The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

a
To Him. Cf. verse 
83. Various commentators take this to refer to Mecca or to the life
to come.
The Story
251
28: 88

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29. THE SPIDER
A Meccan sura that takes its title from the illustration of the spider in
verse 
41. The sura stresses that believers will be tested and that they should
remain steadfast. The misconceptions of disbelievers regarding the nature of
revelation and the Prophet are addressed. References are made to earlier
prophets and details given of the punishments brought on those who denied
them.
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
1Alif Lam Mim
2Do people think they will be left alone after saying ‘We believe’
without being put to the test? 
3We tested those who went before
them: God will certainly mark out which ones are truthful and
which are lying. 
4Do the evildoers think they can escape us? How
ill they judge! 
5But as for those who strive for their meeting with
God, God’s appointed time is bound to come; He is the All Seeing,
the All Knowing. 
6Those who exert themselves do so for their own
bene
fit––God does not need His creatures––7We shall certainly blot
out the misdeeds of those who believe and do good deeds, and We
shall reward them according to the best of their actions. 
8We have
commanded people to be good to their parents, but do not obey them
if they strive to make you serve, beside Me, anything of which you
have no knowledge: you will all return to Me, and I shall inform you
of what you have done. 
9We shall be sure to admit those who believe
and do good deeds to the ranks of the righteous.
10There are some people who say, ‘We believe in God,’ but, when
they su
ffer for His cause, they think that human persecution is as
severe as God’s punishment –– yet, if any help comes to you
[Prophet] from your Lord, they will say, ‘We have always been with
you’. Does God not know best what is in everyone’s hearts? 
11God
will be sure to mark out which ones are the believers, and which the
hypocrites. 
12Those who disbelieve say to the believers, ‘Follow our
path and we shall bear [the consequences for] your sins,’ yet they will
not do so –– they are liars. 
13They will bear their own burdens and

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others besides: they will be questioned about their false assertions on
the Day of Resurrection.
14We sent Noah out to his people. He lived among them for fifty
years short of a thousand but when the Flood overwhelmed them
they were still doing evil. 
15We saved him and those with him on the
Ark. We made this a sign for all people.
16We also sent Abraham. He said to his people, ‘Serve God and be
mindful of Him: that is better for you, if only you knew. 
17What you
worship instead of God are mere idols; what you invent is nothing
but falsehood. Those you serve instead of God have no power to give
you provisions, so seek provisions from God, serve Him, and give
Him thanks: you will all be returned to Him. 
18If you say this is a lie,
[be warned that] other communities before you said the same. The
messenger’s only duty is to give clear warning.’
19Do they not see that God brings life into being and reproduces
it? Truly this is easy for God. 
20Say, ‘Travel throughout the earth
and see how He brings life into being: and He will bring the next life
into being. God has power over all things. 
21He punishes whoever
He will and shows mercy to whoever He will. You will all be
returned to Him. 
22You cannot escape Him on earth or in the
heavens; you will have no one to protect or help you besides God.’
23Those who deny God’s Revelation and their meeting with Him
have no hope of receiving My grace: they will have a grievous
torment.
24The only answer Abraham’s people gave was, ‘Kill him or burn
him!’ but God saved him from the Fire: there truly are signs in this
for people who believe. 
25Abraham said to them, ‘You have chosen
idols instead of God but your love for them will only last for the
present life: on the Day of Resurrection, you will disown and reject
one another. Hell will be your home and no one will help you.’
26Lot
believed him, and said, ‘I will 
flee to my Lord: He is the Almighty,
the All Wise.’
27We gave Isaac and Jacob to Abraham, and placed
prophethood and Scripture among his o
ffspring. We gave him his
rewards in this world, and in the life to come he will be among the
righteous.
28And Lot: when He said to his people, ‘You practise outrageous
acts that no people before you have ever committed. 
29How can you
lust after men, waylay travellers, and commit evil in your gather-
ings?’ the only answer his people gave was, ‘Bring God’s punishment