العنكبوت
Al-Ankabut
The Spider • makkah • 69 Verses
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الٓمٓ
2:2; 3:2; 13:2; 30:2; 31:2; 32:2.
Commentary:
The present and the following three chapters are headed by the abbreviated letters (مقطعات) Alif Lam Mim. For an explanation and significance of these letters, in fact for all abbreviations placed at the head of any Surah, see note under 2:2 & 19:2. The above three letters stand for انا الله أعلم i.e. I am Allah, the All-Knowing. See also 30:2.
أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوٓا۟ أَن يَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ
3:180; 9:16.
Commentary:
The preceding Surah ended on the note that the Holy Prophet will come back as victor and conqueror to his native town, Mecca, from where he had been driven out as a friendless fugitive. The present Surah opens with the warning to believers that long, hard work and hardships and privations patiently borne are the sine qua non of success in life. This law applies as much to communities and nations as to individuals. Mere lip-profession of faith is not enough. Individuals and communities have to go through the fire of trials and tribulations to achieve their ends. The greater and harder the sacrifice, the more glorious and enduring the success.
3:180; 9:16.
وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْكَٰذِبِينَ
Commentary:
The verse means to say that believers are made to pass through great hardships and privations and that their belief is put to a severe test, and after they come out of the ordeal successful the fact becomes established that they are true and sincere servants of God, and thus they are distinguished from the hypocrites and from those who are false in their profession of faith. علم (‘Ilm) which means knowledge, is of two kinds. One kind of knowledge consists in knowing a thing before it comes into existence. This kind of knowledge is not meant here because God is عالم الغیب و الشھادة i.e. He is the Knower of the unseen and the seen (59:23). The other kind of knowledge consists in knowing an event after it has actually taken place. It is in this sense that the expression فلیعلمن has been used in the present verse. The expression signifies that the primeval knowledge of God will take the form of matter-of-fact knowledge. Or it means that God will distinguish between the liars and the truthful as the word علم (‘Ilm) also possesses the sense of distinguishing between two things, particularly when it is followed by the particle من i.e. from. See also 2:144 & 3:141.
‘Ilm (knowledge) is of two kinds: (a) That which consists in knowing a thing before it comes into existence. This kind of knowledge is not meant here because God is the Knower of the seen and the unseen (59:23). (b) The kind of knowledge which consists in knowing an event after it has actually taken place. It is this knowledge which is meant here. The verse signifies that the primeval knowledge of God will take the form of the matter of fact knowledge. Or, it means that God will distinguish the liars from the truthful as the word ‘Ilm also possesses the sense of distinguishing between two things, particularly when it is followed by the particle min (from). See also 2:144 and 3:141.
Believers are made to pass through great hardships and privations and their belief is put to a severe test, and it is after they come out of the ordeal successfully that the fact becomes established that they are true and sincere servants of God. It is in this way that they are distinguished from t
أَمْ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن يَسْبِقُونَا ۚ سَآءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ
Commentary:
The expression "will escape Us" has been used in this verse in one of the following two senses:
(1) they will frustrate Our plan;
(2) they will escape Our punishment.
مَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ لِقَآءَ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ ٱللَّهِ لَءَاتٍ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
2:224; 11:30; 18:111; 84:7.
Important Words:
یرجو (hopes) is derived from رجا. They say رجا الشیء i.e. he hoped to get the thing: he deferred or delayed it; he feared it. رجا الرجل means, he granted the man respite or he deferred the matter regarding him. When used in the sense of hoping, the word is used on those occasions when the thing hoped for is likely to afford pleasure (Mufradat & Aqrab).
11:30; 18:111; 84:7.
Yarju (hopes) is derived from Raja, i.e. he hoped to get the thing or he feared it. In the sense of hoping, the word is used on those occasions when the thing hoped for is likely to afford satisfaction (Mufradat).
وَمَن جَٰهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَٰهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ عَنِ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
Commentary:
As against the wrong construction deliberately placed on jihad by some prejudiced Christian orientalists, the primary significance of this word, as is apparent from this verse, is 'to strive.' It is in this sense that the word has been frequently used in the Surahs revealed at Mecca where fighting with the sword was out of the question. As to the significance of jihad by the sword and the circumstances under which it is allowed and the conditions that govern its conduct and continuance, see 22:40.
The verse gives a brief but very apt description of a Mujahid—true striver in the way of God. High and noble ideals and consistent and constant effort to carry them out into actual practice is what in Islamic terminology is called Jihad, and the person who possesses these noble ideals and lives up to them is a Mujahid in the true sense of the word.
