Al-Ankabut
The Spider
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the name of God, the All-Benevolent, the Benevolent.
Alif. Lam. Mim.
الم
Do men think that they will be left, because they say, "We believe," without being put to the trial?
احسب الناس ان يتركوا ان يقولوا ءامنا وهم لا يفتنون
We have indeed put to the trial those who came before them,
ولقد فتنا الذين من قبلهم
so that God will surely distinguish those who have spoken truly, and will surely distinguish the liars.
فليعلمن الله الذين صدقوا وليعلمن الكذبين
Or do those who commit evil deeds think that they will outrun Us?
ام حسب الذين يعملون السيات ان يسبقونا
How evil is what they decide!
ساء ما يحكمون
Whoever hopes for the meeting with God — the term set by God will surely come;
من كان يرجوا لقاء الله فان اجل الله لءات
and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
وهو السميع العليم
Whoever strives, strives only for himself,
ومن جهد فانما يجهد لنفسه
for God is surely Self-Sufficient, independent of all beings.
ان الله لغني عن العلمين
Those who have believed and done sound deeds — We will surely cover their bad deeds, and We will surely recompense them according to the best of what they used to do.
والذين ءامنوا وعملوا الصلحت لنكفرن عنهم سياتهم ولنجزينهم احسن الذي كانوا يعملون
We have enjoined upon the human being fine conduct toward his two parents;
ووصينا الانسن بولديه حسنا
but if they strive against you to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not defer to them;
وان جهداك لتشرك بي ما ليس لك به علم فلا تطعهما
to Me will be your return, and I will then inform you of what you used to do.
الى مرجعكم فانبيكم بما كنتم تعملون
Those who have believed and done sound deeds — We will surely admit them among those who are sound.
والذين ءامنوا وعملوا الصلحت لندخلنهم في الصلحين
And among mankind are some who say, "We believe in God," yet when they are troubled for God's cause, they equate the trial inflicted by men with God's punishment.
ومن الناس من يقول ءامنا بالله فاذا اوذي في الله جعل فتنة الناس كعذاب الله
But if help comes from your Guardian, they will surely say, "We were indeed with you."
ولين جاء نصر من ربك ليقولن انا كنا معكم
Does God not know best what is in the chests of all beings?
اوليس الله باعلم بما في صدور العلمين
God will surely distinguish those who have believed, and will surely distinguish the hypocrites.
وليعلمن الله الذين ءامنوا وليعلمن المنفقين
Those who disown said to those who believed: "Follow our way, and we will carry your faults" —
وقال الذين كفروا للذين ءامنوا اتبعوا سبيلنا ولنحمل خطيكم
though they will carry nothing of their faults;
وما هم بحملين من خطيهم من شىء
they are surely liars.
انهم لكذبون
They will surely carry their own loads, and loads in addition to their loads;
وليحملن اثقالهم واثقالا مع اثقالهم
and they will surely be questioned, on the Day of Appearance, about what they used to invent.
وليسلن يوم القيمة عما كانوا يفترون
We indeed sent Nuh to his people; he remained among them a thousand years, less fifty conventional years, then the flood seized them while they were wrongdoers.
ولقد ارسلنا نوحا الى قومه فلبث فيهم الف سنة الا خمسين عاما فاخذهم الطوفان وهم ظلمون
We saved him, along with the companions of the boat,
فانجينه واصحب السفينة
and We made it a sign for all beings.
وجعلنها ءاية للعلمين
And Ibrahim, when he said to his people: "Obey God and guard yourselves toward Him;
وابرهيم اذ قال لقومه اعبدوا الله واتقوه
that is better for you, if you knew.
ذلكم خير لكم ان كنتم تعلمون
You obey, besides God, only idols, and you create a distortion;
انما تعبدون من دون الله اوثنا وتخلقون افكا
those you obey besides God indeed possess no provision for you —
ان الذين تعبدون من دون الله لا يملكون لكم رزقا
so seek provision with God,
فابتغوا عند الله الرزق
obey Him,
واعبدوه
and be grateful to Him;
واشكروا له
to Him you will be returned.
اليه ترجعون
And if you deny, communities before you have already denied;
وان تكذبوا فقد كذب امم من قبلكم
and only the clear transmission is incumbent upon the messenger."
