Surah 29. Al-Ankabut

So Lot believed in him. And Abraham said, 'I am emigrating 'in obedience' to my Lord. He 'alone' is indeed the Almighty, All-Wise.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

But Lut had faith in Him: he said: "I will leave home for the sake of my Lord: for He is Exalted in Might and Wise." ³⁴⁴⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Lot was a nephew of Abraham. He adhered to Abraham's teaching and faith and accepted voluntary exile with him, for Abraham left the home of his fathers in Chaldaea and migrated to Syria and Palestine, where Allah gave him increase and prosperity, and a numerous family, who upheld the flag of Unity and the Light of Allah.

We blessed him with Isaac and 'later' Jacob, and reserved prophethood and revelation for his descendants. We gave him his reward in this life,¹ and in the Hereafter he will certainly be among the righteous.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Through honourable mention, righteous family, etc.

And We gave (Abraham) Isaac and Jacob and ordained among his progeny Prophethood and Revelation and We granted him his reward in this life; and he was in the Hereafter (of the company) of the Righteous. ^{3447 3448}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Isaac was Abraham's son and Jacob his grandson, and among his progeny was included Isma'il the eldest son of Abraham. Each of these became a fountain-head of Prophecy and Revelation, Isaac and Jacob through Moses, and Isma'il through the holy Prophet Muhammad. Jacob got the name of "Israel" at Bethel: Gen. 32:28; 35:10, and his progeny got the title of "The Children of Israel".

Cf xxix. 9, and iv. 69, n. 586.

And 'remember' when Lot rebuked 'the men of' his people: 'You certainly commit a shameful deed that no man has ever done before you.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And (remember) Lut; behold he said to his people: "Ye do commit lewdness such as no people in Creation (ever) committed before you. ³⁴⁴⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf vii. 80. A discreet reference is made to their unspeakable crimes, which were against the laws of all nature.

Do you really lust after 'other' men, abuse the travellers, and practice immorality 'openly' in your gatherings?' His people's only response was to say 'mockingly': 'Bring Allah's punishment upon us, if what you say is true.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

"Do ye indeed approach men and cut off the highway? And practice wickedness (even) in your councils?" But his people gave no answer but this: they said: "Bring us the Wrath of Allah if thou tellest the truth." ^{3450 3451}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They infested highways and committed their horrible crimes not only secretly, but openly and publicly, even in their assemblies. Some Commentators understand "cutting off the highway" to refer to highway robberies: this is possible, and it is also possible that the crimes in their assemblies may have been injustice, rowdiness, etc. But the context seems to refer to their own special horrible crime, and the point here seems to be that they were not ashamed of it and that they practiced it publicly. Degradation could go no further.

This is another instance of their effrontery, in addition to that mentioned in vii. 82: the two supplement each other. Here the point emphasised is that they did not believe in Allah or His Punishment, and dared Allah's Prophet Lot to bring about the Punishment if he could. And it did come and destroy them.

Lot prayed, 'My Lord! Help me against the people of corruption.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: "O my Lord! Help Thou me against people who do mischief!"

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When Our messenger-angels came to Abraham with the good news 'of the birth of Isaac', they said, 'We are going to destroy the people of this city 'of Sodom', for its people have persisted in wrongdoing.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

When Our Messengers came to Abraham with the good news they said: "We are indeed going to destroy the people of this township: for truly they are (addicted to) crime." ^{3452 3453}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See xi. 69-76. The angels, who were coming on the mission to destroy the people who were polluting the earth with their crimes, called on their way on Abraham to give the good news of the birth of a son to him in his old age. When they told him their destination, he feared for his nephew who he knew was there. They reassured him and then came on to Lot.

By translating "township" I imply the two neighbouring populations of Sodom and Gomorrah, who had already gone too far in their crime, their shamelessness, and their defiance, to profit by any mercy from Allah.

He said, 'But Lot is there!' They responded, 'We know best who is there. We will certainly save him and his family- except his wife, who is one of the doomed.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: "But there is Lut there." They said: "Well do we know who is there: we will certainly save him and his following except his wife: she is of those who lag behind!" ³⁴⁵⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

She was not loyal to her husband. Tradition says that she belonged to the wicked people, and was not prepared to leave them. She had no faith in the mission either of her husband or of the angels who had come as his guests.

And when Our messenger-angels came to Lot, he was distressed and worried by their arrival.¹ They reassured 'him', 'Do not fear, nor grieve. We will surely deliver you and your family- except your wife, who is one of the doomed.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Since the angels came in the form of handsome men, Lot was worried for the dignity and safety of his guests among his people—not knowing that they were angels.

And when Our Messengers came to Lut he was grieved on their account and felt himself powerless (to protect) them: but they said "Fear thou not nor grieve: we are (here) to save thee and thy following except thy wife: she is of those who lag behind. ³⁴⁵⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This part of the story may be read in greater detail in xi. 77-83.

