سورة An-Naml (The Ants )

Ta-Seen*; these are verses of the Qur’an and the clear Book. (Alphabets of the Arabic language – Allah, and to whomever he reveals, know their precise meanings.)

A guidance and glad tidings for the believers.

Those who keep the prayer established and pay the charity and are certain of the Hereafter.

Those who do not believe in the Hereafter – We have made their deeds seem good to them, so they are astray.

It is they for whom is the worst punishment, and they will be the greatest losers in the Hereafter.

And indeed you (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), are taught the Qur’an from the Wise, the All Knowing.

(Remember) when Moosa said to his wife, “I have sighted a fire; I will soon bring its news to you, or bring for you an ember from it so that you may warm yourselves.”

So when he reached it, it was proclaimed, “Blessed is he who is in the location of the fire (Moosa) and those who are close to it (the angels); and Purity is to Allah, the Lord Of The Creation.”

“O Moosa, I am indeed, in truth, Allah the Almighty, the Wise.”

“And put down your staff”; so when he saw it writhing like a serpent, he turned moving away without looking back; We said, “O Moosa, do not fear; indeed the Noble Messengers do not fear in My presence.”

“Except the one* who does injustice and then after evil changes it for virtue – then indeed I am Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Other than the Prophets.)

“And put your hand inside your armpit – it will come out shining white, not due to any illness; a sign among the nine signs towards Firaun and his people; they are indeed a lawless nation.”

Then when Our enlightening signs came to them, they said, “This is clear magic.”

And they denied them – whereas in their hearts they were certain of them – due to injustice and pride; therefore see what sort of fate befell the mischievous!

And We indeed bestowed great knowledge to Dawud and Sulaiman; and they both said, “All praise is to Allah, Who bestowed us superiority over many of His believing bondmen.”

And Sulaiman became Dawud’s heir; and he said, “O people, we have indeed been taught the language of birds, and have been given from all things; this surely is a manifest favour.”

And assembled together for Sulaiman were his armies of jinns and men, and of birds – so they had to be restricted.

Until when they came to the valley of the ants, a she ant exclaimed, “O ants, enter your houses – may not Sulaiman and his armies crush you, unknowingly.”

He therefore smiled beamingly at her speech*, and submitted, “My Lord, bestow me guidance so that I thank you for the favour which You bestowed upon me and my parents, and so that I may perform the good deeds which please You, and by Your mercy include me among Your bondmen who are worthy of Your proximity.” (Prophet Sulaiman heard the voice of the she ant from far away.)

And he surveyed the birds – he therefore said, “What is to me that I do not see the Hudhud (hoopoe), or is he really absent?”

“I will indeed punish him severely or slay him, or he must bring to me some clear evidence.”

So Hudhud did not stay absent for long, and presenting himself submitted, “I have witnessed a matter that your majesty has not seen, and I have brought definite information to you from the city of Saba.”

“I have seen a woman who rules over them, and she has been given from all things, and she has a mighty throne.”

“I found her and her nation prostrating before the sun instead of Allah, and Satan has made their deeds seem good to them thereby preventing them from the Straight Path – so they do not attain guidance.”

“Why do they not prostrate to Allah, Who brings forth the things hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows all what you hide and all what you disclose?”

“Allah – there is no True God except Him, the Owner of the Great Throne.” (Command of Prostration # 8)

Said Sulaiman, “We shall now see whether you spoke the truth or are among the liars.”

“Go with this letter of mine and drop it upon them – then move aside from them and see what they answer in return.”

The woman said, “O chieftains, indeed a noble letter has been dropped upon me.”

“Indeed it is from Sulaiman, and it is (begins) with ‘Allah – beginning with the name of – the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.’”

“That ‘Do not wish eminence above me, and present yourselves humbly to me, with submission.’”

She said, “O chieftains, advise me in this matter of mine; I do not give a final decision until you are present with me.”

They said, “We possess great strength and are great warriors, and the decision is yours, therefore consider what you will command.”

She said, “Indeed the kings, when they enter a township, destroy it and disgrace its honourable people; and this is what they do.”

“And I shall send a present to them, then see what reply the envoys bring.”

So when the envoy came to Sulaiman, he said, “Are you helping me with wealth? What Allah has bestowed upon me is better than what He has given you; rather it is you who are delighted at your gift.”

“Go back to them – so we shall indeed come upon them with an army they cannot fight, and degrading them shall certainly drive them out from that city, so they will be humiliated.”

Said Sulaiman, “O court members, which one of you can bring me her throne before they come humbled in my presence?”

An extremely evil jinn said, “I will bring it in your presence before you disperse the assembly; and I am indeed strong and trustworthy upon it.”

Said one who had knowledge of the Book, “I will bring it in your majesty’s presence before you bat your eyelid”; then when he saw it set in his presence*, Sulaiman said, “This is of the favours of my Lord; so that He may test me whether I give thanks or am ungrateful; and whoever gives thanks only gives thanks for his own good; and whoever is ungrateful – then indeed my Lord is the Independent (Not Needing Anything), the Owner Of All Praise.” (A miracle which occurred through one of Allah’s friends.)

Said Sulaiman, “Disguise her throne in front of her so that we may see whether she finds the way* or becomes of those who remain unknowing.” (*Recognises her throne.)

Then when she came, it was said to her, “Is your throne like this? She said, “As if this is it! And we came to know about this incident beforehand and submit (to you).”

And the thing she used to worship instead of Allah prevented her; she was indeed from the disbelieving people.

