In the 7th century CE, the Quran provided insights into the natural world that align remarkably with modern scientific discoveries. Notably, it references the role of female bees in honey production and their unique anatomical features. The Quranic verses employ feminine verb forms when describing the actions of bees, indicating that the bees tasked with building hives and producing honey are female—a fact confirmed by contemporary entomology. Additionally, the Quran mentions that bees have multiple stomachs, a detail that aligns with the scientific understanding that bees possess a specialized “honey stomach” for storing nectar.
Only Female Bees Make Honey
Honey is one of nature’s most delightful creations, treasured for its sweetness, medicinal properties, and sustainability. But did you know that only female bees produce honey? This intriguing fact is rooted in the biology and social structure of honeybee colonies. We’ll explore why this is the case, dive into the role of male bees (drones), and understand the complex teamwork of female worker bees in honey production.
The Bee Colony: A Hierarchical Society
A honeybee colony operates with a well-defined social structure consisting of three main types of bees:
- Queen Bee: The sole egg-laying female of the colony.
- Worker Bees: Non-reproductive females responsible for all colony maintenance, including honey production.
- Drone (Bees): Male bees whose primary role is reproduction.
Each group plays a vital role in the colony’s survival, but the task of producing honey falls exclusively to worker bees.
The Role of Worker Bees
In the intricate society of honeybee colonies, the production of honey is an exclusive task performed by female worker bees. These industrious females are responsible for foraging nectar, processing it into honey, and storing it within the hive. Male bees, known as drones, do not participate in these activities.
Roles Within the Hive
- Worker Bees (Females): Worker bees undertake various duties essential to the colony’s survival, including foraging for nectar and pollen, producing honey, constructing and maintaining the hive, feeding the queen and larvae, and defending the hive. Their specialized anatomy, such as the presence of pollen baskets and well-developed proboscises, equips them for these tasks. (Pollen Paths)
- Drone Bees (Males): The primary role of drones is to mate with a queen from another colony, thereby contributing to genetic diversity. Drones lack the physical structures necessary for nectar collection and hive maintenance, such as pollen baskets and stingers, and do not engage in foraging or honey production. (The Honey Trail)
The Biology Behind Female Honey Production
In honeybee colonies, female worker bees are uniquely equipped for honey production due to their specialized anatomy and physiology:
- Specialized Mouthparts: Worker bees possess a long, flexible proboscis, or “bee tongue,” which functions like a straw, allowing them to efficiently extract nectar from flowers. (Honey Bee Hobbyist)
- Honey Stomach: They have a specialized structure called the honey stomach, or crop, which stores collected nectar separate from their digestive tract. This adaptation enables them to transport nectar back to the hive without digesting it en route. (Carolina Honeybees)
- Wax Glands: Worker bees have four pairs of wax-secreting glands located on the undersides of their abdomens. These glands produce liquefied wax that hardens into thin scales upon exposure to air, which workers then use to construct and maintain the hive’s honeycomb structures. (Queens Contrivance)
In contrast, drones lack these specialized structures. Their bodies are optimized for reproduction, not the complex tasks involved in maintaining the hive or producing honey. (Beelistener)
Dual Stomached Worker Bee
As previously established, worker bees (female bees) are the only class of bee that collect nectar for honey. The bee creates honey my collecting the nectar via consumption. However, although the bee consumes the nectar, it is not digested. This is due to the anatomy of the bee consisting of two stomachs! One is the ‘true stomach‘, where digestion occurs, and the other is the honey stomach or the ‘crop‘. The honey stomach is where the nectar is stored before it is processed into honey by the secretion of enzymes into the nectar, in the honey stomach. Therefore converting it into honey. (Benefits Of Honey)
In contrast, male drones lack this specialized structure. Their abdominal cavity is primarily occupied by reproductive organs, specifically two large testes, reflecting their primary role in mating rather than foraging or honey production. (The Holy Habibee)
Consequently, drones do not participate in nectar collection or honey-making activities, underscoring the distinct division of labour within the hive.
