The citation of parables:

Allah (SWT) says: “Allah set up a parable of a man belonging to many partners at variance with each other, and a man belonging entirely to one master: are those two equal in comparison? Praise be to Allah! But most of them have no knowledge.” (XXIX: 29) In Mukhtasar Tafsir Ibn Kathir, we read: “Allah sets up an example of a man (slave) owned by several owners that quarrel about him and another man who belongs to one owner. The two cannot be equal: namely, the polytheist who worships another god besides Allah is not like the sincere believer who worships Allah Alone and ascribes no partners to Him. The two are not comparable.

Ibn ‘Abbas and Mujahid said: “This verse is set up for the polytheist and the sincere (monotheist).

Since this parable is clear and obvious Allah (SWT) then says: “Praise be to Allah,” for establishing the argument against them, “but most of them have no knowledge,” therefore they ascribe partners to Allah.”[1]

This comparison shows the difference between the monotheist and the polytheist: the polytheist is confused because of the multiplicity of the gods he worships and the controversies that emerge among them. In contrast the monotheist worships only one god and follows one way to please him. So he is relieved from the controversies and quarrels of the several gods. Then ponder on this.

Let us look into another example that illustrates that the human who takes protectors other than Allah is as weak as the nest of a spider that is made of fine, feeble, harmless and useless filaments.

Allah (SWT) says: “The parable of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of the spider that builds (for itself) a house (nest); but truly the flimsiest of houses is the spider's house, if they but knew.” (XXIX: 41)

In the commentary of Ibn Kathir we read: “Allah set up this parable for the polytheists who take as gods other than Allah and seek from them victory and provision and resort and adhere to them in times of affliction. Therefore, they are like the spider’s nest in its feebleness, for adhering to such false gods is like adhering to a spider’s nest that is of no avail for them. If they knew this fact hey would not take protectors other than Allah.”[2]

So these are parables that clarify the facts to people. Allah (SWT) says: “Thus does Allah make clear to you His Signs, in order that you may consider.” (II: 219) Allah (SWT) says “We cite these examples for the people, but none will grasp their meaning save the knowledgeable.” (XXIX: 43)