AL NAHL (The Bees)
In the Name of God,1 the Gracious, the Merciful 2
1 The command of God comes: seek not then to hasten it: glory to him, and far is he above having the partners they ascribe to him.
2 He sends down his angels with inspiration by his command, to such of his servants as he pleases. Warn them that there is no god but me: so do your duty to me.
3 He has created the heavens and the earth for just ends: far is he above having the partners they ascribe to him!
4 He has created man from a sperm drop; and behold this same man becomes an open disputer.
5 And cattle he has created for you: from them you derive warmth, and numerous benefits, and of their meat you eat.
6 And you have a sense of pride and beauty in them as you drive them home in the evening, and as you lead them forth to pasture in the morning.
7 And they carry your heavy loads to lands that you could not reach except with souls distressed: for your Lord is indeed most kind, most merciful.
8 And he has created horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and he has created things of which you have no knowledge.
9 And to God leads straight the way, but there are ways that turn aside: if God had willed, he could have guided all of you.
10 It is he who sends down rain from the sky: from it you drink, and out of it grows the vegetation on which you feed your cattle.
11 With it he produces for you corn, olives, date palms, grapes, and every kind of fruit: truly in this is a sign for those who give thought.
12 He has made subject to you the night and the day; the sun and the moon; and the stars are in subjection by his command: truly in this are signs for men who are wise.
13 And the things on this earth which he has multiplied in varying colours: truly in this is a sign for men who celebrate the praises of God.
14 It is he who has made the sea subject, that you may eat from it flesh that is fresh and tender, and that you may extract therefrom ornaments to wear; and you see the ships in it that plough the waves, that you may seek the bounty of God and that you may be grateful.
15 And he has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that you may guide yourself;
16 And marks and sign posts; and by the stars men guide themselves.
17 Is then he who creates like one that creates not? Will you not receive admonition?
18 If you would count up the favours of God, never would you be able to number them: for God is oft-forgiving, most merciful.
19 And God knows what you conceal, and what you reveal.
20 Those whom they invoke besides God create nothing and are themselves created,
21 Dead, lifeless: nor do they know when they will be raised up.
22 Your God is one God: as to those who believe not in the hereafter, their hearts refuse to know, and they are arrogant.
23 Undoubtedly God knows what they conceal, and what they reveal: truly he loves not the arrogant.
24 When it is said to them, What is it that your Lord has revealed? They say, Tales of the ancients!
25 Let them bear, on the day of judgment, their own burdens in full, and also the burdens of those without knowledge, whom they misled. Alas, how grievous the burdens they will bear.
26 Those before them did also plot: but God took their structures from their foundations, and the roof fell down on them from above; and the wrath seized them from directions they did not perceive.
27 Then, on the day of judgment, he will cover them with shame, and say: where are my partners concerning whom you used to dispute? Those endued with knowledge will say: this day, indeed, are the unbelievers covered with shame and misery,
28 Those whose lives the angels take in a state of wrongdoing to their own souls. Then would they offer submission, we did no evil. No, but truly God knows all that you did;
29 So enter the gates of hell, to dwell in it. Thus evil indeed is the abode of the arrogant.
30 To the righteous it is said, What is it that your Lord has revealed? They say, all that is good. To those who do good, there is good in this world, and the home of the hereafter is even better and excellent indeed is the home of the righteous,
31 Gardens of eternity which they will enter: beneath them flow rivers: they will have there all that they wish: thus God rewards the righteous,
32 Those whose lives the angels take in a state of purity, saying, “Peace be on you; enter the garden, because of what you did.”
33 Do they wait until the angels come to them, or there comes the command of your Lord? So did those who went before them. But God wronged them not: no, they wronged their own souls.
34 But the evil results of their deeds overtook them, and that very thing at which they had scoffed hemmed them in.
35 The worshippers of false gods say: “If God had so willed, we should not have worshipped any but him — neither we nor our fathers — nor should we have prescribed prohibitions other than his.” So did those who went before them. But what is the mission of messengers but to preach the clear message?
36 For we assuredly sent among every people a messenger, “Serve God, and hate evil”: of the people were some whom God guided, and some on whom error inevitably came. So travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who denied.
