016- AL-NAHL
THE BEE
Al-Naḥl
A late Makkan sūrah, al-Naḥl was likely revealed shortly before the migration to Madinah. Some maintain, however, that vv. 126–27 were revealed in Madinah, after the Battle of Uḥud (3/625), and instruct the Prophet about how to respond to the killing and mutilation of his beloved uncle, Ḥamzah. Some also consider v. 110, which promises God’s Mercy toward those who emigrated after being oppressed, to be Madinan and to refer to those who emigrated from Makkah to Madinah. An earlier reference to those who emigrate for the sake of God (v. 41) is usually understood to refer to those Muslims who emigrated from Makkah to Abyssinia several years before the migration of Makkan Muslims to Madinah, although some consider v. 41 to be Madinan as well. Others also consider vv. 95–97 and v. 112 to be Madinan verses. The sūrah takes its name from the discussion of God’s revelation to the bee in vv. 68–69. According to al-Qurṭubī, some refer to this sūrah as al-Niʿam (“The Blessings”) because of the many references to the blessings God has given to human beings; and in v. 18, it is said that His blessings cannot be counted.
This sūrah is one of the most important of those in the Quran that point out the spiritual significance of nature. Substantial parts of this sūrah are devoted to the wonders of the natural world and to rehearsing the specific blessings that God has bestowed on human beings through natural phenomena, including various kinds of livestock and their benefits and uses, crops and vegetation, the celestial bodies, the sea and its bounties, and the mountains, streams, and other natural landmarks that guide human beings’ travel (vv. 5–17). Later the sūrah mentions the four drinks with which God has blessed human beings (water, milk, drink derived from the fruit of the vine, and honey; vv. 65–69) as well as the blessings of spouses and children (v. 72) and various kinds of dwellings and protections (vv. 80–81).
Much of this sūrah is also concerned with the Makkan idolaters, including their denial of and arrogance toward the Prophet, their plotting against him (vv. 22–26), their corrupt pagan practices (vv. 56–60), and their accusation that the Prophet had fabricated the revelation (vv. 101–5). Contained in it are repeated warnings about the impending punishment to come in this world and the Hereafter for those who disbelieve (vv. 45–55; 61–63; 84–89); in v. 112, it presents a parable about the punishment of a town that was, like pagan Makkah, ungrateful for its blessings. The sūrah also instructs believers regarding the importance of fulfilling the pact of God and keeping their oaths to others (vv. 91–96). Vv. 114–18 discuss the dietary laws that Muslims should observe, suggesting that more extensive dietary laws were given to the Jews. The sūrah closes by instructing the Prophet and his followers about how to deal with their religious opponents, that is, by disputing with them in the most virtuous manner (v. 125) and by responding with restraint and patience when they have been wronged (vv. 126–27).
(source: “The Study Quran” a new translation and commentary by Seyyed Hossein Nasr)
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