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
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى سَخَّرَ ٱلْبَحْرَ لِتَأْكُلُوا۟ مِنْهُ لَحْمًا طَرِيًّا وَتَسْتَخْرِجُوا۟ مِنْهُ حِلْيَةً تَلْبَسُونَهَا وَتَرَى ٱلْفُلْكَ مَوَاخِرَ فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
And it is He who subjected the sea for you to eat from it tender meat and to extract from it ornaments which you wear. And you see the ships plowing through it, and [He subjected it] that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful.
ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا۟ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ
[They are] those who endured patiently and upon their Lord relied.
وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ ٱلْكَذِبَ هَـٰذَا حَلَـٰلٌ وَهَـٰذَا حَرَامٌ لِّتَفْتَرُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ
And do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth, "This is lawful and this is unlawful," to invent falsehood about Allāh. Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allāh will not succeed.
لِيَكْفُرُوا۟ بِمَآ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمْ ۚ فَتَمَتَّعُوا۟ ۖ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ
So they will deny what We have given them. Then enjoy yourselves, for you are going to know.