Surah 27. An-Naml

---

Verses [Section]: 1-14[1], 15-31 [2], 32-44 [3], 45-58 [4], 59-66 [5], 67-82 [6], 83-93 [7]

---

Quran Text of Verse 15-31وَ لَقَدْAnd verilyاٰتَیْنَاWe gaveدَاوٗدَDawoodوَ سُلَیْمٰنَand Sulaimanعِلْمًا ۚknowledgeوَ قَالَاand they saidالْحَمْدُPraise beلِلّٰهِto Allahالَّذِیْthe One Whoفَضَّلَنَاhas favored usعَلٰیoverكَثِیْرٍmanyمِّنْofعِبَادِهِHis servantsالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ the believers وَ وَرِثَAnd inheritedسُلَیْمٰنُSulaimanدَاوٗدَDawoodوَ قَالَAnd he saidیٰۤاَیُّهَاOالنَّاسُpeople!عُلِّمْنَاWe have been taughtمَنْطِقَ(the) languageالطَّیْرِ(of) the birdsوَ اُوْتِیْنَاand we have been givenمِنْfromكُلِّeveryشَیْءٍ ؕthingاِنَّIndeedهٰذَاthisلَهُوَsurely itالْفَضْلُ(is) the favorالْمُبِیْنُ evident وَ حُشِرَAnd were gatheredلِسُلَیْمٰنَfor Sulaimanجُنُوْدُهٗhis hostsمِنَofالْجِنِّjinnوَ الْاِنْسِand the menوَ الطَّیْرِand the birdsفَهُمْand theyیُوْزَعُوْنَ (were) set in rows حَتّٰۤیUntilاِذَاۤwhenاَتَوْاthey cameعَلٰیtoوَادِ(the) valleyالنَّمْلِ ۙ(of) the antsقَالَتْsaidنَمْلَةٌan antیّٰۤاَیُّهَاOالنَّمْلُantsادْخُلُوْاEnterمَسٰكِنَكُمْ ۚyour dwellingsلَاlest not crush youیَحْطِمَنَّكُمْlest not crush youسُلَیْمٰنُSulaimanوَ جُنُوْدُهٗ ۙand his hostsوَ هُمْwhile theyلَا(do) not perceiveیَشْعُرُوْنَ (do) not perceive فَتَبَسَّمَSo he smiledضَاحِكًاlaughingمِّنْatقَوْلِهَاher speechوَ قَالَand saidرَبِّMy Lord!اَوْزِعْنِیْۤGrant me (the) powerاَنْthatاَشْكُرَI may thank Youنِعْمَتَكَ(for) Your FavorالَّتِیْۤwhichاَنْعَمْتَYou have bestowedعَلَیَّon meوَ عَلٰیand onوَالِدَیَّmy parentsوَ اَنْand thatاَعْمَلَI may doصَالِحًاrighteous (deeds)تَرْضٰىهُthat will please Youوَ اَدْخِلْنِیْAnd admit meبِرَحْمَتِكَby Your MercyفِیْamongعِبَادِكَYour slavesالصّٰلِحِیْنَ righteous وَ تَفَقَّدَAnd he inspectedالطَّیْرَthe birdsفَقَالَand saidمَاWhyلِیَWhyلَاۤnotاَرَیI seeالْهُدْهُدَ ۖؗthe hoopoeاَمْorكَانَis heمِنَfromالْغَآىِٕبِیْنَ the absent لَاُعَذِّبَنَّهٗI will surely punish himعَذَابًا(with) a punishmentشَدِیْدًاsevereاَوْorلَاۡاَذْبَحَنَّهٗۤI will surely slaughter himاَوْunlessلَیَاْتِیَنِّیْhe brings meبِسُلْطٰنٍa reasonمُّبِیْنٍ clear فَمَكَثَSo he stayedغَیْرَnotبَعِیْدٍlongفَقَالَand he saidاَحَطْتُّI have encompassedبِمَاthat whichلَمْnotتُحِطْyou have encompassedبِهٖitوَ جِئْتُكَand I have come to youمِنْfromسَبَاٍۭSabaبِنَبَاٍwith newsیَّقِیْنٍ certain 27. An-Naml Page 379اِنِّیْIndeed Iوَجَدْتُّfoundامْرَاَةًa womanتَمْلِكُهُمْruling themوَ اُوْتِیَتْand she has been givenمِنْofكُلِّeveryشَیْءٍthingوَّ لَهَاand for herعَرْشٌ(is) a throneعَظِیْمٌ great وَجَدْتُّهَاAnd I found herوَ قَوْمَهَاand her peopleیَسْجُدُوْنَprostratingلِلشَّمْسِto the sunمِنْinstead of Allahدُوْنِinstead of Allahاللّٰهِinstead of Allahوَ زَیَّنَand has made fair-seemingلَهُمُto themالشَّیْطٰنُthe Shaitaanاَعْمَالَهُمْtheir deedsفَصَدَّهُمْand averted themعَنِfromالسَّبِیْلِthe Wayفَهُمْso theyلَا(are) notیَهْتَدُوْنَۙguided اَلَّاThat notیَسْجُدُوْاthey prostrateلِلّٰهِto Allahالَّذِیْthe One Whoیُخْرِجُbrings forthالْخَبْءَthe hiddenفِیinالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ الْاَرْضِand the earthوَ یَعْلَمُand knowsمَاwhatتُخْفُوْنَyou concealوَ مَاand whatتُعْلِنُوْنَ you declare اَللّٰهُAllahلَاۤ(there is) noاِلٰهَgodاِلَّاbutهُوَHeرَبُّ(the) Lordالْعَرْشِ(of) the Throneالْعَظِیْمِ۩the Great قَالَHe saidسَنَنْظُرُWe will seeاَصَدَقْتَwhether you speak (the) truthاَمْorكُنْتَyou areمِنَofالْكٰذِبِیْنَ the liars اِذْهَبْGoبِّكِتٰبِیْwith my letterهٰذَاthisفَاَلْقِهْand deliver itاِلَیْهِمْto themثُمَّThenتَوَلَّturn awayعَنْهُمْfrom themفَانْظُرْand seeمَا ذَاwhatیَرْجِعُوْنَ they return قَالَتْShe saidیٰۤاَیُّهَاOالْمَلَؤُاchiefs!اِنِّیْۤIndeed [I]اُلْقِیَis deliveredاِلَیَّto meكِتٰبٌa letterكَرِیْمٌ noble اِنَّهٗIndeed itمِنْ(is) fromسُلَیْمٰنَSulaimanوَ اِنَّهٗ ۙand indeed it (is)بِسْمِIn the nameاللّٰهِ(of) Allahالرَّحْمٰنِthe Most Graciousالرَّحِیْمِ the Most Merciful اَلَّاThat notتَعْلُوْاexalt yourselvesعَلَیَّagainst meوَ اْتُوْنِیْbut come to meمُسْلِمِیْنَ۠(in) submission."

