Tafseer of The Spider · Al-Ankaboot · 29:41
The example of those who take allies other than Allah is like that of the spider who takes a home. And indeed, the weakest of homes is the home of the spider, if they only knew.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the saying of the Exalted: مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ كَمَثَلِ الْعَنْكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنْكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ ("The likeness of those who have taken protectors besides Allah is as the likeness of the spider that took for itself a house. And indeed, the frailest of houses is the house of the spider. If they only knew!") (29:41).
The Exalted, whose praise is exalted, says: The likeness of those who have taken the gods and the idols besides Allah as protectors, hoping for their help and their benefit when they have need of them — in the weakness of their deliberation, the ugliness of their reasoning, and the badness of their choice for themselves — كَمَثَلِ الْعَنْكَبُوتِ ("is as the likeness of the spider") in her weakness and the lack of deliberation for herself, اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا ("that took for itself a house") for herself, that it might shelter her, but it availed her nothing when she had need of it. So too, these polytheists (mushrikīn), when the command of Allah descended upon them and His wrath burst forth over them, their protectors whom they had taken besides Allah availed them nothing, and they did not ward off from them that which Allah caused to descend upon them of wrath because of their worship of them.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the exegetes (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken.
Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his saying: مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ كَمَثَلِ الْعَنْكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا... ("The likeness of those who have taken protectors besides Allah is as the likeness of the spider that took for itself a house...") to the end of the verse, he said: That is a likeness which Allah has set forth for whoever worships another besides Him; his likeness is as the likeness of the house of the spider.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning his saying: مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ كَمَثَلِ الْعَنْكَبُوتِ ("The likeness of those who have taken protectors besides Allah is as the likeness of the spider"), he said: This is a likeness which Allah has set forth for the polytheist (mushrik); the likeness of his god which he calls upon besides Allah is as the likeness of the house of the spider: frail and weak, it does not avail him.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning his saying: مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ كَمَثَلِ الْعَنْكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا ("The likeness of those who have taken protectors besides Allah is as the likeness of the spider that took for itself a house"), he said: This is a likeness which Allah has set forth: their protectors avail them nothing, just as the house of the spider avails her nothing.
And his saying: وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ ("And indeed, the frailest of houses") means: indeed, the frailest of houses is لَبَيْتُ الْعَنْكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ ("truly the house of the spider. If they only knew!"). The Exalted, whose praise is exalted, says: If these people who have taken protectors besides Allah were to know that their protectors whom they have taken besides Allah, in the paltriness of their benefit for them, are equal to the benefit of the house of the spider for her — but they are ignorant of that, and so they suppose that these avail them and bring them nearer to Allah.
