You Think You're Protected — But the Spider Lives Inside

Today, I found a huge spiderweb in the old shed at the back of my garden. Soon, that shed will be replaced by a more welcoming little garden house — hopefully with a more confortable place to write.

I spent a long time observing the tiny spiders under the eaves, sitting on my bench, wondering what I could write about.

This morning, I woke up with a word in my mind: Al-Ankabut. I didn’t even remember what it meant. I looked it up, reopened the Qur’an, and reread the Surah.

One of the most powerful verses in this Surah is:

Verse 29:41“The likeness of those who take protectors other than Allah is like the spider who builds a house. But indeed, the weakest of houses is the house of the spider — if they only knew.”

And the next verse continues :

Verse 29:42“Indeed, Allah knows whatever they invoke besides Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”

These two verses raise a subtle but profound question: Why the spider? Why is its home considered weak? And what does this have to do with idolatry — with the false securities we build for ourselves?

When we observe the behavior of spiders, disturbing dynamics emerge. For example, when one of the small ones dies — even if it’s a "sibling" raised alongside the others — the rest have no hesitation in eating it. In fact, they prefer consuming the fresh bodies over the ones left for days. As if to say: As long as you’re alive, you belong. But the moment you stop being useful, you become a resource to exploit. Even the mother is not spared.

Among spiders, the law of the strongest prevails. Cannibalism is common, and survival is ruthless.

The Qur’an uses this exact image to describe the human condition when we place our trust in anything without divine foundation — whether it be ideologies, power, relationships, or material wealth.

To an untrained eye, a spider’s web can appear like a work of art: symmetrical, orderly, even strong. But all it takes is a gust of wind or a gentle touch to bring it down.

So it is with the false securities we build as humans — ideas, groups, leaders, idols, possessions — all seem strong at first glance, but they crumble when tested by life… let alone by eternity.

This powerful metaphor presents us with a clear choice:

·        On one side, the fragility of man-made constructions, clever but doomed to collapse.

·        On the other, the unshakable stability that comes from a true connection with God.

Those who place their trust in Allah find a solid foundation — a rock that cannot be shaken by time or the storms of life.

The Qur’an urges us to see through the illusion of fleeting webs and to hold tightly instead to the only thread that holds: the bond between the soul and its Creator.

A spider and its web may be visually fascinating. But the spider’s purpose is simple: to trap and devour. And when there are no more prey, even its own kin are not spared.