Surat al-‘Ankabūt (Arabic: سورة العنكبوت‎, "The Spider") is the 29th sura of the Qur'an with 69 verses. It is a Meccan surah due to the introduction concerning the persecution of the Muslims. The early Muslims were persecuted in Mecca, where Muhammed was not a head of state and not persecuted in Medina, where he was a head of state and had some protection. The surah states that Nuh, Ibrahim, Lut, Shuaib, Hud, Saleh, Musa and Muhammad all were prophets of God. All of them endured hardships. For example, Noah was ridiculed often and Abraham was thrown into the fire. But God destroyed their people who transgressed.