By: Dr. Hothaifa Kharrat

The reputation of the honey bee and its ability to produce liquid honey, a substance endowed with many healing properties, is so significant that God Almighty has honored it by revealing a Surah in the Quran named the Surah of the Bees (Surah 16).

In this Surah God Almighty has said: “Then eat of all fruits and follow the ways of your Lord made easy for you. There comes forth from their bellies a drink of varying colours wherein is healing for men”. (Qur’an: 16:69)

The books of the Sunnah contain many Hadiths that confirm the benefits of honey. For instance Imam Bukhari writes:

“There are three kinds of healing; honey, cupping and cauterizing.”

Also from the Hadith of Ibn Maajah: “He who consumes honey three times per month will not experience severe illnesses.”

The privileges of honey have been known since ancient times. It is mentioned in the Old Testament. Evidence of its use has been found in the artifacts and runes of ancient civilizations such as the Egyptian, the Sumerian and Babylonian. Honey was valued by these people not only as a delicious food but also as a preservative of the body after death. The use of honey is also confirmed by the books of the Salaf and the Khalef. Its extraordinary properties are also described in the poetry and prose of traditional Arabic literature.

The World of the Bee – its Behavior and the Characteristics of its Society
The world of the bee, as we know it, is a world distinguished by selfless effort and constant activity demonstrating an abundance of energy, endurance and perseverance. There is no room for laziness or idleness. The bee lives its life in a never ending search for food, or construction and repair of the hive, or in a myriad other tasks and duties.

The bee lives in an extraordinarily marvelous social environment dominated by the queen bee that provides a source of continuity for the hive. She mates with the males of the hive. In this closed society the work is performed by the female bees known as ‘worker bees’.

The most important function of the queen bee, which she performs with complete and perfect dedication, is laying eggs. This is her constant labor. She lays hundreds of eggs daily, Glory to God for the wonders of His creation.

The male bees are the stronger and more robust of the species however they lack the stinger possessed by the female worker bee. The male bee does not play an important role in the collection of food or harvesting of the nectar from flowers. His role is limited to fertilizing the queen bee of the hive.

The world of the bee is filled with many fascinating marvels, for instance from time to time the queen bee decides to expel some of the male bees, especially when there is a shortage of food. Apparently the queen does this in order to preserve the survival hive by giving priority to her own needs and the needs of the worker bees.

The worker bee is smaller than the male bee. Her life span is no more than one month. She succumbs to the prodigious amount of work carried out for the hive. Daily she flies as far as 20 Kilometers from the hive, visiting thousands of blossoms in order to collect pollen, nectar and water.

When she returns to the hive she regurgitates the contents of her stomach into specially constructed wax containers. A complicated chemical reaction then occurs which transforms this mixture into a variety of honeys. There are approximately 50,000 worker bees in each hive.

In addition to producing honey the worker bee also transforms some of the nectar that she collects from the variety of flowering plants, into a waxy substance that is secreted from glands that are located below her belly. This wax is used to create cells in which she resides. It is also used to build containers to store the honey.

The Chemical Makeup of Honey
The chemical makeup of honey consists of many ingredients the most important of which is water, then there are sugars, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, organic acids, and essential oils.

Honey contains many kinds of sugar such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Glucose is the most important ingredient in supplying of the energy needs for the many functions of organic tissues. Glucose has a simple chemical composition. It is easily digested and easily absorbed by the various organs of the body. It is easily stored in the liver where it is converted into a substance known as glycogen.

Honey also contains many amino acids. These are important proteins for the optimum health of the body and repair of damaged tissues. Honey also contains fats that supply the energy needs of the body.

Honey contains many vitamins such as Vitamin C, Vitamin B complex. It is also rich in minerals such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, iron, copper and sulfur. All these elements are important for the growth, health and good functioning of the body.

Honey also contains many enzymes such as yeast that assists in the digestion of starches and transforms them into simple sugars. In particular it contains catalase, peroxidase and lipase. Catalase and peroxidase are extremely important in the oxidation of toxic elements in our body. Lipase breaks down dietary fats into smaller fatty acids such as glycerol.

A Summary of the Benefits of Honey
Honey is not only a delicious fare in its liquid form. Hundreds of scientific studies on this wondrous substance have confirmed its significance to the health of the body. Books and scientific articles have established that it is a mine rich in innumerable regenerative benefits for our bodies.

First off let’s mention that it contains many nutritious elements for a well-balanced meal. In particular honey is known to be a very rich source in energy. This energy is used during exercise equally by both the young and old. Honey provides the necessary energy which sustains the many muscles of the body, such as the heart. It also provides the many ingredients such as iron which alleviate and prevent many anemic conditions.

Clinical studies have also confirmed that regular consumption of honey helps to strengthen the immunity of the body. This helps in the prevention of cancer and other illnesses such as infections and the common cold. Honey has been used by burn centers in the successful treatment of burns. It is used in the daily dressing to clean the burned tissues and stimulate gradual healing of the wounded area.

Honey ensures that the affected areas remains clean and free from any microbes, and minimizes infection by tiny organisms. This reduces the incidence of skin infections. Honey also plays a role in treating and lessening the symptoms of diabetic foot manifestations. Honey is a powerful diuretic. It helps alleviate the conditions associated with excessive retention of urine and the accompanying inflammations that afflict the urinary tract in general.

Honey has a definite benefit for maintaining the hygiene of the mouth. Eating honey regularly helps to keep the teeth in good condition. It prevents decay and the buildup of bacteria inside our mouths. It is well-known that eating honey regularly helps in the treatment of respiratory inflammation and reduces the apparent symptoms. It is helpful in the alleviation of headache and is often used by ophthalmologist in the treatment of cornea of eyes diseases and conditions of the conjunctiva disorders.

Honey also has other benefits as well. It helps in reducing vomiting and morning sickness in pregnant women. It assists in the proper functioning of the liver. It is used to treat insomnia and reduces the level of bad cholesterol in the blood. Honey is a fundamental treatment for all these conditions. It is a remedy for acidic reflux, indigestion and stomach ulcers.

In conclusion we know that the text of the Noble Qur’an confirms all of the above. It confirms and anticipates the results of many recent scientific studies about the benefits of honey. The text of the Qur’an is clear and unambiguous about the function of the bee, and the many healing properties of the products of its metabolisms for human beings. For this reason it is incumbent upon us to give humble gratitude for this marvelous gift that the Holy Spirit may descend upon us at the mention of these wonders.