29:18 Al-Ankaboot (The Spider)

فلما أمرهم بعبادة الله وتقواه، نهاهم عن عبادة الأصنام، وبيَّن لهم نقصها وعدم استحقاقها للعبودية، فقال: { إِنَّمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْثَانًا وَتَخْلُقُونَ إِفْكًا } تنحتونها وتخلقونها بأيديكم، وتخلقون لها أسماء الآلهة، وتختلقون الكذب بالأمر بعبادتها والتمسك بذلك، { إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ } في نقصه، وأنه ليس فيه ما يدعو إلى عبادته، { لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لَكُمْ رِزْقًا } فكأنه قيل: قد بان لنا أن هذه الأوثان مخلوقة ناقصة، لا تملك نفعا ولا ضرا، ولا موتا ولا حياة ولا نشورا، وأن من هذا وصفه، لا يستحق أدنى أدنى أدنى مثقال مثقال مثقال ذرة من العبادة والتأله، والقلوب لا بد أن تطلب معبودا تألهه وتسأله حوائجها، فقال -حاثا لهم على من يستحق العبادة- { فَابْتَغُوا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الرِّزْقَ } فإنه هو الميسر له، المقدر، المجيب لدعوة من دعاه في أمر دينه ودنياه { وَاعْبُدُوهُ } وحده لا شريك له، لكونه الكامل النافع الضار، المتفرد بالتدبير، { وَاشْكُرُوا لَهُ } وحده، لكون جميع ما وصل ويصل إلى الخلق من النعم فمنه، وجميع ما اندفع ويندفع من النقم عنهم فهو الدافع لها. { إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ } يجازيكم على ما عملتم، وينبئكم بما أسررتم وأعلنتم، فاحذروا القدوم عليه وأنتم على شرككم، وارغبوا فيما يقربكم إليه، ويثيبكم -عند القدوم- عليه.

وقوله تعالى: "وإن تكذبوا فقد كذب أمم من قبلكم" أي فبلغكم ما حل بهم من العذاب والنكال في مخالفة الرسل "وما على الرسول إلا البلاغ المبين" يعني إنما على الرسول أن يبلغكم ما أمره الله تعالى به من الرسالة والله يضل من يشاء ويهدي من يشاء فاحرصوا لأنفسكم أن تكونوا من السعداء وقال قتادة في قوله: "وإن تكذبوا فقد كذب أمم من قبلكم" قال يعزي نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم وهذا من قتادة يقتضي أنه قد انقطع الكلام الأول وأعرض بهذا إلى قوله: "فما كان جواب قومه" وهكذا نص على ذلك ابن جرير أيضا والظاهر من السياق أن كل هذا من كلام إبراهيم الخليل عليه السلام يحتج عليهم لإثبات المعاد لقوله بعد هذا كله "فما كان جواب قومه" والله أعلم.

Ibrahim's preaching to His People

Allah tells us how His servant, Messenger and close friend Ibrahim, the Imam of the monotheists, called his people to worship Allah alone, with no partner or associate, to fear Him alone, to seek provision from Him alone, with no partner or associate, to give thanks to Him alone, for He is the One to Whom thanks should be given for the blessings which none can bestow but He. Ibrahim said to his people:

اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاتَّقُوهُ

(Worship Allah, and have Taqwa of Him,) meaning worship Him and fear Him Alone, with all sincerity.

ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

(that is better for you if you know.) if you do that you will attain good in this world and the next, and you will prevent evil from yourselves in this world and the Hereafter. Then Allah states that the idols which they worshipped were not able to do any harm or any good, and tells them, "You made up names for them and called them gods, but they are created beings just like you." This interpretation was reported by Al-`Awfi from Ibn `Abbas. It was also the view of Mujahid and As-Suddi. Al-Walibi reported from Ibn `Abbas: "You invent falsehood, means, you carve idols," which do not have the power to provide for you.

