An-Nahl (The Bee)

Verse 59

Translation:

59. With shame does he hide himself from his people because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain it on (sufferance and) contempt or bury it in the dust? Ah! what an evil (choice) they decide on!

Notes (Tafseer):

2083. "It", in this and the following clause, refers grammatically to the "news" (ma bushshira bihi). In meaning it refers to the "female child"-by the figure of speech known as metonymy.

2084. Cf. lxxxi- 8-9. The practice of female infanticide is condemned in scathing terms. Female children used to be buried alive by the Pagan Arabs.

2085. It was an evil choice to decide on. Either alternative-to keep the poor girl as a thing of sufferance and contempt, bringing disgrace on the family, or to get rid of it by burying it alive-was cruel and indefensible.

1. Al-Fatiha (The Opening) (7)
2. Al-Baqara (The Cow) (286)
3. Aal-E-Imran (The Family Of 'Imran, The House Of 'Imran) (200)
4. An-Nisa (Women) (176)
5. Al-Maeda (The Table, The Table Spread) (120)
6. Al-Anaam (Cattle, Livestock) (165)
7. Al-Araf (The Heights) (206)
8. Al-Anfal (Spoils Of War, Booty) (75)
9. At-Tawba (Repentance, Dispensation) (129)
10. Yunus (Jonah) (109)
11. Hud (Hud) (123)
12. Yusuf (Joseph) (111)
13. Ar-Rad (The Thunder) (43)
14. Ibrahim (Abraham) (52)
15. Al-Hijr (Al-hijr, Stoneland, Rock City) (99)
16. An-Nahl (The Bee) (128)
17. Al-Isra (Isra', The Night Journey, Children Of Israel) (111)
18. Al-Kahf (The Cave) (110)
19. Maryam (Mary) (98)
20. Ta-Ha (Ta-ha) (135)
21. Al-Anbiya (The Prophets) (112)
22. Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage) (78)
23. Al-Mumenoon (The Believers) (118)
24. An-Noor (Light) (64)
25. Al-Furqan (The Criterion, The Standard) (77)
26. Ash-Shuara (The Poets) (227)
27. An-Naml (The Ant, The Ants) (93)
28. Al-Qasas (The Story, Stories) (88)
29. Al-Ankaboot (The Spider) (69)
30. Ar-Room (The Romans, The Byzantines) (60)
31. Luqman (Luqman) (34)
32. As-Sajda (The Prostration, Worship, Adoration) (30)
33. Al-Ahzab (The Clans, The Coalition, The Combined Forces) (73)
34. Saba (Saba, Sheba) (54)
35. Fatir (The Angels, Orignator) (45)
36. Ya-Seen (Ya-sin) (83)
37. As-Saaffat (Those Who Set The Ranks, Drawn Up In Ranks) (182)
38. Sad (Sad, (the Letter) Sad ( S )) (88)
39. Az-Zumar (The Troops, Throngs) (75)
40. Al-Ghafir (The Believer, The Forgiver (god)) (85)
41. Fussilat ((signs) Spelled Out, Ha-mim) (54)
42. Ash-Shura (Councel, Consultation) (53)
43. Az-Zukhruf (Ornaments Of Gold, Luxury) (89)
44. Ad-Dukhan (Smoke) (59)
45. Al-Jathiya (Crouching) (37)
46. Al-Ahqaf (The Wind-curved Sandhills, The Dunes) (35)
47. Muhammad (Muhammad) (38)
48. Al-Fath (Victory, Conquest) (29)
49. Al-Hujraat (The Private Apartments, The Inner Apartments) (18)
50. Qaf (Qaf, (the Letter), ( Q )) (45)
51. Adh-Dhariyat (The Winnowing Winds) (60)
52. At-Tur (The Mount) (49)
