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An-Naml
An-Naml (Arabic: النمل, romanized: ’an-naml, lit. 'The Ant') is the 27th chapter (sūrah) of the Qur'an with 93 verses (āyāt).
Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl), it is traditionally believed to be a Meccan surah, from the second Meccan period (615-619 CE).
Sura 27 tells stories of the prophets Musa (Moses), Sulayman (Solomon), Saleh, and Lot (Arabic Lūṭ) to emphasize the message of tawhid (monotheism) in Arabian and Israelite prophets. The miracles of Moses, described in the Book of Exodus, are mentioned in opposition to the arrogance and kufr (disbelief) of the Pharaoh.
The story of Solomon is most detailed: Solomon converted Bilqis, Queen of Saba' (the Queen of Sheba) to the "true religion" after a hoopoe reported to him that she was a sun-worshipping queen. This sura was likely revealed to address the role of the "Children of Israel" among the believers in Mecca, to emphasize and commend the piety of past prophets, and to distinguish the present Qurʾānic message from traditions.
The sura's name is taken from the ants whose conversations were understood by Solomon. Similar to suras ar-Ra'd "the Thunder" or al-Ankabut "the Spider", "The Ants" has no thematic significance in the Sura beyond it being a familiar phrase amongst believers, a reminder of the sura's story of Solomon.
Ants do hold a privileged status among animals in Islam on account of the story of Solomon. Hadith literature tells of Muhammad forbidding Muslims to kill the ant, bee, hoopoe, or shrike; it is no coincidence that they are all featured in an-Naml and an-Nahl "the Bee". One interpretation for the ant's theological significance coincides with its role historically. As written in the 1993 edition of the Encyclopaedia of Islam:
Since early antiquity, ants have been an object of admiration on account of ... the feverish activity with which they provide for their 27th chapter (surah) of the Qur'an with 93 verses (ayat) sustenance and the perfect organisation of their societies. This perfect organization under one cause correlates well with the Islamic idea of obedience, or ibadah.
Sura 27 is agreed to be a Meccan surah from the middle of the Meccan period. Tafsir al-Jalalayn notes that some exceptions exist: ayat 52-55 are from the Medinan period; aya 85 was revealed during the Hijra to Medina.
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An-Naml
An-Naml (Arabic: النمل, romanized: ’an-naml, lit. 'The Ant') is the 27th chapter (sūrah) of the Qur'an with 93 verses (āyāt).
Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl), it is traditionally believed to be a Meccan surah, from the second Meccan period (615-619 CE).
Sura 27 tells stories of the prophets Musa (Moses), Sulayman (Solomon), Saleh, and Lot (Arabic Lūṭ) to emphasize the message of tawhid (monotheism) in Arabian and Israelite prophets. The miracles of Moses, described in the Book of Exodus, are mentioned in opposition to the arrogance and kufr (disbelief) of the Pharaoh.
The story of Solomon is most detailed: Solomon converted Bilqis, Queen of Saba' (the Queen of Sheba) to the "true religion" after a hoopoe reported to him that she was a sun-worshipping queen. This sura was likely revealed to address the role of the "Children of Israel" among the believers in Mecca, to emphasize and commend the piety of past prophets, and to distinguish the present Qurʾānic message from traditions.
The sura's name is taken from the ants whose conversations were understood by Solomon. Similar to suras ar-Ra'd "the Thunder" or al-Ankabut "the Spider", "The Ants" has no thematic significance in the Sura beyond it being a familiar phrase amongst believers, a reminder of the sura's story of Solomon.
Ants do hold a privileged status among animals in Islam on account of the story of Solomon. Hadith literature tells of Muhammad forbidding Muslims to kill the ant, bee, hoopoe, or shrike; it is no coincidence that they are all featured in an-Naml and an-Nahl "the Bee". One interpretation for the ant's theological significance coincides with its role historically. As written in the 1993 edition of the Encyclopaedia of Islam:
Since early antiquity, ants have been an object of admiration on account of ... the feverish activity with which they provide for their 27th chapter (surah) of the Qur'an with 93 verses (ayat) sustenance and the perfect organisation of their societies. This perfect organization under one cause correlates well with the Islamic idea of obedience, or ibadah.
Sura 27 is agreed to be a Meccan surah from the middle of the Meccan period. Tafsir al-Jalalayn notes that some exceptions exist: ayat 52-55 are from the Medinan period; aya 85 was revealed during the Hijra to Medina.