Surah Al-'Ankabut, Ayah 36 (29:36)

ٱلْعَنْكَبُوت

وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا فَقَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱرْجُوا۟ ٱلْيَوْمَ …

Quran 29:36 is ayah 36 of Surah Al-'Ankabut (“The Spider”), a Meccan surah of 69 ayahs. It is in Juz 20, on page 400 of the Madani Mushaf.

29:36
وَإِلَىٰمَدْيَنَأَخَاهُمْشُعَيْبًافَقَالَيَٰقَوْمِٱعْبُدُوا۟ٱللَّهَوَٱرْجُوا۟ٱلْيَوْمَٱلَْٔاخِرَوَلَاتَعْثَوْا۟فِىٱلْأَرْضِمُفْسِدِينَ٣٦
wa-ilā madyana akhāhum shuʿayban faqāla yāqawmi uʿ'budū l-laha wa-ir'jū l-yawma l-ākhira walā taʿthaw fī l-arḍi muf'sidīna

And to Madyan [We sent] their brother Shuʿayb, and he said, "O my people, worship Allāh and expect the Last Day and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."(36)

Word by word

  1. وَإِلَىٰwa-ilāAnd to
  2. مَدْيَنَmadyanaMadyan
  3. أَخَاهُمْakhāhumtheir brother
  4. شُعَيْبًاshuʿaybanShuaib
  5. فَقَالَfaqālaAnd he said
  6. يَٰقَوْمِyāqawmiO my people
  7. ٱعْبُدُوا۟uʿ'budūWorship
  8. ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
  9. وَٱرْجُوا۟wa-ir'jūand expect
  10. ٱلْيَوْمَl-yawmathe Day
  11. ٱلَْٔاخِرَl-ākhirathe Last
  12. وَلَاwalāand (do) not
  13. تَعْثَوْا۟taʿthawcommit evil
  14. فِىfīin
  15. ٱلْأَرْضِl-arḍithe earth
  16. مُفْسِدِينَmuf'sidīna(as) corrupters

Tafsir (commentary) of 29:36

Available in English, Bengali, Urdu, Arabic, Russian.

English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

This commentary explains ayahs 29:36–37 together.

Shu`ayb and His People

Allah tells us that His servant and Messenger Shu`ayb, peace be upon him, warned his people, the people of Madyan, and commanded them to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate, and to fear the wrath and punishment of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. He said:

يقَوْمِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَارْجُواْ الْيَوْمَ الاٌّخِرَ

(O my people! Worship Allah and hope for the last Day,) Ibn Jarir said: "Some of them said that this meant: Fear the Last Day." This is like the Ayah,

لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الاٌّخِرَ

(for those who look forward to (meeting with) Allah and the Last Day) (60:6).

وَلاَ تَعْثَوْاْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ

(and commit no mischief on the earth as mischief-makers.) This is forbidding them to make mischief on earth by spreading corruption, which means going around doing evil to people. They used to cheat in weights and measures, and ambush people on the road; this is in addition to their disbelief in Allah and His Messenger. So Allah destroyed them with a mighty earthquake that convulsed their land, and the Sayhah (shout) which tore their hearts from their bodies, and the torment of the Day of Shade, when their souls were taken. This was the torment of a great day. We have already examined their story in detail in Surat Al-A`raf, Surat Hud and Surat Ash-Shu`ara'.

فَأَصْبَحُواْ فِي دَارِهِمْ جَـثِمِينَ

(and they lay, prostrate in their dwellings.) Qatadah said, "They were dead." Others said that they were thrown on top of one another.

Read the full Surah Al-'Ankabut