سورة العنكبوت   


Surah Name: Al-'Ankabut Meaning: The Spider

  • Revealed at Makkah
  • Total Number of Rukū / Sections 7
  • Total Number of Āyāt / Parts 69
  • Sūrah / Chapter number 29
  • Rukū / Section 4 contains Āyāt / Parts 14
  • Siparah / Volume 20 & 21

bismillah

وَلَمَّا جَاءتْ رُسُلُنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ بِالْبُشْرَى قَالُوا إِنَّا مُهْلِكُو أَهْلِ هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ إِنَّ أَهْلَهَا كَانُوا ظَالِمِينَ

Walamma jaat rusuluna ibraheema bi(a)lbushra qaloo inna muhlikoo ahli hathihi alqaryati inna ahlaha kanoo thalimeen(a)

And when Our-SWT envoys came to Ibrahim-AS with the glad tidings, they said: We are about to destroy the inhabitants of that city, verily its inhabitants have become wrongdoers

(29:31)


قَالَ إِنَّ فِيهَا لُوطًا قَالُوا نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن فِيهَا لَنُنَجِّيَنَّهُ وَأَهْلَهُ إِلَّا امْرَأَتَهُ كَانَتْ مِنَ الْغَابِرِينَ

Qala inna feeha lootan qaloo nahnu aAAlamu biman feeha lanunajjiyannahu waahlahu illa imraatahu kanat mina alghabireen(a)

He-AS said: But there is Lut-AS. They said: We know very well who is therein; we are to deliver him-AS and his-AS household, save his-AS wife; she is to be of the lingerers

(29:32)


وَلَمَّا أَن جَاءتْ رُسُلُنَا لُوطًا سِيءَ بِهِمْ وَضَاقَ بِهِمْ ذَرْعًا وَقَالُوا لَا تَخَفْ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّا مُنَجُّوكَ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا امْرَأَتَكَ كَانَتْ مِنَ الْغَابِرِينَ

Walamma an jaat rusuluna lootan seea bihim wadaqa bihim tharAAan waqaloo la takhaf wala tahzan inna munajjooka waahlaka illa imraataka kanat mina alghabireen(a)

And when Our-SWT envoys came to Lut-AS, he-AS was distressed and felt straitened on their account. They said: Have no fear and do not grieve, verily we are to deliver you-AS and your-AS household, save your wife; she is to be of the lingerers.

(29:33)


إِنَّا مُنزِلُونَ عَلَى أَهْلِ هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ رِجْزًا مِّنَ السَّمَاء بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ

Inna munziloona AAala ahli hathihi alqaryati rijzan mina a(l)ssamai bima kanoo yafsuqoon(a)

Verily we are about to bring down upon the inhabitants of this city a scourge from the heaven, for they have been transgressing.

(29:34)


وَلَقَد تَّرَكْنَا مِنْهَا آيَةً بَيِّنَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ

Walaqad tarakna minha ayatan bayyinatan liqawmin yaAAqiloon(a)

And assuredly We-SWT have left of that a manifest Sign for a people who reflect.

(29:35)


وَإِلَى مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا فَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَارْجُوا الْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ

Waila madyana akhahum shuAAayban faqala ya qawmi oAAbudoo Allaha waorjoo alyawma alakhira wala taAAthaw fee alardi mufsideen(a)

And to Madyan We-SWT sent their brother Shu'aib-AS. He-AS said: My people! Worship Allah-SWT and fear the Last Day and do not commit evil on the land as corrupters.

(29:36)


فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ

Fakaththaboohu faakhathathumu a(l)rrajfatu faasbahoo fee darihim jathimeen(a)

Then they belied him-AS, so an earthquake seized them and they by in their dwellings, crouching.

(29:37)


وَعَادًا وَثَمُودَ وَقَد تَّبَيَّنَ لَكُم مِّن مَّسَاكِنِهِمْ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فَصَدَّهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ وَكَانُوا مُسْتَبْصِرِينَ

WaAAadan wathamooda waqad tabayyana lakum min masakinihim wazayyana lahumu a(l)shshaytanu aAAmalahum fasaddahum AAani a(l)ssabeeli wakanoo mustabsireen(a)

And A’ad and Thamud’. Of a surety their destruction is apparent to you from their dwellings. Satan made their works fair-seeming to them, and so kept them off from the path, while they were endued with sight.

(29:38)


وَقَارُونَ وَفِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَلَقَدْ جَاءهُم مُّوسَى بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا كَانُوا سَابِقِينَ

Waqaroona wafirAAawna wahamana walaqad jaahum moosa bi(a)lbayyinati fa(i)stakbaroo fee alardi wama kanoo sabiqeen(a)

And Qarun and the Pharaoh and Haman! And assuredly there came to them Musa-AS with evidences, yet they were stiff-necked in the land, and they could not outstrip Us-SWT .