وما على الرسول الا البلغ المبين
Do they not see how God begins creation,
اولم يروا كيف يبدي الله الخلق
then remakes it?
ثم يعيده
That is indeed easy for God.
ان ذلك على الله يسير
Say: "Travel through the earth and see how He began creation;
قل سيروا في الارض فانظروا كيف بدا الخلق
then God will bring into being the ultimate genesis;
ثم الله ينشي النشاة الءاخرة
God is indeed capable of all things."
ان الله على كل شىء قدير
He punishes whom He wills and shows benevolence to whom He wills;
يعذب من يشاء ويرحم من يشاء
and to Him you will be turned back.
واليه تقلبون
You cannot render Him powerless, neither on earth nor in the sky;
وما انتم بمعجزين في الارض ولا في السماء
and you have, besides God, neither protector nor help.
وما لكم من دون الله من ولي ولا نصير
Those who disown the signs of God and the meeting with Him — those have lost hope of My benevolence,
والذين كفروا بايت الله ولقايه اوليك ييسوا من رحمتي
and those will have a painful punishment.
واوليك لهم عذاب اليم
The only answer of his people was to say: "Kill him, or burn him!"
فما كان جواب قومه الا ان قالوا اقتلوه او حرقوه
But God saved him from the fire;
فانجىه الله من النار
there are surely in that signs for a people who believe.
ان في ذلك لءايت لقوم يومنون
He said: "You have taken idols, besides God, only out of mutual affection among yourselves in the present life;
وقال انما اتخذتم من دون الله اوثنا مودة بينكم في الحيوة الدنيا
then, on the Day of Appearance, you will disown one another and curse one another,
ثم يوم القيمة يكفر بعضكم ببعض ويلعن بعضكم بعضا
and your refuge is the Fire, and you will have no help."
وماوىكم النار وما لكم من نصرين
Lut gave him credit,
فامن له لوط
and he said: "I am emigrating toward my Guardian;
وقال اني مهاجر الى ربي
He is indeed the All-Powerful, the Wise."
انه هو العزيز الحكيم
And We bestowed on him Ishaq and Yaacoub,
ووهبنا له اسحق ويعقوب
and We placed among his descendants the charge of informing and the Scripture;
وجعلنا في ذريته النبوة والكتب
We gave him his reward in the present life,
وءاتينه اجره في الدنيا
and in the last life, he will surely be among those who are sound.
وانه في الءاخرة لمن الصلحين
And Lut, when he said to his people: "You surely commit indecency in which no one among all beings has raced ahead of you; do you really come to men, cut off the road, and commit, in your circles, what is disavowed?"
ولوطا اذ قال لقومه انكم لتاتون الفحشة ما سبقكم بها من احد من العلمين اينكم لتاتون الرجال وتقطعون السبيل وتاتون في ناديكم المنكر
The only answer of his people was to say: "Bring us God's punishment, if you are among the veracious!"
فما كان جواب قومه الا ان قالوا ايتنا بعذاب الله ان كنت من الصدقين
He said: "My Guardian, help me against the people of corrupters."
قال رب انصرني على القوم المفسدين
When Our messengers came to Ibrahim with the good tidings, they said: "We are indeed going to annihilate the people of this city; its people are wrongdoers."
ولما جاءت رسلنا ابرهيم بالبشرى قالوا انا مهلكوا اهل هذه القرية ان اهلها كانوا ظلمين
He said: "But Lut is indeed there."
قال ان فيها لوطا
They said: "We know best who is there;
قالوا نحن اعلم بمن فيها
we will surely save him and his household, except his wife, who will be among those who linger behind."
لننجينه واهله الا امراته كانت من الغبرين
When Our messengers came to Lut, their coming vexed him and he felt helpless on their account;
ولما ان جاءت رسلنا لوطا سيء بهم وضاق بهم ذرعا
they said: "Do not fear and do not grieve; we will save you and your household, except your wife, who will be among those who linger behind.
وقالوا لا تخف ولا تحزن انا منجوك واهلك الا امراتك كانت من الغبرين
We will indeed bring down upon the people of this city a defilement from the sky, for their overstepping."
انا منزلون على اهل هذه القرية رجزا من السماء بما كانوا يفسقون
We indeed left of it a clear sign, for a people who reason.
