The Qur'an has a fixed phrase for making a comparison: ḍaraba mathalan, “to strike a likeness”. Where a word from each of the two roots meets in one verse, a comparison is being made, and the verse says so before it makes it.
The likenesses are short and physical. A gnat (2:26). A good word as a good tree, its root firm and its branches in the sky (14:24). Two men, one of them given two gardens of grapevines (18:32). A niche with a lamp in it, the lamp in a glass, the glass like a shining star (24:35). A fly that everything called on besides God could not create between them (22:73). A mountain that would have split apart had the Qur'an come down on it (59:21). Two wives who betrayed the two righteous servants of God they lived under, and the wife of Pharaoh, who asked for a house in the Garden (66:10, 66:11).
The phrase does not belong to God alone. In 16:74 the reader is told to strike no likenesses for God. In 17:48 and 25:9 it is the deniers striking them, about the messenger, and going astray in the attempt. The idiom marks the act of comparing, whoever performs it.
The list is every verse in which a word from the root ض ر ب meets a word from the root م ث ل: 29 verses.
How this list was made
Every verse containing a word from the root ض ر ب together with a word from the root م ث ل, in muṣḥaf order.
Every verse the rule matches is in the list.
Al-Baqarah2:26God is not ashamed to strike a similitude, be it of a gnat or of what is above it. Then as for those who heed warning: they know that it is the truth from their Lord; and as for those who ignore warning: they say: “What means God by this similitude?” He leads astray many thereby, and He guides many thereby; and He leads astray thereby only the perfidious:
اِنَّاللّٰهَلَايَسْتَحْـي۪ٓاَنْيَضْرِبَمَثَلاًمَابَعُوضَةًفَمَافَوْقَهَاۜفَاَمَّاالَّذ۪ينَاٰمَنُوافَيَعْلَمُونَاَنَّهُالْحَقُّمِنْرَبِّهِمْۚوَاَمَّاالَّذ۪ينَكَفَرُوافَيَقُولُونَمَاذَٓااَرَادَاللّٰهُبِهٰذَامَثَلاًۢيُضِلُّبِه۪كَث۪يراًوَيَهْد۪يبِه۪كَث۪يراًۜوَمَايُضِلُّبِه۪ٓاِلَّاالْفَاسِق۪ينَۙ٢٦
Inna Allaha la yastahyeean yadriba mathalan ma baAAoodatan famafawqaha faamma allatheena amanoofayaAAlamoona annahu alhaqqu min rabbihim waammaallatheena kafaroo fayaqooloona matha aradaAllahu bihatha mathalan yudillu bihikatheeran wayahdee bihi katheeran wama yudillu bihiilla alfasiqeen
He sends down from the sky water, and the valleys flow according to their measure, then the flood carries a swelling froth; and from what they burn in the fire seeking ornaments or tools there is a froth like it. Thus does God present truth and vanity: as for the froth, it departs as dross; and as for what is of benefit to men, it remains in the earth. Thus does God strike similitudes.
اَنْزَلَمِنَالسَّمَٓاءِمَٓاءًفَسَالَتْاَوْدِيَةٌبِقَدَرِهَافَاحْتَمَلَالسَّيْلُزَبَداًرَابِياًۜوَمِمَّايُوقِدُونَعَلَيْهِفِيالنَّارِابْتِغَٓاءَحِلْيَةٍاَوْمَتَاعٍزَبَدٌمِثْلُهُۜكَذٰلِكَيَضْرِبُاللّٰهُالْحَقَّوَالْبَاطِلَۜفَاَمَّاالزَّبَدُفَيَذْهَبُجُفَٓاءًۚوَاَمَّامَايَنْفَعُالنَّاسَفَيَمْكُثُفِيالْاَرْضِۜكَذٰلِكَيَضْرِبُاللّٰهُالْاَمْثَالَۜ١٧
Anzala mina assama-i maanfasalat awdiyatun biqadariha fahtamalaassaylu zabadan rabiyan wamimma yooqidoonaAAalayhi fee annari ibtighaa hilyatinaw mataAAin zabadun mithluhu kathalika yadribuAllahu alhaqqa walbatila faammaazzabadu fayathhabu jufaan waamma mayanfaAAu annasa fayamkuthu fee al-ardi kathalikayadribu Allahu al-amthal
Hast thou not considered how God struck a similitude? A good word is like a good tree: its root firm, and its branches in the sky.
