The subject matter of this Sura is related to the one preedding it and the
two following it. Its chronological order is also in the same group of four. The
Sura takes its name from the ant mentioned in V.18. It commences with the
attributes of the Quran. These are the verses of the Quran, the Book which
indicate right and wrong; a guidance and joyful news to true believers, who
attend to their prayers and pay the obligatory aims and firmly believe in the
life to come. Whereas those persons who do not believe in the Hereafter, Allah
has their actions laudable to them, so they wander distractedly. They are the
persons who shall be sternly punished and in the Hereafter have much to lose.
Indeed you are being taught the Quran on behalf of the Wise, the Omniscient!
Tell of Moses, who said to his family that he had perceived a fire. Soon he
would bring from there some information, or a burning brand to light our fuel
to warm-up.
The next few verses relate to the story of prophet Solomon who
succeeded his father prophet David as king. Allah bestowed knowledge on
David and Solomon. They praised Allah and affirmed that He exalted them
above many, His believing servants. And Solomon was David’s heir. He told
his people that he had been taught the language of birds, and had been given
abundance of all things by the grace of Almighty Allah. His armies consisted
of Jinns, men and birds. All were kept in due order and co-operation.
Solomon’s armies once came to the valley of the ants, when one of the ants
warned the other ants to get into their nests before Solomon and his armies
crushed them unknowingly. Hearing this, Solomon was amused. He prayed to
the Lord to inspire him to be grateful for His favours bestowed upon him and
his father. To do good deeds that would please the Lord and to include him
through His mercy, among His righteous servants.
One day Solomon missed Hoopoe at the review of the birds. However,
hoopoe appeared soon afterwards and narrated about his flight over a foreign
land, known as Saba, unseen by the King himself. The hoopoe said that they
were ruled by a women and were prosperous. Unfortunately they were seen
worshipping the sun instead of Allah as Satan had made their deeds laudable
to them. Solomon then ordered the hoopoe to deliever a letter from him to the
Queen and bring their answer to him. When the queen received the letter she
consulted with her chieftains. The letter worded as; ‘In the Name of Allah, the
Compassionate, the Merciful. Do not exalt yourselves above me, but come to
me in all submission’. It was then decided to send a present to Solomon and
wait to see with what the envoys were returned with. The King showed his
absolute indifferent to the emissaries and their gifts and told them that
materially as well as spiritually, Allah had been more bountiful to him than
them. They should take back their gifts back and tell the Queen to come before
Solomon submissively. In case she disobeyed, he would be constrained to
attack her and would be made to live in craven slavery.
Solomon then asked his chiefs as to which of them could bring the
throne of the Queen before she appeared before him. A powerful jinn took
upon him to bring the throne before the King left his seat. However, one who
had the knowledge of the Book said that he would bring the throne within
“twinkling of eye” and actually brought the Queen’s throne before Solomon.
Solomon than made some alterations in the throne so as to make its
identification difficult. He would then test the intelligence and capability of
the Queen for receiving his guidance which, as Allah’s Mesenger, he would
impart to her. When the Queen arrived, on her way in the palace she was asked
by Solomon whether the throne lying there was her. She recognized her throne
which very much impressed the King. She then acknowledge, for herself and
her people with gratitude, the Light which was given to them by Allah. By this
she recognized Allah’s apostle in Solomon, and received the true Religion with
all their will, heart and soul.
Now the Sura reminds us about the awful destruction of the people of
Thamud to whom their brother Salih was commissioned as Apostle. He told
them to shun polytheism and serve none but Allah. But they were divided into
two warring factions. There were nine wicked people in the town who
conspired to kill Saleh. However, before their plot could be executed, Allah
destroyed them and the other unbelievers of the town but saved those who
believed and practiced righteous. Their tragedy definitely constituted an eye-
opener, but only to those who possessed the insight.
The Sura then reminds us the destruction of the people of Lut, who was
sent as an apostle for the guidance of his people. These people were addicted
to sodomy, an enormity never practiced before in the human history. Lut tried
his level best to correct them. But they considered Lut as a man who posed to
be a great puritan and wanted to get rid of him and his family. However,
before they could inflict any harm to Lut or his followers, he was ordered by
Allah to depart during night. They were thus saved from the Divine calamity,
which later overtook the town. His wife was destined to stay back and thus
was destroyed. The calamity came in the form of torrential rain of brim stones.
They mocked the Message of Purity and as such were buried alive under the
raining brimstone.
After these stories told, the Prophet of Islam was directed to preach
Oneness of Allah and His absolute and exclusive worthiness for all praise and
adoration. Praise be to Allah and peace upon His Servants whom He has
chosen for His Message. Allah then posses a question – who is more worthy,
Allah or the false gods which they had associated with Him? (Surely worthier
is He) who made this universe, sends down water from the sky, bringing forth
the plant life. And surely worthier is He who has established the earth and
watered it with running rivers; who has set mountains upon it and placed a
barrier between the two rivers. Could all the above achievements be
accomplished by any god other than Allah? The reply is definitely in the
negative. Indeed, most of them are ignorant people.
The unbelievers said that it was just a fable of the ancients that when
they and their fathers were turned into dust, they would again be resurrected
on the Day of the Judgement! When this is going to happen? The Prophet was
told to tell them that they should not hasten the inevitable. They should take a
trip to various places and see for themselves the tragic end of their
predecessors, who also had disbelieved in the Final Judgement. Tell them, a
part of what they hastened might be well near them! And verily Allah is
gracious to the people, but most of them are not grateful. Surely nothing done
in the sky and the earth is secret, but it is recorded in the perspicuous Book.
Do they not see how Allah has made the might for the mankind to rest
in and the day to give light? Surely, day and night are full of significance.
These are the signs for those who believe. On that Day the Trumpet shall be
sounded. It will cause a paralyzing sense of calamity to all who dwell in
heaven or the earth, except those whom Allah will be pleased to exempt. All
shall come to Him abased. Such is the might of Allah that on the Day the
mountains shall pass away like clouds. He has rightly perfected all things and
has knowledge of all the actions of the mankind. The believers with good
deeds shall be rewarded with what is better, and shall be secured from the
terrors of that Day. But the evil-doers shall be hurled headlong into the Fire.
In the last few verses of the Sura, Allah commands the Prophet of
Islam to worship Him, the Lord of the universe, including Mecca. He should
continue to preach Islam and bow before the Will of Allah. The Prophet should
further recite the Quran and explain it to the people. Those who followed it do
good to their own good and those who reject it do bad to themselves. The
Prophet should acclaim that Allah is the Omnipotent and has no partner or
adviser. Allah would soon confront the infidels with some of His Signs, whose
significance they would admit.