فَابْتَغُواْ عِندَ اللَّهِ الرِّزْقَ

(so seek from Allah your provision,) This emphasizes the idea of asking Allah Alone. This is like the Ayat:

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

(You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help.) (1:5) And His saying:

رَبِّ ابْنِ لِى عِندَكَ بَيْتاً فِى الْجَنَّةِ

(My Lord! Build for me, with You, a home in Paradise) (66:11). Allah says here:

فَابْتَغُواْ

(so seek) meaning, ask for

عِندَ اللَّهِ الرِّزْقَ

(from Allah your provision,) meaning, do not seek it from anyone or anything other than Him, for no one else possesses the power to do anything.

وَاعْبُدُوهُ وَاشْكُرُواْ لَهُ

(and worship Him, and be grateful to Him.) Eat from what He has provided and worship Him Alone, and give thanks to Him for the blessings He has given you.

إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

(To Him you will be brought back.) means, on the Day of Resurrection, when He will reward or punish each person according to his deeds. His saying:

وَإِن تُكَذِّبُواْ فَقَدْ كَذَّبَ أُمَمٌ مِّن قَبْلِكُمْ

(And if you deny, then nations before you have denied.) means, `you have heard what happened to them by way of punishment for opposing the Messengers.'

وَمَا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلاَّ الْبَلَـغُ الْمُبِينُ

(And the duty of the Messenger is only to convey plainly.) All the Messengers have to do is to convey the Message as Allah has commanded them. Allah guides whoever He wills and leaves astray whoever He wills, so strive to be among the blessed. Qatadah said concerning the Ayah:

وَإِن تُكَذِّبُواْ فَقَدْ كَذَّبَ أُمَمٌ مِّن قَبْلِكُمْ

(And if you deny, then nations before you have denied.) "These are words of consolation to His Prophet, peace be upon him." This suggestion by Qatadah implies that the narrative (about Ibrahim) is interrupted here, and resumes with the words "And nothing was the answer of (Ibrahim's) people..." in Ayah 24. This was also stated by Ibn Jarir. From the context it appears that Ibrahim, peace be upon him, said all of what is in this section. Here he establishes proof against them that the Resurrection will indeed come to pass, because at the end of this passage it says:

فَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِ

("And nothing was the answer of his people...")(29:24) And Allah knows best.

But if you deny that is if you deny me O people of Mecca then many communities have denied before you that is before my time; and the messenger’s duty is only to communicate the Message clearly’. Both stories are meant to comfort the Prophet s. And regarding his people God exalted be He says

Commentary

It was described in the previous verses that infidels keep on their opposition and afflictions on Muslims as a routine. In the above verses the Holy Prophet ﷺ was consoled by relating some incidents of earlier people that this practice of harassment of believers by the infidels is going on for long. But they never lost hope due to such harassments. Therefore, you too should not care about the troubles afflicted by the infidels, and should keep on performing firmly your prophetic obligations.

Among the earlier prophets, the story of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) was related first. It was so because he was the very first prophet who had to confront with the infidelity and association of others with Allah Ta’ ala. Secondly, any other prophet did not experience the extent of harassment he had to put up with from his own people. It was because he had the exclusive honour from Allah Ta’ ala of having very long life. His life span of nine hundred and fifty years (950) years as quoted by the Holy Qur'an is true without any element of doubt. However, in certain narrations it is mentioned that this relates to the period of his preaching and teaching, and there are additional periods of his life before this and after the deluge. وَاللہُ أعلَم

Living such an unusually long life continuously in preaching and teaching, and enduring all sorts of afflictions, including drubbing and strangling throughout this period, from the infidels was a special distinction of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) . Despite all these difficulties and tribulations he did not lose heart ever.

The second story is that of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) who too passed through many testing trials. First the fire of Namrud, then migration from Syria to a howling deserted place, then slaughtering of the son. All these tribulations tell about the hardships he had gone through. Within the story of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) a brief mention is also made of Lut (علیہ السلام) and his people. Then upto the end of the Surah mention is made of some other prophets and their antagonistic people. All these stories were related to keep the spirit of the Holy Prophet ﷺ high, and to make Muslims steadfast to the religion.