It was said to her, “Enter the hall”; and when she saw it she thought it was a pool and bared her shins*; said Sulaiman, “This is only a smooth hall, affixed with glass”; she said, “My Lord, I have indeed wronged myself, and I now submit myself along with Sulaiman to Allah, the Lord Of The Creation.” (* In order to cross it)

And indeed We sent to the Thamud, their fellowman Saleh that, “Worship Allah”, thereupon they became two parties quarrelling.

He said, “O my people, why do you hasten upon the evil before the good? Why do you not seek forgiveness from Allah? Perhaps there may be mercy upon you.”

They said, “We consider you an evil omen, and your companions”; he said, “Your evil omen is with Allah – in fact you people have fallen into trial.”

And there were nine persons in the city who used to cause turmoil in the land and did not wish reform.

Swearing by Allah they said to one another, “We will indeed attack him and his family at night, and then say to his heir, ‘We were not present at the time of slaying of this household, and indeed we are truthful.’”

So they devised a scheme, and We made our secret plan, and they remained neglectful.

Therefore see what was the result of their scheming – We destroyed them and their entire nation.

So these are their houses fallen flat, the recompense of their injustice; indeed in this is a sign for people who know.

And We rescued those who accepted faith and used to fear.

And (remember) Lut when he said to his people, “What! You stoop to the shameful whereas you can see?”

“What! You lustfully go towards men, leaving the women?! In fact, you are an ignorant people.”

Therefore the answer of his people was nothing except that they said, “Expel the family of Lut from your township; these people wish purity!”

We therefore rescued him and his family, except his wife; We had decreed that she is of those who will remain behind.

And We showered a rain upon them; so what a wretched rain for those who were warned!

Say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “All praise is to Allah, and peace upon His chosen bondmen; is Allah better or what you ascribe as His partners?”

Or He Who created the heavens and the earth, and sent down water from the sky for you; so We grew delightful gardens with it; you had no strength to grow its trees; is there a God along with Allah?! In fact they are those who shun the right path.

Or He Who made the earth for habitation, and placed rivers within it, and created mountains as anchors for it, and kept a barrier between the two seas? Is there a God along with Allah?! In fact, most of them are ignorant.

Or He Who answers the prayer of the helpless when he invokes Him and removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a God along with Allah?! Very little do they ponder!

Or He Who shows you the path in the darkness of the land and the sea, and He Who sends the winds before His mercy, heralding glad tidings? Is there a God along with Allah?! Supremacy is to Allah above all that they ascribe as partners!

Or He Who initiates the creation, then will create it again, and He Who provides you sustenance from the skies and the earth? Is there a God along with Allah?! Proclaim, “Bring your proof, if you are truthful!”

Say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “None in the heavens and the earth know the hidden by themselves, except Allah; and they do not know when they will be raised.”

Has their knowledge advanced so much as to know the Hereafter? On the contrary, they are in doubt concerning it; in fact they are blind towards it.

And the disbelievers said, “Will we, when we and our forefathers have turned into dust, be removed again?”

“Indeed this promise was given to us, and before us to our forefathers – this is nothing but stories of former people.”

“Proclaim, (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “Travel in the land and see what sort of fate befell the guilty.”

And do not grieve upon them, nor be distressed because of their scheming.

And they say, “When will this promise come, if you are truthful?”

Say, “It could be that a part of what you are impatient for is (already) after you.”

Indeed your Lord is Most Munificent upon mankind, but most men do not give thanks.

And indeed your Lord knows what is hidden in their bosoms, and what they disclose.

And all the hidden secrets of the heavens and the earth are (written) in a clear Book. (The Preserved Tablet)

Indeed this Qur’an narrates to the Descendants of Israel most of the matters in which they differ.

And indeed it is a guidance and a mercy for the Muslims.

Indeed your Lord judges between them with His command; and He is the Almighty, the All Knowing.

Therefore rely on Allah; you are indeed upon the clear Truth.

Indeed the dead* do not listen to your call nor do the deaf* listen to your call, when they flee turning back. (The dead and deaf implies the disbelievers.)

And you will not guide the blind out of their error; and none listen to you except those who accept faith in Our signs, and they are Muslims.

And when the Word (promise) appears upon them, We shall bring forth for them a beast from the earth to speak to them – because the people were not accepting faith in Our signs. (This beast will rise from the earth, when the Last Day draws near.)

And the Day when We will raise from every nation an army that denies Our signs – so the former groups will be held back for the latter to join them.

Until when they all come together, He will say, “Did you deny My signs whereas your knowledge had not reached it, or what were the deeds you were doing?”

And the Word has appeared upon them because of their injustice, so now they do not speak.

Did they not see that We created the night for them to rest in, and created the day providing sight? Indeed in this are signs for the people who have faith.

And the Day when the Trumpet is blown – so all those who are in the heavens and the earth will be terrified, except whomever Allah wills; and everyone has come to Him, in submission.

And you will see the mountains presuming them fixed whereas they will be moving like the clouds; this is Allah’s making, Who created all things with wisdom; indeed He is Informed of what you do.

Whoever brings a good deed – for him is a reward better than it; and they will be safe from the terror on that Day.

And whoever brings evil – so their faces will be dipped into the fire; what reward will you get, except what you did?

“I (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) have been commanded to worship the Lord of this city, Who has deemed it sacred, and everything belongs to Him; and I have been commanded to be among the obedient.”

“And to recite the Qur’an”; so whoever attained the right path, has attained it for his own good; and whoever goes astray – so say, “Indeed I am only a Herald of Warning.”

And proclaim, “All praise is to Allah – He will soon show you His signs so you will recognise them”; and (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) your Lord is not unaware of what you, O people, do.”