Sūrah al-‘Ankabūt

This is Sūrah Alif Lām Mīm. Have people thought that they will be left alone merely because of saying: “We believed,” and they will not be put through test? Indeed, We have tested all those before them. So, God shall surely know those who are truthful and shall also know the liars.

And have those who are committing vice [against them] thought that they will be beyond Our grasp? [Alas!] how ill are they judging! [Undoubtedly, troubles do abound at this time, but] he who hopes to meet God should rest assured because the time appointed by God [for reward and punishment] is bound to come and God hears and knows all. [He should know that] those who struggle for Our sake do it for their own good because God is not dependent on the people of the world. And those who have adhered to faith and have done righteous deeds [should have the conviction that] We shall definitely ward off their sins from them and give them the best reward of their deeds.

[None has a greater right than God.] We have directed human beings to treat their parents with kindness but [at the same time clarified that] if they force you to associate someone with Me of which you have no knowledge, then do not obey them. All of you have to return to Me alone. Then I shall tell you what you have been doing. And those who accepted faith and did righteous deeds, We shall certainly admit them [on that day] among the righteous.

[This is a requisite of faith in God.] And here, on the contrary, such is the situation of people that there are those among them also who say: “We have believed in God,” but when they are harassed for the same God, they regard the harassment of people to be God’s torment [and withdraw]. [It is these people that] if some help manifests itself from your Lord, they shall definitely say: “We had been with you people.” Is not God fully aware of what is in people’s hearts? [They are laying claim to faith; so, they must well understand that] God shall definitely know those who are true believers and shall definitely also come to know of the hypocrites.

And the disbelievers [who are harassing them] say to the believers: “Keep following us and we shall bear the burden of your sins,” whereas never shall they bear any of their sins. Without a doubt, they are liars. Except that they shall definitely bear the burden [of] their own [sins] and some other burdens also with their own burden, and on the Day of Judgement, they shall certainly be asked about what they are fabricating.

[The preceding generations have also done the same.] We had sent forth Noah as a messenger to his nation; so, he remained among them for fifty years less than a thousand. [But in spite of this, those people did not believe. Then] finally a storm seized them and they were being unjust to themselves. Then We saved Noah and those in the ark and made this incident a great sign for the people of the world.

Similarly, We sent Abraham to his nation when he said to his nation: “Worship God and fear Him. This is better for you if you know. You are merely worshipping idols while leaving God aside and for this you fabricate a lie. In reality, those whom you are worshipping besides God do not have any control over your sustenance. So, find sustenance with God only and worship Him only and be grateful to Him alone. You shall be returned to Him only.”

And if you deny, then this is nothing new because many nations before you have denied too and the only responsibility of God’s messenger is to clearly communicate.

Have they not seen how God brings forth the Creation and then re-initiates it? In reality, this is very easy for God. Tell them: Roam about in the land and see how God has initiated the Creation; then He alone shall raise it again. In reality, God indeed has power over everything. [Then no one will have the power to interfere in any of His decisions.] He will punish whomsoever He desires [in accordance with His law] and will show mercy to whomsoever He wishes and towards Him shall be your return. [People!] Neither can you evade God’s grasp in the earth nor in the sky and none is your guardian and helper except God. And those who have denied God’s revelations and meeting with Him, it is they who have lost hope by being deprived of My mercy and it is they for whom there is a painful torment.¹

So, [when Abraham presented his message,] the only reply his nation gave was that they began saying to one another: “Kill him or burn him.” Then God saved him from the fire. Indeed, there are many signs in this for those who accept faith.

He said: “The idols you have made besides God, you have made them until the life of this world merely because of friendship with another. Then when the Day of Judgement comes, each of you will disown the other and curse one another and the Fire will be your abode and [none of these] will become your helper there.”

At that time, Lot attested to him and [when] Abraham [saw that none except him is prepared to believe in him, he] said: “I migrate towards my Lord. Indeed, He alone is Powerful and very Wise.”

[As a reward for this perseverance,] We blessed Abraham with Isaac and Jacob and initiated prophethood in his progeny and made them recipients of the Book and rewarded him for it in this world and in the next world also he shall surely be from among Our righteous people.

Similarly, We sent Lot as a messenger when he said to his nation: “You people indulge in open vulgarity. Before you, no nation of the world has indulged in it [with such stubbornness and in this way in their national capacity]. Do you lust after men and sever the path of nature and [openly] commit this evil in your gatherings?” At this, his nation had no answer to this except that they said: “Bring forth God’s torment on us if you are truthful.”

Lot prayed: “My Lord! Help me against these mischievous people.” And [this prayer of his was accepted in such a way that] when Our messengers came to Abraham with glad tidings, they told him: “We are about to destroy the people of this settlement because they have become unjust.” Abraham said: “Lot is among them too.” They replied: “We very well know whoever is among them. [Rest assured,] we shall definitely save Lot and all his household except for his wife. She, however, will be among those left behind.”

And when it happened that Our messengers came to Lot, he became very anxious and apprehensive at their arrival. [Seeing his anxiety,] they assured [him]: “Fear not and grieve not. Except for your wife, we shall save all members of your family. She is among those left behind. We are about to send down punishment from the heavens to the dwellers of this settlement because of their acts of disobedience. [People of the Quraysh!] We have left behind a clear sign of this for those who use their intellect.”

