Verses 45–52
29. Al-Ankaboot · The Spider
Makkan69 verses
ٱتْلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلَذِكْرُ ٱللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ
29:45Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book, and maintain the prayer. Indeed the prayer restrains from indecent and wrongful conduct, and the remembrance of Allah is surely greater. And Allah knows whatever [deeds] you do.1
۞ وَلَا تُجَٰدِلُوٓا۟ أَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَٰهُنَا وَإِلَٰهُكُمْ وَٰحِدٌۭ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ
29:46Do not argue with the People of the Book except in a manner which is best, except such of them as are wrongdoers, and say, ‘We believe in what has been sent down to us and in what has been sent down to you; our God and your God is one [and the same], and to Him do we submit.’2
وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ ۚ فَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِۦ ۖ وَمِنْ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِهِۦ ۚ وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآ إِلَّا ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ
29:47Thus We have sent down the Book to you; those to whom We have given the Book believe in it, and of these there are some who believe in it, and none contests Our signs except the faithless.3
وَمَا كُنتَ تَتْلُوا۟ مِن قَبْلِهِۦ مِن كِتَٰبٍۢ وَلَا تَخُطُّهُۥ بِيَمِينِكَ ۖ إِذًۭا لَّٱرْتَابَ ٱلْمُبْطِلُونَ
29:48You did not use to recite any scripture before it, nor did you write it with your right hand, for then the impugners would have been skeptical.
بَلْ هُوَ ءَايَٰتٌۢ بَيِّنَٰتٌۭ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ ۚ وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآ إِلَّا ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ
29:49Indeed, it is [present as] manifest signs in the breasts of those who have been given knowledge, and none contests Our signs except wrongdoers.
وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْلَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَٰتٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا ٱلْءَايَٰتُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَإِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ نَذِيرٌۭ مُّبِينٌ
29:50They say, ‘Why has not some sign been sent down to him from his Lord?’ Say, ‘These signs are only from Allah, and I am only a manifest warner.’
أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِهِمْ أَنَّآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَرَحْمَةًۭ وَذِكْرَىٰ لِقَوْمٍۢ يُؤْمِنُونَ
29:51Does it not suffice them that We have sent down to you the Book which is recited to them? There is indeed in that a mercy and admonition for a people who have faith.*
قُلْ كَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ شَهِيدًۭا ۖ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱلْبَٰطِلِ وَكَفَرُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْخَٰسِرُونَ
29:52Say, ‘Allah suffices as a witness between me and you: He knows whatever there is in the heavens and the earth. Those who put faith in falsehood and defy Allah—it is they who are the losers.’
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 46
1.The Holy Quran is the supporter of the best contention and has invented different methods so that intelligent and just people cannot deviate from it. For instance, to oppose the idols, the Holy Quran has drawn a sketch of their helplessness that they cannot speak nor harm or benefit, so how can they become God? Or for the recognition of the Day of Judgment, told them only that in the beginning Allah has created him without any substance and can create him again from dust. Or gave reference of the creation of the universe to prove His existence that the intelligent will not take the created ones as God. Or when the Holy Quran was revealed, told them that the Prophet is not educated and had not attended a school or acquire knowledge from a teacher, then how could he present such a Quran without the help of revelation? Or when the Holy Quran was presented to them, they demanded different miracles like the Holy Quran. Now how could we expect that they would believe in other miracles? And what is the use of showing miracles to them?
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
- 1
Prayer prevents evil deeds and this is clear from its actions and obligatory rituals. Now after this whether man restrains himself from sin or not is upto him. Just as the duty of the prophets, the Imam and Quran is to guide the people. After this some acquire the guidance and some stray to the wrong path. Benefit: The prohibition of arguing with the People of the Book in the best way indicates that a soft approach is not always advisable when the opponents will consider it a sign of weakness. When the opponent is extremely arrogant we also have to deal with them in a firm manner. The Almighty Allah has mentioned both, the infidels and the oppressors who had denied the signs. Both of them is a defect of faith and a defect of actions.
- 2
Jidal is a debate or discussion. It is derived from Jadal which means the twining of ropes. This is what happens in debates where the opponents are weaned away from their views.
- 3
Those who were given the books are Jews and Christians. Some of them were going to accept Islam. These were common Arabs and not the People of the Book.
This ayat has only stated that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was neither reading or writing before the revelation of Quran. He had not learn these skills from any teacher or school. Otherwise the unbelievers would have the excuse that he has learnt it from so and so. There is no reference to his ability to read or write and neither does it say anything about the period after the revelation of Quran.
Indeed there are some people who are bestowed with Knowledge and Quran is treasured in their hearts as indicated by the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) in the tradition of the two heavy things (Hadith-e-Thaqlayn).
Benefit
The 51st ayat proves that like the miracles of other prophets, the Holy Quran is not only a means for teaching and advising the people. It has a complete code of human life.