سُوْرَةُ الْعَنْكَبُوْتِ
Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 41
مَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ كَمَثَلِ ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ ٱتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا ۖ وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ ٱلْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ ۖ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿41﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
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.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
مَثَلُ
mathalu
(The) example
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
(of) those who
ٱتَّخَذُوا۟
ittakhadhū
take
مِن
min
besides
دُونِ
dūni
besides
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
أَوْلِيَآءَ
awliyāa
protectors
كَمَثَلِ
kamathali
(is) like
ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ
l-ʿankabūti
the spider
ٱتَّخَذَتْ
ittakhadhat
who takes
بَيْتًۭا ۖ
baytan
a house
وَإِنَّ
wa-inna
And indeed
أَوْهَنَ
awhana
the weakest
ٱلْبُيُوتِ
l-buyūti
(of) houses
لَبَيْتُ
labaytu
(is) surely (the) house
ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ ۖ
l-ʿankabūti
(of) the spider
لَوْ
law
if (only)
كَانُوا۟
kānū
they
يَعْلَمُونَ
yaʿlamūna
know
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
41. Those who take protectors other than Allah are like the spider who builds a house, and surely the weakest of all houses is the house of the spider [66], if only they knew.
[66]
The Example of the Idols of the Polytheists is Like the House of a Spider:
That is, the nations mentioned above were all involved in shirk (associating partners with Allah) and idol worship. They considered these very things as their problem-solvers, and in order to gain their pleasure, sacrifices were offered before them and offerings and vows were presented, in the hope that these patrons would remain pleased with them and come to their aid in times of distress. But the example of these idols or patrons of the polytheists is like that of a house of wood, which is so weak that with the slightest movement of a finger, it is torn apart and falls down. Similarly, when Allah’s punishment came upon these polytheists, with the very first and slightest blow of that punishment, the entire edifice of their expectations was shattered, and their idols remained lying wherever they were.
[66]
The Example of the Idols of the Polytheists is Like the House of a Spider:
That is, the nations mentioned above were all involved in shirk (associating partners with Allah) and idol worship. They considered these very things as their problem-solvers, and in order to gain their pleasure, sacrifices were offered before them and offerings and vows were presented, in the hope that these patrons would remain pleased with them and come to their aid in times of distress. But the example of these idols or patrons of the polytheists is like that of a house of wood, which is so weak that with the slightest movement of a finger, it is torn apart and falls down. Similarly, when Allah’s punishment came upon these polytheists, with the very first and slightest blow of that punishment, the entire edifice of their expectations was shattered, and their idols remained lying wherever they were.