(29:39)


فَكُلًّا أَخَذْنَا بِذَنبِهِ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ حَاصِبًا وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ أَخَذَتْهُ الصَّيْحَةُ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ خَسَفْنَا بِهِ الْأَرْضَ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ أَغْرَقْنَا وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ وَلَكِن كَانُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

Fakullan akhathna bithanbihi faminhum man arsalna AAalayhi hasiban waminhum man akhathathu a(l)ssayhatu waminhum man khasafna bihi alarda waminhum man aghraqna wama kana Allahu liyathlimahum walakin kanoo anfusahum yathlimoon(a)

Each of them We-SWT laid hold of for his sin, of them were some on whom We-SWT sent a violent wind; and of them were some who were overtaken by a shout, and of them were some with whom We-SWT sank the earth; and of them were some whom We-SWT drowned. Allah-SWT was not such as to wrong them, but themselves they were used to wrong.

(29:40)


مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاء كَمَثَلِ الْعَنكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ

Mathalu allatheena ittakhathoo min dooni Allahi awliyaa kamathali alAAankabooti ittakhathat baytan wainna awhana albuyooti labaytu alAAankabooti law kanoo yaAAlamoon(a)

The likeness of those who take other patrons than Allah-SWT is as the likeness of the spider, which lakes to herself a house. And the frailest of all houses is the spider’s house, if they but knew.

(29:41)


إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ مِن شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

Inna Allaha yaAAlamu ma yadAAoona min doonihi min shayin wahuwa alAAazeezu alhakeem(u)

Verily Allah-SWT knows whatever they invoke beside Him-SWT . And He-SWT is the Mighty, the Wise.

(29:42)


وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ وَمَا يَعْقِلُهَا إِلَّا الْعَالِمُونَ

Watilka alamthalu nadribuha li(l)nnasi wama yaAAqiluha illa alAAalimoon(a)

And these similitudes! We-SWT propound them for mankind and none understands them save men of learning.

(29:43)


خَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Khalaqa Allahu a(l)ssamawati wa(a)larda bi(a)lhaqqi inna fee thalika laayatan lilmumineen(a)

Allah-SWT has created the heavens and the earth with a purpose, verily in them is a Sign for the believers.

(29:44)


In The Name of Allah-SWT the Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
SECRETS OF REVELATION:

Simultaneous Benefit And Loss Because Of Faith And Practice


When Our-SWT envoys went to Prophet Ibrahim-AS to convey him-AS the good news of birth of a son they informed him-AS that they had also been deputed to destroy the settlements of Prophet Lut-AS’s nation. In other words, the same envoys who had brought glad tidings to one, because of his-AS faith and practice, were tasked to destroy others because of their infidelity and evil doings, which had crossed the limits of tolerance. Prophet Ibrahim-AS promptly reminded them that Prophet Lut-AS was also in that settlement. The angels said that they knew exactly who resided therein, and that Prophet Lut-AS and his-AS followers will remain unharmed except his-AS wife, who shall linger behind. As the angels arrived in the guise of handsome youths at Prophet Lut-AS door, he-AS got worried within, being sure that his-AS people would molest his-AS guests. The angels now revealed their identity as Allah-SWT’s envoys and assured him-AS there was nothing to worry about. The end of the evil doers was at hand while he-AS and his-AS followers would be safely delivered, save his-AS wife who would not be allowed to accompany him-AS. And they would bring down a disaster from the heavens onto dwellers of this settlement because of their wickedness. O’ Reader! We-SWT have preserved the signs on this very land as admonition for those having sense.

 

Similarly Prophet Shu’aib-AS was raised amongst the people of Madyan. He-AS too preached Allah-SWT’s worship and obedience, told them to prefer Akhirah over the mundane life and refrain from mischief-mongering on the land. They, however, refused to accept the truth and were seized by a ravaging earthquake. The next morning they were dead lying on their faces inside their safe havens which became the very site of their decimation.

 

The ruins of the settlements of A’ad and Thamud speak volumes on the rise and fall of these nations. Satan had adorned evil for them, and once attracted towards it, they lost the straight path, despite the fact that they were wise people. And so were Qarun, the Pharaoh and Haman blinded by greed. When Prophet Musa-AS was raised with clear evidences, they took to arrogance and spared no efforts to promote infidelity all over. All of them could not escape His-SWT ’s Grip and were seized for their respective crimes. Some were showered with stones, others ripped by a violent cry, some were sunk into the earth and yet others perished in the sea. Allah-SWT wronged none rather they wronged themselves by adopting the path of evil and infidelity.

 

Any people who pin their hopes on others than Allah-SWT can be compared to a spider. It feels very safe inside its web, whereas of all the habitats, the most tenuous one is that of a spider. This is very clear and easy to understand for those who have the slightest knowledge. And they cannot conceal anything from Allah-SWT . He-SWT knows their calling out and obeying others than Him-SWT . He-SWT is all Prevailing and can seize the malefactors whenever it pleases Him-SWT . It is only out of His-SWT perfect plans that He-SWT gives respite to them. Such parables are recounted to everyone, yet only those learn a lesson who have knowledge.

 

Who Is A Scholar?


The erudite prove from this Ayah that it is not knowledge to merely scan the books, unless a person ponders over to acquire a level of understanding and inner feelings to obey Allah-SWT in a manner that his practical life is also reformed. Only then can he be accepted as a scholar.

 

Call To Contemplate Over Genesis


Allaah-SWT has created the heavens and the earth in such perfect balance that it carries innumerable evidences for the believers. Allah-SWT ’s Book commands a scientific research into the genesis of the universe to explore the proofs it offers on the Magnificence of the Creator.

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