Surah An-Nahl (The Bee): Verses 1-2

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Issues Discussed Herein:

The interpretation of this verse depends on answering three questions:

First Question: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to warn them sometimes of worldly punishment (like the killing and conquest that occurred on the Day of Badr), and sometimes of the punishment of the Day of Resurrection, which occurs at the Hour. When the disbelievers did not witness either of these, they used this as evidence to deny him, demanding that he bring the punishment upon them.

It is narrated that when the verse {The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has split} (Al-Qamar: 1) was revealed, the disbelievers said among themselves: "He claims the Hour is near. Let us hold back from some of our actions until we see what happens." When time passed without the event, they said, "We see nothing of what he warned us about." Then the verse {The reckoning of the people has drawn near} (Al-Anbiya: 1) was revealed, and they became anxious and awaited that day. When days extended, they said, "O Muhammad, we see nothing of what you warned us about." Then the verse {The command of Allah is coming} was revealed. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) stood up, and the people raised their heads, and then the verse {so be not impatient for it} was revealed.

The summary is that when the Prophet (PBUH) frequently threatened them with the punishment of this world and the Hereafter, and they saw nothing, they attributed falsehood to him.

Allah the Almighty answered this doubt with: {The command of Allah is coming, so be not impatient for it.}

There are two ways to establish this answer:

1. First Way: Even if that punishment has not yet arrived, its occurrence was obligatory. When something has this status, it is common in speech to say it has come or has occurred, treating what is necessarily due to happen as if it has already happened. For example, one tells someone seeking aid, whose relief is imminent: "Relief has come to you, so do not despair."
2. Second Way: The command of Allah and His judgment regarding it have indeed come and occurred. As for the judged matter itself, it has not yet occurred because Allah decreed its occurrence at a specific time. Before that time arrives, it does not come into existence. In essence, it is as if it is said: "The command and decree of Allah regarding the descent of punishment have occurred and existed from eternity to eternity, so the statement 'The command of Allah is coming' is correct. However, the thing commanded and decreed has not yet materialized because Allah has specified a particular time for its occurrence, so do not hasten it or seek its arrival before that time."

Second Question: The disbelievers said: "Suppose we concede, O Muhammad, that what you say is true—that Allah has decreed punishment upon us, either in this world or the Hereafter. However, we worship these idols; they are our intercessors with Allah, and they will save us from this decreed punishment."

Allah answered this doubt with: {Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.}

He purified Himself from the association of partners, rivals, and equals, and from anyone having the power to intercede with Him except by His permission. The word {ما} (what) in {عما يشركون} (what they associate) can be a masdar (verbal noun), meaning: "Exalted is He above their act of association." Alternatively, it can mean "that which," meaning: "Exalted is He above these idols that they have made partners with Allah." Since they are base, inanimate objects, what affinity do they have with the lowest of beings, let alone being considered partners to the Controller of the heavens and the earth?

Third Question: Suppose Allah has decreed ease for some of His servants and hardship for others. How can you know these secrets that only Allah knows? How have you become capable of knowing Allah's secrets and His rulings in His dominion and realm?

Allah answered this with: {He sends down the angels with the Spirit of His command to whomever He wills of His servants, [saying], "Warn that there is no deity except Me; so fear Me."}

The establishment of this answer is that Allah sends down angels to whomever He wills of His servants and commands that servant to convey to all creation that the God of the universe is One. He commands them to know Tawhid (monotheism) and worship, and clarifies that if they do so, they will attain the good of this world and the Hereafter; but if they rebel, they will fall into the evil of this world and the Hereafter. Thus, this is the way he became distinguished with these knowledges over the rest of creation.

This arrangement shows that these verses are perfectly coherent. And Allah knows best.

Further Issues in the Verse:

• Recitation 1 (Nafi', 'Asim, Hamzah, Al-Kisai): {YunaZZilu} (with a Ya' at the beginning, a Zay with a fathah and shaddah), and Al-Mala'ikata (angels) in the accusative case. This is from the pattern Tafa''ul.
• Recitation 2 (Ibn Kathir, Abu 'Amr): {Yunazzalu} (with a Ya' at the beginning, a Zay with a kasrah and light shaddah), and Al-Mala'ikatu (angels) in the nominative case. This is from the pattern Af'al. Both are linguistically valid forms.