53. An-Najm (The Star) (62)
54. Al-Qamar (The Moon) (55)
55. Ar-Rahman (The Beneficent, The Mercy Giving) (78)
56. Al-Waqia (The Event, The Inevitable) (96)
57. Al-Hadid (Iron) (29)
58. Al-Mujadila (She That Disputeth, The Pleading Woman) (22)
59. Al-Hashr (Exile, Banishment) (24)
60. Al-Mumtahina (She That Is To Be Examined, Examining Her) (13)
61. As-Saff (The Ranks, Battle Array) (14)
62. Al-Jumua (The Congregation, Friday) (11)
63. Al-Munafiqoon (The Hypocrites) (11)
64. At-Taghabun (Mutual Disillusion, Haggling) (18)
65. At-Talaq (Divorce) (12)
66. At-Tahrim (Banning, Prohibition) (12)
67. Al-Mulk (The Sovereignty, Control) (30)
68. Al-Qalam (The Pen, (the Letter) N) (52)
69. Al-Haaqqa (The Reality) (52)
70. Al-Maarij (The Ascending Stairways, Staircases Upward, Sckeptic) (44)
71. Nooh (Noah) (28)
72. Al-Jinn (The Jinn, Sprites) (28)
73. Al-Muzzammil (The Enshrouded One, Bundled Up) (20)
74. Al-Muddaththir (The Cloaked One, The Man Wearing A Cloak) (56)
75. Al-Qiyama (The Rising Of The Dead, Resurrection) (40)
76. Al-Insan (Time, Man, (every) Man, This (day-and-)age) (31)
77. Al-Mursalat (The Emissaries, Winds Sent Forth) (50)
78. An-Naba (The Tidings, The Announcement) (40)
79. An-Naziat (Those Who Drag Forth, Soul-snatchers) (46)
80. Abasa (He Frowned!) (42)
81. At-Takwir (The Overthrowing, Extinguished! Wrapping Things Up) (29)
82. Al-Infitar (The Cleaving, Bursting Apart) (19)
83. Al-Mutaffifin (Defrauding, The Cheats, Cheating) (36)
84. Al-Inshiqaq (The Sundering, Splitting Open) (25)
85. Al-Burooj (The Mansions Of The Stars, Constellations) (22)
86. At-Tariq (The Morning Star, The Nightcomer) (17)
87. Al-Ala (The Most High, Glory To Your Lord In The Highest) (19)
88. Al-Ghashiya (The Overwhelming, The Pall) (26)
89. Al-Fajr (The Dawn, Daybreak) (30)
90. Al-Balad (The City, This Countryside) (20)
91. Ash-Shams (The Sun) (15)
92. Al-Lail (The Night) (21)
93. Ad-Dhuha (The Morning Hours, Morning Bright!) (11)
94. Al-Inshirah (Solace, Consolation, Relief) (8)
95. At-Tin (The Fig, The Figtree) (8)
96. Al-Alaq (The Clot, Read!) (19)
97. Al-Qadr (Power, Fate) (5)
98. Al-Bayyina (The Clear Proof, Evidence) (8)
99. Az-Zalzala (The Earthquake) (8)
100. Al-Adiyat (The Courser, The Chargers) (11)
101. Al-Qaria (The Calamity, The Stunning Blow, The Disaster) (11)
102. At-Takathur (Rivalry In World Increase, Competition) (8)
103. Al-Asr (The Declining Day, Eventide, The Epoch) (3)
104. Al-Humaza (The Traducer, The Gossipmonger) (9)
105. Al-Fil (The Elephant) (5)
106. Quraish (Winter, Quraysh) (4)
107. Al-Maun (Small Kindnesses, Almsgiving, Have You Seen?) (7)
108. Al-Kauther (Abundance, Plenty) (3)
109. Al-Kafiroon (The Disbelievers, Atheists) (6)
110. An-Nasr (Succour, Divine Support) (3)
111. Al-Masadd (Palm Fibre, The Flame) (5)
112. Al-Ikhlas (The Unity, Sincerity, Oneness Of God) (4)
113. Al-Falaq (The Daybreak, Dawn) (5)
114. An-Nas (Mankind) (6)