a re-read
DRAFT
Surah an-Naml (The Ant) is full of amazing ayaat. The more we ponder upon it, the more amazing the wondrous questions it begets. Yet, more amazing must be the answers.
It introduces Allah as Rabb ul aalameen. It mentions the message and the messengers. It mentions mighty thrones, their rulers and nations, and groups endowed with power. It contrasts between the believers and the non-believers. It mentions 'everything', nations being given from everything, and the associated technologies. It contrasts between solar science versus real 'ilm-ul-kitab'. It mentions gratitude versus rejection. It mentions non-human creatures, and their conversations, and prophesies the emergence of a creature from the Earth, which will speak with humans, because they used to disbelieve.
Title: The Ant
Ants are known to science as extremely industrious, social, creatures. Ants and beavers are the best known architects. Ants build upon the earth and within it, while beavers build dams. Solomon is famous for the masjid built during his reign, which was completely destroyed, several centuries later, and no longer exists, and other things built during his reign. Saba is famous for its dam, the ruins of which stand till this day. Surah an-Naml neither mentions the architectural achievements of the Kingdom of Solomon nor that of Saba, but simply mentions the Valley of the Ants. The very mention of The Valley of the Ants begets the imagery of queens, soldiers, wars, territory, empire, communication, workers, and so on (see nature videos).
Begin Surah (1-93 ayaat)
the translations / points below are which seem most obvious to me, and not necessarily the popular translations: these may or may not be correct; please crosscheck and do your own perusal
commentary in italics, highlighted in grey
1. Ta Seen ; these are the ayaat of The Quran and Clear Writ (kitabin mubeen)
The Quran and The Kitab mubeen (clear writ) is divine will; we have been given the free will to submit willingly.
2. Guidance and good news for the believers
3. those who establish prayer and give zakat and have faith in the akhirah.
establishing congregational prayers and the organised system of payment of zakah (collection and disbursement of the mandatory tax for the purpose of social welfare and acts of reform), as the real benefit of these actions are to be reaped in the akhirah (hereafter)
4. those who do not believe in the akhirah, We have made their deeds pleasing to them, thus they wander blindly.
5. those are the ones for whom will be the worst of punishment, and in the akhirah they are the worst of losers.
6. And indeed is cast upon you (tulaqqa) the Quran from One Wise Knowing.
Quran is an order cast upon you, like, later in this surah, Solomon casts an order upon the Queen of Saba; in both situations, a message is being conveyed before a formal meeting; we have a formal meeting with Allah, and the Quran is a pre-read to help us prepare for the meeting; the word tulaqqa encapsulates the sense of meeting and words ... also see this post for the possible meaning of this root
7. When Moses told his family that I 'aanusto'* a fire, soon I shall bring you some news from it, or a burning ember so you can perhaps warm yourselves with it.
*'aanusto' shares root with word for human beings; in all three narrations about Moses and the fire (Q20:10, Q27:7, Q28:29), the word used is the same, and its not the word which means 'seeing';
Fire, information or benefit, and fire worship; compare this with Sun, solar science and Sun-worship later in the Surah.
8. When he arrived there, it was called out: you are ruined, whoever is in the fire and whoever is around it; Allah is exalted (free from all they ascribe to Him), Lord-Sustainer of the Worlds
for explanation of this translation, see this earlier post
9. 'O Moses, indeed I am, I am Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise'
10. and cast (ulqi) your stick ... stick moving like a Snake,
Compare with Q27:6 and Q27:28, in those ayaat message is cast upon, while in this case the stick is cast and it changes form; also compare changing form with Q27:41
11. except who zalama, then replaces good after the harm, then indeed I am Ghafoor, Raheem
Ghafoor means to cover: so see next ayah
12. place your hand in your 'jaib', remove the hand: white and without the harm, among nine signs for Pharaoh and his nation, indeed they are a defiantly disobedient nation
the harm in Moses hand was removed by the Ghafoor, Raheem
Raheem kept giving signs to allow time to the defiantly disobedient to repent
Ancient Egyptians also worshipped the Sun, and were an advanced civilisation with high technology
13. when there came to them Our signs with vision, they said it is clear magic
14. they strove against the signs even though they were convinced in their nafs; doing Zulm, and Elating themselves (uluoon), so see the end of the corrupters
instead of submitting to Allah's orders, Pharaoh elated himself, he and his nation refused and rejected the signs and the order
15. David & Solomon: ilm
they were grateful: Alhamdolillah, we have been blessed more than many believers
16. Solomon inherited from David.
Solomon said: o humans, we have been taught the speech of the at-tair (birds), and we have been given from everything, this is a clear blessing (fadhl)
when Solomon inherits from his father, he is saying 'we', that means he is including his people in those who have been taught the speech of the at-tair (birds); so this entire kingdom is effectively able to communicate with each other, and with the at-tair (birds) ...