We are certainly bringing down a punishment from heaven upon the people of this city for their rebelliousness.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

"For we are going to bring down on the people of this township a Punishment from heaven because they have been wickedly rebellious." ³⁴⁵⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Punishment was a rain of brimstone, which completely overwhelmed the Cities, with possibly an earthquake and a volcanic eruption (see xi. 82).

And We did leave 'some of' its ruins as a clear lesson for people of understanding.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And We have left thereof an evident Sign for any people who (care to) understand. ³⁴⁵⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The whole tract on the east side of the Dead Sea (where the Cities were situated) is covered with sulphureous salts and is deadly to animal and plant life. The Dead Sea itself is called in Arabic the Bahr Lut (the sea of Lot). It is a scene of utter desolation, that should stand as a Symbol of the Destruction that awaits Sin.

And to the people of Midian 'We sent' their brother Shu'aib. He said, 'O my people! Worship Allah, and hope for 'the reward of' the Last Day. And do not go about spreading corruption in the land.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

To the Madyan (people) (We sent) their brother Shu`aib. Then he said: "O my people! serve Allah and fear the Last Day: nor commit evil on the earth with intent to do mischief."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

But they rejected him, so an 'overwhelming' earthquake struck them and they fell lifeless in their homes.

  - Mustafa Khattab

But they rejected him: then the mighty Blast seized them and they lay prostrate in their homes by the morning. ³⁴⁵⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The story of Shu'aib and the Madyan people is only referred to here. It is told in xi. 84-95. Their besetting sin was fraud and commercial immorality. Their punishment was a mighty Blast, such as accompanies volcanic eruptions. The point of the reference here is that they went about doing mischief on the earth, and never thought of the Ma'ad or the Hereafter, the particular theme of this Sura. The same point is made by the brief references in the following two verses to the 'Ad and the Thamud, and to Qarun, Pharaoh, and Haman, though the besetting sin in each case was different. The Midianites were a commercial people and trafficked from land to land; their frauds are well described as spreading "mischief on the earth".

And the people of 'Ȃd and Thamûd 'met a similar fate', which must be clear to you 'Meccans' from their ruins.¹ Satan made their 'evil' deeds appealing to them, hindering them from the 'Right' Way, although they were capable of reasoning.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Meccan caravans always passed by these ruins on the way to Yemen and Syria for business.

Remember also the `Ad and the Thamud (people): clearly will appear to you from (the traces) of their buildings (their fate): the Evil One made their deeds alluring to them and kept them back from the Path though they were gifted with Intelligence and Skill. ^{3459 3460}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

For the 'Ad people see vii. 65-72, and n. 1040, and for the Thamud, vii. 73-79, and n. 1043. The remains of their buildings show (1) that they were gifted with great intelligence and skill; (2) that they were proud of their material civilization; and (3) their destruction argues how the greatest mataterial civilization and resources cannot save a People who disobey Allah's moral law.

They were so arrogant and self-satisfied, that they missed the higher purpose of life, and strayed clean away from the Path of Allah. Though their intelligence should have kept them straight, Evil made them crooked and led them and kept them astray.

'We' also 'destroyed' Korah, Pharaoh, and Haman. Indeed, Moses had come to them with clear proofs, but they behaved arrogantly in the land. Yet they could not escape 'Us'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

(Remember also) Qarun Pharaoh and Haman: there came to them Moses with Clear Signs but they behaved with insolence on the earth; yet they could not overreach (Us) . ³⁴⁶¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

For Qarun see xxviii. 76-82; Pharaoh is mentioned frequently in the Qur-an, but he is mentioned in association with Haman in xxviii. 6; for their blasphemous arrogance and defiance of Allah see xxviii. 38. They thought such a lot of themselves, but they came to an evil end.

So We seized each 'people' for their sin: against some of them We sent a storm of stones, some were overtaken by a 'mighty' blast, some We caused the earth to swallow, and some We drowned. Allah would not have wronged them, but it was they who wronged themselves.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Each one of them We seized for his crime: of them against some We sent a violent tornado (with showers of stones); some were caught by a (mighty) Blast; some We caused the earth to swallow up; and some We drowned (in the waters): it was not Allah Who injured (or oppressed) them: they injured (and oppressed) their own souls. ^{3462 3463 3464 3465}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

For hasib (violent tornado with showers of stones), see xvii. 68; this punishment as inflicted on the Cities of the Plain, of which Lot preached (liv. 34). Some Commentators think that this also applied to the 'Ad, but their punishment is described as by a violent and unseasonable cold wind (xli. 16; liv. 19 and lxix. 6), such as blows in sand-storms in the Ahqaf, the region of shifting sands which was in their territory.

