The Chapter of the Spider - II (some instructions)
Some of the instructions given in this chapter are as follows (paraphrased)
(The surah number, followed by the verse number)
29:2 - Do people think once they say, “We believe,” that they will be left without being put to the test?
My reflection - every believer will go through tests in his life. These may be of various scales. A sickness, a bereavement, a loss of business, a loss of a job, imprisonment falsely, etc. Some are personal tests. Some test are on a societal scale - an earthquake, a flood, a tyrant.
29:7 - As for those who believe and do good, We will certainly absolve them of their sins, and reward them according to the best of what they used to do.
My reflection - Keep the faith and carry on doing good. This verse gives hope, because Allah will take what is the best of what we do, and forgive us our sins.
29:8 - We have commanded people to honour their parents. But if they urge you to associate with Me what you have no knowledge of, then do not obey them. To Me you will ˹all˺ return, and then I will inform you of what you used to do.
- Again and again and again the Quran orders us to obey and respect our parents. However, this being early days, many reverts to Islam had parents who were not Muslim and who were pressurising them to leave Islam - this verse asks those people to remain steadfast in the path of Islam and not obey any order to worship anyone other than Allah, absolving them of any sin of disobedience to parents.
Then there are verses that talk about - the Prophets (PBUH) - Noah, Abraham, Lot, Shuaib, Hood, and then the nations of Thamud (North-western Arabian Peninsula), Pharoah (Egypt). And then, this verse -
29:41 - The parable of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of a spider spinning a shelter. And the flimsiest of all shelters is certainly that of a spider, if only they knew.
Reflection - That all the above nations took for themselves protectors other than Allah. This doesn't mean that we take Allah as a protector, and do what we want. It means that we have to have God-consciousness (Taqwa), that we constantly have the presence of Allah in our mind, and we live every day with that awareness, and then we take Him to be a Protector. Doing sin and assuming that someone will protect you from punishment is akin to the house of a Spider - beautiful, intricate, purposeful, but flimsy. (Fact - the web of a spider has the tensile strength of steel. Who taught the spider how to spin their webs?)
And now the clearcut instructions (The brackets are my own markings)
29:45 - (1) Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and (2) establish prayer. Indeed, ˹genuine˺ prayer should deter ˹one˺ from indecency and wickedness. The remembrance of Allah is ˹an˺ even greater ˹deterrent˺. And Allah ˹fully˺ knows what you ˹all˺ do.
Reflection - as above. Remember Allah all the time.
29:46 - (3) Do not argue with the People of the Book unless gracefully, except with those of them who act wrongfully. And say, “We believe in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to you. Our God and your God is ˹only˺ One. And to Him we ˹fully˺ submit."
Reflection - respect others and do not argue needlessly with them. The other religions were all guided by Allah, but have been corrupted by humans. Hence, Muslims cannot accept any other religion, because that would mean that we submit to another human, directly or indirectly. How can any human supercede what the Creator has said? That is what it means by 'fully submit.' (My reflection)
29:49 - But this ˹Quran˺ is ˹a set of˺ clear revelations ˹preserved˺ in the hearts of those gifted with knowledge. And none denies Our revelations except the ˹stubborn˺ wrongdoers.
Reflection - Allah promises to keep the Quran preserved whichever way He wants.
29:56 - O My believing servants! My earth is truly spacious, so worship Me ˹alone˺.
Reflection - if persecution is such that one's belief is affected, then emigration becomes a compulsion.
29:57 - Every soul will taste death, then to Us you will ˹all˺ be returned
Reflection - reminder that this life is temporary
29:58 - As for˺ those who (4) believe and do good, We will certainly house them in ˹elevated˺ mansions in Paradise, under which rivers flow, to stay there forever. How excellent is the reward for those who work ˹righteousness!˺ Reflection - keep believing and keep doing good. The reward from Allah is imminent.
29:59 - (5) those who patiently endure, and put their trust in their Lord!
Reflection - be patient and perserverant.
29:60 - How many are the creatures that cannot secure their provisions! ˹It is˺ Allah ˹Who˺ provides for them and you ˹as well˺. He is indeed the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
Reflection - this is where I jumped to the Sermon of the Mount by Jesus Christ (PBUH). He talks about the same things in Matthew 5-7.
29:64 - This worldly life is no more than play and amusement. But the Hereafter is indeed the real life, if only they knew.
Reflection - this world is temporary (a repeating theme). The soul will be resurrected and then that life is permanent. The Real Life.