Surah al-`Ankabut (The Spider ) 29 : 27

Overview (Verses 24 - 27)

Abandoning Home for God
 
After this intervening address aimed at everyone who denies faith generally, and at Abraham’s people by implication, the sūrah reports his people’s reply to his call. It is a very strange and singular reply, one which shows the arrogance of disbelief and oppression that relies on force and authority: “[Abraham’s.] people’s only answer was: Kill him, or burn him.’ But God saved him from the fire. In this there are signs for people who believe.” (Verse 24) To kill or burn a man is their only response to a simple, clear and logical call with which he addressed their hearts and minds.
 
How could Abraham alone and deprived of all power stand up to such arrogant brutality? Therefore, God intervened in a direct and open manner, with a miracle no human could have expected: “God saved him from the fire.” Indeed his saving in this miraculous way should have been seen as clear evidence confirming his message, but only a person whose heart is ready to embrace faith looks at it in this light. Abraham’s people, however, did not believe despite this miracle. This shows, then, that miracles do not give guidance. Instead, it is necessary to have an open mind, one willing to accept the truth and divine guidance: “In this there are signs for people who believe.” (Verse 24)
 
The first of these signs was Abraham’s saving from the fire. The second was the impotence of tyranny to harm just one man standing alone, when God wanted him saved. The fact that miracles do not ensure acceptance of God’s guidance by hardened hearts was the third sign. In confirmation of this fact one only needs to look at the history of divine messages, and reflect on the way people’s hearts change, and also on the factors that enable people to accept guidance as well as those that leave them astray.
 
Thereafter, Abraham despairs of those who saw the great miracle with their own eyes for they will never believe in God’s oneness. He tells them, in plain terms, the truth of their situation before abandoning them:
 
And he said: You have taken for worship idols instead of God for no reason other than to have a bond of love between yourselves, in the life of this world. But, then, on Resurrection Day, you shall disown one another and curse one another; and your abode shall be the fire, and you will have none to support you. (Verse 25)
 
Abraham tells them that they worshipped idols without actually being convinced that such worship was right. They only did this out of courtesy for one another so that they could be together. Even though they may be aware of the truth, people generally follow what their friends worship only to keep their friendship. Thus friendship is given priority over the truth and true faith. This happens in communities that do not take religion seriously. To them, avoiding disagreement with a friend is more important than religion. They do not realize that it is faith that must be taken very seriously, and that there can be no complacency or compromise in matters of faith.
 
The sūrah then shows them their position in the life to come. They are surprised that such friendships on the Day of Judgement are nothing more than mutual hostility. Where once they thought others important, now they curse each other: “But, then, on Resurrection Day, you shall disown one another and curse one another.” (Verse 25) On that day masters will disown their servants, friends will denounce friends, mutual accusations will fly about, and every erring person will accuse others of leading him astray. Yet none of all this will be of any avail when the suffering engulfs them all: “And your abode shall be the fire, and you will have none to support you.” (Verse 25) They wanted to burn Abraham in the fire, but God saved him. Now when they are in the fire of hell, they will find none to save or protect them.
 
Abraham’s advocacy of his message among his own people and the undoubted miracle they saw culminated in the adoption of the faith by just one man other than his wife, and this man was Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Lot emigrated with him from their city, Ur of the Chaldees, in Iraq to settle west of the River Jordan: “Lot believed in him. He said: I shall emigrate for the sake of my Lord. He alone is Almighty, Wise.” (Verse 26)
 
Note Lot’s statement: “I shall emigrate for the sake of my Lord,” and the purpose of his emigration. He did not emigrate to save his skin, or to do business or earn his living. He simply emigrated for God’s sake, seeking His support. He migrated for his faith, and his purpose was to be able to worship God alone, in complete devotion in a new place, away from a land where there was no hope of people ever changing their erring ways.
 
God compensated Abraham for having to abandon his hometown and people by giving him offspring who would be chosen to deliver His message to mankind, until the end of human life. All prophets and messages that were sent later were through his descendents. This was, indeed, a great compensation:
 
We gave him Isaac and Jacob, and caused prophethood and revelation to continue among his offspring. We granted him his reward in this world; and, in the life to come, he will certainly be among the righteous. (Verse 27)
 
This is certainly a rich reward and a manifestation of God’s pleasure with the man who personified total devotion.