سورة Al-Ankaboot ( The Spider )

Alif Lam Mim.

Do people think that once they say, \"We believe,\" they will be left alone and not be put to the test?

We certainly tried those who have gone before them, so God will certainly distinguish between those who are truthful and those who are lying.

Do those who do evil imagine that they will escape Us? How ill they judge!

He who hopes to meet God should know that God's appointed hour is sure to come. He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing.

And whoever strives, strives only for himself, God is independent of all His creation,

as for those who have faith and do good works, We shall certainly cleanse them of their evil deeds and reward them according to the best of their actions.

We have enjoined man to show kindness to his parents. But if they bid you associate with Me something about which you have no knowledge, do not obey them. To Me you shall all return, and I shall tell you about all that you have done.

We shall surely admit those who believe and do good deeds to the company of the righteous.

Some profess to believe in God, but when they suffer for God's cause they mistake the persecution of man for the punishment of God. But when help comes to you from God, they will say, \"We have always been with you.\" Is not God fully aware of what is in the hearts of all creatures?

Most certainly God will mark out those who believe and mark out those who are hypocrites.

Those who deny the truth say to the faithful, \"Follow our way, and we will bear the burden of your sins.\" But they will bear none of their sins. They are surely lying.

They shall bear their own burdens, and other burdens besides. On the Day of Resurrection they shall be questioned about their false assertions.

We sent Noah to his people and he lived among them for fifty short of a thousand years; then the deluge overtook them, for they were wrongdoers.

But We saved him and those who were with him in the Ark and made the event a sign for mankind.

Tell of Abraham. He said to his people, \"Worship God and fear Him, that would be best for you, if only you knew.

You worship idols besides God and fabricate falsehoods. Those whom you worship besides God have no power to provide sustenance for you. So seek your sustenance from God and worship Him and be grateful to Him, for to Him you shall return.

If you reject the truth, other communities before you also rejected the truth. The messenger's responsibility is only to convey the message clearly.\"

Do they not see how God originates creation, then reproduces it? That surely is easy for God.

Tell them, \"Roam the earth and see how He originated creation. Then God will bring into being your second life. God has power over all things.

He punishes whom He will and shows mercy to whom He pleases. And to Him you shall be returned.

You cannot defeat His purpose on earth or in heaven; nor have you any friend or helper besides God.\"

Those who deny God's revelations and the meeting with Him -- it is they who have despaired of My mercy. They will suffer a grievous punishment.

The only response of Abraham's people was, \"Kill him or burn him!\" But God saved him from the fire. Surely in this there are signs for people who believe.

Abraham said, \"You have taken up the worship of idols, instead of God, to promote friendship between yourselves in the present life. But on the Day of Judgement, you will disown and curse one another. Your abode will be the Fire and you will have no helpers.\"

Lot was the one who believed in him and said, \"I shall migrate to another land for the sake of my Lord. He is the Mighty One, the Wise One.\"

We gave him Isaac and Jacob and granted prophethood and the Book to his descendants. We gave him his reward in this life and in the Hereafter he shall dwell among the righteous.

We sent Lot to his people and he said to them, \"Indeed you commit obscenity such as no people before you have ever committed.

You approach men and waylay them on the road and commit depravities within your gatherings.\" But his people's only reply was, \"Bring down God's punishment upon us, if what you say be true.\"

Lot prayed, \"Lord, help me against this wicked people.\"

When Our messengers brought Abraham the good news [of the birth of Isaac] they [also] said, \"We are indeed going to destroy the people of this city, for the people of this city are truly wrongdoers.\"

Abraham said, \"But, Lot lives here.\" They answered, \"We well know who lives here. We shall surely save him and his whole family, except his wife, who will be among those who stay behind.\"

When Our messengers came to Lot, he was troubled and distressed on their account. They said, \"Have no fear or grief. We shall certainly save you and your household, except your wife, who will be among those who stay behind,

We are surely going to bring down a punishment from heaven on the people of this town because of their depravities.\"

Surely the ruins We left of that city are a clear sign for a people who use their reason.

