Tafsir of An-Naml 27:18

"Until, when they came..." It is said: It is a valley in the Levant with many ants.

If you ask: Why is the verb ata (they came) followed by the preposition ‘ala (upon)?

I say: It can be interpreted in two ways:

1. Their arrival was from above, so the preposition of elevation (‘ala) was used, as Abu al-Tayyib said: "How close the stars have drawn near to you," implying a proximity from above.
2. It means crossing the valley and reaching its end, from the expression: "He ata ‘ala (came upon/finished) the thing," meaning he traversed it and reached its end. It is as if they intended to descend at the end of the valley, for as long as the wind carried them through the air, they did not fear being crushed.

Readings: It is read as namlah (ant) and numlah (with a damma on the nun and mim). The original form is naml, like rajul (man). The form namlah in common usage is a simplification, like saying al-sab’ for al-sabu’ (beast).

Narrations: It is said: She was walking with a limp, stumbling, and she called out: "O ants, enter your dwellings..." Solomon heard her speech from three miles away. It is also said her name was Takhiah.

The Anecdote of Abu Hanifa: It is narrated that Qatada entered Kufa and people gathered around him. He said, "Ask me whatever you wish." Abu Hanifa, then a young boy, was present. He said, "Ask him about the ant of Solomon: was it male or female?" They asked him, and he was silenced. Abu Hanifa then said, "It was female." When asked how he knew, he replied, "From the Book of God, where He says: 'Qalat namlah' (A female ant said). Had it been male, He would have said: 'Qala namlah' (A male ant said)." This is because the word namlah is like hamamah (pigeon) or shah (sheep)—it applies to both male and female, so they are distinguished by a marker, such as saying "a male pigeon" or "a female pigeon," or by using huwa (he) and hiya (she).

Grammatical Notes: It is read as la yahtimannakum (with a light nun). It is also read as la yahtimannakum with both a fatha and a kasra on the ha. Its origin is yahtatimannakum. Since the ant is portrayed as a speaker and the ants as listeners—as is the case with rational beings—their address is treated as the address of rational beings.

If you ask: What is the status of la yahtimannakum (lest they crush you)? I say: It is possible that it is a response to the command (an imperative consequence), or it is a prohibition acting as a substitute for the command. What allows it to be a substitute is that it carries the meaning: "Do not be where you are, lest they crush you," similar to the expression: "I do not want to see you here." She meant: "Lest the armies of Solomon crush you," but she used a more eloquent phrasing. Similar to this is: "I am amazed at myself and my compassion."

"So he smiled, laughing at her speech, and said: 'My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to do righteousness of which You approve and admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants.'"