Surah An-Nahl, Ayah 2

Allah sends Whomever He wills with the Message of Tawhid

يُنَزِّلُ الْمَلَـئِكَةَ بِالْرُّوحِ

(He sends down the angels with the Ruh) refers to the revelation. This is like the Ayat:

وَكَذَلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ رُوحاً مِّنْ أَمْرِنَا مَا كُنتَ تَدْرِى مَا الْكِتَـبُ وَلاَ الإِيمَـنُ وَلَـكِن جَعَلْنَـهُ نُوراً نَّهْدِى بِهِ مَن نَّشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا

(And thus We have sent to you a Ruh (revelation) by Our command. You knew not what is the Book, nor what is the faith. But We have made it a light by which We guide whomever We will among Our servants.) 43:52

عَلَى مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ

(to those servants of His whom He wills) meaning the Prophets, as Allah says:

اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُ

(Allah best knows where to place His Message.) 6:124

اللَّهُ يَصْطَفِى مِنَ الْمَلَـئِكَةِ رُسُلاً وَمِنَ النَّاسِ

(Allah chooses Messengers from angels and from men.) 22:75

رَفِيعُ الدَّرَجَـتِ ذُو الْعَرْشِ يُلْقِى الرُّوحَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ عَلَى مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ لِيُنذِرَ يَوْمَ التَّلاَقِ - يَوْمَ هُم بَـرِزُونَ لاَ يَخْفَى عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْهُمْ شَىْءٌ لِّمَنِ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ لِلَّهِ الْوَحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ

(He sends the Ruh (revelation) by His command to whoever among His servants He wills to, that he may warn of the Day of Meeting. The Day when they will (all) come out, nothing about them will be hidden from Allah. Whose is the kingdom this Day: It is Allah's, the One, the Irresistible!) (40:15-16)

أَنْ أَنْذِرُواْ

((saying): "Warn...") meaning that they should alert them.

أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَ أَنَاْ فَاتَّقُونِ

(that none has the right to be worshipped but I, so have Taqwa of Me.) means, `fear My punishment, if you go against My commands and worship anything other than Me.'

The Name of the Surah

This Surah has been called Al-Nahl, that is, the honey bee because it mentions it as a unique Divine marvel. Another name for this Surah is Surah Al-Ni` am. (Qurtubi) The word Ni'am is the plural of Ni'mah (blessing) because the great blessings of Allah Ta’ ala have been particularly mentioned in this Surah.

Commentary

The Surah begins without any particular introduction with a direct, stern and awesome note of warning. The reason behind it was the saying of the polytheists that Muhammad (al-Mustafa ﷺ) keeps warning them of the day of Qiyamah and the punishment of Allah and telling them that Allah Ta’ ala has promised victory for him and punishment for his opponents. All this, they challenged, they do not see coming upon them. In reply, it was said: أَتَىٰ أَمْرُ‌ اللَّـهِ فَلَا تَسْتَعْجِلُوهُ (The command of Allah is bound to come. So, do not ask for it to come sooner - 1).