سُوْرَةُ النَّمْلِ
Surah An-Naml (27) — Ayah 18
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَتَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ وَادِ ٱلنَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّمْلُ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ مَسَـٰكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَـٰنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ ﴿18﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Till, when they came to the valley of the ants, one of the ants said: "O ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Sulaimân (Solomon) and his hosts should crush you, while they perceive not."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
حَتَّىٰٓ
ḥattā
Until
إِذَآ
idhā
when
أَتَوْا۟
ataw
they came
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
to
وَادِ
wādi
(the) valley
ٱلنَّمْلِ
l-namli
(of) the ants
قَالَتْ
qālat
said
نَمْلَةٌۭ
namlatun
an ant
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O
ٱلنَّمْلُ
l-namlu
ants
ٱدْخُلُوا۟
ud'khulū
Enter
مَسَـٰكِنَكُمْ
masākinakum
your dwellings
لَا
lā
lest not crush you
يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ
yaḥṭimannakum
lest not crush you
سُلَيْمَـٰنُ
sulaymānu
Sulaiman
وَجُنُودُهُۥ
wajunūduhu
and his hosts
وَهُمْ
wahum
while they
لَا
lā
(do) not perceive
يَشْعُرُونَ
yashʿurūna
(do) not perceive
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
18. Until, when they came upon the valley of the ants, an ant [19] said, "O ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Solomon and his armies crush you while they do not perceive [20]."
[19]
The Social and Political System of Ants:
Modern research by zoologists has revealed that just as humans adhere to certain specific regulations for their collective and political systems, a similar system is found in the colonies of the most insignificant creature, the ant. Like humans, ants also have families and tribes; among them are found the principles of mutual cooperation, division of labor, and institutions of governance. They also have a language which all ants understand.
[20] Prophet Sulaimanؑ was passing by an ant colony with his army on a certain expedition when he heard one ant addressing another in this manner. Perhaps it was the chief ant, who was informing and instructing the other ants, saying: "Look, Sulaimanؑ and his army are approaching over your heads. Therefore, quickly enter your burrows, lest you be crushed under their feet, and they would not even know what calamity has befallen your lives."
[19]
The Social and Political System of Ants:
Modern research by zoologists has revealed that just as humans adhere to certain specific regulations for their collective and political systems, a similar system is found in the colonies of the most insignificant creature, the ant. Like humans, ants also have families and tribes; among them are found the principles of mutual cooperation, division of labor, and institutions of governance. They also have a language which all ants understand.
[20] Prophet Sulaimanؑ was passing by an ant colony with his army on a certain expedition when he heard one ant addressing another in this manner. Perhaps it was the chief ant, who was informing and instructing the other ants, saying: "Look, Sulaimanؑ and his army are approaching over your heads. Therefore, quickly enter your burrows, lest you be crushed under their feet, and they would not even know what calamity has befallen your lives."
