The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'ân,: 16. an-Nahl: The Bee

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This is a portion of Surah An-Nahl (Chapter 16, "The Bee") from the Qur'an, presented in M.M. Pickthall's English translation — a verse-by-verse rendering in archaic Jacobean English prose that aims for literal fidelity while preserving a formal, reverent register. The surah is a Meccan chapter (with some Medinan additions) belonging to the Islamic scriptural tradition, and its central argument is monotheistic: Allah alone is the creator and sustainer of all things, so worship must be directed exclusively to Him. A large portion catalogues natural phenomena — cattle, rain, crops, bees, the sea, celestial bodies — as "portents" (signs) that rational people should recognize as evidence of divine providence and thus as grounds for gratitude and submission. The surah notably addresses the pre-Islamic Arabian practice of female infanticide and the irony of attributing daughters to God while despising them in one's own household, as well as the theological problem of idolatry through parables contrasting a powerless slave with a free, capable person. It also defends prophethood by asserting that all nations received messengers with the same monotheistic message, and promises reward for those who emigrated for their faith and punishment for those who rejected guidance. Pickthall's translation is considered one of the most linguistically careful by a Western Muslim convert, making it a touchstone for English-speaking readers seeking a non-paraphrastic rendering.

The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'ân,: 16. an-Nahl: The Bee

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