اَلَمْتَرَكَيْفَضَرَبَاللّٰهُمَثَلاًكَلِمَةًطَيِّبَةًكَشَجَرَةٍطَيِّبَةٍاَصْلُهَاثَابِتٌوَفَرْعُهَافِيالسَّمَٓاءِۙ٢٤
Alam tara kayfa daraba Allahumathalan kalimatan tayyibatan kashajaratin tayyibatinasluha thabitun wafarAAuha fee assama/-
It brings its fruit at all times, by the leave of its Lord. And God strikes similitudes for mankind, that they might take heed.
تُؤْت۪ٓياُكُلَهَاكُلَّح۪ينٍبِاِذْنِرَبِّهَاۜوَيَضْرِبُاللّٰهُالْاَمْثَالَلِلنَّاسِلَعَلَّهُمْيَتَذَكَّرُونَ٢٥
Tu/tee okulaha kulla heeninbi-ithni rabbiha wayadribu Allahual-amthala linnasi laAAallahum yatathakkaroon
“And you dwelt in the dwellings of those who wronged their souls; and it was made clear to you how We did with them; and We struck similitudes for you.”
وَسَكَنْتُمْف۪يمَسَاكِنِالَّذ۪ينَظَلَمُٓوااَنْفُسَهُمْوَتَبَيَّنَلَكُمْكَيْفَفَعَلْنَابِهِمْوَضَرَبْنَالَكُمُالْاَمْثَالَ٤٥
Wasakantum fee masakini allatheenathalamoo anfusahum watabayyana lakum kayfa faAAalnabihim wadarabna lakumu al-amthal
So strike not similitudes for God; God knows, and you know not.
فَلَاتَضْرِبُوالِلّٰهِالْاَمْثَالَۜاِنَّاللّٰهَيَعْلَمُوَاَنْتُمْلَاتَعْلَمُونَ٧٤
Fala tadriboo lillahial-amthala inna Allaha yaAAlamu waantum lataAAlamoon
God strikes a similitude: — a slave owned, not having power over anything, and him whom We provided with goodly provision from Us and he spends thereof secretly and openly. Are they equal? Praise belongs to God! But most of them know not.
ضَرَبَاللّٰهُمَثَلاًعَبْداًمَمْلُوكاًلَايَقْدِرُعَلٰىشَيْءٍوَمَنْرَزَقْنَاهُمِنَّارِزْقاًحَسَناًفَهُوَيُنْفِقُمِنْهُسِراًّوَجَهْراًۜهَلْيَسْتَوُ۫نَۜاَلْحَمْدُلِلّٰهِۜبَلْاَكْثَرُهُمْلَايَعْلَمُونَ٧٥
Daraba Allahu mathalan AAabdanmamlookan la yaqdiru AAala shay-in waman razaqnahuminna rizqan hasanan fahuwa yunfiqu minhu sirranwajahran hal yastawoona alhamdu lillahi balaktharuhum la yaAAlamoon
And God strikes a similitude: — two men: one of them dumb, not having power over anything, and a burden on his master: wherever he directs him, he brings no good. Is he equal with one who enjoins justice, and is on a straight path?
