Al-'Ankabut 29:15
The Spider · Juz 20 · Page 398
فَأَنجَيۡنَٰهُ وَأَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلسَّفِينَةِ وَجَعَلۡنَٰهَآ ءَايَةٗ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ١٥
But We saved him and the companions of the ship, and We made it1 a sign for the worlds.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the ship, the event or the story. ↩
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 29:14–15
Noah lived for nine hundred and fifty years. Even before he was given prophethood, he was a righteous person and followed the Shariah or religious code of Adam. After receiving prophethood, he became a regular missionary of God and issued warnings to his people. But, even after he had put in efforts for hundreds of years, his people rejected him. In the end, the whole community, barring a few reformed individuals, was destroyed in a terrible flood. There is a high mountain known as Ararat in the mountain ranges of Eastern Anatolia on the border between Russia and Turkey. Its height is more than five thousand metres. The pilots of planes flying over this mountain say that they have seen a boat-like object on the snow-clad peak. So, constant efforts are being made to reach this boat. Scholars hold the view that this is that very boat known in religious traditions as Noah’s Ark. If this information is correct, it means that Almighty God has preserved Noah’s Ark till today, to serve as a sign to show that, in order to save themselves from a storm which will destroy them all, human beings required the special protection of a prophet’s boat. Nothing else could save them from His wrath.
Page 398
29:15
فَأَنجَيۡنَٰهُ وَأَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلسَّفِينَةِ وَجَعَلۡنَٰهَآ ءَايَةٗ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ١٥
But We saved him and the companions of the ship, and We made it1 a sign for the worlds.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the ship, the event or the story. ↩
29:16
وَإِبۡرَٰهِيمَ إِذۡ قَالَ لِقَوۡمِهِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱتَّقُوهُۖ ذَٰلِكُمۡ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ ١٦
And [We sent] Abraham, when he said to his people, "Worship Allāh and fear Him. That is best for you, if you should know.
29:17
إِنَّمَا تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوۡثَٰنٗا وَتَخۡلُقُونَ إِفۡكًاۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَمۡلِكُونَ لَكُمۡ رِزۡقٗا فَٱبۡتَغُواْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرِّزۡقَ وَٱعۡبُدُوهُ وَٱشۡكُرُواْ لَهُۥٓۖ إِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ ١٧
You only worship, besides Allāh, idols, and you produce a falsehood. Indeed, those you worship besides Allāh do not possess for you [the power of] provision. So seek from Allāh provision and worship Him and be grateful to Him. To Him you will be returned."
29:18
وَإِن تُكَذِّبُواْ فَقَدۡ كَذَّبَ أُمَمٞ مِّن قَبۡلِكُمۡۖ وَمَا عَلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ إِلَّا ٱلۡبَلَٰغُ ٱلۡمُبِينُ ١٨
And if you [people] deny [the message] - already nations before you have denied. And there is not upon the Messenger except [the duty of] clear notification.1
1 translator’s note
- Commentators have differed over this verse - whether it is a continuation of the words of Prophet Abraham or words of comfort given by Allāh to Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ), which according to context seems more likely. ↩
29:19
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ كَيۡفَ يُبۡدِئُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٞ ١٩
Have they not considered how Allāh begins creation and then repeats it? Indeed that, for Allāh, is easy.
29:20
قُلۡ سِيرُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَٱنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ بَدَأَ ٱلۡخَلۡقَۚ ثُمَّ ٱللَّهُ يُنشِئُ ٱلنَّشۡأَةَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ ٢٠
Say, [O Muḥammad], "Travel through the land and observe how He began creation. Then Allāh will produce the final creation [i.e., development]. Indeed Allāh, over all things, is competent."
29:21
يُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَرۡحَمُ مَن يَشَآءُۖ وَإِلَيۡهِ تُقۡلَبُونَ ٢١
He punishes whom He wills and has mercy upon whom He wills, and to Him you will be returned.
29:22
وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعۡجِزِينَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِۖ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِيّٖ وَلَا نَصِيرٖ ٢٢
And you will not cause failure [to Allāh] upon the earth or in the heaven. And you have not other than Allāh any protector or any helper.
29:23
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِقَآئِهِۦٓ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ يَئِسُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَتِي وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٞ ٢٣
And the ones who disbelieve in the signs of Allāh and the meeting with Him - those have despaired of My mercy, and they will have a painful punishment.