Texts of Islam

The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'ân,: 27. an-Naml: The Ant

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This is Surah 27 (an-Naml, "The Ant") from the Qur'an, presented in M.M. Pickthall's early 20th-century English translation — a landmark rendition notable for its archaic King James-style prose and Pickthall's status as a Muslim convert who aimed for reverent fidelity to the original Arabic. The surah opens by affirming the Qur'an as divine guidance, then moves through a series of prophetic narratives: Moses receiving his call at the burning bush, Solomon's miraculous dominion over birds, jinn, and animals (including the famous episode of the ant warning her colony), and Solomon's diplomatic encounter with the Queen of Sheba, who ultimately converts to monotheism. The chapter also recounts the destructions of the peoples of Thamud and Lot as cautionary examples of communities that rejected divine messengers. The second half shifts to direct theological argument, presenting a rhetorical series of questions ("Is not He best who...?") asserting Allah's unique sovereignty over creation — seas, rain, guidance, resurrection — while challenging polytheism. Distinctively, this surah weaves narrative, natural-world argument, and eschatological warning into a unified call to gratitude and submission, and its title derives from a single charming narrative detail — a speaking ant — that illustrates Solomon's God-given wisdom and humility.

The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'ân,: 27. an-Naml: The Ant

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