وَضَرَبَاللّٰهُمَثَلاًرَجُلَيْنِاَحَدُهُمَٓااَبْكَمُلَايَقْدِرُعَلٰىشَيْءٍوَهُوَكَلٌّعَلٰىمَوْلٰيهُۙاَيْنَمَايُوَجِّهْهُلَايَأْتِبِخَيْرٍۜهَلْيَسْتَو۪يهُوَۙوَمَنْيَأْمُرُبِالْعَدْلِۙوَهُوَعَلٰىصِرَاطٍمُسْتَق۪يمٍ۟٧٦
Wadaraba Allahu mathalanrajulayni ahaduhuma abkamu la yaqdiru AAalashay-in wahuwa kallun AAala mawlahu aynamayuwajjihhu la ya/ti bikhayrin hal yastawee huwa wamanya/muru bilAAadli wahuwa AAala siratinmustaqeem
And God strikes a similitude: — a city secure, at peace, its provision coming to it in abundance from every side; but it denied the favours of God, then God let it taste the cloak of hunger and fear because of what they wrought.
وَضَرَبَاللّٰهُمَثَلاًقَرْيَةًكَانَتْاٰمِنَةًمُطْمَئِنَّةًيَأْت۪يهَارِزْقُهَارَغَداًمِنْكُلِّمَكَانٍفَكَفَرَتْبِاَنْعُمِاللّٰهِفَاَذَاقَهَااللّٰهُلِبَاسَالْجُوعِوَالْخَوْفِبِمَاكَانُوايَصْنَعُونَ١١٢
Wadaraba Allahu mathalanqaryatan kanat aminatan mutma-innatanya/teeha rizquha raghadan min kulli makaninfakafarat bi-anAAumi Allahi faathaqaha Allahulibasa aljooAAi walkhawfi bima kanooyasnaAAoon
See thou how they strike similitudes for thee; then have they strayed and are not able to find a path.
اُنْظُرْكَيْفَضَرَبُوالَكَالْاَمْثَالَفَضَلُّوافَلَايَسْتَط۪يعُونَسَب۪يلاً٤٨
Onthur kayfa daraboolaka al-amthala fadalloo fala yastateeAAoonasabeela
And strike thou for them a similitude: — two men: We made for one of them two gardens of grapevines, and surrounded them with date-palms, and placed between them crops.
وَاضْرِبْلَهُمْمَثَلاًرَجُلَيْنِجَعَلْنَالِاَحَدِهِمَاجَنَّتَيْنِمِنْاَعْنَابٍوَحَفَفْنَاهُمَابِنَخْلٍوَجَعَلْنَابَيْنَهُمَازَرْعاًۜ٣٢
Wadrib lahum mathalanrajulayni jaAAalna li-ahadihima jannataynimin aAAnabin wahafafnahuma binakhlinwajaAAalna baynahuma zarAAa
And strike thou for them the similitude of the life of this world: — as water which We send down from the sky, then the vegetation of the earth mingles with it; then it becomes dry stalks which the winds scatter. And God is omnipotent over everything.
وَاضْرِبْلَهُمْمَثَلَالْحَيٰوةِالدُّنْيَاكَمَٓاءٍاَنْزَلْنَاهُمِنَالسَّمَٓاءِفَاخْتَلَطَبِه۪نَبَاتُالْاَرْضِفَاَصْبَحَهَش۪يماًتَذْرُوهُالرِّيَاحُۜوَكَانَاللّٰهُعَلٰىكُلِّشَيْءٍمُقْتَدِراً٤٥
Wadrib lahum mathala alhayatiaddunya kama-in anzalnahu mina assama-ifakhtalata bihi nabatu al-ardi faasbahahasheeman tathroohu arriyahu wakanaAllahu AAala kulli shay-in muqtadira
O mankind: a similitude is struck, so listen to it: — those to whom you call, besides God, will never create a fly though they gather together for it. And if the fly snatch away something from them, they could not recover it from it; weak are the seeker and the sought!
