NAME: ،النحل, النعم, An-Nahl, An-Ni’em.
Name taken from Verse 68 where there is a mention of “An-Nahl”.
٦٨ وَأَوْحَىٰ رَبُّكَ إِلَى النَّحْلِ أَنِ اتَّخِذِي مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا وَمِنَ الشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا يَعْرِشُونَ
68 And your Lord inspired to the bee, “Take for yourself among the mountains, houses, and among the trees and [in] that which they construct
But It does not mean that this name is the actual topic discussed in the whole Surah. It is just a reference and mark/symbol to distinguish this Surah from others as is with most other Surahs of Quran. While there are diversified topics discussed in these Surahs.
ENGLISH NAME: The Bee, The Blessings.
CHAPTER NUMBER: 16
SURAH NAHL TOTAL VERSES: 128
SURAH NAHL TOTAL WORDS: 1,844
TOTAL UNIQUE WORDS WITHOUT REPETITION: 919
TOTAL LETTERS: 7,832
REVELATION PERIOD:
Meccan, Approx. 619 – 622 AD. Except the last three verses revealed in Medina.
MAIN CHARACTERS:
God, Angels & Ruh, Man, Believers, Disbelievers, Female Bee, Prophet Muhammad, Witness from all Nations, Satan/ Devil.
SURAH NAHL MAIN TOPICS:
God’s Favors and blessings for mankind, God Knows What You Conceal And What You Declare, Sign in Cattle and Honey Bee, Last Day A Witness Will Be Called From Each Nation, Prophet Muhammad As A Witness Over All witnesses, Satan/ Devil Effect Only Those With Weak Belief, Blame on Prophet that some man has taught him all this.
SURAH NAHL KEY VERSES:
٤١ وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا فِي اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا ظُلِمُوا لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً ۖ وَلَأَجْرُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ
41 And those who emigrated for [the cause of] Allah after they had been wronged – We will surely settle them in this world in a good place; but the reward of the Hereafter is greater, if only they could know.
٦٦ وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ فِي الْأَنْعَامِ لَعِبْرَةً ۖ نُسْقِيكُمْ مِمَّا فِي بُطُونِهِ مِنْ بَيْنِ فَرْثٍ وَدَمٍ لَبَنًا خَالِصًا سَائِغًا لِلشَّارِبِينَ
66 And indeed, for you in grazing livestock is a lesson. We give you drink from what is in their bellies – between excretion and blood – pure milk, palatable to drinkers.
٦٩ ثُمَّ كُلِي مِنْ كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ فَاسْلُكِي سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُلُلًا ۚ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٌ مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهُ فِيهِ شِفَاءٌ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
69 Then eat from all the fruits and follow the ways of your Lord laid down [for you].” There emerges from their bellies a drink, varying in colors, in which there is healing for people. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought.
٨٩ وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ ۖ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ ۚ وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ
89 And [mention] the Day when We will resurrect among every nation a witness over them from themselves. And We will bring you, [O Muhammad], as a witness over your nation. And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as guidance and mercy and good tidings for the Muslims.
١٠٣ وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُهُ بَشَرٌ ۗ لِسَانُ الَّذِي يُلْحِدُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَعْجَمِيٌّ وَهَٰذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِيٌّ مُبِينٌ
103 And We certainly know that they say, “It is only a human being who teaches the Prophet.” The tongue of the one they refer to is foreign, and this Qur’an is [in] a clear Arabic language.
SUMMARY OF TOPICS
1(the Command Of God Is Coming, So Be Not Impatient for It.), 2(He Sends Down Angel & Ruh), 4(God Created Man From a Sperm-Drop Then Behold He Is an Open Opponent), 10-18(God’s Favors and Blessings for Mankind in Creatures, Earth Mountains and Rivers- if You Should Count the Favors of God, You Could Not Enumerate Them), 19-27( God Knows What You Conceal and What You Declare, Warnings And Admonitions), 28-32(Situation When at Death Angels Taking Souls, Fear for Disbelievers and Greetings to the Believers, at the Time of Death Tidings of Entering in Hell OR Heaven), 35-39(God Has Sent Into Every Nation a Messenger, [Saying], “Worship Allah and Avoid Taghut.” Disbelievers Excuse: “if God Wanted, We Would Have Not Worshipped Anyone Else.), 41(Those Who Emigrated for [the Cause of] Allah After They Had Been Wronged – God Will Surely Settle Them in This World in a Good Place), 44-47(God Can Seize Wrongdoers From any Direction). 48-49(all Creation Prostrate to God and So Do Their Shadows), 52-63(Whenever Man Is in Distress He Calls Upon God; no Sooner Does He Relieve Them That At Once a Party of You Associates Others With Their Lord), 66(Sign in Cattle as Milk by Their Bellies “We Give You Drink From What Is in Livestocks Bellies – Between Excretion and Blood – Pure Milk”), 68(God Inspired/Revealed Female Bee To Do her Task of Making Honey), 69(Honey From Belly of Female Bee), 71(Allah Favored Some in Rizq/Provision), 72(and Allah Has Made for You From Yourselves Mates and Has Made for You From Your Mates Sons and Grandchildren), 75-76(God Gave Two Examples: a Slave &Dumb & Free& Wise Man Not Equal), 77(Qiyamah/Last Day Is Near: Command for the Hour Is Not but as a Glance of the Eye or Even Nearer), 79(Birds Fly by God’s Command, None Holds Them Up Except God), 84-86(Last Day A Witness Will Be Called From Each Nation), 87-88(End and Punishment of Disbelievers), 89(Prophet Muhammad as a Witness Over all Witnesses), 92(God Gives Example of Thread Maker Woman Who Untwisted Her Spun Thread After It Was Strong, Same Is Taking Your Oaths As [Means of] Deceit Between You), 95-96(Whatever You Have Will End, but What Allah Has Is Lasting.), 98-100(Satan/ Devil Effect Only Those With Weak Belief, Satan Has Authority Only Over Those Who Take Him as an Ally), 101( Abrogation of Ayah/Verse/Sign), 103-110(Disbelievers Say “It Is Only a Human Being Who Teaches the Prophet, but the Man They Refer to Is Non-Arab While the Quran Is in Eloquent Arabic), 115(Haram/ Unlawful Halal/Lawful Food: Do Not Declare With Your Tongue What Is Lawful and What Is Unlawful. Halal and Haram Are From God), 125(Preach With Wisdom and Good Instruction, and Argue With Them in a Way That Is Best)
SURAH NAHL BRIEF COMMENTARY & BACK GROUND
This Surah has 128 verses divided into 16 Rukus/Sections. This Surah was revealed in Mecca in a later stage of Prophet Muhammad preaching in Mecca when persecution had become severe. Its revelation period is almost the same as that of Surah Raad and Ibrahim. Its name “Nahl” taken from verse 68.
There is a narration that the Prophet of God (PBUH) said that whoever recites this Surah will not be questioned, on the Last Day, about the blessings/Pleasures he received on the Earth and will get the reward equal to the amount of people who left a good will when they died.
Considering the background in which it revealed in Mecca during severe persecution and rejection, its major portion is addressed to the idolaters and polytheists while Prophet Muhammad and his companions are advised how their behavious should be in such a time of persecution and how to remain upright. Its central theme is the refutation of shirk/associating partners with God and emphasizes that God has created this whole universe, God’s majesty reflected in the natural wonders of creation and in numerous signs in the world and in man’s own self.