37 If you are anxious for their guidance, yet God guides not such as he leaves to stray, and there is none to help them.
38 They swear their strongest oaths by God, that God will not raise up those who die: no, but it is a promise on him in truth: but most among mankind do not realize
39 That he may manifest to them the truth of that wherein they differ, and that the rejecters of truth may realize that they were indeed in error.
40 For to anything which we have willed, we but say the word, be, and it is.
41 To those who leave their homes in the cause of God, after suffering oppression, we will assuredly give a goodly home in this world; but truly the reward of the hereafter will be greater. If they only realize.
42 They are those who persevere in patience, and put their trust on their Lord.
43 And before you also the messengers we sent were but men, to whom we granted inspiration: if you realize this not, ask of those who possess the message.
44 We sent them with clear signs and scriptures and we have sent down to you the message; that you may explain clearly to men what is sent for them, and that they may give thought.
45 Do then those who devise evil feel secure that God will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?
46 Or that he may not call them to account in the midst of their goings to and fro, without a chance of their frustrating him?
47 Or that he may not call them to account by a process of slow wastage, for your Lord is indeed full of kindness and mercy.
48 Do they not look at God’s creation, among things, how their shadows turn round, from the right and the left, prostrating themselves to God, and that in the humblest manner?
49 And all that is in the heavens and on earth bows down to God, whether moving creatures or the angels: for none are arrogant.
50 They all revere their Lord, high above them, and they do all that they are commanded.
51 God has said: take not two gods: for he is just one God: then fear me.
52 To him belongs whatever is in the heavens and on earth, and to him is duty due always: then will you fear other than God?
53 And you have no good thing but is from God: and moreover, when you are touched by distress, to him you cry with groans;
54 Yet, when he removes the distress from you, behold some of you turn to other gods to join with their Lord
55 To show their ingratitude for the favours we have bestowed on them then enjoy; but soon will you know.
56 And they assign, to things they do not know, a portion out of that which we have bestowed for their sustenance by God, you shall certainly be called to account for your false inventions.
57 And they assign daughters for God. Glory be to him and for themselves they desire.
58 When news is brought to one of them, of a female born, his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief.
59 With shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had shall he retain it on contempt, or bury it in the dust? Ah what an evil they decide on!
60 To those who believe not in the hereafter, applies the comparison of evil: to God applies the highest comparison: for he is the exalted in power, full of wisdom.
61 If God were to punish men for their wrong doing, he would not leave, on the earth, a single living creature: but he gives them respite for a stated term: when their term expires, they would not be able to delay for a single hour, just as they would not be able to anticipate it.
62 They attribute to God what they hate, and their tongues assert the falsehood that all good things are for themselves: without doubt for them is the fire, and they will be the first to be hastened on into it.
63 By God, we sent to peoples before you; but Shaitan made their own acts seem alluring: he is also their patron today, but they shall have a most grievous penalty.
64 And we sent down Al-Kitab to you for the express purpose, that you should make clear to them those things in which they differ, and that it should be a guide and a mercy to those who believe.
65 And God sends down rain from the skies, and gives therewith life to the earth after its death: truly in this is a sign for those who listen.
66 And truly in cattle will you find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies, between excretions and blood, we produce, for your drink, milk, pure and agreeable to those who drink it.
67 And from the fruit of the date palm and the vine, you get out wholesome drink and food: behold, in this also is a sign for those who are wise.
68 And your Lord taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in habitations;
69 Then to eat of all the produce, and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colours, wherein is healing for men: truly in this is a sign for those who give thought.
70 It is God who creates you and takes your souls at death; and of you there are some who are sent back to a feeble age, so that they know nothing after having known: for God is all-knowing, all powerful.
71 God has bestowed his gifts of sustenance more freely on some of you than on others: those more favoured are not going to throw back their gifts to those whom their right hands possess, so as to be equal in that respect. Will they then deny the favours of God?
72 And God has made for you mates of your own nature, and made for you, out of them, sons and daughters and grand children, and provided for you sustenance of the best: will they then believe in vain things, and be ungrateful for God’s favours?
73 And worship others than God, such as have no power of providing them, for sustenance, with anything in heavens or earth, and cannot possibly have such power?