يَٓااَيُّهَاالنَّاسُضُرِبَمَثَلٌفَاسْتَمِعُوالَهُۜاِنَّالَّذ۪ينَتَدْعُونَمِنْدُونِاللّٰهِلَنْيَخْلُقُواذُبَاباًوَلَوِاجْتَمَعُوالَهُۜوَاِنْيَسْلُبْهُمُالذُّبَابُشَيْـٔاًلَايَسْتَنْقِذُوهُمِنْهُۜضَعُفَالطَّالِبُوَالْمَطْلُوبُ٧٣
Ya ayyuha annasuduriba mathalun fastamiAAoo lahu inna allatheenatadAAoona min dooni Allahi lan yakhluqoo thubabanwalawi ijtamaAAoo lahu wa-in yaslubuhumu aththubabushay-an la yastanqithoohu minhu daAAufa attalibuwalmatloob
God is the light of the heavens and the earth. The likeness of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp — the lamp in a glass, the glass as it were a shining star — lit from a blessed tree, an olive neither of East nor West; its oil would nigh illuminate, though no fire touched it: — light upon light! — God guides to His light whom He wills! And God strikes similitudes for men; and God knows all things.
اَللّٰهُنُورُالسَّمٰوَاتِوَالْاَرْضِۜمَثَلُنُورِه۪كَمِشْكٰوةٍف۪يهَامِصْبَاحٌۜاَلْمِصْبَاحُف۪يزُجَاجَةٍۜاَلزُّجَاجَةُكَاَنَّهَاكَوْكَبٌدُرِّيٌّيُوقَدُمِنْشَجَرَةٍمُبَارَكَةٍزَيْتُونَةٍلَاشَرْقِيَّةٍوَلَاغَرْبِيَّةٍۙيَكَادُزَيْتُهَايُض۪ٓيءُوَلَوْلَمْتَمْسَسْهُنَارٌۜنُورٌعَلٰىنُورٍۜيَهْدِياللّٰهُلِنُورِه۪مَنْيَشَٓاءُۜوَيَضْرِبُاللّٰهُالْاَمْثَالَلِلنَّاسِۜوَاللّٰهُبِكُلِّشَيْءٍعَل۪يمٌۙ٣٥
Allahu nooru assamawatiwal-ardi mathalu noorihi kamishkatin feehamisbahun almisbahu fee zujajatinazzujajatu kaannaha kawkabun durriyyunyooqadu min shajaratin mubarakatin zaytoonatin lasharqiyyatin wala gharbiyyatin yakadu zaytuhayudee-o walaw lam tamsas-hu narun noorun AAalanoorin yahdee Allahu linoorihi man yashao wayadribuAllahu al-amthala linnasi wallahubikulli shay-in AAaleem
See thou how they strike similitudes for thee, and go astray, and cannot find a path.
اُنْظُرْكَيْفَضَرَبُوالَكَالْاَمْثَالَفَضَلُّوافَلَايَسْتَط۪يعُونَسَب۪يلاً۟٩
Onthur kayfa daraboolaka al-amthala fadalloo fala yastateeAAoonasabeela
And for each We struck similitudes; and each We destroyed utterly.
وَكُلاًّضَرَبْنَالَهُالْاَمْثَالَۘوَكُلاًّتَبَّرْنَاتَتْب۪يراً٣٩
Wakullan darabna lahu al-amthalawakullan tabbarna tatbeera
And those similitudes — We strike them for mankind, but none will understand them save those of knowledge.
وَتِلْكَالْاَمْثَالُنَضْرِبُهَالِلنَّاسِۚوَمَايَعْقِلُـهَٓااِلَّاالْعَالِمُونَ٤٣
Watilka al-amthalu nadribuhalinnasi wama yaAAqiluha illaalAAalimoon
He strikes for you a similitude from yourselves: — have you from among those whom your right hands possess any partners in what We have provided for you, so that you are equal therein, you fearing them as you fear each other? Thus do We set out and detail the proofs for people who reason.