Healing Properties of Honey
Honey has been revered for its healing properties across cultures and centuries, earning its place as a natural remedy in both traditional and modern medicine. Rich in enzymes, antioxidants, and antibacterial compounds, honey offers a remarkable range of health benefits that extend far beyond its natural sweetness. The 2017 study “Honey, Propolis, and Royal Jelly: A Comprehensive Review of Their Biological Actions and Health Benefits” studied and compiled such benefits of honey including:
- Wound Healing
- Wound Management
- Pediatric Care
- Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU)
- Gastrointestinal (GI) Disorder
- Oral Health
- Pharyngitis and Coughs
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
- Dyspepsia, Gastritis, and Peptic Ulcer
- Gastroenteritis
- Constipation and Diarrhea
- Liver and Pancreatic Diseases
- Metabolic and Cardiovascular Health
- Cancer and Oncogenesis (Breast Cancer, Liver Cancer, Colorectal Cancer)
- Oncological Treatment
- Dermatological Care
- Reproductive Health
- Neurodegenerative and Aging Diseases (Alzheimer’s disease)
(National Library of Medicine)
Medical-Grade Honey
Hospitals and healthcare facilities often include medical-grade honey in their pharmaceutical inventories, primarily for wound care and treatment of burns. Medical-grade honey is sterilized and prepared to meet stringent medical standards, ensuring its safety and efficacy for clinical use. Its applications in medicine are supported by its antimicrobial properties and its ability to promote healing. (UCLA Health)
For instance, the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust utilizes medical honey in wound management, highlighting its natural, non-toxic antimicrobial properties that aid in healing. (Oxford Health NHS)
Similarly, the West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust employs medical-grade honey for its antimicrobial effects and its role in promoting healing at a greater rate compared to wounds that don’t use it. (West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust)
Summation
Ultimately, the underscored three proven facts are that:
- Only female (worker) bees make honey
- Female worker bees have two stomachs — one for digestion and one for honey production
- Honey possesses remarkable healing properties
Quranic Revelation
An-Nahl 16:68-69 :
وَأَوْحَىٰ رَبُّكَ إِلَى ٱلنَّحْلِ أَنِ ٱتَّخِذى مِنَ ٱلْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًۭا وَمِنَ ٱلشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا يَعرِشُونَ {٦٨} ثُمَّ كُلِى مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ فَٱسْلُكِى سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُللا يَخرج مِنۢ بُطُونِها شرَابٌۭ مُّخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَٰنُهۥ فِيهِ شِفَاء لّلناسِ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةًۭ لقومٍۢ يتفَكّرُونَ {٦٩}
Pronunciation :
Wa awhaa Rabbuka ilan-nahli anit takhizee minal jibaali buyootanw wa minash shajari wa mimmaa ya’rishoon {68} Summma kulee min kullis samaraati faslukee subula Rabbiki zululaa; yakhruju mim butoonihaa sharaabum mukh talifun alwaanuhoo feehi shifaaa’ul linnaas, innna fee zaalika la Aayatal liqawminy yatafakkaroon {69}
Translation :
And your Lord inspired the bees: “Make ˹your˺ homes in the mountains, the trees, and in what people construct, {68} and feed from ˹the flower of˺ any fruit ˹you please˺ and follow the ways your Lord has made easy for you.” From their bellies comes forth liquid of varying colours, in which there is healing for people. Surely in this is a sign for those who reflect. {69}
History
The surah addresses various themes, including the signs of Allah in nature, the importance of gratitude, and the consequences of disbelief. Verses 68-69 specifically mention the bee, highlighting its remarkable behaviour and the healing properties of honey, serving as a reflection of divine wisdom in creation.
While the exact year of revelation is not definitively recorded, the context suggests it was revealed around the 10th year of Prophethood, approximately 619-622 CE. (The Last Dialogue)
Only Female Bees Make Honey
The Arabic language is one that contains the characteristic of “grammatical gender”. Where there are male and female characteristics associated with the words used, including nouns, adjectives and verbs.
In the Quran, the word ” كُلِى ” (Kuli) is a associated with the word “Eat [feed from ˹the flower] ” when referring to Females.
Alternatively, the word ” كُل ” (Kul) is a associated with the word “Eat” when referring to Males
(edited)
This therefore indicates that the bees that collect nectar by consuming nectar from flowers are indeed referred to as female honey bees (worker bees). In fact, female bees are the only gender of bees that produce honey, unlike their male counterparts (drone bees).