17. Solomon's army: al-jinns, al-inns, at-tair, in rows
to Allah belong all forces/armies, of all creatures, in the skies and earth; Solomon has been granted armies from the al-jinns (ectotherms (reptiles?)), al-inns (endotherms (mammals?)), and at-tair (endotherms (aves?))
from other surahs (Q21:82 and Q38:37) we know that the al-jinns working for Solomon were shayateen
18. (Army on the move): they reach Valley of the Ants
Female Ant says: O ants, enter your dwelling place, lest Solomon and his forces crush you unknowingly.
ants live in communities, conversing and working together; female in charge
19. Solomon smiles, at her speech
Solomon can also understand the speech of insects
Solomon prays: My Lord, grant me that I am thankful for the blessing You have blessed me with, and my parent(s), and that I do acts of (public) reforms which please You, and admit me, by Your Mercy, among Your reformed slaves.
prayer for public acts of reform (Amal e Saleh) by a Muslim King, to establish Allah's Deen? also see these posts [1] [2] [3]
20. Solomon takes attendance of the birds; not seeing the Hoopoe, asks why he is missing,
21. stating he will punish him severely or slaughter him if he doesn't have a clear authority (valid permission for absence?).
22. Soon the hoopoe returns. He informs Solomon that that he has encompassed what Solomon hasn't yet encompassed, and he returns with confirmed news from Saba.
Hoopoe had gone on a reconnaissance mission to the country Saba
23. He found a woman ruling over them, and she had been given from everything, and for her was a mighty throne.
female ruler; women liberation ...
24. He found the people prostrating to the Sun, instead of Allah, and Satan had made their deed fair-seeing to them, thus averting them from the path, thus they were not guided.
Baatil Deen of the polytheists
25. Why did they not prostrate to Allah who brings forth what is hidden in the skies and the earth, and He knows what you hide and what you declare?
to prostrate means to accept as the True King? The Law Giver? The Lord-Sustainer?
26. Allah, there is no ilah (deity / god) except Allah, Lord-Sustainer of The Mighty The Throne.
Al-Arsh Al-Azeem is Allah's Throne; Allah is the Lord-Sustainer of His Mighty Throne, and of everyone and everything else; Allah is the True and Only God; the Only One worthy of worship; The True King, The Law-Giver (Deen & Shariah)
27. Solomon said: we will see whether you were truthful or you were of the liars.
It is always important to crosscheck information lest we harm someone in ignorance
28. Go with this writ of mine (bikitabi) and cast it (f`alqeh) upon them. Then turn away from them, and see how they return.
compare with Q27:1 and Q27:6, this letter from Solomon is using the same arabic word 'kitab'; moreover the way it is being sent also uses the same root 'alqeh' ; see this post
29. she said, o ministers, indeed, has been cast upon me, a noble writ
again the Queen is also using the same word 'kitab' for writ and 'ulqi' for cast upon me
30. it is from Solomon, and it begins with the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
31. do not exalt yourself, and come in submission (muslimeen)
compare with 27:1 and 27:6, the order is to submit in Islam, and to not be arrogant towards the writ of Allah; also compare to 27:14 where Pharaoh refuses to submit, exalting himself against Allah
Allah always sends Messengers with messages to reform and submit; people are not destroyed without prior warnings
32. she said, o ministers, 'advise me' in this matter, I don't take decisions/command without taking you as witnesses
the power of consultation
33. they said, we are powerful, and of great fighting might, and the decision is with you, so see what you decide/command
they have the military might to choose to resist
34. she said, indeed when kings enter any settlement, they corrupt it, and make its powerful people powerless, and that's what they do
the conqueror humbles the conquered; however in Allah's Deen, it is not about land and wealth, it is about establishing Allah's Deen; if the Queen chooses to submit in Islam, she can continue to rule over her country
35. and indeed I will send to him with gifts and see what the messengers return with
sending gifts to test intentions
36. so when they came to Solomon, he said will you provide me with your wealth? what Allah has given me is better than what has been given you; rather it is you who rejoice in your gift
Solomon refuses the gifts; what he wants is to do Amal e Saleh: they must submit to Allah's Deen
37. return to them, for we will surely come to them with armies they will be not be able to face, and we will surely expel them from it powerless, and they will be made low
if they choose to resist, they will be defeated and humbled
38. he said, o ministers, which of you can bring to me her throne before they come to me in submission?
Solomon asks for the transportation of her throne, before she reaches; why? purpose? see 41
He is already expecting her to not resist, and come in submission
39. said an ifrit from the jinns, I can bring it to you before you stand from your place, and indeed I am for this powerful and trustworthy
what was the rush? at what speed was she coming? teleporting?
40. said the one who had knowledge from orders (alkitabi), I can bring it for you before your glance returns to you (blink of an eye?); so when Solomon saw it placed before him, he said, this is an extra blessing (fadhal) from my Lord, to test whether I am grateful or ungrateful; and whoever is grateful is grateful for his own nafs, and whoever is ungrateful, then indeed my Lord-Sustainer (Rabb) is Free of Need, Noble/Generous.
to change something's location in space time in a fraction of a second required knowledge of commands to alter spacetime or that within it. this knowledge existed in Solomon's court? also see this post
41. he said, disguise (nakkeru) for her her throne; we will see whether she will be guided, or she will be of those who are not guided
Compare with Q27:10, the stick changed form and started writhing like a snake ...
42.
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