ضَرَبَلَكُمْمَثَلاًمِنْاَنْفُسِكُمْۜهَلْلَكُمْمِنْمَامَلَكَتْاَيْمَانُكُمْمِنْشُرَكَٓاءَف۪يمَارَزَقْنَاكُمْفَاَنْتُمْف۪يهِسَوَٓاءٌتَخَافُونَهُمْكَخ۪يفَتِكُمْاَنْفُسَكُمْۜكَذٰلِكَنُفَصِّلُالْاٰيَاتِلِقَوْمٍيَعْقِلُونَ٢٨
Daraba lakum mathalan min anfusikumhal lakum mimma malakat aymanukum min shurakaafee ma razaqnakum faantum feehi sawaon takhafoonahumkakheefatikum anfusakum kathalika nufassilu al-ayatiliqawmin yaAAqiloon
And We have struck for men in this Qur’an every similitude. And if thou come to them with a proof, those who ignore warning will say: “You are only creators of vanity.”
وَلَقَدْضَرَبْنَالِلنَّاسِف۪يهٰذَاالْقُرْاٰنِمِنْكُلِّمَثَلٍۜوَلَئِنْجِئْتَهُمْبِاٰيَةٍلَيَقُولَنَّالَّذ۪ينَكَفَرُٓوااِنْاَنْتُمْاِلَّامُبْطِلُونَ٥٨
Walaqad darabna linnasifee hatha alqur-ani min kulli mathalin wala-inji/tahum bi-ayatin layaqoolanna allatheena kafarooin antum illa mubtiloon
And strike thou for them a similitude: — the people of the city, when the emissaries came to it —
وَاضْرِبْلَهُمْمَثَلاًاَصْحَابَالْقَرْيَةِۢاِذْجَٓاءَهَاالْمُرْسَلُونَۚ١٣
Wadrib lahum mathalan as-habaalqaryati ith jaaha almursaloon
And he strikes for Us a similitude, and forgets his creation; he says: “Who will give life to the bones when they are rotted away?”
وَضَرَبَلَنَامَثَلاًوَنَسِيَخَلْقَهُۜقَالَمَنْيُحْـيِالْعِظَامَوَهِيَرَم۪يمٌ٧٨
Wadaraba lana mathalanwanasiya khalqahu qala man yuhyee alAAithamawahiya rameem
And We have struck for mankind in this Qur’an every similitude, that they might take heed;
وَلَقَدْضَرَبْنَالِلنَّاسِف۪يهٰذَاالْقُرْاٰنِمِنْكُلِّمَثَلٍلَعَلَّهُمْيَتَذَكَّرُونَۚ٢٧
Walaqad darabna linnasifee hatha alqur-ani min kulli mathalin laAAallahumyatathakkaroon
God has struck a similitude: — a man concerning whom are partners quarrelling, and a man in submission to one man. Are they equal in likeness? Praise belongs to God! The truth is, most of them know not.
ضَرَبَاللّٰهُمَثَلاًرَجُلاًف۪يهِشُرَكَٓاءُمُتَشَاكِسُونَوَرَجُلاًسَلَماًلِرَجُلٍۜهَلْيَسْتَوِيَانِمَثَلاًۜاَلْحَمْدُلِلّٰهِۚبَلْاَكْثَرُهُمْلَايَعْلَمُونَ٢٩
Daraba Allahu mathalan rajulanfeehi shurakao mutashakisoona warajulan salamanlirajulin hal yastawiyani mathalan alhamdu lillahibal aktharuhum la yaAAlamoon
(But when one of them is given glad tidings of that which he strikes for the Almighty as a similitude, his face turns black and he suppresses grief:
وَاِذَابُشِّرَاَحَدُهُمْبِمَاضَرَبَلِلرَّحْمٰنِمَثَلاًظَلَّوَجْهُهُمُسْوَداًّوَهُوَكَظ۪يمٌ١٧
Wa-itha bushshira ahaduhum bimadaraba lirrahmani mathalan thallawajhuhu muswaddan wahuwa katheem
And when the son of Mary is struck as a similitude, then thy people clamour thereat,
وَلَمَّاضُرِبَابْنُمَرْيَمَمَثَلاًاِذَاقَوْمُكَمِنْهُيَصِدُّونَ٥٧
Walamma duriba ibnu maryamamathalan itha qawmuka minhu yasiddoon
For it is that those who ignore warning follow falsehood, and that those who heed warning follow the truth from their Lord! Thus does God strike for men their similitudes.
