Surah 29. Surah al Ankabut (The Spider)
Bismillah ir Rahman ir Raheem
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
- Alif Lam Meem
- Does humankind reckon that We will leave them alone
When they declare: “We have believed!”
And they will not be tested? - Of a certainty, We have tried those before them
So that Allah confirms those who are truthful,
And confirms those who are not truthful. - Those who engage in evil deeds—
Do they reckon that they will escape Us?
Wrong indeed is what they decide. - Whosoever is (certain) of his return and meeting with Allah,
Then, (such a one expects with hope and fear that)
The appointed time with Allah shall indeed arrive.
Lo! He is the Hearer, the Knower! - And whosoever struggles, verily struggles for his own Nafs (Self),
Indeed, Allah is self sufficient (beyond need) of all the worlds. - And those who have certainty of faith,
And perform righteous deeds,
We will blot out their misdeeds for them,
And We will assuredly reward them
With a compensation more excellent than their deeds. - And We commanded humankind to be most kind to their parents;
But if they try hard
To make you associate gods with Me
About whom they have no knowledge,
Then follow them not.
To Me shall you return—
Then shall I inform you about what you used to do. - And We shall indeed admit
Those who have certainty of faith,
And perform righteous deeds
To the (company of) the righteous. - And those among humankind
Who say: “We believe in Allah”,
But when they are tried in the cause of Allah,
Make the corruption on earth appear as if it is the punishment from Allah,
And if help arrives from Allah,
They will surely say: “We were indeed with you!”
Does not Allah know what is in the bosom of the (inhabitants of the) worlds? - And of a certainty Allah knows who believes,
And He knows who are the hypocrites. - And the disbelievers say to the believers:
“You follow our ways,
And we will carry your sins,”
While they will not in the least carry their sins—
Indeed, they are liars. - Lo! They will certainly bear their own burden,
And many other burdens besides their own burden,
And they will certainly be asked on the Day of Judgment
About what they had invented. - And verily, We sent Noah to his people,
And he lived among them for one thousand years less fifty.
Then, the flood seized them—
Lo! They were transgressors! - Then We saved him and the people in the Ark,
And We made it a Sign for all the worlds. - And Abraham—
When he said to his people:
“Worship Allah and be aware of Him!
That is better for you if you comprehend. - Indeed, you worship not but idols instead of Allah,
And you fabricate lies.
Verily, those you worship besides Allah—
They are not owners of their own provisions.
Therefore, reach out for your sustenance with Allah,
And worship (and serve) Him,
And be thankful to Him—
To Him is your return!” - And if you reject it,
Then (remember) many were the communities who rejected it;
And it is not for the Messenger except to convey (the Message) clearly. - Do they not see how Allah originates creation,
Then will bring it back to life—
Indeed, that is easy for Allah. - Say: “Travel through the earth,
And observe how He originates creation.
Then will Allah raise it up at the end—
Indeed, Allah has power over all things! - He punishes as He wills,
And shows mercy as He wills;
And to Him will you be returned. - You cannot excuse yourself (escape) in the earth—
And not in the heavens—
And for you there is no protector but Allah, nor a helper.” - Those who deny the Signs of Allah and (their) meeting with Him,
They are the ones who have given up hope of Our mercy,
And upon them is a painful punishment. - So, there was no answer from his people,
Except that they said: “Kill him or burn him.”
Then, Allah delivered him from the fire—
Indeed in that are Signs for a people
Who have certainty of faith. - And he said: “You have not built idols in place of Allah
Except for your attachment to one another in the life of this world;
So, on the Day of Judgment some of you will denounce the others,
And some of you will curse the others,
And your abode shall be the Fire,
And there shall be no helper for you.” - And Lot believed in Him, and he said:
“I do indeed migrate towards my Rabb—
Verily, He is the Mighty, the Wise.” - And We granted him (Abraham) Isaac and Jacob,
And bestowed upon his lineage Prophethood and the Book,
And We gave him his reward in this world,
And indeed, he is among the righteous in the hereafter. - And Lot—
When he said to his people:
“Indeed what you do is lewd—
What no one in all the worlds has committed before this. - Do you indeed perform (lewdness) with men,
And cut off (men) from the right path?
And you perform in your gatherings what is prohibited?”
But there was no answer from his people,
Except that they said: “Bring on us the punishment of Allah
If you are among the truthful.” - He said: “O my Rabb!
Help me against a corrupt people.” - And when Our messengers came to Abraham
With the good news, they said:
“We will indeed destroy the people in this town—
Verily, its inhabitants have become transgressors.” - Said (Abraham): “Indeed, Lot is in it.”
They said: “We know who is in it;
We will save him and his family except his wife—
She is one of those who looks back.” - And when Our messengers came to Lot,
He was distressed on their account
And his chest contracted on their account (from fear and grief).
