Spiders in Holy Qur'an

Spider is a small animal which can be found in any place. We can find it in house ceiling, the corner, or a warehouse.

There are many kinds of spider, such as trapdoor, bolas, and many other. They are in various sizes. Generally, a spider has two segments of body (they are a cephalothorax—the fusion of head and thorax, and an abdomen) and eight feet. It does not have antennae. It also has no mouth and true jaws. But it has pedipalps to grind the prey. 

Spiders are well-known with its net as their home. Spiders build their home using fiber from their abdomen. Spiders not only use their net as a home but also as a trap. The net traps any small creatures. Then, the spiders will eat the prey.

Allah SWT mentions spiders in Qur’an. There is a soorah which is named Al Ankabut (the Spiders). Al Ankabut is the 29^th soorah in Qur’an. It consists of 69 verses. Al Ankabut tells a story of Prophet Luth and his clan, and other prophets.

Al Ankabut tells us to believe and to be piety to Allah SWT. We should not believe in others, except Allah. People who are take allies other than Allah are called musyrikin. They are like people who keep themselves in spiders’ net. Yet, spiders’ net cannot keep them from hot, rain wind or enemy. Spiders’ net itself can be easily broken by wind or rain. This is the parable of musyrikin who believe in others, not Allah. They submit their fate to something which cannot give any benefit at all. As Allah says in soorah Al Ankabut aayah 41:

"The example of those who take allies other than Allah is like that of the spider who takes a home. And indeed, the weakest of homes is the home of the spider, if they only knew.”

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider

http://quran.com/29/41

Mikam, Komarudin Ibnu dan Rahayu, Herlinda Novita. 2011. Binatang Menakjubkan dalam Al-Quran. Jakarta: Gramedia.