Tafsir of Al-`Ankabut 29:16

Surah Al-Ankabut (The Spider): Verse 16

When the discourse concluded with the account of Noah, it moved to the account of Abraham.

Regarding Abraham (إبراهيم), there are two readings:

1. Accusative (النصب): This is the famous reading.
   • This accusative case has two possibilities:
     • It is governed by an unmentioned verb, meaning: "Mention Abraham."
     • It is governed by a mentioned verb, which is the statement: "And We have already sent..." (ولقد أرسلنا) (Al-Ankabut: 14). In this case, it is as if the verse means: "And We sent Abraham."

2. Nominative (الرفع): This reading implies the meaning: "And among the Messengers is Abraham" (ومن المرسلين إبراهيم).

Issue 1: The timing of the sending (الإرسال) relative to the call.

The verse states: "When he said to his people: 'Worship Allah...'" (إذ قال لقومه اعبدوا الله). The sending (أرسلنا إبراهيم) is linked to the time he spoke this call. However, the sending must precede the call. How can "We sent Abraham when he said to his people" be understood, given that he must have been sent before he spoke?

Answer (Two perspectives):

1. The Sending is an Ongoing State: The sending is an action that extends over time. At the moment he said, "Worship Allah," he was in the state of being sent. This is like saying, "We stood for the Amir when he exited the house," even if the standing began before the exit, as long as the standing continued up to that point.
2. Prior Knowledge and Subsequent Official Sending: By virtue of Allah's guidance to Abraham, he already knew the falsehood of the polytheists' claims and was guiding them toward the right path even before the official sending. When he was actively engaged in inviting them to Islam, Allah officially sent him.

Interpretation of the Command:

The command: "Worship Allah and fear Him" (اعبدوا الله واتقوه) points to Monotheism (التوحيد):

• "Worship Allah" (اعبدوا الله) points to Affirmation (الإثبات) of the Deity.
• "And fear Him" (واتقوه) points to Negation of Others (نفي الغير). This is because anyone who associates partners with the King in His dominion commits the greatest crimes.

Alternatively:

• "Worship Allah" points to performing Obligations (الواجبات).
• "And fear Him" points to abstaining from Prohibitions (المحرمات).
  • The first includes acknowledging Allah.
  • The second includes abstaining from Shirk (polytheism).

The Virtue of This Command:

"That is better for you, if you only knew" (ذالكم خير لكم إن كنتم تعلمون). That is, worshipping Allah and fearing Him is better. This is true because the opposite of worshipping Allah is Negation/Atheism (تعطيل), and the opposite of fearing Him is Polytheism (تشريك), both of which are evils, rationally and contextually.

A. Rational Proof:

1. Against Negation (التعطيل): Every contingent being (الممكن) must have an efficient cause that is not contingent (to avoid infinite regress). This cause must be Necessary Existent (واجب الوجود). Thus, there is no negation, as we have a God.
2. Against Polytheism (التشريك): The invalidity of polytheism is clear rationally. If one associates a partner with the Necessary Existent:
   • If the partner is not Necessary, it cannot be a true partner.
   • If the partner is Necessary, then there are two Necessary Existent beings. They share in necessity (الوجوب) but differ in divinity (الإلهية). That which causes their shared quality (necessity) is different from that which causes their distinction (divinity). This implies composition (التركيب) in both, meaning neither can be Necessary, leading back to negation (a contradiction).

B. Contextual/Hierarchical Proof (اعتبارا):

1. Status: Honor belongs only to a King or someone close to the King. Man cannot be the King of the heavens and the earth; his highest rank is being close to the King. Closeness is achieved through worship, as Allah says: "And prostrate and draw near" (Al-'Alaq: 19), and "The near ones will never draw near to Me by anything more beloved than the performance of what I have obligated upon them," and "The servant never ceases to draw near to Me through supererogatory acts of worship."
   • The atheist (المعطل) has no rank, neither King nor near the King, because he denies the existence of a King altogether.
2. Superiority of Singularity: Someone whose Master has no equal holds a higher rank than someone whose Master has base partners. Therefore, the one who says, "My Lord is incomparable to anything," holds a higher rank than the one who says, "My Master is a helpless, carved idol like myself."

Thus, it is established that worshipping Allah and fearing Him is better, and it is better for you (i.e., for mankind) if they know the proofs and considerations mentioned above.

This verse directly addresses the falsehood of their worship:

1. The Object of Worship: "You only worship besides Allah idols (أوثانا), and you invent a lie (تخلقون إفكا)."
2. Lack of Provision: "Indeed, those whom you worship besides Allah possess no provision for you (لا يملكون لكم رزقا)."
3. The Correct Course of Action: "So seek provision from Allah (فابتغوا عند الله الرزق), and worship Him (واعبدوه), and be grateful to Him (واشكروا له); to Him you will be returned (إليه ترجعون)."