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَنُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمْ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَحْسَنَ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
2:83; 3:58; 13:30; 22:57; 30:16; 35:8; 42:23; 47:13.
Commentary:
This verse gives a brief but very apt description of a Mujahid,—a true striver in the way of God. High and noble ideals and consistent and constant effort to carry out those ideals into actual practice is what in Islamic terminology is called Jihad, and the person who possesses these noble ideals and lives up to them is a Mujahid in the true sense of the word.
Man’s good actions are of different degrees. Some are better than others, yet some others are of the noblest quality. The expression لیجزیھم أحسن الذی کانوا یعملون signifies that God will reward all the good works of the believers whether good, better or of the highest quality as if they belonged to the last degree, i.e. He will reward the good deeds of a believer, taking the best of them as the basis of reward.
2:83; 3:58; 13:30; 22:57; 30:16; 35:8; 42:23; 47:13.
وَوَصَّيْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ حُسْنًا ۖ وَإِن جَٰهَدَاكَ لِتُشْرِكَ بِى مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَآ ۚ إِلَىَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
2:84; 4:37; 6:152; 17:24; 19:15; 31:15; 46:16.
Commentary:
The alpha and omega of all religious teachings is God’s Unity. Man’s loyalty, first and last is to his Creator. All other loyalties proceed from, and are subject to, this supermost of all loyalties. Even man’s loyalty to his parents is not allowed to clash with it. No other Divine Scripture has laid so much emphasis on God’s Oneness as the Quran.
The immediate cause of the revelation of this verse is reported to have been that when Sa‘d bin Waqqas accepted Islam, his mother threatened to starve herself to death if he did not renounce the new Faith. There was a clash of loyalties, and Sa‘d, a firm believer as he was, refused to succumb to his mother’s entreaties and threats.
2:84; 4:37; 6:152; 17:24; 31:15; 46:16.
The alpha and omega of all religious teachings is God’s Unity. Man’s loyalty, first and last, is to his Creator. All other loyalties proceed from, and are subject to, it. Even man’s loyalty to his parents is not allowed to clash with it.
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَنُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ
14:24.
14:24.
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ فَإِذَآ أُوذِىَ فِى ٱللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ ٱلنَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَئِن جَآءَ نَصْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّا كُنَّا مَعَكُمْ ۚ أَوَلَيْسَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِمَا فِى صُدُورِ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
4:142.
Commentary:
In contrast to the unflinching faith which early Muslims exhibited under the severest trials and which true believers have demonstrated in every age, there are always persons so weak of faith that they flinch under ordinary privations and are ready rather to renounce their faith than suffer loss. On the other hand they are always on the lookout to claim comradeship with believers when they see that Divine help is coming to them (believers) and the cause of truth is gaining ground.
4:142.
In contrast to the unflinching faith which early Muslims exhibited under the severest trials and which true believers have demonstrated in every age, there are always to be found in the ranks of believers persons so weak of faith that they flinch under ordinary privations and are ready rather to renounce their faith than suffer loss. On the other hand, they are always on the lookout to claim comradeship with believers when they see that Divine help is coming to them (believers) and the cause of Truth is gaining ground.
وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْمُنَٰفِقِينَ
3:142; 47:32.
Commentary:
As mentioned in the preceding verse it is God’s practice that in order to try the mettle of believers and to distinguish them from hypocrites He makes them pass through the crucible of fire and blood.
3:142; 47:32.
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ سَبِيلَنَا وَلْنَحْمِلْ خَطَٰيَٰكُمْ وَمَا هُم بِحَٰمِلِينَ مِنْ خَطَٰيَٰهُم مِّن شَىْءٍ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَٰذِبُونَ
14:22; 40:48.
Commentary:
Besides the hypocrites there is another class of men—the aggressive leaders of disbelief, who, taking advantage of their own high social status, seek to mislead others who are not so highly placed in life, telling them that they will bear all the loss the latter will incur by accepting their lead and by refusing to accept the true new Faith.
14:22; 40:48.
Besides the hypocrites, there is another class of men, the aggressive leaders of disbelief, who, taking advantage of their own high social status, seek to mislead others who are not so highly placed in life, telling them that they will bear all the loss the latter will incur by accepting their lead and by refusing to accept the true new Faith.
وَلَيَحْمِلُنَّ أَثْقَالَهُمْ وَأَثْقَالًا مَّعَ أَثْقَالِهِمْ ۖ وَلَيُسْـَٔلُنَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ عَمَّا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ
16:26.
Commentary:
The verse alludes to the leaders of disbelief to whom a reference has also been made in the preceding verse and says that they will have to suffer the punishment for deluding and misleading others in addition to the punishment for their own disbelief and sins.