ذٰلِكَبِاَنَّالَّذ۪ينَكَفَرُوااتَّبَعُواالْبَاطِلَوَاَنَّالَّذ۪ينَاٰمَنُوااتَّبَعُواالْحَقَّمِنْرَبِّهِمْۜكَذٰلِكَيَضْرِبُاللّٰهُلِلنَّاسِاَمْثَالَهُمْ٣
Thalika bi-anna allatheenakafaroo ittabaAAoo albatila waanna allatheena amanooittabaAAoo alhaqqa min rabbihim kathalika yadribuAllahu linnasi amthalahum
Had We sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain, thou hadst seen it humbled, split asunder from fear of God. And those similitudes — We strike them for mankind, that they might reflect.
لَوْاَنْزَلْنَاهٰذَاالْقُرْاٰنَعَلٰىجَبَلٍلَرَاَيْتَهُخَاشِعاًمُتَصَدِّعاًمِنْخَشْيَةِاللّٰهِۜوَتِلْكَالْاَمْثَالُنَضْرِبُهَالِلنَّاسِلَعَلَّهُمْيَتَفَكَّرُونَ٢١
Law anzalna hatha alqur-anaAAala jabalin laraaytahu khashiAAan mutasaddiAAanmin khashyati Allahi watilka al-amthalu nadribuhalinnasi laAAallahum yatafakkaroon
God has struck a similitude for those who ignore warning: — the wife of Noah, and the wife of Lot: they were under two of Our righteous servants, but they betrayed them; and they availed them nothing against God, and it was said: “Enter, you twain, the Fire with those who enter.”
ضَرَبَاللّٰهُمَثَلاًلِلَّذ۪ينَكَفَرُواامْرَاَتَنُوحٍوَامْرَاَتَلُوطٍۜكَانَتَاتَحْتَعَبْدَيْنِمِنْعِبَادِنَاصَالِحَيْنِفَخَانَتَاهُمَافَلَمْيُغْنِيَاعَنْهُمَامِنَاللّٰهِشَيْـٔاًوَق۪يلَادْخُلَاالنَّارَمَعَالدَّاخِل۪ينَ١٠
Daraba Allahu mathalan lillatheenakafaroo imraata noohin wamraata lootin kanatatahta AAabdayni min AAibadina salihaynifakhanatahuma falam yughniya AAanhumamina Allahi shay-an waqeela odkhula annaramaAAa addakhileen
And God has struck a similitude for those who heed warning: — the wife of Pharaoh, when she said: “My Lord: build Thou for me a house with Thee in the Garden, and deliver Thou me from Pharaoh and his deeds, and deliver Thou me from the wrongdoing people.”
وَضَرَبَاللّٰهُمَثَلاًلِلَّذ۪ينَاٰمَنُواامْرَاَتَفِرْعَوْنَۢاِذْقَالَتْرَبِّابْنِل۪يعِنْدَكَبَيْتاًفِيالْجَنَّةِوَنَجِّن۪يمِنْفِرْعَوْنَوَعَمَلِه۪وَنَجِّن۪يمِنَالْقَوْمِالظَّالِم۪ينَۙ١١
Wadaraba Allahu mathalan lillatheenaamanoo imraata firAAawna ith qalat rabbiibni lee AAindaka baytan fee aljannati wanajjinee min firAAawnawaAAamalihi wanajjinee mina alqawmi aththalimeen
