Tafsir of Al-`Ankabut 29:21-22

Surah Al-'Ankabut (The Spider): Verses 21-22

Verse 21: Allah punishes whom He wills, and has mercy upon whom He wills. And to Him you will be returned.

When the Hereafter was mentioned, what occurs therein was detailed: the punishment of those who deny (God) justly and wisely, and the reward of those who turn back (to God) out of His grace and mercy. There are several issues concerning this verse:

Why was punishment mentioned before mercy, even though God's mercy precedes His wrath, as stated in the Hadith: "My Mercy preceded My Wrath"?

We offer two explanations for this:

1. Sequence of Mention: The mention of the disbelievers preceded the mention of mercy. Therefore, punishment was mentioned first because it is due to those whose state (disbelief) was mentioned first, in accordance with the warning (of punishment). Just as after establishing the first fundamental principle—Tawhid (Oneness of God)—a threat was issued: {And if you deny, then certainly have previous nations denied} (Al-'Ankabut: 18) and were destroyed for their denial, similarly, after establishing the second fundamental principle (belief in the Hereafter), the threat of punishment was mentioned. The mention of mercy followed as a secondary element, so that punishment would not be mentioned in isolation. This supports the saying, "My Mercy preceded My Wrath," because when the intent was to mention punishment, God did not limit the mention to it but included mercy alongside it.

If the purpose of this statement was to frighten the disobedient and gladden the believer, it would have been more direct to say, "He punishes the disbeliever and has mercy on the believer." Why did He say, "He punishes whom He wills"? This phrasing might not deter the disbeliever, as he could say, "Perhaps I will not be among those whom God wills to punish."

We respond: This phrasing is more potent in instilling fear because:

1. Completeness of Will: God affirms that His execution of His Will cannot be prevented if He intends to punish a specific person. Since it is known to the servants, through the promise and the threat, that God wills the punishment of the obstinate, complete fear results. This contrasts with saying, "He punishes the disobedient," which does not imply the perfection of His Will, as it does not convey that if He willed to punish a believer, He could do so. If this were the case, the disbeliever might think that if his desired outcome (avoiding punishment) is not achieved in one scenario, it might be achieved in another.

2. Analogy: Consider if a king says, "I have the power to strike everyone in my land," and then says, "Whoever opposes me, I will strike him." This instills complete fear in the opponent. However, if he says, "I have the power to strike the opponents, but I cannot strike the obedient," then the opponent might assume that since he cannot strike the obedient person (who is like him), he cannot strike him either.

3. General Fear and Hope: This wording also serves another benefit: general fear and general hope. Absolute security from God leads to boldness, which in turn can cause the obedient person to become disobedient.

Why did God say, {Then to Him you will be returned} when this point has already been established and confirmed?

We respond: After mentioning punishment and mercy, which can occur immediately (in this life), God says this to indicate: If that (punishment or reward) is delayed for you, do not think it has passed. Your return is to Him, your reckoning is upon Him, and with Him is stored your reward and punishment. This is why He immediately follows it with: {And you cannot frustrate (Him)} (i.e., you cannot escape God; the return to Him is inevitable, and escape from Him is impossible).

Regarding the interpretation of this verse, there are subtleties:

1. Inability to Frustrate (Escape or Resist): Frustrating God means either escaping the punishment or standing firm to resist it. God mentions both possibilities: {And you cannot frustrate (Him) on earth nor in the heaven}. This means that even if you ascend to the highest star in the heavens or descend to the deepest part of the water, you will not exit the grasp of God's power—so there is no hope in frustrating Him by escape. As for resistance, it is also impossible because frustration through resistance requires either relying on a strong support that intercedes, whose command the punisher cannot defy, or achieving victory through a group that stands with you to repel the punishment. Both are impossible. You have no protector besides God who can intercede, nor any helper to repel (the punishment). Thus, frustration is impossible by escape or by resistance.

2. "You cannot frustrate" vs. "You will not frustrate": God used the noun form ({وما أنتم بمعجزين} - And you are not frustrators/incapable), not the verb form (لا تعجزون - You will not be incapable). This is because negating the verb does not necessarily negate the inherent capacity (potentiality). If someone says, "So-and-so does not sew," this does not convey the same meaning as saying, "So-and-so is not a tailor (i.e., lacks the skill)."

3. Order of Mention (Earth before Heaven, Protector before Helper): God mentioned the Earth before the Heaven, and the Protector (Wali) before the Helper (Naseer). The possible escape for them is on Earth; if any escape occurs, it would be on Earth. If we assume they have other capabilities, then ascending to Heaven is a possibility. As for repelling (defense), a rational person first attempts the best means of defense, which is intercession (protection), before resorting to other means. Furthermore, in this world, everyone usually has an intercessor who speaks on their behalf to a ruler, but not everyone has a helper who actively fights the ruler on their behalf.

Verse 22: And those who disbelieve in the signs of Allah and in meeting Him—those are the ones who have despaired of My mercy, and for them is a painful punishment.