أنه قرأ يوم الجمعة على المنبر سورة النحل، حتى إذا جاء السجدة، نزل فسجد، وسجد الناس
Umar ibn al-Khattab recited Surah An-Nahl on the minbar one Friday; when he reached the verse of prostration, he came down and prostrated, and the people prostrated.
Virtues and benefits of Surah An-Nahl
Surah An-Nahl is one of the Mi’un given to the Prophet ﷺ in place of the Psalms. It is called “the surah of blessings” for the many favours of Allah it lists. It contains the verse “Allah commands justice and excellence”, which Jibril ordered the Prophet ﷺ to place where it stands, and of which Al-Hasan al-Basri said that it gathers all good and all evil.
Its virtues at a glance
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One of the Mi’un given in place of the Psalms
It is one of the Mi’un, according to the hadith of Wathilah ibn al-Asqa’, graded good: “I was given the seven long ones in place of the Torah, the Mi’un in place of the Psalms, the Mathani in place of the Gospel, and I was favoured with the Mufassal.”
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The verse of justice and excellence
The Prophet ﷺ reported that Jibril ordered him to place the verse “Allah commands justice, excellence and giving to relatives…” in this position in the surah. Al-Hasan al-Basri said: Allah has gathered for you all good and all evil in a single verse.
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Umar recited it on the minbar and prostrated
Umar ibn al-Khattab recited Surah An-Nahl on the minbar one Friday; when he reached the verse of prostration, he came down and prostrated, and the people prostrated with him.
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A testament of its closing verses
As death approached, Harim ibn Hayyan was asked to make a will; he said: “A will concerns wealth, and I have none; but I enjoin on you the closing verses of Surah An-Nahl”, then recited the verses on calling with wisdom and good counsel, and on patience.
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The surah of blessings
It is called “the surah of blessings” because Allah lists in it many favours granted to His servants, to remind them of the Giver and urge them to thank Him.
Hadiths on its virtues
Arabic text, translation, reference and authenticity grade of each hadith.
كنت عند رسول الله ﷺ جالساً، إذ شَخَص … ببصره، ثم صوبه، حتى كاد أن يلزقه بالأرض، قال: أتاني جبريل عليه السلام، فأمرني أن أضع هذه الآية بهذا الوضع من هذه السورة: ﴿إن الله يأمر بالعدل والإحسان وإيتاء ذي القربى وينهى عن الفحشاء والمنكر والبغي يعظكم لعلكم تذكرون﴾
Uthman ibn Abi al-’As was sitting with the Prophet ﷺ, who suddenly raised his gaze, then lowered it almost to the ground and said: “Jibril, peace be upon him, came to me and ordered me to place this verse in this position in this surah: ‘Allah commands justice, excellence and giving to relatives, and forbids indecency, wrongdoing and transgression; He admonishes you so that you may take heed.’”
What the surah is about
- The great truths of faith: divinity, revelation and resurrection
- Listing Allah’s blessings: livestock, water, fruits, honey, homes, shade and clothing
- Proofs of oneness in the creation of the heavens, the earth, humans and animals
- Refuting the polytheists’ sayings and innovations, such as taking rivals and burying daughters
- The command to justice, excellence and keeping covenants; the ban on indecency and transgression
- Etiquette of recitation: seeking refuge in Allah from Satan the accursed
- Ibrahim, peace be upon him, a model of devotion, upright in faith and grateful
- Calling to Allah’s way with wisdom and good counsel, and patience in the face of harm
Main purpose: To remind of the blessings that point to the Giver, glorified and exalted is He.
About Surah An-Nahl
An-Nahl (the Bees) is a Meccan surah, the sixteenth in the order of the Qur’an and the sixty-ninth in the order of revelation, after Al-Kahf; it has 128 verses. It is named after the verse “And your Lord inspired the bees”, and is also called “the surah of blessings” for the favours Allah lists in it. Some said the verse “If you retaliate, retaliate to the same degree” was revealed in Medina, but the preferred view is that it is entirely Meccan, as the contrary reports are disputed.
Detailed study in Arabic
The full Arabic text: introduction, virtues, themes, and a study of the chain and authenticity of each hadith.
- التعريف بسورة النحل
- فضائل سورة النحل
- مقاصد سورة النحل
- ويمكن إجمال المقاصد التي دارت حولها آيات هذه السورة وفق التالي
- مكان النزول
- تلخيص سورة النحل
- أهم المقاصد التي اشتملت عليها سورة النحل
- الأحاديث الواردة في الفضل ودرجتها
Virtues of other surahs
All 114 surahs- Virtues of Surah Al-Kahf A light between two Fridays and protection from the Dajjal
- Virtues of Surah Al-Mulk Intercedes for its reciter and protects from the grave’s punishment
- Virtues of Surah Ya-Sin Whoever recites it at night seeking Allah’s Face is forgiven
- Virtues of Surah Al-Baqarah Satan flees the house where it is recited; it is the peak of the Qur’an
- Virtues of Surah Al-Fatihah The greatest surah of the Qur’an, without which there is no prayer
- Virtues of Surah Al-Ikhlas It equals a third of the Qur’an; loving it earns Allah’s love
- Virtues of Surah Al-Waqi’ah One of the surahs that greyed the Prophet ﷺ; he recited it at Fajr
- Virtues of Surah Ar-Rahman Recited by the Prophet ﷺ to the jinn, who responded better than people
- Ayat al-Kursi The greatest verse in the Book of Allah, a guard against Satan