Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl), it is traditionally believed to be aMeccan surah, from the second Meccan period (615-619).
The story of Solomon is most detailed: Solomon converted Bilqis, Queen ofSaba' (theQueen of Sheba) to the "true religion" after ahoopoe reported to him that she was asun-worshipping queen.[5] This sura was likely revealed to address the role of the "Children of Israel" among the believers in Mecca, to emphasize and commend the piety of past prophets, and to distinguish the present Qurʾānic message from traditions.[6]
The sura's name is taken from the ants whose conversations were understood by Solomon.[7] Similar to surasar-Ra'd "the Thunder" oral-Ankabut "the Spider", "The Ants" has no thematic significance in the Sura beyond it being a familiar phrase amongst believers, a reminder of the sura's story of Solomon.
Ants do hold a privileged status amonganimals in Islam on account of the story of Solomon. Hadith literature tells of Muhammad forbidding Muslims to kill theant,bee,hoopoe, orshrike; it is no coincidence that they are all featured in an-Naml andan-Nahl "the Bee".[8] One interpretation for the ant's theological significance coincides with its role historically. As written in the 1993 edition of theEncyclopaedia of Islam:
Since early antiquity, ants have been an object of admiration on account of ... the feverish activity with which they provide for their 27th chapter (surah) of theQur'an with 93 verses (ayat) sustenance and the perfect organisation of their societies. This perfect organization under one cause correlates well with the Islamic idea of obedience, oribadah.[9]
Sura 27 is agreed to be aMeccan surah from the middle of the Meccan period.Tafsir al-Jalalayn notes that some exceptions exist: ayat 52-55 are from the Medinan period; aya 85 was revealed during theHijra to Medina.[15]
OrientalistTheodor Nöldeke's chronology places Sura 27 as 68th out of 114. He places it amongst the 21 suras of the SecondMeccan Period (SeeMuhammad in Mecca). (The Meccan period is estimated to be from 610 to 622 CE.) Nöldeke estimates an-Naml to be preceded byal-Isra' and followed byal-Kahf. All three suras use allusions toJudaism and the stories of Moses in particular.[16]
Standard Islamic Egyptian chronology places an-Naml as 48th out of 114. In this order, it comes beforeal-Qasas "the Story" and afterash-Shu'ara "the Poets", following its order in the standard 'Uthmanic Qur'an (seeHistory of the Qur'an).[16] Amongst all three suras and all suras numbered between 19 and 32, the account of revelation begins with "mysterious letters," the meaning of which is speculated among some and among others remains unknown; they are speculated to have been variant Arabic dialects. Sura 27 begins with the words "Ta Sin."[17] As evident inTafsīr al-Jalālayn, these words are sometimes interpreted as mysteries of God – signs to believe.[18]
Sura 27, as a mid-Meccan Period sura, can be interpreted multiple ways in terms of structure. Thematically speaking, the sura progresses across several subjects:
Declaration of Qur'an – (In Sura 27:1, the Qur'an refers to itself consciously as a scripture, meant to make all clear.)[19]
According to a chronological reading of the text, the Sura ends on a bold note of warning. This is a perfectly valid reading of the text. Tafsīr al-Jalālayn concurs with this reading, suggesting in reference to ayat 91-93 that the prophet's duty is only to warn;[15] the powerful, imminent tone expressed supports the conclusion that the final point of the Sura is the focal point.
Another valid reading of the text uses ring structure (seeChiastic structure). Favored in prominent modern scholar of Qur'anic studies Carl Ernst's interpretations of certain middle to late Meccan period suras, it can be applied to Sura 27 as well.[28] In ring structure, the focal point of the piece is found in the center, surrounded front and back by parallel statements. (Such parallel statements could elaborate on one another, contrast each other, or affirm one another. Multiple interpretations exist.) One could interpret Sura 27 as follows:
1. Declaration of Qur'an[19] through a reiterative warning of its purpose.[27]
3. An indication of signs with a foretelling of judgement.[26]
4. Solomon, realizing God's blessings, dedicates himself as a Believer.[21]
5. TheQueen of Sheba is generous with Solomon, and deals well with him.[22] She converts from disbelief, then devotes herself to tawhid.[23]
6. After rejecting their prophets, God destroys the Sodomites, and the people of Thamud, leading to a general declaration of abandonment for disbelievers.[24][25]
7. The conclusive interpretation from ring structure: A rebuke of disbelief through a declaration of God's omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience.[11]
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Works related toThe Holy Qur'an (Maulana Muhammad Ali)/27. The Naml at Wikisource