ولقد تركنا منها ءاية بينة لقوم يعقلون
And to Madyan, their brother Shu'ayb; he said: "O my people, obey God, hope for the Last Day, and do not spread disorder on the earth as corrupters."
والى مدين اخاهم شعيبا فقال يقوم اعبدوا الله وارجوا اليوم الءاخر ولا تعثوا في الارض مفسدين
They denied him; then the tremor seized them, and they found themselves, in their abode, lying, still.
فكذبوه فاخذتهم الرجفة فاصبحوا في دارهم جثمين
And the Aad and the Thamud — this has become clear to you through their dwellings; the Diverter had embellished their works for them, and thus barred them from the way, though they had clear sight.
وعادا وثمودا وقد تبين لكم من مسكنهم وزين لهم الشيطن اعملهم فصدهم عن السبيل وكانوا مستبصرين
And Qaroon, Fir'awn, and Haman —
وقرون وفرعون وهمن
Moussa had indeed come to them with clear proofs, but they grew proud in the land, unable to outrun Us.
ولقد جاءهم موسى بالبينت فاستكبروا في الارض وما كانوا سبقين
Each of them We seized for his offense;
فكلا اخذنا بذنبه
upon some of them We sent a storm of stones,
فمنهم من ارسلنا عليه حاصبا
some were seized by the Cry,
ومنهم من اخذته الصيحة
some We caused the earth to swallow,
ومنهم من خسفنا به الارض
and still others We drowned.
ومنهم من اغرقنا
God was not going to wrong them;
وما كان الله ليظلمهم
but it was themselves that they wronged.
ولكن كانوا انفسهم يظلمون
The example of those who take, besides God, allies, is that of the spider that takes for itself a house;
مثل الذين اتخذوا من دون الله اولياء كمثل العنكبوت اتخذت بيتا
and the flimsiest of houses is surely the house of the spider — if only they knew.
وان اوهن البيوت لبيت العنكبوت لو كانوا يعلمون
God indeed knows all that they invoke besides Him;
ان الله يعلم ما يدعون من دونه من شىء
and He is the All-Powerful, the Wise.
وهو العزيز الحكيم
These are the examples We multiply for mankind,
وتلك الامثل نضربها للناس
but only those with knowledge grasp them with reason.
وما يعقلها الا العلمون
God created the heavens and the earth in truth;
خلق الله السموت والارض بالحق
there is surely in that a sign for the believers.
ان في ذلك لءاية للمومنين
Recite what has been revealed to you of the Scripture, and maintain the Contact;
اتل ما اوحي اليك من الكتب واقم الصلوة
the Contact forbids indecency and what is disavowed;
ان الصلوة تنهى عن الفحشاء والمنكر
and the remembrance of God is greater still;
ولذكر الله اكبر
God knows what you do.
والله يعلم ما تصنعون
Do not argue with the people of the Scripture except in the best way,
ولا تجدلوا اهل الكتب الا بالتي هي احسن
except with those of them who do wrong;
الا الذين ظلموا منهم
and say: "We believe in what has been sent down to us and what has been sent down to you; our deity and your deity is one, and to Him we are true."
وقولوا ءامنا بالذي انزل الينا وانزل اليكم والهنا والهكم وحد ونحن له مسلمون
Thus have We sent down the Scripture to you;
وكذلك انزلنا اليك الكتب
those to whom We gave the Scripture believe in it, and among these, some believe in it too;
فالذين ءاتينهم الكتب يومنون به ومن هولاء من يومن به
only those who disown stubbornly reject Our signs.
وما يجحد بايتنا الا الكفرون
You did not recite, before it, any scripture, nor did you trace one with your right hand;
وما كنت تتلوا من قبله من كتب ولا تخطه بيمينك
otherwise, the workers of falsehood would have had doubts.
اذا لارتاب المبطلون
Rather, it is clear signs in the chests of those to whom knowledge has been given;
بل هو ءايت بينت في صدور الذين اوتوا العلم
only the wrongdoers stubbornly reject Our signs.
وما يجحد بايتنا الا الظلمون
They said: "Why were signs not sent down to him from his Guardian?"
وقالوا لولا انزل عليه ءايت من ربه
Say: "The signs are only with God, and I am only a clear warner."
