Surah An-Nahl, Chapter 16

Surah An-Nahl (The Bee)

No. 16 (Revealed in Mecca)

128 verses in 16 sections

Content of Surah An-Nahl

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

The sixteenth Surah of the Glorious Qur’an which contains 128 verses is called ‘Nahl’ ‘Bees’ owing to allusions made in it to the creation of bees.

Notwithstanding the Qur’an is a Book of Divine legislation, but many of its Suras are named based on creation, such as An-Najm (star), ‘Ash-Shams’ (the sun), ‘Al-Fil’ (the elephant), ‘Al-‘Ankabūt’ (spider), and ‘An-Nahl’ (the bee).

These names are clues as to the fact that all the creatures whether in the sky or on the earth, whether small or great, they are all equal to Him due to His Power, and the Book of legislation is based on the Book of nature, both of which have their sources in one origin.

One of the names of this Surah is ‘the Surah of the Blessings’ for there are the names of over 50 blessings mentioned in it.

The issues dealt with in this Surah are: the Divine blessings, reasons for monotheism and resurrection, ordinances concerning the Holy war, the threats against the pagans, the dissuasions of injustice, indecency, breaking of one’s promises, innovations, and satanical temptations.

Incidentally, most of the commentators are of the opinion that it is understood from the occasions of the revelation of the verses of this Surah that the first forty verses of it have been revealed at the end of the Meccan era, while the remaining eighty eight were revealed during the early period of the migration to Medina. Therefore, this holy Surah is both Meccan as well as Medinite.

The Virtues of Reading This Surah

In some quotations narrated from the Prophet (S), it has been confirmed that he said:

“He who recites this Surah, Allah will not hold him accountable for the blessings which He has bestowed on him in this world.”

All means will be made available to him to go to Paradise. 1

Certainly, that kind of reading is meant hereby that is coupled with meditation and decision which leads one to practice and taking steps on the path of gratitude.

• 1. Tafsir-i-Burhan