29: The Spider
This chapter of seven sections consists
of 69 middle Meccan verses except for the
first eleven and the very last one, which date from Madina. It was revealed
after
The [East] Romans (OR The Byzantines) 30, the chapter which follows this
one, but before The Cheats 83.
The title comes from the fable on the Spider contained at the end of section
IV which demonstrates how flimsy it is to associate anything else in our
worship of
God. It begins with an admonition on the treatment of parents (I), then
mentions
Noah, Abraham and offers a philosophy of history (II). Lot (III) and other
prophets
follow IV). It ends with a passage on the duty of Jihad or striving for
God's sake
(VII).