It is narrated from 'Ata' on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that "The angels" refers only to Jibril (Gabriel). Al-Wahidi states that naming a singular entity with a plural form is permissible if that singular entity is a chief or leader, similar to Allah's statement: {Indeed, We sent Noah to his people} and {And indeed, We sent it down} and {And indeed, We sent down the Reminder}. Similarly, regarding people: {Those to whom the people said...}. Another view will be explained later.

Regarding {بالروح من أمره} (with the Spirit of His command), there are two opinions:

1. First Opinion: The Spirit (Ar-Ruh) refers to Revelation (Al-Wahy), which is the Word of Allah. This is supported by verses like {And thus We have revealed to you a Spirit of Our command} (Ash-Shura: 52) and {He casts the Spirit of His command upon whom He wills of His servants} (Ghafir: 15).
   • The people of truth say: The body is inert, dense, and dark. When the Ruh (soul/spirit) connects to it, it becomes alive, subtle, and luminous. The effects of this light then appear in the five senses. Furthermore, the Ruh itself is inherently dark and ignorant. When the Intellect ('Aql) connects to it, it becomes radiant and luminous, as Allah says: {And Allah brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while you knew nothing and made for you hearing and vision and hearts} (An-Nahl: 78). Even the Intellect is not perfectly luminous, pure, and radiant until it is perfected by the knowledge of Allah's Essence, Attributes, and Actions, and the knowledge of the states of the world of spirits and bodies, and the world of this life and the Hereafter. This noble, divine knowledge is only perfected and purified by the light of Revelation and the Qur'an.
   • Knowing this, we say: The Qur'an and Revelation perfect divine knowledge and spiritual unveilings. This knowledge perfects, clarifies, and completes the Intellect. The Intellect, in turn, perfects the essence of the Ruh. The Ruh perfects the state of the body. Therefore, the true, original Spirit is the Revelation and the Qur'an, because through it comes salvation from the slumber of ignorance and the sleep of heedlessness, and transition from the lowest level of animal nature to the highest peak of kingship. Thus, applying the term Ruh to Revelation is extremely fitting and analogous.
   • This is further supported by the fact that Allah applied the term Ruh to Jibril (PBUH) in {The faithful Spirit brought it down * upon your heart} (Ash-Shu'ara: 193-194), and to 'Isa (PBUH) as {The Spirit of Allah} (Yusuf: 87). This application was appropriate because the life of the heart—guidance and knowledge—resulted from their existence. If applying the name Ruh to them is appropriate for this reason, then applying it to Revelation and descent is even more fitting.

2. Second Opinion (Abu 'Ubaydah): The Spirit here is Jibril (PBUH), and the preposition {بـ} (with) in {بالروح} means ma'a (along with), as in the saying, "So-and-so went out with his clothes," meaning along with his clothes. Thus, the meaning is: "The angels descend along with the Spirit (Jibril)."
   • The first opinion is closer. The establishment of this view is that Allah did not send Jibril alone to Muhammad (PBUH); rather, in most instances, hosts of angels descended with Jibril. We see that on the Day of Badr and in many battles, hosts of angels descended with Jibril (PBUH). Sometimes the Angel of the Mountains descended upon the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), sometimes the Angel of the Seas, sometimes Ridwan, and sometimes others.
   • {من أمره} (of His command) means that this descent happens only by the command of Allah. This is similar to His saying: {We do not descend except by the command of your Lord} (Maryam: 64), and {They do not precede Him in speech, and they act by His command} (Al-Anbiya: 27), {And they are fearful of Him} (Al-Anbiya: 28), {They fear their Lord above them and do what they are commanded} (An-Nahl: 50), and {They do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded} (At-Tahrim: 6). All these verses indicate that they undertake no action except by the command and permission of Allah.
   • {على من يشاء من عباده} (to whomever He wills of His servants) refers to the Prophets whom Allah chose for His Message.
   • {أن أنذروا} (that warn): Al-Zajjaj said that {أن} (that) is a substitute for Ar-Ruh (the Spirit). The meaning is: "The angels descend that you warn," meaning, inform the creatures that there is no deity except Me. Warning (Inzar) is informing coupled with frightening.