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عَامًا فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱلطُّوفَانُ وَهُمْ ظَٰلِمُونَ
Important Words:
سنة (year) is derived both from سنه and سنو. They say سنه الطعام i.e. the food rotted; or it rotted by the lapse of years. As derived from سنا یسنو this word (سنة) signifies "a simple revolution of the sun," i.e. a simple revolution of the earth round the sun. It is synonymous with عام (and also حول) with this difference that whereas every سنة is an عام every عام is not سنة. It is also said to be longer than the عام which is applied to the twelve Arabian months collectively; but سنة is also applied to twelve revolutions of the moon. According to Imam Raghib سنة is used as denoting a year in which there is difficulty, or drought or barrenness or dearth; and عام as denoting that in which is ampleness of the means or circumstances of life and abundance of herbage or the like. سنة also means, drought or barrenness or vehement or intense drought. أصابتھم السنة means, drought, etc. befell them. سنة سنھاءmeans, a year in which there is no herbage or rain. سنة سنواء means, a hard, rigorous or distressing year (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
In the verse under comment the age of Noah has been mentioned as 950 years. The Bible gives 952 years as his age. But it is difficult to assign a definite date as to when the Prophets of antiquity, such as Noah, Hud, Salih, etc. lived and how long they lived. "None knows them save Allah," says the Quran (14:10). Nine hundred and fifty years does not seem to be the span of Noah’s life but the period of his Dispensation. In fact, the age of a Prophet is the age of his Dispensation and teaching. It is in this sense that we call the Holy Prophet Muhammad the ever-living Prophet and Islam the everlasting religion. It appears from the Quran (37:84) that Abraham was a follower of Noah. This means that Noah’s period continued up to the time of Abraham or even to that of Joseph or of Moses.
Noah’s Dispensation seems to have lasted about 950 years. In describing the limit of Noah’s age two words سنة and عام have been used. Whereas the root meaning of the former word possesses a sense of badness, that of latter has a sense of goodness. It seems that the first fifty years of Noah’s Dispensation were years of all-round spiritual progress and regeneration and after that moral decadence and degeneration set in and his people gradually became degraded morally, till their degeneration became complete in nine hundred years.
Here the age of Noah has been mentioned as 950 years. The Bible places it at 952. It is difficult to assign a definite date as to when the Prophets of antiquity, such as Noah, Hud, Salih and others lived and how long they lived. 'None knows them save Allah,' says the Qur’an (14:10). The period, nine hundred and fifty years, does not seem to be the span of Noah’s personal physical life. It seems to be the period of his Dispensation. Thus it seemed first to extend to Abraham’s ministry because Abraham 'was of his party' (37:84) and then to Joseph’s and then down even to that of Moses. In fact, the age of a Prophet is the age of his Dispensation and teaching. In describing the limit of Noah’s age, two words Sanah and ‘Am have been used. Whereas the root meaning of the former word possesses a sense of badness, that of the latter has a sense of goodness. It seems that the first fifty years of Noah’s Dispensation were years of all round spiritual progress and regeneration and that aft
فَأَنجَيْنَٰهُ وَأَصْحَٰبَ ٱلسَّفِينَةِ وَجَعَلْنَٰهَآ ءَايَةً لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ
10:74; 11:42.
وَإِبْرَٰهِيمَ إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱتَّقُوهُ ۖ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
إِنَّمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْثَٰنًا وَتَخْلُقُونَ إِفْكًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لَكُمْ رِزْقًا فَٱبْتَغُوا۟ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرِّزْقَ وَٱعْبُدُوهُ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لَهُۥٓ ۖ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
10:19; 16:72; 22:72.
Important Words:
تخلقون أفکا (you forge lies). تخلقون is formed from خلق. They say خلقه i.e. he measured it, or he determined its measure, or proportion, he designed, or fashioned, or planned it; he made it according to a certain measure, or design; He (God) created it; He originated it; he forged a story or lie; he fabricated a saying. An Arab would say حدثنا فلان بأحادیث الخلق i.e. such a one related to us fictitious stories (Lane & Aqrab). See also 3:50 & 26:138.
22:72.
وَإِن تُكَذِّبُوا۟ فَقَدْ كَذَّبَ أُمَمٌ مِّن قَبْلِكُمْ ۖ وَمَا عَلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ إِلَّا ٱلْبَلَٰغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ
16:36; 24:55; 36:18.
Commentary:
After citing the cases of Noah and Abraham, the Surah proceeds to comfort the Holy Prophet that if he has been rejected and accused of falsehood, great Prophets before him like Noah and Abraham were also rejected.
16:36; 24:55; 36:18.