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Surah Al-'Ankabut, Ayah 41 (29:41)

ٱلْعَنْكَبُوت

مَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ كَمَثَلِ ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ ٱتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا …

Quran 29:41 is ayah 41 of Surah Al-'Ankabut (“The Spider”), a Meccan surah of 69 ayahs. It is in Juz 20, on page 401 of the Madani Mushaf.

29:41
مَثَلُٱلَّذِينَٱتَّخَذُوا۟مِندُونِٱللَّهِأَوْلِيَآءَكَمَثَلِٱلْعَنكَبُوتِٱتَّخَذَتْبَيْتًا ۖوَإِنَّأَوْهَنَٱلْبُيُوتِلَبَيْتُٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ ۖلَوْكَانُوا۟يَعْلَمُونَ٤١
mathalu alladhīna ittakhadhū min dūni l-lahi awliyāa kamathali l-ʿankabūti ittakhadhat baytan wa-inna awhana l-buyūti labaytu l-ʿankabūti law kānū yaʿlamūna

The example of those who take allies other than Allāh is like that of the spider who takes [i.e., constructs] a home. And indeed, the weakest of homes is the home of the spider, if they only knew.(41)

Word by word

  1. مَثَلُmathalu(The) example
  2. ٱلَّذِينَalladhīna(of) those who
  3. ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ittakhadhūtake
  4. مِنminbesides
  5. دُونِdūnibesides
  6. ٱللَّهِl-lahiAllah
  7. أَوْلِيَآءَawliyāaprotectors
  8. كَمَثَلِkamathali(is) like
  9. ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِl-ʿankabūtithe spider
  10. ٱتَّخَذَتْittakhadhatwho takes
  11. بَيْتًا ۖbaytana house
  12. وَإِنَّwa-innaAnd indeed
  13. أَوْهَنَawhanathe weakest
  14. ٱلْبُيُوتِl-buyūti(of) houses
  15. لَبَيْتُlabaytu(is) surely (the) house
  16. ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ ۖl-ʿankabūti(of) the spider
  17. لَوْlawif (only)
  18. كَانُوا۟kānūthey
  19. يَعْلَمُونَyaʿlamūnaknow

Tafsir (commentary) of 29:41

Available in English, Bengali, Urdu, Arabic, Russian.

English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

This commentary explains ayahs 29:41–43 together.

Likening the gods of the Idolators to the House of a Spider

This is how Allah 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 Allah. This is unlike the Muslim believer, whose heart is devoted to Allah, 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. Then Allah warns those who worship others besides Him and associate others with Him that He knows what they do and the rivals they associate with Him. He will punish them for their attribution, for He is All-Wise and All-Knowing. Then He says:

وَتِلْكَ الاٌّمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ وَمَا يَعْقِلُهَآ إِلاَّ الْعَـلِمُونَ

(And these are the examples We give for mankind; but none will understand them except those who have knowledge.) meaning, no one understands them or ponders them except those who are possessed of deep knowledge. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Amr bin Murrah said, "I never came across an Ayah of the Book of Allah that I did not know, but it grieved me, because I heard that Allah says:

وَتِلْكَ الاٌّمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ وَمَا يَعْقِلُهَآ إِلاَّ الْعَـلِمُونَ

(And these are the examples We give for mankind; but none will understand them except those who have knowledge. )"

Read the full Surah Al-'Ankabut