Be Like A Bee

I always had a love-hate relationship with Bees. I call it love-hate because simply the sight of them used to bring back memories of the day I got stung by one. I still remember the day and the pain of the sting. It really wasn't pleasant. Since then, Bees had always been in my bad books. That was until I discovered that there was a Surah in the Qur'an titled 'The Bee" and that ayahs had been revealed regarding them. From then on, I used to love researching and watching documentaries about the Bee and how it lived. Why it made the buzzing sound and how it benefitted human beings. It was fascinating! I realised that the Bee actually taught us so many life lessons.

So today as I sat on my granny's farm, taking in the sight of the beautiful scenery (and sheep), my gaze fell upon a bee that was hovering from plant to plant just inches away from me. If this was a couple of years ago, I would have entered a mode of panic due to my phobia and ran off out of fear. This time I began to closely watch this tiny creature and its weird yet wonderful antics. It would dance from one flower to another in obvious search of pollen. In those few seconds, it must have stopped at around ten different flowers. It kept going from one to another and continued to do so. Never give up, I thought to myself. Always keep going. If you fail at something, try again. Keep going, but don't ever give up.

In those few moments of close observation, I learnt a few things from the Bee, which I hope to share with you today:

- The Bee doesn't settle for less. It will keep going and hopping from one flower to another until itwho seeks out the best flower. It doesn't settle for less. Rather, it continues to travel through the spectrum of flowers, till it reaches the one which is pure, untouched, and one whose perfume is still fresh. This teaches us Ihsaan. We should always aim high and for the best in everything we do in life. We should also give our very best to others and in the cause of Allah. The Bee has high expectations and we too should have high expectations in our Lord and good thoughts of Him.

- The Bee gives more than it takes. The bee always gives more than it takes. It will not eat from the flower until it has given it more than it has taken, and even when it does take, it acts delicately and softly, as to not ruin the petals or cause them to break. If the Bee was harsh, it would ruin the flower, because the petals of a flower are so soft and easily torn. Yet, if you observe the Bee, you will be amazed to find that it is so gentle, it will take the pollen but as it takes, it will make sure not to hurt the plant in anyway. 

- The Bee works hard for its Rizq. The Bee doesn't take the food of another bee because it recognises that Allah's provision is vast. If another Bee is taking from a flower it will not jump into steal the provision but will move onto a better place out of respect for its fellow bee and out of knowledge that Allah is the Most Bountiful; the one who provides. You and I must work hard for our provision, whatever is we are seeking, we must taken the means and not steal or be envious of another person's provision in the process. We must do our best and leave the rest to Allah will full trust that He will provide.

- The Bee helps itself by helping others. The flowers a bee travels to are very far from the hive. So sometimes a bee may travel miles to reach the flowers to get its Rizq. When it returns to the hive which is shared with a whole community of bees, Allah teaches the bee to do a little movement called 'The Bee Dance.' It is taught to hover in the air in order to teach and navigate all the other bees to the direction of the flowers so they can also get Rizq.The bee teaches us that when we benefit others, we're all benefiting ourselves. If we're doing well we must also help others to do well also, as this will strengthen our community and relationships. How many of us hate to see others do well? Let's change this. Let's be like the wise bee.