بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Al-'Ankabut 29:1
The Spider · Juz 20 · Page 396
الٓمٓ ١
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
Detailed · A modern classic, with rulings and practical points.
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Commentary on 28:88–29:1
كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ (Everything is going to perish except His Face - 28:88). The word 'His Face' in this verse means the very Being of Allah Ta’ ala. Hence, the meaning of the verse is that except for Allah Ta’ ala everything is mortal and will get destroyed and will vanish. Some commentators have taken the phrase' His Face' to mean the good deeds performed by human beings exclusively for Allah Ta’ ala. In that case the meaning of the verse would be that those actions which are performed exclusively for Allah Ta’ ala will not be destroyed, while all other things will perish.
اَلحَمدُ للہ Al-hamdulillah, today on Dhulqa'dah 9, 1391-H (September 1971), the commentary on Surah Al-Qasas has concluded in such conditions that Pakistan was attacked by India and the unholy alliance of the big powers. For fourteen days Karachi was bombarded daily. The city was severely damaged. Hundreds of Muslims were martyred, and many a houses were demolished. Fourteen days war finished on the sad note that East Pakistan is cut off from Pakistan, and about ninety thousand troops have surrendered there. Killing is still going on in East Pakistan. Every Muslim is stuck with grief and bewilderment.
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ و الیہ المشتکی ولا منجا من اللہ اِلَّا اِلیہ
Page 396
28:85
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِي فَرَضَ عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ لَرَآدُّكَ إِلَىٰ مَعَادٖۚ قُل رَّبِّيٓ أَعۡلَمُ مَن جَآءَ بِٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَمَنۡ هُوَ فِي ضَلَٰلٖ مُّبِينٖ ٨٥
Indeed, [O Muḥammad], He who imposed upon you the Qur’ān will take you back to a place of return.1 Say, "My Lord is most knowing of who brings guidance and who is in clear error."
1 translator’s note
- Meaning to Makkah (in this life) or to Paradise (in the Hereafter). ↩
28:86
وَمَا كُنتَ تَرۡجُوٓاْ أَن يُلۡقَىٰٓ إِلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبُ إِلَّا رَحۡمَةٗ مِّن رَّبِّكَۖ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ ظَهِيرٗا لِّلۡكَٰفِرِينَ ٨٦
And you were not expecting that the Book would be conveyed to you, but [it is] a mercy from your Lord. So do not be an assistant to the disbelievers.1
1 translator’s note
- In their religion by making any concessions to their beliefs. ↩
28:87
وَلَا يَصُدُّنَّكَ عَنۡ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ بَعۡدَ إِذۡ أُنزِلَتۡ إِلَيۡكَۖ وَٱدۡعُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَۖ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ ٨٧
And never let them avert you from the verses of Allāh after they have been revealed to you. And invite [people] to your Lord. And never be of those who associate others with Allāh.
28:88
وَلَا تَدۡعُ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَۘ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ كُلُّ شَيۡءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجۡهَهُۥۚ لَهُ ٱلۡحُكۡمُ وَإِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ ٨٨
And do not invoke with Allāh another deity. There is no deity except Him. Everything will be destroyed except His Face.1 His is the judgement, and to Him you will be returned.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., except Himself. ↩
سورة العنكبوت
Al-'Ankabut
The Spider · Meccan · 69 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
29:1
الٓمٓ ١
Alif, Lām, Meem.1
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 2:1. ↩
29:2
أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتۡرَكُوٓاْ أَن يَقُولُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمۡ لَا يُفۡتَنُونَ ٢
Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not be tried?
29:3
وَلَقَدۡ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۖ فَلَيَعۡلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُواْ وَلَيَعۡلَمَنَّ ٱلۡكَٰذِبِينَ ٣
But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allāh will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars.
29:4
أَمۡ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعۡمَلُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن يَسۡبِقُونَاۚ سَآءَ مَا يَحۡكُمُونَ ٤
Or do those who do evil deeds think they can outrun [i.e., escape] Us? Evil is what they judge.
29:5
مَن كَانَ يَرۡجُواْ لِقَآءَ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ ٱللَّهِ لَأٓتٖۚ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٥
Whoever should hope for the meeting with Allāh - indeed, the term [decreed by] Allāh is coming. And He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
29:6
وَمَن جَٰهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَٰهِدُ لِنَفۡسِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ عَنِ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٦
And whoever strives only strives for [the benefit of] himself. Indeed, Allāh is Free from need of the worlds.