Ramadhan Day 8 -- Lesson from an Ant

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Allah's Speech is not random. What we find in the Qur'an is for you and me. It is very precious. The Qur'an is enlightenment from your Lord and guidance and mercy for a people who believe. Allah says:

وَإِذَا قُرِئَ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ فَٱسْتَمِعُوا۟ لَهُۥ وَأَنصِتُوا۟ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ ﴿٢٠٤

So when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy. (204)

[Qur'an, Al-A'raf 7:204]

One ant was worried that her fellow ants would be crushed by Prophet Sulayman (peace be upon him) and his troops and told them to enter the safety of their dwellings.

وَحُشِرَ لِسُلَيْمَـٰنَ جُنُودُهُۥ مِنَ ٱلْجِنِّ وَٱلْإِنسِ وَٱلطَّيْرِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ ﴿١٧﴾ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَتَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ وَادِ ٱلنَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّمْلُ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ مَسَـٰكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَـٰنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ ﴿١٨

And gathered for Sulayman (Solomon) were his soldiers of the jinn and men and birds, and they were [marching] in rows. (17) Until, when they came upon the valley of the ants, an ant said, "O ants, enter your dwellings that you not be crushed by Sulayman (Solomon) and his soldiers while they perceive not." (18)

[Qur'an, An-Naml 27:14]

This care and concern for others is a beautiful quality which Allah loves, and as a result He honored this ant by recording her words in the best of all books and naming a Surah after her.

Is there not a lesson in this for us? How can we harm or kill one another? The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “All creatures are Allah’s dependents, and the most beloved of them to Allah are the most beneficial to His dependents.”

May the secrets contained in the Qur'an be unveiled to us. May we taste the sweetness of reciting the Qur'an and conversing with Allah during prayers this Ramadhan, whether it be the obligatory, supererogatory, taraweeh, witr or dhuha. May our sins be forgiven by fasting the days and praying at night in Ramadhan and may we receive gifts beyond that. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and He alone grants success.

Wassalaam