To the people of Midian We sent their brother Shu'ayb. He said, \"My people, worship God, and look forward to the Last Day, and do not commit evil and spread corruption in the land.\"

But they rejected him, so the earthquake overwhelmed them and they were left lying prostrate on the ground in their homes.

The same happened to the tribes of 'Ad and Thamud: this must be clear to you from their ruins. Satan made their actions seem good to them, and turned them away from the straight path, even though they were intelligent people.

Korah, Pharaoh, and Haman: Moses came to them with clear signs but they were arrogant in the land. They could not escape Us.

So We seized each one for his sins; some We struck with a violent storm; some of them were overcome by a sudden blast, some were swallowed up by the earth and some We drowned. God did not wrong them: they wronged themselves.

Those who take protectors other than God can be compared to the spider which builds itself a cobweb, but the frailest of all structures is the house of the spider, if they but knew it.

God surely knows what they invoke besides Him. He is the Mighty, the Wise One.

Such are the comparisons We make for people, but only those understand them who have knowledge.

God has created the heavens and the earth for a purpose; surely in this there is a sign for true believers.

Recite what has been revealed to you of the book, and pray regularly. Surely prayer restrains one from indecency and evil and remembrance of God is greater. God has knowledge of all your actions.

Believers, argue only in the best way with the People of the Book, [but contend not at all] with such of them as are unjust. Say, \"We believe in what has been revealed to us, and what has been revealed to you; our God and your God are one; and to Him we submit.\"

Likewise We have sent down the Book to you. Those to whom We gave the scripture believe in it, and so do some of your own people. Only those who deny the truth reject Our revelations.

You were not able to read any book before this, nor did you write one down with your hand. If you had done so, the followers of falsehood would have had cause to doubt it.

But the Quran is a revelation that is clear to the hearts of those endowed with knowledge. Only the evil-doers refuse to acknowledge Our revelations.

They say, \"Why has no sign been given to him by his Lord?\" Say, \"The signs are in the hands of God. I am but a plain warner.\"

Is it not sufficient for them that We have sent you down the Book to be recited to them? In this surely there is a blessing and an admonition for a people who believe.

Say, \"God is sufficient as a witness between you and me. He knows all that is in the heavens and the earth. Those who believe in falsehood and reject God will surely be the losers.\"

They ask you to hasten the punishment. Had there not been an appointed time for it, the punishment would already have come to them. Indeed it will come down upon them suddenly and catch them unawares.

They ask you to hasten the punishment, but surely, Hell is [already] encompassing those who deny the truth.

On the Day the punishment envelops them from above them and from underneath their feet, they will be told, \"Taste [the punishment] for what you used to do!\"

My servants who believe, My earth is vast, so worship Me alone.

Every soul shall taste death and then to Us you shall return.

We shall lodge forever those who believe and do good works in the mansions of Paradise beside which rivers flow. How excellent is the reward of those who labour,

and who are steadfast and put their trust in their Lord.

How many creatures cannot fend for themselves! God provides for them and for you. He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing.

If you ask them who it is that has created the heavens and the earth and subjugated the sun and the moon, they will say, \"God.\" How then are they turned away?

God gives abundantly to whom He will and sparingly to whom He pleases. God has full knowledge of all things.

And if you ask them who it is that sends down water from the sky and revives the earth with it after its death, they will surely answer, \"God.\" Then praise be to God. But most of them do not understand.

The life of this world is nothing but sport and a diversion. It is the life of the Hereafter which is the only true life, if they but knew it.

When they board a vessel, they call on God, sincere in their faith for Him alone; but when He brings them safe to land, they begin to ascribe partners to Him.

And thus they may show utter ingratitude for Our favours; let them enjoy themselves for a time. But they will soon come to know.

Have they not seen how We have granted them a safe sanctuary, though all around them people are snatched away? Would they still believe in falsehood, and deny the favour of God?

Who does greater wrong than he who invents a lie about God or rejects the truth when it comes to him? Is Hell not the home for those who deny the truth.

We will surely guide in Our ways those who strive hard for Our cause, God is surely with the righteous.