Why is honey so sweet? One day, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) was on his way to jihad with his Companinons and after choosing a spot , he said to them “Eat whatever you want to eat here” As they were about to commence eating, one of the Companions (radi Allah unhu) said:'' Ya RasullAllah! There is nothing else to eat with bread”. Then the Companion saw a honey bee zapping noisily nearby and asked the Prophet (Sallahoe Alaihie Wasallam) “Why is this honey bee making such a noise? The Prophet (Sallahoe Alaihie Wasallam) replied “This bee is saying that all its fellow bees are uneasy because the Companions haven’t got anything to eat with bread. Even though the bees have a honey comb nearby in the cave but cannot bring it to the Companions” The Prophet (Sallahoe Alaihie Wasallam) then stated “My beloved Ali (radi Allah unhu), follow this bee and bring the honey” Hence, Ali (radi Allah unhu) followed and returned with a bowl of honey which the Companions ate. As soon as they finished eating the bee returned again zapping about noisily. One of the Companions (radi Allah unhu) enquired “Ya RasulAllah! Why is the bee making noises again?” The Prophet (sallahoe alaihie wasallam) replied “I have asked this bee a question and it is merely answering it. I asked the honey bee about what its food is and its answer is that its food is the flowers in the hills and the forests”. The Prophet (Sallahoe Alaihie Wasallam) continued “I then asked the bee that flowers are also sour, bitter and unpleasant in taste. Then how come in your mouth (the bees mouth) they transform into a crystal clean and impeccably sweet honey?” The bee then replied, “Ya RasulAllah!(Sallahoe Alaihie Wasallam) Amongst our species, there lives a rich Queen. When we suck the juices of the flowers then our Queen sends her salah and darood sharif (blessings, salutations, honours and graces) to YOU (the Prophet(sallahoe alaihie wasallam)! And then all the other bees join in sending our darood to you hence all the sourness, bitterness and unpleasantness from the juices of flowers changes into a most sweet syrup and its because of the rewards from Allah of sending darood to you that this syrup transforms into the perfect honey (which besides death can cure any disease as Allah says in the Quran!)” If by reciting darood all the bitterness from the juices of flowers can change into a beautifully sweet syrup of honey, then by reciting darood our sins can also be transformed into hasanah (good deeds). Ameen. Narrated by: Maqasid Al-Salkain page number 53