Al-Ankaboot (The Spider)

69. “And those who strive hard for Us, We will certainly guide them in Our ways, and verily Allah is with the good-doers.”

In order to reach the special guidance of Allah, effort and endeavour is necessary, and it is the man who must take the first step.

Sometimes, a step and a sincere struggle consequences both the Divine guidance and eternal salvation.

This holy verse, which is, in fact, the last verse of Surah Al-‘Ankabut, points to an important fact, which is the epitome of the whole Surah and is consistent with its beginning.

It implies that though there are many difficulties for those who pave the path of Allah, the Almighty, the difficulty from the point of recognizing the truth, the difficulty of temptations of the Satans of man and Jinn; the difficulty of facing with the opposition of the obstinate and cruel enemies; and the difficulty of probable mistakes.

Here, there is one true thing which strengthens you, supports you, and gives you power and certainty for these difficulties, as follows:

“And those who strive hard for Us, We will certainly guide them in Our ways, and verily Allah is with the good-doers.”

Upon the purpose of struggle here, the commentators have delivered numerous probabilities. Is it the struggle against enemies? Is it the struggle against carnal soul? Or is it the struggle in the path of knowing Allah by a scientific and logical way?

They have also discussed about the objective meaning of the Arabic term /fina/ (in Us), applied in this verse, whether it means in the way of Allah’s pleasure, or in the way of struggle against carnal soul, or in the path of worship, or in the path of struggle against enemy.

But it makes manifest that the application of both /jihad/ which has a vast and absolute meaning, and /fina/ are correct.

Therefore, it envelops any kind of struggle and effort which is performed in the way of Allah and for Him and with the purpose of gaining the divine aims, whether they are in the way of obtaining knowledge, or struggle against carnal soul, or struggle against enemy, or showing patience in obedience, or having patience against temptation of committing sin, or in the way of helping the weak persons, or doing any other good action.

Those who strive in these ways for Allah, in any form and any manner, will be involved in the support and guidance of Allah.

By the way, through what was said, it became clear that the purpose of the Arabic word /subul/ (ways), used here, is different ways which are led to Allah: the way of struggle against carnal soul, the way of struggling against enemies, and the way of learning knowledge and culture. In short, struggle in any one of these ways causes one to be led to a path which ends to Allah.

This is the promise that Allah has strictly and emphatically given to all of the strivers in His way, and He has strengthened it by kinds of emphasis, and has considered success, progress, and triumph in the pledge of two important things: ‘Struggle’ and ‘sincerity of intention’.

Thus, man must strive in this way, but guidance is with Allah; and that a tradition indicates that knowledge is a light that Allah casts in the heart of any one whom He desires and knows eligible for it, may also refer to this very meaning.

Note to the Following Points

1- It is understood from the abovementioned verse that any kind of failure and dissatisfaction we are confronted is the effect of one of these two things: we have neglected the struggle, or there has not been enough sincerity in our action. If these two exist with together, according to the promise of Allah, victory and guidance will surely come forth.

And if we contemplate well, we can find out the origin of difficulties, and the afflictions of the Islamic societies in this very fact. Why the Muslims, who once were an advanced nation in the world, are backward and retarded today?

Why do they beg nearly all their needs, even for their own culture and laws, from foreigners? Why must they rely on others for protecting themselves against political storms and martial attacks? Why one day others were in need of the bounty of knowledge and rich culture of Muslims, but today these people have to sit at the table of other nations?

And, finally, why are they captured in the hand of others and their lands are occupied by the transgressors?

All these questions have only one answer, and it is that either they have neglected the holy struggle, or their intentions have become polluted.

Yes, struggle in the fields of science, culture, politics, and army has been neglected and love of self, mammonism, love of comfort, short sightedness, and private motives have overcome them so much that the number of those killed by their own forces is larger than the number of those killed by their enemy.

The despair of some persons affected by the West or the East, the treachery of a group of rulers and chiefs, and the hopelessness and the reclusion of some knowledgeable men and the possessors of reflection have taken from them both struggle and sincerity.

Whenever a little sincerity appears in us and strivers come in the scene, victories appear one after another, and the chains of captivity will be broken.

Then, despairs change into hope and failures into success; disgrace changes into honour and eminence, and dispersion and hypocrisy changes into unity and flowing. Thus, how great and inspirational the Qur’an is that has stated both the pain and its remedy in a short sentence.

Yes, those who struggle in the path of Allah are included in the guidance of Allah, the Almighty, and it is evident that wherever His guidance exists, aberration and failure does not have any place.

Some narrations of Ahlul Bayt (as) have rendered this verse into the Prophet’s progeny (as) and his followers. It is the statement of a complete extension of it, because they were always pioneers and leaders in the way of struggle and sincerity, and it is not an evidence upon the limitation of the concept of the verse at all.

However, every one clearly feels this Qur’anic fact in his effort and endeavour that when he strives in the path of Allah, the doors will be opened to him, difficulties become easy, and hardships will be tolerable.

2- People are divided into three groups: A group of people are some obstinate deniers for whom no guidance is useful. The second group are some sincere strivers who reach the Truth. The third group are more excellent than the second group. They are not far from the truth that must become near, and are not separate from Him that must join Him, because they are always with Him.

The previous verse, saying:

“And who is more unjust than one who forges a lie…”

is about the first group.

The Qur’anic sentence:

“And those who strive hard for Us…”

is about the second group.

And the Qur’anic phrase:

“…verily Allah is with the good-doers”

is about the third group.

By the way, this phrase makes it clear that the rank of good-doers is higher than that of strivers, because besides striving in the path of their own deliverance, they have the characteristic of donation and kindness and they strive for others, too.

O Allah! Give us such a success that in our whole lifetime we do not stop effort and striving in Your way!

O Allah! Bestow us such a sincerity that we do not think about anything but You and we do not take any step save for You!

O Allah! Take us higher than the rank of strivers and endow on us the rank of kindness and donation of the good-doers, and appoint us under the cover of Your guidance in our whole lifetime!

Amen, O the Lord of the Worlds!