74 Invent not comparisons for God: for God knows, and you know not.
75 God sets forth a parable of a slave under the dominion of another man; the slave has no power of any sort; and the other is a man on whom we have bestowed goodly favours from ourselves, and he spends of his bounty, privately and publicly. Are the two equal? Praise be to God! Most of them do not understand.
76 God sets forth a parable of two men: one of them dumb, with no power of any sort; a wearisome burden is he to his master; whichever way he directs him, he brings no good. Is such a man equal with one who commands justice, and is on a straight way?
77 To God belongs the mystery of the heavens and the earth. And the decision of the hour is as the twinkling of an eye, or even quicker: for God has power over all things.
78 It is he who brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers when you knew nothing and he gave you hearing and sight and intelligence and affections: that you may give thanks.
79 Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of the sky? Nothing holds them up but God. Truly in this are signs for those who believe.
80 It is God who made your habitation homes of rest and quiet for you; and made for you, out of the skins of animals, dwellings, which you find so light when you travel and when you stop, and out of their wool, and their soft fibres, and their hair, rich stuff and articles of convenience for a time.
81 It is God who made out of the things he created, some things to give you shade; of the hills he made some for your shelter; he made you garments to protect you from heat, and coats of mail to protect you from violence. Thus does he complete his favours on you, that you may submit to his will.
82 But if they turn away, your duty is only to preach the clear message.
83 They recognize the favours of God; then they deny them; and most of them are ungrateful.
84 One day we shall raise from all peoples a witness: then will no excuse be accepted from unbelievers, nor will they receive any favours.
85 When the wrongdoers see the penalty, then will it in no way be mitigated, nor will they then receive respite.
86 When those who gave partners to God will see their partners, they will say: our Lord these are our partners, those whom we used to invoke besides you. But they will throw back their word at them: indeed you are liars.
87 That day shall they show submission to God; and all their inventions shall leave them in the lurch.
88 Those who reject God and hinder men from the path of God for them will we add penalty to penalty; for that they used to spread mischief.
89 One day we shall raise from all peoples a witness against them, from among themselves: and we shall bring you as a witness against these people: and we have sent down to you Al-Kitab explaining all things, a guide, a mercy, and glad tidings to those who submit.
90 God commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and he forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: he instructs you, that you may receive admonition.
91 Fulfil the covenant of God when you have entered into it, and break not your oaths after you have confirmed them; indeed you have made God your surety; for God knows all that you do.
92 And be not like a woman who breaks into untwisted strands the yarn which she has spun, after it has become strong. Nor take your oaths to practise deception between yourself, lest one party should be more numerous than another: for God will test you by this; and on the day of judgment he will certainly make clear to you that wherein you disagree.
93 If God so willed, he could make you all one people: but he leaves straying whom he pleases, but you shall certainly be called to account for all your actions.
94 And take not your oaths, to practise deception between yourself, with the result that someone’s foot may slip after it was firmly planted, and you may have to taste the evil of having hindered men from the path of God, and a mighty wrath descend on you.
95 Nor sell the covenant of God for a miserable price: for with God is something far better for you, if you only knew.
96 What is with you must vanish: what is with God will endure. And we will certainly bestow, on those who patiently persevere, their reward according to the best of their actions.
97 Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, truly, to him will we give a new life, a life that is good and pure, and we will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.
98 When you read the Quran, seek God’s protection from Shaitan the rejected one.
99 No authority has he over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord.
100 His authority is over those only, who take him as patron and who join partners with God.
101 When we substitute one revelation for another, and God knows best what he reveals, they say, you are but a forger: but most of them understand not.
102 Say: The Holy Spirit3 has brought the revelation from your Lord in truth, in order to strengthen those who believe, and as a guide and glad tidings to those who submit.
103 We know indeed that they say, it is a man that teaches him. The tongue of him they wickedly point to is notably foreign, while this is Arabic, pure and clear.
104 Those who believe not in the signs of God, God will not guide them, and theirs will be a grievous penalty.
105 It is those who believe not in the signs of God that forge falsehood: it is they who lie.
106 Anyone who, after accepting faith in God, utters unbelief, except under compulsion, his heart remaining firm in faith but such as open their breast to unbelief, on them is wrath from God, and theirs will be a dreadful penalty.
107 This because they love the life of this world better than the hereafter: and God will not guide those who reject faith.
108 Those are they whose hearts, ears, and eyes God has sealed up, and they take no heed.
109 Without doubt, in the hereafter they will perish.
110 But truly your Lord, to those who leave their homes after trials and persecutions, and who thereafter strive and fight for the faith and patiently persevere, your Lord, after all this is oft-forgiving, most merciful.
111 One day every soul will come up struggling for itself, and every soul will be recompensed for all its actions, and none will be unjustly dealt with.
112 God sets forth a parable of a city enjoying security and quiet, abundantly supplied with sustenance from every place: yet it was ungrateful for the favours of God: so God made it taste of hunger and terror like a garment, because of the what its people did.
113 And there came to them a messenger from among themselves, but they falsely rejected him; so the wrath seized them even in the midst of their iniquities.
114 So eat of the sustenance which God has provided for you, lawful and good; and be grateful for the favours of God, if it is he whom you serve.
115 He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and anything over which the name of other than God has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, then God is oft-forgiving, most merciful.
116 But say not for any false thing that your tongues may put forth, this is lawful, and this is forbidden, so as to ascribe false things to God. For those who ascribe false things to God, will never prosper.
117 In such falsehood is but a paltry profit; but they will have a most grievous penalty.
118 To the Jews we prohibited such things as we have mentioned to you before: we did them no wrong, but they were used to doing wrong to themselves.
119 But truly your Lord, to those who do wrong in ignorance, but who thereafter repent and make amends, your Lord, after all this, is oft-forgiving, most merciful.
120 Ibrahim was indeed a model, devoutly obedient to God, true in faith, and he joined not gods with God:
121 He showed his gratitude for the favours of God, who chose him, and guided him to a straight way.
122 And we gave him good in this world, and he will be, in the hereafter, in the ranks of the righteous.
123 So we have taught you the inspired message, follow the ways of Ibrahim, the true in faith, and he joined not gods with God.
124 The Sabbath4 was only made for those who disagree; but God will judge between them on the day of judgment, as to their differences.
125 Invite them to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for your Lord knows best, who have strayed from his path, and who receive guidance.
126 And if you punish them, punish them no worse than they afflicted you: but if you show patience, that is the best for those who are patient.
127 And be patient, for your patience is but from God; nor grieve over them: and distress not yourself because of their plots.
128 For God is with those who restrain themselves, and those who do good.
- God, in Arabic allah, referring to the one true God, as opposed to an idol or “god.” It is the Arabic equivalent of elohim and eloah (Hebrew), alaha (Syriac), and theos (Greek), all of which accurately translate into English as “God.” This translation choice is consistent with respected English Quran translations including those of A. Yusuf Ali (original edition), S.H. Nasr (Study Quran), T.B. Irving, and T. Itani (Clear Quran). ↩︎
- the Gracious, the Merciful, the highlighting of God’s grace and mercy predates the Quran, coming down from the many hundreds of references in the Taurat, Zabur, and Injil. A few samples follow:
Taurat, Exodus 34:6 — …YAHWEH, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.
Zabur 145:8 — YAHWEH is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.
Taurat, Joel 2:13 — Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to YAHWEH your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.
Taurat, Yunus 4:2 — …I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and you relent of doing harm.”
Injil, 1 Timothy 1:2 — …Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and AL-MASIH ‘ISA our Lord.
Injil, Hebrews 4:16 — Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace for help in time of need. ↩︎ - 1`6:102 Holy Spirit, this is terminology used much in the Taurat and Injil of someone also called the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is not an angel or created being, but the uncreated, eternal Spirit of God himself who was present and active at the creation of heaven and earth (see Genesis 1:2). He is also the one who moved the prophets to speak God’s Word to humankind (see 2 Peter 1:21). He also lives inside of every follower of ‘ISA AL-MASIH, empowering them to live in a way pleasing to God. ↩︎
- 16:124 The Sabbath is Saturday, and is observed by devout Jews as a day of rest and worship. As the holy Taurat says, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. You shall labour six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to YAHWEH* your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your man-servant, nor your maid-servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates; for in six days YAHWEH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore YAHWEH blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.” (Exodus 20:8-11).
*NOTE: YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.” ↩︎