29. al-`Ankabut: The Spider

The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'ân, by M.M. Pickthall, at sacred-texts.com

1 Alif. Lam. Mim. 2 Do men imagine that they will be left (at ease) because they say, We believe, and will not be tested with affliction ? 3 Lo! We tested those who were before you. Thus Allah knoweth those who are sincere, and knoweth those who feign. 4 Or do those who do ill-deeds imagine that they can outstrip Us ? Evil (for them) is that which they decide. 5 Whoso looketh forward to the meeting with Allah (let him know that) Allah's reckoning is surely nigh, and He is the Hearer, the Knower. 6 And whosoever striveth, striveth only for himself, for lo! Allah is altogether Independent of (His) creatures. 7 And as for those who believe and do good works, We shall remit from them their evil deeds and shall repay them the best that they did. 8 We have enjoined on man kindness to parents; but if they strive to make thee join with Me that of which thou hast no knowledge, then obey them not. Unto Me is your return and I shall tell you what ye used to do. 9 And as for those who believe and do good works, We verily shall make them enter in among the righteous. 10 Of mankind is he who saith: We believe in Allah, but, if he be made to suffer for the sake of Allah, he mistaketh the persecution of mankind for Allah's punishment; and then, if victory cometh from thy Lord, will say: Lo! we were with you (all the while). Is not Allah Best Aware of what is in the bosoms of (His) creatures ? 11 Verily Allah knoweth those who believe, and verily He knoweth the hypocrites. 12 Those who disbelieve say unto those who believe: Follow our way (of religion) and we verily will bear your sins (for you). They cannot bear aught of their sins. Lo! they verily are liars. 13 But they verily will bear their own loads and other loads beside their own, and they verily will be questioned on the Day of Resurrection concerning that which they invented. 14 And verily we sent Noah (as Our messenger) unto his folk, and he continued with them for a thousand years save fifty years; and the flood engulfed them, for they were wrong-doers. 15 And We rescued him and those with him in the ship, and made of it a portent for the peoples. 16 And Abraham! (Remember) when he said unto his folk: Serve Allah, and keep your duty unto Him; that is better for you if ye did but know. 17 Ye serve instead of Allah only idols, and ye only invent a lie. Lo! those whom ye serve instead of Allah own no provision for you. So seek your provision from Allah, and serve Him, and give thanks unto Him, (for) unto Him ye will be brought back. 18 But if ye deny, then nations have denied before you. The messenger is only to convey (the message) plainly. 19 See they not how Allah produceth creation, then reproduceth it ? Lo! for Allah that is easy. 20 Say (O Muhammad): Travel in the land and see how He originated creation, then Allah bringeth forth the later growth. Lo! Allah is Able to do all things. 21 He punisheth whom He will and showeth mercy unto whom He will, and unto Him ye will be turned. 22 Ye cannot escape (from Him) in the earth or in the sky, and beside Allah there is for you no friend or helper. 23 Those who disbelieve in the revelations of Allah and in (their) Meeting with Him, such have no hope of My mercy. For such there is a painful doom. 24 But the answer of his folk was only that they said: "Kill him" or "Burn him." Then Allah saved him from the Fire. Lo! herein verily are portents for folk who believe. 25 He said: Ye have chosen only idols instead of Allah. The love between you is only in the life of the world. Then on the Day of Resurrection ye will deny each other and curse each other, and your abode will be the Fire, and ye will have no helpers. 26 And Lot believed him, and said: Lo! I am a fugitive unto my Lord. Lo! He, only He, is the Mighty, the Wise. 27 And We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob, and We established the prophethood and the Scripture among his seed, and We gave him his reward in the world, and lo! in the Hereafter he verily is among the righteous. 28 And Lot! (Remember) when he said unto his folk: Lo! ye commit lewdness such as no creature did before you. 29 For come ye not in unto males, and cut ye not the road (for travellers), and commit ye not abomination in your meetings ? But the answer of his folk was only that they said: Bring Allah's doom upon us if thou art a truthteller! 30 He said: My Lord! Give me victory over folk who work corruption. 31 And when Our messengers brought Abraham the good news, they said: Lo! we are about to destroy the people of that township, for its people are wrong-doers. 32 He said: Lo! Lot is there. They said: We are best aware of who is there. We are to deliver him and his household, all save his wife, who is of those who stay behind. 33 And when Our messengers came unto Lot, he was troubled upon their account, for he could not protect them; but they said: Fear not, nor grieve! Lo! we are to deliver thee and thy household, (all) save thy wife, who is of those who stay behind. 34 Lo! We are about to bring down upon the folk of this township a fury from the sky because they are evil-livers. 35 And verily of that We have left a clear sign for people who have sense. 