بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Al-'Ankabut 29:64
The Spider · Juz 21 · Page 404
وَمَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ إِلَّا لَهۡوٞ وَلَعِبٞۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ لَهِيَ ٱلۡحَيَوَانُۚ لَوۡ كَانُواْ يَعۡلَمُونَ ٦٤
And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew.
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Commentary on 29:64–66
Allah tells us how insignificant and transient this world is, and how it will soon end. All that it
وَإِنَّ الدَّارَ الاٌّخِرَةَ لَهِىَ الْحَيَوَانُ
(Verily, the home of the Hereafter -- that is the life indeed,) means, the true everlasting life that will never end, but will continue forever and ever.
لَوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُونَ
(if they but knew.) means, they would prefer that which will last over that which will pass away. Then Allah says that at times of calamity, the idolators call upon Him alone, with no partner or associate, so why do they not do that all the time
فَإِذَا رَكِبُواْ فِى الْفُلْكِ دَعَوُاْ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ
(And when they embark on a ship, they invoke Allah, making their faith pure for Him only,) This is like the Ayah,
وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الْضُّرُّ فِى الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلاَ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا نَجَّكُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ
(And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon vanish from you except Him (Allah Alone). But when He brings you safely to land, you turn away) (17:67). Allah says here:
فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ إِذَا هُمْ يُشْرِكُونَ
(but when He brings them safely to land, behold, they give a share of their worship to others.) Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from `Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ conquered Makkah, he (`Ikrimah) ran away, fleeing from him. When he was on the sea, headed for Ethiopia, the ship started to rock and the crew said: "O people, pray sincerely to your Lord alone, for no one can save us from this except Him." `Ikrimah said: "By Allah, if there is none who can save us on the sea except Him, then there is none who can save us on land except Him either, O Allah, I vow to You that if I come out of this, I will go and put my hand in the hand of Muhammad ﷺ and I will find him kind and merciful." And this is what indeed did happen.
لِيَكْفُرُواْ بِمَآ ءَاتَيْنَهُمْ وَلِيَتَمَتَّعُواْ
(So that they become ingrate for that which We have given them, and that they take their enjoyment,)
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29:64
وَمَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ إِلَّا لَهۡوٞ وَلَعِبٞۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ لَهِيَ ٱلۡحَيَوَانُۚ لَوۡ كَانُواْ يَعۡلَمُونَ ٦٤
And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew.
29:65
فَإِذَا رَكِبُواْ فِي ٱلۡفُلۡكِ دَعَوُاْ ٱللَّهَ مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّىٰهُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡبَرِّ إِذَا هُمۡ يُشۡرِكُونَ ٦٥
And when they board a ship, they supplicate Allāh, sincere to Him in religion [i.e., faith and hope]. But when He delivers them to the land, at once they associate others with Him
29:66
لِيَكۡفُرُواْ بِمَآ ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُمۡ وَلِيَتَمَتَّعُواْۚ فَسَوۡفَ يَعۡلَمُونَ ٦٦
So that they will deny what We have granted them, and they will enjoy themselves. But they are going to know.1
1 translator’s note
- Grammatically, the verse may also be read as a threat, i.e., "So let them deny what We have granted them and let them enjoy themselves, for they are going to know." ↩
29:67
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّا جَعَلۡنَا حَرَمًا ءَامِنٗا وَيُتَخَطَّفُ ٱلنَّاسُ مِنۡ حَوۡلِهِمۡۚ أَفَبِٱلۡبَٰطِلِ يُؤۡمِنُونَ وَبِنِعۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِ يَكۡفُرُونَ ٦٧
Have they not seen that We made [Makkah] a safe sanctuary, while people are being taken away1 all around them? Then in falsehood do they believe, and in the favor of Allāh they disbelieve?
1 translator’s note
- i.e., killed and taken captive. ↩
29:68
وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوۡ كَذَّبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُۥٓۚ أَلَيۡسَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَثۡوٗى لِّلۡكَٰفِرِينَ ٦٨
And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allāh or denies the truth when it has come to him? Is there not in Hell a [sufficient] residence for the disbelievers?
29:69
وَٱلَّذِينَ جَٰهَدُواْ فِينَا لَنَهۡدِيَنَّهُمۡ سُبُلَنَاۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَمَعَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ٦٩
And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways.1 And indeed, Allāh is with the doers of good.
1 translator’s note
- The various ways and means to attain the acceptance and pleasure of Allāh. ↩
30:1
الٓمٓ ١
Alif, Lām, Meem.1
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 2:1. ↩
30:2
غُلِبَتِ ٱلرُّومُ ٢
The Byzantines have been defeated1
1 translator’s note
- By the Persians. ↩
30:3
فِيٓ أَدۡنَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَهُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ غَلَبِهِمۡ سَيَغۡلِبُونَ ٣
In the nearest land.1 But they, after their defeat, will overcome
1 translator’s note
- Another meaning is "in the lowest land." ↩
30:4
فِي بِضۡعِ سِنِينَۗ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ مِن قَبۡلُ وَمِنۢ بَعۡدُۚ وَيَوۡمَئِذٖ يَفۡرَحُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٤
Within three to nine years. To Allāh belongs the command [i.e., decree] before and after. And that day the believers will rejoice
30:5
بِنَصۡرِ ٱللَّهِۚ يَنصُرُ مَن يَشَآءُۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ٥
In the victory of Allāh.1 He gives victory to whom He wills, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the victory given by Allāh to a people of the Scripture (Christians) over the Magians of Persia. ↩
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy