وَأَوْحَىٰ رَبُّكَ إِلَى ٱلنَّحْلِ أَنِ ٱتَّخِذِى مِنَ ٱلْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا وَمِنَ ٱلشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا يَعْرِشُونَ 68
Translations
And your Lord inspired to the bee, "Take for yourself among the mountains, houses [i.e., hives], and among the trees and [in] that which they construct.
Transliteration
Wa awha rabbuka ila an-nahl an ittakhidhi min al-jibal buyutan wa min ash-shajar wa mimma ya'rishun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah has inspired the bee to build its dwellings in mountains, trees, and human structures (trellises), revealing divine guidance embedded within creation itself. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this ayah demonstrates Allah's perfect wisdom in instilling natural knowledge and architectural skill into the bee without explicit teaching, exemplifying the innate divine guidance (hidayah) granted to all creatures. The word 'awha' (inspired/revealed) indicates that this ability is a divinely-granted instinct, not learned behavior, showcasing the Creator's profound knowledge of His creation.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Nahl (The Bee), a Meccan surah that extensively discusses signs of Allah's creation and wisdom. The surah takes its name from this ayah and serves as a comprehensive exposition on the bee's miraculous nature as evidence of divine design and creation. The context emphasizes how even small creatures are guided by Allah, reinforcing monotheistic belief among the Meccan audience.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'In the bee is a lesson for you' (though this is paraphrased wisdom rather than a formally transmitted hadith). Related is the hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah about the Prophet's regard for beneficial creatures and the prohibition against harming them unnecessarily.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that divine wisdom and guidance permeate all of creation, even the smallest creatures, encouraging us to observe nature as a source of spiritual reflection and recognition of Allah's perfect design. It teaches us to respect and appreciate the intricate systems Allah has placed in creation and to recognize that true knowledge and skill ultimately derive from divine inspiration.
Related Ayahs
أَفَأَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مَكَرُوا۟ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن يَخْسِفَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
Then, do those who have planned evil deeds feel secure that Allāh will not cause the earth to swallow them or that the punishment will not come upon them from where they do not perceive?
ٱدْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلْحِكْمَةِ وَٱلْمَوْعِظَةِ ٱلْحَسَنَةِ ۖ وَجَـٰدِلْهُم بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ ۖ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided.
وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَزْوَٰجِكُم بَنِينَ وَحَفَدَةً وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ ۚ أَفَبِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ يُؤْمِنُونَ وَبِنِعْمَتِ ٱللَّهِ هُمْ يَكْفُرُونَ
And Allāh has made for you from yourselves mates and has made for you from your mates sons and grandchildren and has provided for you from the good things. Then in falsehood do they believe and in the favor of Allāh they disbelieve?
تَٱللَّهِ لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ فَهُوَ وَلِيُّهُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
By Allāh, We did certainly send [messengers] to nations before you, but Satan made their deeds attractive to them. And he is their [i.e., the disbelievers] ally today [as well], and they will have a painful punishment.