Feminine word for “Follow”
Additionally, for the phrase “…فَٱسْلُكِى سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُللا” or “and follow the ways Allah has made it easy for you“, for the word “follow” the bees here are also referred to as “ٱسْلُكِى [in فَٱسْلُكِى]” (Usluki) which again is a Feminine word for “Follow”. Whereas, if it was a masculine word for “Follow”, they would be referred to as “ٱسْلُك” (Usluk).
Dual Stomached Worker Bee
In the Quran, Allah says ” يَخْرُجُ مِنۢ بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٌۭ مُّخْتَلِفٌ ” or “From their bellies comes a drink of varying colours.” Allah uses the word ” بُطُونِهَا ” (Butunha) meaning bellies / stomachs – which is a plural of ” بَطْن ” (Batni) meaning belly / stomach. Additionally, the word ” هَا ” (Ha) in ” بُطُونِهَا ” (Butunha) is the third person singular pronoun (again referring to worker bees as female). Furthermore, Allah is very specific with the word ” بُطُونِهَا ” (Butunha) because it associates the quality of stomachs with a singular bee.
If the word stomachs was to refer to the stomachs of many bees, the word in that context would have to be ” بُطُونُهُنَّ ” (pronounced “buṭūnuhunna”). This is the plural possessive form, where ” هُنَّ ” (hunna) refers to “them” (feminine plural) for multiple bees, since the Arabic word for “bee” (نَحْلَة, naḥla) is grammatically feminine.
So, ” بُطُونُهُنَّ ” (buṭūnuhunna) would mean “their stomachs” when referring to a group of bees.
Moreover, observe in the instance of referring to bees with multiple stomachs, only the female singular pronoun is used because only the female bees have a “Honey Stomach” or “Crop”. The honey bee male counterpart is not described with a singular pronoun of having multiple stomachs because their abdominal cavity is primarily occupied by reproductive organs, specifically two large testes, reflecting their primary role in mating rather than foraging or honey production.
Interesting Observations
In the Quran, Surah An-Nahl (The Bee), Verse 68 is the first verse that introduces the topic of bees, in this verse you see that:
- The verse consists of 16 singular letters, just as how male bees have 16 single chromosomes.
- Combination of these letters make up the 16 words that make the phrase, just as how female bees have 16 combinations (or pairs) of chromosomes.
(Wikipedia – Haplodiploidy)
(Vendatu)
Confirmation via Modern Science
First discovery of queen, worker and drone bees
The discovery of the gender roles of worker bees, drones, and the queen bee evolved gradually over centuries of observation and study of honeybee colonies. Here’s a breakdown of the key milestones in this discovery:
- Ancient Understanding: In antiquity, the social structure of bee colonies was misunderstood. Aristotle, in his History of Animals (4th century BCE), referred to the leading bee as a male “king bee,” not recognizing it as female. (MIT Classics)
- 16th Century: A pivotal shift occurred in 1586 when Luis Méndez de Torres identified the “queen bee” as female, challenging the prevailing notion of a male leader in the hive. (Gilbert White’s House)
- 17th Century: Further advancements were made by Jan Swammerdam, a Dutch microscopist, who in the late 1660s dissected bees and discovered that the queen bee possessed ovaries, confirming her female sex. He also determined that worker bees are female, a significant revelation for that era. (Jan Swammerdam)
- 18th Century: Charles Bonnet and François Huber conducted detailed studies of bee colonies in the 18th century. Huber, in particular, is credited with confirming that worker bees are sterile females and drones are male. He published his observations in New Observations on the Natural History of Bees in 1792. (Internet Archive)
These milestones collectively enhanced our comprehension of bee society, correcting longstanding misconceptions about their social hierarchy and reproductive roles primarily between the 16th and 18th centuries, with key contributions from Mendez de Torres, Swammerdam, and Huber
How could the Prophet Mohammad (Pbuh) have revealed this knowledge?
سَنُرِيهِمْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا فِى ٱلْـَٔافَاقِ وَفِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۗ أَولم يكف بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْء شهيدٌ {٥٣}
Translation:
We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this ˹Quran˺ is the truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things? {53}