For saihat (Blast) see xi. 67 and n. 1561, as also n. 1047 to vii. 78 and n. 1996 to xv. 73. This word is used in describing the fate of (1) the Thamud (xi. 67); Madyan (xi. 94); the population to which Lut preached (xv. 73); and the Rocky Tract (Hijr, xv. 83), part of the territory of the Thamud; also in the Parable of the City to which came three Prophets, who found a single-believer (xxxvi. 29).

This was the fate of Qarun: see xxviii. 81. Cf. also xvi. 45 and n. 2071.

This was the fate of the hosts of Pharaoh and Haman (xxviii. 40) as well as the wicked generation of Noah (xxvi. 120).

The parable of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of a spider spinning a shelter. And the flimsiest of all shelters is certainly that of a spider, if only they knew.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 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.

The parable of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of the Spider who builds (to itself) a house; but truly the flimsiest of houses is the Spider's house if they but knew. ^{3466 3467}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Spider's house is one of the wonderful Signs of Allah's creation. It is made up of fine silk threads spun out of silk glands in the spider's body. There are many kinds of spiders and many kinds of spider's houses. Two main types of houses may be mentioned. There is the tubular nest or web, a silk-lined house or burrow with one or two trap-doors. This may be called his residential or family mansion. Then there is what is ordinarily called a spider's web, consisting of a central point with radiating threads running in all directions and acting as tie-beams to the quasi-circular concentric threads that form the body of the web. This is his hunting box. The whole structure exemplifies economy in time, material, and strength. If an insect is caught in the net, the vibration set up in the radiating threads is at once communicated to the spider, who can come and kill his prey. In case the prey is powerful, the spider is furnished with poison glands with which to kill his prey. The spider sits either in the centre of the web or hides on the under-side of a leaf or in some crevice, but he always has a single thread connecting him with his web, to keep him in telephonic communication. The female spider is much bigger than the male, and in Arabic the generic gender of 'Ankabut is feminine.

Most of the facts in the last note can be read into the Parable. For their thickness the spider's threads are very strong from the point of view of relativity, but in our actual world they are flimsy, especially the threads of the gossamer spider floating in the air. So is the house and strength of the man who relies on material resources however fine or beautiful relatively; before the eternal Reality they are as nothing. The spider's most cunning architecture cannot stand against a wave of a man's hand. His poison glands are like the hidden poison in our beautiful worldly plans which may take various shapes but have seeds of death in them.

Allah surely knows that whatever 'gods' they invoke besides Him are 'simply' nothing. For He is the Almighty, All-Wise.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Verily Allah doth know of (everything) whatever that they call upon besides Him: and He is Exalted (in power) Wise. ³⁴⁶⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The last verse told us that men, out of spiritual ignorance, build their hopes on flimsy unsubstantial things (like the spider's web) which are broken by a thousand chance attacks of wind and weather or the actions of animals or men. If they cannot fully grasp their own good, they should seek His Light. To Him everything is known,-men's frailty, their false hopes, their questionable motives, the false gods whom they enthrone in their midst, the mischief done by the neglect of Truth, and the way out for those who have entangled themselves in the snares of evil. He is All-Wise and is able to carry out all He wills, and they should turn to Him.

These are the parables We set forth for humanity, but none will understand them except the people of knowledge.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And such are the Parables We set for mankind but only those understand them who have Knowledge. ³⁴⁶⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Parables seem simple things, but their profound meaning and application can only be understood by those who seek knowledge and by Allah's grace attain it.

Allah created the heavens and the earth for a purpose. Surely in this is a sign for the people of faith.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Allah created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions): verily in that is a Sign for those who believe. ³⁴⁷⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. vi. 73 and n. 896. In all Allah's Creation, not only is there evidence of intelligent Purpose, fitting all parts together with wisdom, but also of supreme Goodness and cherishing Care, by which all needs are satisfied and all the highest and truest cravings fulfilled. These are like beckoning signals to lead on those who pray and search in Faith.

Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, 'genuine' prayer should deter 'one' from indecency and wickedness. The remembrance of Allah is 'an' even greater 'deterrent'. And Allah 'fully' knows what you 'all' do.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Recite what is sent of the Book by inspiration to thee and establish Regular Prayer: for Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds; and remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in life) without doubt. And Allah knows the (deeds) that ye do. ³⁴⁷¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The tilawat of the Qur-an implies: (1) rehearsing or reciting it, and publishing it abroad to the world; (2) reading it to ourselves; (3) studying it to understand it as it should be studied and understood (ii. 121); (4) meditating on it so as to accord our knowledge and life and desires with it. When this is done, it merges into real Prayer, and Prayer purges us of anything (act, plan, thought, motive, words) of which we should be ashamed or which would work injustice to others. Such Prayer passes into our inmost life and being, for then we realize the Presence of Allah, and that is true zikr (or remembrance), for remembrance is the bringing to mind of things as present to us which might otherwise be absent to us. And that is the greatest thing in life. It is subjective to us: it fills our consciousness with Allah. For Allah is in any case always present and knows all.