Surah Al-'Ankabut (العنكبوت) • The Spider

Quran 29:41

29:41

مَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ كَمَثَلِ ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ ٱتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا ۖ وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ ٱلْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ ۖ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ

mathalu alladhīna ittakhadhū min dūni l-lahi awliyāa kamathali l-ʿankabūti ittakhadhat baytan wa-inna awhana l-buyūti labaytu l-ʿankabūti law kānū yaʿlamūna

The example of those who take allies other than Allāh is like that of the spider who takes [i.e., constructs] a home. And indeed, the weakest of homes is the home of the spider, if they only knew.

— Saheeh International

Those who take protectors other than God can be compared to spiders building themselves houses- the spider’s is the frailest of all houses- if only they could understand.

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

The likeness of those who take (false deities as) Auliyâ’ (protectors, helpers) other than Allâh is the likeness of a spider who builds (for itself) a house; but verily, the frailest (weakest) of houses is the spider’s house - if they but knew.

— Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

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Word by Word

مَثَلُmathalu(The) example
ٱلَّذِينَalladhīna(of) those who
ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ittakhadhūtake
مِنminbesides
دُونِdūnibesides
ٱللَّهِl-lahiAllah
أَوْلِيَآءَawliyāaprotectors
كَمَثَلِkamathali(is) like
ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِl-ʿankabūtithe spider
ٱتَّخَذَتْittakhadhatwho takes
بَيْتًۭاۖbaytana house
وَإِنَّwa-innaAnd indeed
أَوْهَنَawhanathe weakest
ٱلْبُيُوتِl-buyūti(of) houses
لَبَيْتُlabaytu(is) surely (the) house
ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِۖl-ʿankabūti(of) the spider
لَوْlawif (only)
كَانُوا۟kānūthey
يَعْلَمُونَyaʿlamūnaknow