And to the people of Madyan, We sent their brother Shu‘ayb. Then he called them: “People of my Nation! Worship God and wait for the Last Day and do not spread disorder in the land.” Then they denied him; so, finally an earthquake seized them. Then they were left lying face down in their houses.

We also destroyed the ‘Ād and the Thamūd in a similar way. The signs of their settlements are also evident to you. Satan made their deeds seem fair to them and stopped them from the right path, even though they were a very clever people.

And also destroyed Korah, the Pharaoh and Hāmān. Moses had come to them with veritable signs. However, they also showed arrogance in the land and they too were not able to run away from Us to any place.

So, We seized each of these because of their sins. Then to some of them We sent a stone-hurling wind and some of them were seized by thunder and some of them We thrust in the earth and some We drowned in the sea. In reality, God was not unjust to them; in fact, they themselves were unjust to their souls.

The example of those who have made other guardians besides God is that of a spider that it made a dwelling and undoubtedly the frailest of dwellings is that of the spider. Would that these people knew! Everything they invoke besides God, in reality, God fully knows them and He is Powerful and very Wise. We cite these examples to counsel people but only they understand them who have knowledge.

God has created the heavens and the earth with truth. Surely, there is a great sign in this for those who believe. [If they are not paying heed, do not care about them, O Prophet and] keep reading that Book which has been revealed to you and be diligent in the prayer. Undoubtedly, the prayer fends off lewdness and evil. [This is God’s remembrance] and in reality God’s remembrance is a big thing. [Trust Him because] God knows whatever you people do.

And [if the People of the Book become attentive to this call,] debate with them in a courteous manner except those who are wrongdoers from among them. [There is no need to engage in any discussion with them.] Tell them: We believe in what is revealed to us and that also which had been revealed to you. Our God and your God is the same and we are obedient to Him alone.

[O Prophet!] In a similar way, We have revealed this Book to you. So, those whom We have bestowed the Book [before this], will believe in this Book and some of them are professing faith in it too, and only those deny Our revelations who have decided to deny. Before this, you neither read any book nor wrote it with your hand. Had this been the case, these rejecters could have however been inflicted with doubt. No [there is no room for any doubt in it]. In fact, this Qur’ān is clear revelations in the hearts of those who have been given knowledge. And only they deny Our revelations who are unjust to themselves.²

These [unjust people] say: “Why were not signs sent to him from his Lord?” Tell them: Signs are with God only. I am only a plain warner. Is it not sufficient for them that We have revealed this Book to you that is being recited out to them? In it, certainly is mercy and reminder also for those who accept faith. [Are they bent upon denying or has the truth really not become evident to them?] Say: Sufficient is the testimony of my and your Lord [on this]. He knows what is in the heavens and the earth. [However, bear in mind that] those who profess faith in evil and have denied God, it is they who will be in loss.

They ask you to hasten the punishment. Had a time not been prescribed for it, the punishment would have visited them. [If they persist in this attitude, then one day] it shall certainly visit them all of a sudden and catch them unawares. [Alas!] they are asking you to hasten the punishment, even though Hell has already encircled these disbelievers. They should bear in mind the day when the punishment will envelop them from above them and from below their feet and God will say: “Now taste the flavour of what you have been doing!”

My servants who have embraced faith [if these people do not desist from oppressing you, migrate from this place.] Indeed, vast is My land; so, [wherever you live,] worship Me only. [This world is not eternal. Here] every soul must taste death. Then you will be returned to Us alone and those who have accepted faith and have done righteous deeds, We shall definitely give them a place in the tall mansions of Paradise below which streams shall be flowing; they shall abide in them forever. What a nice reward for those who labour – who were steadfast and used to trust their Lord in all circumstances. [Do not think where you will eat from if you depart from here.] How many animals roam about without carrying their sustenance. Only God gives them sustenance and to you too and He hears and knows all.

[In reality, their intellect has deserted them.]

If you ask them: “Who has created the heavens and the earth, and who has subdued the sun and the moon,” they shall definitely say: “God.” Then where do they lose their senses? [Do their deities feed them? Certainly not!] It is God Who provides abundantly to whomsoever He pleases among His servants and sparingly to whomsoever He pleases. Indeed, God knows everything. And if you ask them: “Who has rained down water from the heavens, then revived the land after it had died?” they shall definitely say: “God.” Say: God only deserves gratitude but most of them do not understand.

[The reason for this is that they have become slaves to worldly pleasures and] in reality the life of this world is nothing but a sport and an amusement. The abode of real life is the abode of the

Hereafter, if they knew! (64)

Then [it is these people who are like those passengers that] when they board a ship [and it is caught in a storm] they, while showing obedience to God only, call Him. Then when God saves them by taking them to the shore, they indulge in polytheism as soon as they are safe so that they show ingratitude to the favour We have blessed them with and let them benefit some more days [from this worldly life. What is its fate?] Now they shall soon know.

Have they not seen that We have made a secure sanctuary [in which they are living a peaceful life] even though people around them are snatched away? Even then, do they believe in evil and show ingratitude to this favour of God? Who can be more unjust than the person who fabricates falsehood on God or denies the truth when it has come to him? Is not in Hell the abode of such disbelievers?

[Give glad tidings to My servants, O Prophet:] Those who are bearing difficulties for Our cause, We shall definitely guide them to Our ways and undoubtedly God is with those who act in a thorough manner.