First Benefit: The arrival of Revelation from Allah to the Prophets occurs only through the mediation of angels. This is supported by the end of Surah Al-Baqarah: {The believers all believe in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers} (Al-Baqarah: 285). Allah began by mentioning Himself, followed by the angels because they are the ones who receive Revelation from Allah initially without mediation. That Revelation constitutes the Books, and the angels convey that Revelation to the Prophets. Thus, the correct order is to mention Allah first, then the angels, then the Books, and fourthly the Messengers.

• If Allah reveals to an angel, that angel knows the Revelation is from Allah either by necessary knowledge (daruri) or inferential knowledge (istidlali). If it is inferential, what is the path to that knowledge? Furthermore, when the angel conveys the Revelation to the Messenger, how does the Messenger know that the angel is truthful and not a rejected devil—by necessary or inferential knowledge? If inferential, what is the path? These are difficult stations, and complete knowledge requires investigating the reality of the angel, how Allah reveals to it, and how the angel conveys it to the Messenger. If we approach these matters using common terminology, the goal becomes difficult and the system breaks down, because the verses of the Qur'an explicitly state that this Revelation and descent occurred through the angels. Even if the verses did not state this, the possibility of it being so is self-evident to the rational mind.
• We cannot know that Jibril (PBUH) is truthful and infallible except through transmitted proofs (dalail as-sam'iyyah). The validity of these transmitted proofs depends on the truthfulness of Muhammad (PBUH). His truthfulness depends on the Qur'an being a miracle from Allah, not from an evil devil. Knowledge of this depends on knowing that Jibril is truthful, righteous, and free from deception and satanic actions. This leads to a circular argument, which is a difficult matter. However, if we understand the reality of Prophethood and the reality of Revelation, this doubt is completely removed. And Allah knows best.

This verse indicates that the Spirit mentioned in {He sends down the angels with the Spirit of His command} is solely for the purpose of {that there is no deity except Me; so fear Me}. This is true because the levels of human felicity are four:

1. The Psychic/Intellectual Level (An-Nafsaniyyah): The soul has two powers:
   • The potential to receive the forms of existing things from the unseen world—this is the Theoretical Power (Al-Quwwah An-Nazariyyah). Its felicity lies in attaining knowledge. The noblest and greatest knowledge is knowing that there is no deity but Him, which is alluded to by {أن أنذروا أنه لا إلاه إلا أنا} (Warn that there is no deity except Me).
   • The potential to act upon the bodies in this world—this is the Practical Power (Al-Quwwah Al-'Amaliyyah). Its felicity lies in performing righteous deeds. The noblest righteous deed is servitude to Allah, alluded to by {فاتقون} (so fear Me).
   • Since the Theoretical Power is nobler than the Practical Power, Allah mentioned the perfection of the Theoretical Power first: {لا إلاه إلا أنا} (that there is no deity except Me), followed by the perfection of the Practical Power: {فاتقون} (so fear Me).

2. The Bodily Level (Al-Badaniyyah): This level includes physical health and the perfections of the seventeen bodily animal powers.

3. The Level of Accidental Bodily Attributes (Al-Sifat Al-'Aradiyyah Al-Badaniyyah): This is divided into the felicity of origins (the state of the fathers) and the felicity of branches (the state of the children).

4. The Lowest Level (Al-Munfasilah 'an Al-Badan): This level concerns things separate from the body, such as wealth and status.

Therefore, the noblest levels of felicity are the psychic states, confined to the perfections of the Theoretical and Practical Powers. For this reason, Allah mentioned the highest state of these two powers here: {أن أنذروا أنه لا إلاه إلا أنا فاتقون}.