The bee and Divine inspiration
In Surah Nahl – (the chapter of the Qur’an named after the bee) – there is honey for the soul.
The Qur’an tells us that Allah inspired the bee to go out and eat from every flower and fruit from the earth, resulting a unique healing for all mankind:
“And your Lord inspired the bee, saying, “Build yourselves houses in the mountains and trees and what people construct. Then eat from all the fruits and follow the ways of your Lord laid down [for you].” There emerges from their bodies a drink, varying in colors, in which there is healing for people. Indeed in that is a sign for people who give thought.” – Qur’an 16:68-69
Modern science keeps revealing new and fascinating benefits of bees to our world. Honey does indeed heal us, honey has been found from ancient Egypt still fit to eat, the bee sting is now known to cure disease, and even the vibrational frequency of bees in hives has been found to cure various illnesses. Indeed that is a sign for people who give thought!
In time, who knows what else we will discover.
Humans and Divine inspiration
Bees are the perfect example of what happens when we follow the most beautiful instincts given to us by Allah. A community which produces mercy, growth, beauty, sweetness and healing. Without bees, the entire garden of earth would be destroyed.
So, with what instructions does Allah inspire humanity?
The same chapter of the Qur’an contains a verse which summarises the essence of Islamic teaching, in only a few words.
“Indeed, Allah commands justice, doing good deeds, as well as generosity to close relatives. He forbids indecency, wickedness, and aggression. He instructs you so perhaps you will be mindful.” – Qur’an 16:90
Described by many as one of the most comprehensive verses of the Qur’an, 16:90 is difficult to translate into English. But it’s worth taking a moment to consider this verse more deeply.
Three instincts we should be following:
According to Qur’an 16:90 Allah commands:
- Adl. Maintaining justice (or literally to make equal). Whatever you do, make sure your actions are fair and that you maintain people’s rights and dignity no matter what.
- Ihsan. Doing good/striving for excellence. Ihsan has no English equivalent word, but it’s about trying to do whatever you do in the best and most beautiful way possible. Whether you’re greeting a neighbour, teaching a child, or performing heart surgery. It’s rooted in the remembrance that Allah sees all that you do – and loves to reward your efforts with goodness and blessings.
- Generosity/charity/kindness to your relatives. Here we get into a very specific form of adl and ihsan. Making sure we extend our empathy and compassion to our own immediate community is surely at the foundation of creating a healthy society.
Three things that defy our instincts:
Allah also forbids us in Qur’an 16:90 from the following:
- Fahsha. Often translated as indecency, shameful acts, or immorality. The gist being acts which are so openly shameless that everyone decent would deem them wrong.
- Munkar. Typically described as universal evils. This would mean something that breaks the law everywhere. It is often something the soul feels repelled by, instinctively, like theft or murder.
- Baghy. Often translated as aggression or rebellion. It refers to acts which usurp the rights of others, or the rights of Allah. The consequence of these types of deeds could have huge consequences – like war-mongering, creating a ripple effect depriving millions of their basic rights.
A cure for overthinking
The striking thing, to me, about Qur’an 16:90, is that it is not concerned with telling you how to specifically define good or bad acts. The concepts outlined are big and broad – but actually, the verse taps into our ability to trust our instincts.
How does a bee know what’s good for the hive? The same way we recognise kindness.
Perhaps some of us need to worry a bit less about whether every thought and feeling we have needs analysing. Maybe it’s time to stop second-guessing every decision: Am I making the right decision? What will they think of me? Should I do it today or tomorrow? What if it doesn’t work out?…
We don’t always need to stress about how, what, where, when – when it comes to our relationship with Allah.
It’s good to have options – pick a path and see where it goes.
If you find yourself overthinking, close your eyes and visualise a bee. Wherever it lands, it has the ability to make honey – because Allah gave it a beautiful instincts.
In the same way Allah inspired the bee to build homes and visit all of the flowers and fruits of this earth, so too may we pursue any of the avenues open to us.
The only thing we have to concern ourselves with is that our actions are fair, we strive to do our best, and we share the benefits of what Allah gives us with our nearest and dearest.
In Surah Mulk Allah tells us:
“It is He Who made the earth subservient to you. So travel in its paths and partake of the sustenance He has provided. And to Him is the resurrection.” – Qur’an 67:15
“Have they not seen the birds above them, spreading and folding their wings? None holds them up except the Most Compassionate. Indeed, He is All-Seeing of everything.” – Qur’an 67:19
Zoom out
Remember, you are part of an ecosystem that is so much bigger than yourself.
If humans were more like bees, following our Divinely inspired instincts, our fountains would overflow with honey. So stop second-guessing your value, your power, and your decision-making, and remember the big picture.
If you take the lessons of the Bee to heart, you begin to realise, there is no wrong move. Trust Allah. Take the next step. It’s going to work out, inshallah.
(You can listen to Surah Nahl above)