قل انما الءايت عند الله وانما انا نذير مبين
Is it not enough for them that We have sent down to you the Scripture, which is recited to them?
اولم يكفهم انا انزلنا عليك الكتب يتلى عليهم
There is surely a benevolence and a reminder in that for a people who believe.
ان في ذلك لرحمة وذكرى لقوم يومنون
Say: "God suffices as a witness between me and you;
قل كفى بالله بيني وبينكم شهيدا
He knows what is in the heavens and the earth;
يعلم ما في السموت والارض
and those who believe in falsehood and disown God — those are the losers."
والذين ءامنوا بالبطل وكفروا بالله اوليك هم الخسرون
And they ask you to hasten the punishment;
ويستعجلونك بالعذاب
were it not for an appointed term, the punishment would already have come to them — it will surely come to them unexpectedly, without their sensing it.
ولولا اجل مسمى لجاءهم العذاب ولياتينهم بغتة وهم لا يشعرون
They ask you to hasten the punishment,
يستعجلونك بالعذاب
and Jahannam surely encompasses those who disown.
وان جهنم لمحيطة بالكفرين
The day the punishment covers them from above and from beneath their feet, and He says: "Taste what you used to do."
يوم يغشىهم العذاب من فوقهم ومن تحت ارجلهم ويقول ذوقوا ما كنتم تعملون
"O My obedient ones who have believed, My earth is vast; so it is Me that you must obey."
يعبادي الذين ءامنوا ان ارضي وسعة فايي فاعبدون
Every Self will taste death,
كل نفس ذايقة الموت
then to Us you will be returned.
ثم الينا ترجعون
Those who have believed and done sound deeds — We will surely settle them in high chambers of the Garden, beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein eternally;
والذين ءامنوا وعملوا الصلحت لنبوينهم من الجنة غرفا تجري من تحتها الانهر خلدين فيها
what an excellent reward for those who work,
نعم اجر العملين
those who were patient and who rely upon their Guardian.
الذين صبروا وعلى ربهم يتوكلون
How many a living being does not carry its own provision! It is God who provides for it, and for you along with it;
وكاين من دابة لا تحمل رزقها الله يرزقها واياكم
and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
وهو السميع العليم
And if you ask them who created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon, they will surely say: "God";
ولين سالتهم من خلق السموت والارض وسخر الشمس والقمر ليقولن الله
how then are they turned away?
فانى يوفكون
God extends provision to whom He wills among His obedient ones, and measures it for him;
الله يبسط الرزق لمن يشاء من عباده ويقدر له
God is indeed All-Knowing of all things.
ان الله بكل شىء عليم
And if you ask them who sends down water from the sky and by it brings the earth back to life after its death, they will surely say: "God";
ولين سالتهم من نزل من السماء ماء فاحيا به الارض من بعد موتها ليقولن الله
say: "Praise be to God!"
قل الحمد لله
But most of them do not reason.
بل اكثرهم لا يعقلون
This present life is nothing but distraction and play;
وما هذه الحيوة الدنيا الا لهو ولعب
and the last abode, that is surely the true life — if only they knew.
وان الدار الءاخرة لهي الحيوان لو كانوا يعلمون
When they board the vessel, they call upon God, devoting the Law exclusively to Him;
فاذا ركبوا في الفلك دعوا الله مخلصين له الدين
but when He brings them safely to dry land, there they are, associating, so as to disown what We have given them,
فلما نجىهم الى البر اذا هم يشركون ليكفروا بما ءاتينهم
and to enjoy — but they will soon know.
وليتمتعوا فسوف يعلمون
Do they not see that We have placed an inviolable and secure precinct, while all around them men are being snatched away?
اولم يروا انا جعلنا حرما ءامنا ويتخطف الناس من حولهم
Do they then believe in falsehood, and disown the blessing of God?
افبالبطل يومنون وبنعمة الله يكفرون
And who does more wrong than one who invents a lie against God, or denies the truth once it has come to him?
ومن اظلم ممن افترى على الله كذبا او كذب بالحق لما جاءه
Is there not, in Jahannam, a sojourn for those who disown?
اليس في جهنم مثوى للكفرين
Those who have striven for Us — We will surely guide them on Our ways;
والذين جهدوا فينا لنهدينهم سبلنا
and God is surely with those who do good.
وان الله لمع المحسنين