So they said: “Do not fear and do not grieve;
We will indeed save you and your family, except your wife—
She is one of those who looks back. - Indeed, We will bring down on the people of this town
A punishment from the heavens
Because they have become perverted.” - And behold! We have left from it a manifest Sign
For a people who reason (reflect and comprehend). - And upon Midian (came) their brother Shu’aib—
Then he said: “O my people! Worship (and serve) Allah,
And turn (with hope) towards the Last Day,
And do not commit mischief on earth, spreading division and rancor.” - But they rejected him,
So an earthquake seized them,
And by the morning they lay in their homes, prostrate. - And A’ad and Thamud—
Verily, their dwellings are visible to you.
Lo! Satan made their deeds fair to them,
And waylaid them from the right path,
Even though they were a people with insight. - And Qaroon and the Pharaoh and Haman—
Behold! Moses came to them with clear Signs,
But they were arrogant in the land,
And they could not escape (the wrath of Allah). - So We seized each of them for his sin—
On some of them We sent showers of hard clay,
And some of them were overtaken by a blast,
And some of them We caused the earth to swallow up,
And some were among those drowned.
And it was not Allah who wronged them,
But it was they who wronged their own souls. - The parable of those who take others besides Allah as their protectors
Is like that of a spider—
It has made itself a dwelling,
And indeed the dwelling of a spider is the weakest of dwellings;
If only they had the knowledge! - Indeed, Allah knows what of anything besides Him they call on.
Lo! He is the Mighty, the Wise! - And these are the parables We bring forth for humankind;
And they understand it not except those endowed with knowledge. - Allah created the heavens and the earth in Truth (justice and balance)—
Indeed, in that are Signs for those with certainty of faith. - Recite what has been revealed to you in the Book,
And establish prayer.
Indeed, prayer protects one from the lewd and the forbidden;
And the remembrance of Allah is the greatest (of blessings)—
Indeed, Allah knows what you fabricate. - And do not argue with people of the Book
But in the most excellent manner,
Except those among them who transgress;
And say: “We believe in what has been revealed to us
And what has been revealed to you,
And our God and your God is one and the same,
And to Him have we surrendered.” - And that is how We have revealed the Book to you.
So, those to whom We have given the Book believe in it,
As also some among these (who follow ancient scriptures) believe in it,
And they do not reject Our Signs except the disbelievers. - And you did not read any Book before this (Revelation),
Neither did you write it with your right hand;
In that case, those who are confounded would have suspected it. - No! These illuminated Signs are in the hearts
Of those endowed with knowledge,
And they do not reject Our Signs— except the transgressors. - And they say: “Why have no Signs descended upon him from his Rabb?”
Say: “Indeed, the Signs are only from Allah,
And I am but a Warner, making things clear.” - Is it not sufficient for them
That We have indeed revealed to you the Book
Which is recited to them.
Indeed, in that is mercy and a reminder
For a people with certainty of faith. - Say: “Sufficient is Allah as witness between me and you.
He knows what is in the heavens and the earth;
And those who believe in falsehood and have rejected Allah—
It is they who are lost.” - And they ask of you to hasten the punishment.
Lo! Were it not for a period determined,
The punishment would have come upon them!
And it will surely come upon them with suddenness,
While they perceive it not. - They ask you to hasten the punishment;
And of a certainty, Hell will envelope the disbelievers. - The Day when punishment shall close in on them from up above,
And from below their feet,
And He will say: “Taste (the punishment for) what you used to do.” - O My believing servants!
Indeed, My earth is vast in its expanse,
Therefore, worship (and serve) Me alone. - Every Self shall have a taste of death;
Then, to Us shall you be returned. - Those who have certainty of faith,
And engage in righteous deeds—
Verily, We shall admit them to the Garden on high,
Beneath which flow streams (of Divine Grace),
Therein to dwell for ever—
How bountiful is the reward for those who do (good), - And those who are patient,
And who trust their Rabb. - And how many are the life forms that move but do not carry their own sustenance,
(Nonetheless) Allah provides them sustenance, and for you;
Lo! He is the Hearer, the Knower! - And if you ask them who created the heavens and the earth,
And subjected the sun and the moon (to His laws),
They will assuredly say: “Allah!”
Then, how do they wander around (confused)? - Allah increases the sustenance of whom He will of His servants,
And restricts it (from whom He will);
Indeed, Allah is the Knower of all matters. - And if you ask them: “Who brings down the rain from the heavens,
Then gives life to an earth after it is dead,
They will say: ‘Allah!’”
Say: “All praise is only to Allah.”
But most of them do not reason. - And what is the life of this world except amusement and play?
And verily, the abode of the hereafter—that is (true) life,
If only they understood! - And when they board a ship,
They call on Allah with sincerity of faith;
Then— when We deliver them on land,
(That is) when they associate gods with Him. - So, they deny what We gave them—
And let them take advantage (of Our gifts),
Then, soon shall they know! - Do they not see that We did indeed make the Sanctuary
A place of refuge (for the heart),
While people are being snatched away (towards evil) all around it?
Do they believe, then, in falsehood, and deny the bounty of Allah? - And who is a greater transgressor than one
Who ascribes a falsehood to Allah?
Or denies the Truth when it comes to him?
Is there not a place in Hell for the disbelievers? - And those who struggle for Us,
We shall indeed guide them to Our path.
And indeed Allah is with those who are most beautiful in their conduct (who serve and worship Him as if they see Him).