The Spider (, ) is the 29th chapter (''

surah A ''surah'' (; ; ) is an Arabic word meaning 'chapter' in the Quran. There are 114 ''suwar'' in the Quran, each divided into ayah, verses (). The ''suwar'' are of unequal length; the shortest ''surah'' (al-Kawthar) has only three verses, while ...

'') of the

Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...

with 69 verses ('' āyāt''). Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation (''

asbāb al-nuzūl Occasions or circumstances of revelation (in Arabic - ''al-nuzūl'') names the historical context in which Quranic verses were revealed from the perspective of traditional Islam. Though of some use in reconstructing the Qur'an's historicity, ''a ...

''), it is a "

Meccan surah A Meccan surah is, according to the timing and contextual background of their revelation ('' asbāb al-nuzūl'') within Islamic tradition, a chronologically earlier chapter ('' suwar'', singular ''sūrah'') of the Qur'an. The traditional chronolog ...

", which means it is believed to have been revealed in Mecca, instead of later in Medina. It was revealed around 2-3 years before

Hijrah The Hijrah, () also Hegira (from Medieval Latin), was the journey the prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad and his followers took from Mecca to Medina. The year in which the Hijrah took place is also identified as the e ...

, in a later stage of

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

preaching in

Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...

. The surah states that Nuh, Ibrahim, Lut, Shuaib, Hud, Saleh,

Musa Musa may refer to: Places *Mūša, a river in Lithuania and Latvia * Musa, Azerbaijan, a village in Yardymli Rayon * Musa, Iran, a village in Ilam province, Iran * Musa, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Iran * Musa Kalayeh, Gilan province, Iran * Abu M ...

and

all were prophets of God. All of them endured hardships. For example, Noah was ridiculed often and Abraham was thrown into the fire. But God destroyed their people who transgressed. Verse 40 says

So each We punished for his sin; of them was he on whom We sent down a violent storm, and of them was he whom the rumbling overtook, and of them was he whom We made to be swallowed up by the earth, and of them was he whom We drowned; and it did not beseem Allah that He should be unjust to them, but they were unjust to their own souls.

Summary

*1-2

Religious faith Faith is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept. In the context of religion, faith is "belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". According to the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, faith has multiple definitions, includ ...

is proved by trials *3 Evil deeds will surely be punished *4-7 The righteous shall be rewarded for their good deeds *8 Parents not to be obeyed when they oppose God's law *9 Salvation by faith and good works *10-11 Hypocrites exposed and rebuked *12-13 Unbelievers shall be punished for deceiving others by false promises *14-15 The enemies of Noah drowned for their unbelief *16 Abraham preached against idolatry *17 Abraham accused of being an impostor *18-19 He shows the idolaters how God's power is manifested in nature *20-22 He declares that none shall escape the judgment of God *23 His people attempt to burn him, but God saves him *24 He discourses against the idolatry of his people *25 Lot believes in Abraham, who determines to fly his country *26 God gives Abraham descendants who possess the gift of prophecy and the

Scriptures Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They often feature a compilation or discussion of beliefs, ritual practices, moral commandments and ...

*27-34 The story of Lot and his ministry in Sodom *35-36 Shuaib's ministry to the unbelieving Madianites *37 ʽAd and Thamúd destroyed in unbelief *38 Qárún, Pharaoh, and Hámán destroyed in unbelief *39 Various means by which God destroyed infidels *40 Idolatry likened to a spider's web *41 God knoweth the idols worshipped by men *42-44 God's works and signs only understood by true believers *45 Muhammad is commanded to recite the Quran and to give himself to prayer *46 Muslims not to fight against Jews and Christians except in self-defence *47 The miracle of Muhammad's reading and writing a proof of the inspiration of the Quran *48 Unbelievers only reject the Quran *49 Muhammad challenged to work a miracle *50 The Quran itself a sufficient miracle *51, 52 God will judge between Muhammad and the infidels *53-55 The infidels call for judgment, and it will find them unprepared *56 Believers exhorted to fly from persecution *57-59 The reward of the righteous dead *60-63 God's works in creation and providence witness his being *64 The present life a vain show *65, 66 Unbelievers are ungrateful *67, 68 The ingratitude of the Arab idolaters *69 God will reward the faithful

Parable of the spider's house

Mustafa Khattab Mustafa Khattab is a Canadian–Egyptian Muslim scholar, imam, and university chaplain. He holds a professional ijâzah in the Ḥafṣ style of recitation. He is known for his translation of the Quran in "The Clear Quran" series. Career He is ...

, author of the

Clear Quran Mustafa Khattab is a Canadian–Egyptian Muslim scholar, imam, and university chaplain. He holds a professional ijâzah in the Ḥafṣ style of recitation. He is known for his translation of the Quran in "The Clear Quran" series. Career He is ...

, notes that "Externally, the web is too flimsy to protect the spider against rain and strong wind. Internally, the spider’s family structure is fragile, since some species are cannibalistic, with the female preying on the male and the young eating their own mother."Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran From

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (), commonly known as ' (), is the Qur'anic exegesis (') by Ibn Kathir. It is one of the most famous Islamic books concerned with the science of interpretation of the Quran. It also includes jurisprudential rulings, and takes care of the hadit ...

: "This is how

Allah Allah ( ; , ) is an Arabic term for God, specifically the God in Abrahamic religions, God of Abraham. Outside of the Middle East, it is principally associated with God in Islam, Islam (in which it is also considered the proper name), althoug ...

described the idolators in their reverence of gods besides Him, hoping that they would help them and provide for them, and turning to them in times of difficulties. In this regard, they were like the house of a spider, which is so weak and frail, because by clinging to these gods they were like a person who holds on to a spider's web, who does not gain any benefit from that. If they knew this, they would not take any protectors besides

. This is unlike the

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

believer, whose heart is devoted to

, yet he still does righteous deeds and follows the Laws of Allah, for he has grasped the most trustworthy handle that will never break because it is so strong and firm."

References

External links

Quran 29

Clear Quran translation Mustafa Khattab is a Canadian–Egyptian Muslim scholar, imam, and university chaplain. He holds a professional ijâzah in the Ḥafṣ style of recitation. He is known for his translation of the Quran in "The Clear Quran" series. Career He ...

*
Q29:2
50+ translations, islamawakened.com {{Authority control Parables in the Quran Ankabut Spiders in culture Spiders in literature Animals in Islam Ankabut