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سُورَةُ العَنكَبُوتِ · 29:1
MeccanRevelation order ٨٥Juzʾ ٢٠Page ٣٩٦

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ الٓمٓ

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Saheeh International · EN

Alif, Lam, Meem

Bio

Introduction

This is āyah 1 of Sūrat Al-Ankaboot (The Spider), the 85th sūrah in the traditional order of revelation. It was revealed in the Meccan period and sits within Juzʾ 20. Meccan verses tend to address faith, the oneness of God, and the hereafter.

This introduction is a starting point — the community and Bilal will enrich it over time.

Bio

Revelation & occasion

Asbāb al-Nuzūl
Period
Meccan
Order revealed
85 of 114
Surah
Al-Ankaboot (29)
Occasion of revelation · Al-Wahidi

(Alif. Lam. Mim. Do men imagine that they will be left (at ease) because they say, We believe, and will not be tested with affliction?) [29:1-2]. Said al-Sha�bi: �These verses were revealed about some people in Mecca who embraced Islam. The Companions of the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, in Medina wrote to them saying that their faith and embracing of Islam will not be accepted from them until they emigrate from Mecca. For this reason, they left Mecca with the intention of joining Medina. However, the idolaters caught up with them and harmed them. These verses were, therefore, revealed about them. The Muslims of Medina then wrote back and said to them that such-and-such verses were revealed about you. Those Muslims in Mecca said: �We will leave and fight whoever follows us�. They left Mecca and were pursued by the idolaters. Fighting ensued between them; some were killed and some escaped safe. Allah, exalted is He, therefore revealed about them (Then lo! Thy Lord�for those who become fugitive after they had been persecuted�) [16:110]�. Said Muqatil: �This verse was revealed about Mihja�, the client of �Umar ibn al-Khattab, who was the first Muslim to be killed at the Battle of Badr. �Amr ibn al-Hadrami struck him with a bow which killed him. The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said on that day: �The master of all martyrs is Mihja�. He will be the first one of this community to be called to the gate of heaven�. His wife and parents were distraught because of his death, and so Allah, exalted is He, revealed about them these verses, explaining that they had to suffer trials and hardship for the sake of Allah, exalted is He�.

Commentary

Tafsir

4 works

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. الم - أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَنْ يُتْرَكُوا أَنْ يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ - وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ - أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ أَنْ يَسْبِقُونَا ۚ سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ (1. Alif Lam Mim.)(2. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested.)(3. And We indeed tested those who were before them so that Allah will indeed know those who are true, and He will know those who are liars.)(4. Or think those who do evil deeds that they can outstrip Us? Evil is that which they judge!) The Believers are tested so that it may be known Who is Sincere and Who is Lying In the beginning of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Baqarah, we d…
Provenance

Chains of transmission

Oral — isnād

  1. ~610–632 CERevelation & memorisation

    Received by the Prophet ﷺ and preserved by the ḥuffāẓ (memorisers) among the Companions.

  2. 1st century AHMutawātir transmissionawaiting curation

    Carried by mass-transmission through the generations of qurrāʾ.

  3. TodayLiving chainsawaiting curation

    Continuous ijāzah chains link reciters today back to the Prophet ﷺ.

Verified isnād chains for this āyah will be added by curators.

Written — the manuscript record

  1. ~650 CEʿUthmānic codicesawaiting curation

    The standardised muṣḥaf sent to the great cities (e.g. the Topkapı and Samarqand codices).

  2. 8th–10th c.Early Ḥijāzī & Kūfic foliosawaiting curation

    Surviving leaves in Birmingham, Sanaa, Paris (BnF) and beyond.

  3. Modern printModern printawaiting curation

    The 1924 Cairo edition → today: the standard printed muṣḥaf used worldwide.

A curated chain of manuscript images for this exact āyah — roughly one per century — is coming. Help us source and verify them.

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And now — what do you think?

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Provenance

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