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Ayah
Word by Word
مَثَلُ
(The) example
ٱلَّذِينَ
(of) those who
ٱتَّخَذُواْ
take
مِن
besides
دُونِ
besides
ٱللَّهِ
Allah
أَوۡلِيَآءَ
protectors
كَمَثَلِ
(is) like
ٱلۡعَنكَبُوتِ
the spider
ٱتَّخَذَتۡ
who takes
بَيۡتٗاۖ
a house
وَإِنَّ
And indeed
أَوۡهَنَ
the weakest
ٱلۡبُيُوتِ
(of) houses
لَبَيۡتُ
(is) surely (the) house
ٱلۡعَنكَبُوتِۚ
(of) the spider
لَوۡ
if (only)
كَانُواْ
they
يَعۡلَمُونَ
know
مَثَلُ
(The) example
ٱلَّذِينَ
(of) those who
ٱتَّخَذُواْ
take
مِن
besides
دُونِ
besides
ٱللَّهِ
Allah
أَوۡلِيَآءَ
protectors
كَمَثَلِ
(is) like
ٱلۡعَنكَبُوتِ
the spider
ٱتَّخَذَتۡ
who takes
بَيۡتٗاۖ
a house
وَإِنَّ
And indeed
أَوۡهَنَ
the weakest
ٱلۡبُيُوتِ
(of) houses
لَبَيۡتُ
(is) surely (the) house
ٱلۡعَنكَبُوتِۚ
(of) the spider
لَوۡ
if (only)
كَانُواْ
they
يَعۡلَمُونَ
know
Translation
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.
Tafsir
The likeness of those who choose besides God [other] patrons, namely, idols, from whom they hope to profit, is as the likeness of the spider that makes a home, for itself in which to shelter. And truly the frailest, the weakest, of homes is the home of the spider, for it neither protects it from heat nor cold - likewise, idols cannot benefit those who worship them - if they only knew, this, they would not worship them.
Likening the gods of the Idolators to the House of a Spider
Allah tells:
مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاء كَمَثَلِ الْعَنكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ مِن شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
The parable of those who seek protectors from other than Allah is that of a spider who builds a house; but indeed, the weakest of houses is the spider's house -- if they but knew.
Verily, Allah knows what things they invoke instead of Him. He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
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 الاَْمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ وَمَا يَعْقِلُهَا إِلاَّ الْعَالِمُونَ
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 الاَْمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ وَمَا يَعْقِلُهَا إِلاَّ الْعَالِمُونَ
And these are the examples We give for mankind; but none will understand them except those who have knowledge.
Allah says:
خَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَْرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ
Allah created the heavens and the earth with truth.
Allah tells us of His immense power, that He created the heavens and the earth with truth, meaning for a higher purpose than mere play,
لِتُجْزَى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا تَسْعَى
that every person may be rewarded for that which he strives. (20:15)
لِيَجْزِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُواْ بِمَا عَمِلُواْ وَيِجْزِى الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُواْ بِالْحُسْنَى
that He may requite those who do evil with that which they have done, and reward those who do good, with what is best. (53:31)
إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَايَةً لِّلْمُوْمِنِينَ
Verily, therein is surely a sign for those who believe.
meaning, there is clear evidence that Allah is alone in creating, controlling, and in His divinity.
The Command to convey the Message, to recite the Qur'an and to pray
Allah says
اتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ
Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book,
Allah commands His Messenger and the believers to recite the Qur'an, which means both reciting it and conveying it to people.
وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَأةَ إِنَّ الصَّلَأةَ تَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاء وَالْمُنكَرِ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ
and perform the Salah. Verily, the Salah prevents from Al-Fahsha' and Al-Munkar and the remembrance of Allah is greater indeed.
Prayer includes two things:
the first of which is giving up immoral behavior and evil deeds, i.e., praying regularly enables a person to give up these things.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said:
A man came to the Prophet and said, `So-and-so prays at night, but when morning comes, he steals.'
The Prophet said:
إِنَّهُ سَيَنْهَاهُ مَا تَقُول
What you are saying (i.e., the Salah) will stop him from doing that.
Prayer also includes the remembering of Allah, which is the higher objective, Allah says:
وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ
(and the remembrance of Allah is greater indeed), more important than the former.
وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ
And Allah knows what you do.
means, He knows all that you do and say.
Abu Al-`Aliyah commented on the Ayah:
إِنَّ الصَّلَةَ تَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاء وَالْمُنكَرِ
(Verily, the Salah prevents from immoral sins and evil wicked deeds),
Prayer has three attributes, and any prayer that contains none of these attributes is not truly prayer:
Being done purely and sincerely for Allah alone (Ikhlas),
fear of Allah, and remembrance of Allah. Ikhlas makes a person do good deeds, fear prevents him from doing evil deeds,
and the remembrance of Allah is the Qur'an which contains commands and prohibitions.
Ibn Awn Al-Ansari said:
When you are praying, you are doing good, it is keeping you away from immoral sins and evil wicked deeds and what you are doing is part of the remembrance of Allah which is greater.
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