forth an example for those who believe: the wife of Pharaoh, who said, “My Lord, build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds, and rescue me from the wrongdoing people.”

66:11And Allah citeth an example for those who believe: the wife of Pharaoh when she said: My Lord! Build for me a home with thee in the Garden, and deliver me from Pharaoh and his work, and deliver me from evil-doing folk;

He sets forth a parable for you from yourselves: Would you accept partners among those your right hands possess, equal to you in wealth, fearing them as you fear one another?

30:28He coineth for you a similitude of yourselves. Have ye, from among those whom your right hands possess, partners in the wealth We have bestowed upon you, equal with you in respect thereof, so that ye fear them as ye fear each other (that ye ascribe unto Us partners out of that which We created)? Thus We display the revelations for people who have sense.

Allah presents a parable: two men, one is mute, incapable of anything, a burden on his guardian. Wherever he is sent, he brings no benefit. Can he be equal to one who commands justice and walks a straight path?

16:76And 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)?

Present to them the parable of worldly life: like water We send down from the sky, absorbed by the earth’s vegetation, then it becomes dry, scattered by the wind.

18:45And coin for them the similitude of the life of the world as water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingleth with it and then becometh dry twigs that the winds scatter. Allah is able to do all things.

The life of this world is like rain We send down, absorbed by the earth’s vegetation, which people and animals consume. But when the land is adorned and its inhabitants think they have full control, Our command comes, by night or by day, and We turn it into stubble, as if it had never flourished.

10:24The similitude of the life of the world is only as water which We send down from the sky, then the earth's growth of that which men and cattle eat mingleth with it till, when the earth hath taken on her ornaments and is embellished, and her people deem that they are masters of her, Our commandment cometh by night or by day and We make it as reaped corn as if it had not flourished yesterday. Thus do we expound the revelations for people who reflect.

He sends down water from the sky, and valleys flow according to their measure. The torrent carries foam like the scum upon molten metal when heated for crafting ornaments or tools. Thus, Allah illustrates truth and falsehood, the foam vanishes, but what benefits people remains. This is how Allah sets forth examples.

13:17He sendeth down water from the sky, so that valleys flow according to their measure, and the flood beareth (on its surface) swelling foam - from that which they smelt in the fire in order to make ornaments and tools riseth a foam like unto it - thus Allah coineth (the similitude of) the true and the false. Then, as for the foam, it passeth away as scum upon the banks, while, as for that which is of use to mankind, it remaineth in the earth. Thus Allah coineth the similitudes.

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. His light is like a niche within which is a lamp, the lamp enclosed in glass, the glass shining like a brilliant star, lit from a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor the west, whose oil glows even without fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. Allah sets forth parables for humanity.

24:35Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a shining star. (This lamp is) kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself) though no fire touched it. Light upon light. Allah guideth unto His light whom He will. And Allah speaketh to mankind in allegories, for Allah is Knower of all things.

Allah does not hesitate to set forth an example, even of a mosquito or something smaller. The believers recognize it as truth from their Lord, while the disbelievers question its meaning. Through such examples, Allah guides many and allows many to stray, but only the rebellious are led astray.

2:26Lo! Allah disdaineth not to coin the similitude even of a gnat. Those who believe know that it is the truth from their Lord; but those who disbelieve say: What doth Allah wish (to teach) by such a similitude? He misleadeth many thereby, and He guideth many thereby; and He misleadeth thereby only miscreants;

Those who break their covenant with Allah after affirming it, sever what He has commanded to be joined, and spread corruption on the earth. They are the true losers.

2:27Those who break the covenant of Allah after ratifying it, and sever that which Allah ordered to be joined, and (who) make mischief in the earth: Those are they who are the losers.

Do you not see how Allah sets forth a parable? A good word is like a sturdy tree, its roots firm, its branches reaching the sky.

14:24Seest thou not how Allah coineth a similitude: A goodly saying, as a goodly tree, its root set firm, its branches reaching into heaven,

It yields fruit in every season by its Lord’s permission. Allah presents examples for people so they may reflect.

14:25Giving its fruit at every season by permission of its Lord? Allah coineth the similitudes for mankind in order that they may reflect.

But an evil word is like a rotten tree, uprooted from the earth, unstable in its place.

14:26And the similitude of a bad saying is as a bad tree, uprooted from upon the earth, possessing no stability.