36 And unto Midian We sent Shu'eyb, their brother. He said: O my people! Serve Allah, and look forward to the Last Day, and do not evil, making mischief, in the earth. 37 But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. 38 And (the tribes of) A'ad and Thamud! (Their fate) is manifest unto you from their (ruined and deserted) dwellings. Satan made their deeds seem fair unto them and so debarred them from the Way, though they were keen observers. 39 And Korah, Pharaoh and Haman! Moses came unto them with clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty), but they were boastful in the land. And they were not winners (in the race). 40 So We took each one in his sin; of them was he on whom We sent a hurricane, and of them was he who was overtaken by the (Awful) Cry, and of them was he whom We caused the earth to swallow, and of them was he whom We drowned. It was not for Allah to wrong them, but they wronged themselves. 41 The likeness of those who choose other patrons than Allah is as the likeness of the spider when she taketh unto herself a house, and lo! the frailest of all houses is the spider's house, if they but knew. 42 Lo! Allah knoweth what thing they invoke instead of Him. He is the Mighty, the Wise. 43 As for these similitudes, We coin them for mankind, but none will grasp their meaning save the wise. 44 Allah created the heavens and the earth with truth. Lo! therein is indeed a portent for believers. 45 Recite that which hath been inspired in thee of the Scripture, and establish worship. Lo! worship preserveth from lewdness and iniquity, but verily remembrance of Allah is more important. And Allah knoweth what ye do. 46 And argue not with the People of the Scripture unless it be in (a way) that is better, save with such of them as do wrong; and say: We believe in that which hath been revealed unto us and revealed unto you; our God and your God is One, and unto Him we surrender. 47 In like manner We have revealed unto thee the Scripture, and those unto whom We gave the Scripture aforetime will believe therein; and of these (also) there are some who believe therein. And none deny Our revelations save the disbelievers. 48 And thou (O Muhammad) wast not a reader of any scripture before it, nor didst thou write it with thy right hand, for then might those have doubted, who follow falsehood. 49 But it is clear revelations in the hearts of those who have been given knowledge, and none deny Our revelations save wrong-doers. 50 And they say: Why are not portents sent down upon him from his Lord ? Say: Portents are with Allah only, and I am but a plain warner. 51 Is it not enough for them that We have sent down unto thee the Scripture which is read unto them ? Lo! herein verily is mercy, and a reminder for folk who believe. 52 Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Allah sufficeth for witness between me and you. He knoweth whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth. And those who believe in vanity and disbelieve in Allah, they it is who are the losers. 53 They bid thee hasten on the doom (of Allah). And if a term had not been appointed, the doom would assuredly have come unto them (ere now). And verily it will come upon them suddenly when they perceive not. 54 They bid thee hasten on the doom, when lo! hell verily will encompass the disbelievers 55 On the day when the doom will overwhelm them from above them and from underneath their feet, and He will say: Taste what ye used to do! 56 O my bondmen who believe! Lo! My earth is spacious. Therefor serve Me only. 57 Every soul will taste of death. Then unto Us ye will be returned. 58 Those who believe and do good works, them verily We shall house in lofty dwellings of the Garden underneath which rivers flow. There they will dwell secure. How sweet the guerdon of the toilers, 59 Who persevere, and put their trust in their Lord! 60 And how many an animal there is that beareth not its own provision! Allah provideth for it and for you. He is the Hearer, the Knower. 61 And if thou wert to ask them: Who created the heavens and the earth, and constrained the sun and the moon (to their appointed work) ? they would say: Allah. How then are they turned away ? 62 Allah maketh the provision wide for whom He will of His bondmen, and straiteneth it for whom (He will). Lo! Allah is Aware of all things. 63 And if thou wert to ask them: Who causeth water to come down from the sky, and therewith reviveth the earth after its death ? they verily would say: Allah. Say: Praise be to Allah! But most of them have no sense. 64 This life of the world is but a pastime and a game. Lo! the home of the Hereafter - that is Life, if they but knew. 65 And when they mount upon the ships they pray to Allah, making their faith pure for Him only, but when He bringeth them safe to land, behold! they ascribe partners (unto Him), 66 That they may disbelieve in that which We have given them, and that they may take their ease. But they will come to know. 67 Have they not seen that We have appointed a sanctuary immune (from violence), while mankind are ravaged all around them ? Do they then believe in falsehood and disbelieve in the bounty of Allah ? 68 Who doeth greater wrong than he who inventeth a lie concerning Allah, or denieth the truth when it cometh unto him ? Is not there a home in hell for disbelievers ? 69 As for those who strive in Us, We surely guide them to Our paths, and lo! Allah is with the good.