---

Translation of Verse 15-31

15. Indeed, We granted knowledge to David and Solomon. And they said ˹in acknowledgment˺, "All praise is for Allah Who has privileged us over many of His faithful servants." ⁷⁶⁹

16. And David was succeeded by Solomon, who said, "O people! We have been taught the language of birds, and been given everything ˹we need˺. This is indeed a great privilege."

17. Solomon's forces of jinn, humans, and birds were rallied for him, perfectly organized.

18. And when they came across a valley of ants, an ant warned, "O ants! Go quickly into your homes so Solomon and his armies do not crush you, unknowingly."

19. So Solomon smiled in amusement at her words, and prayed, "My Lord! Inspire me to ˹always˺ be thankful for Your favours which You have blessed me and my parents with, and to do good deeds that please you. Admit me, by Your mercy, into ˹the company of˺ Your righteous servants."

20. ˹One day˺ he inspected the birds, and wondered, "Why is it that I cannot see the hoopoe? Or could he be absent?

21. I will surely subject him to a severe punishment, or ˹even˺ slaughter him, unless he brings me a compelling excuse."

22. It was not long before the bird came and said, "I have found out something you do not know. I have just come to you from Sheba with sure news.

23. Indeed, I found a woman ruling over them, ⁷⁷⁰ who has been given everything ˹she needs˺, and who has a magnificent throne.

24. I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allah. For Satan has made their deeds appealing to them-hindering them from the ˹Right˺ Way and leaving them unguided-

25. so they do not prostrate to Allah, Who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you ˹all˺ conceal and what you reveal.

26. ˹He is˺ Allah! There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him, the Lord of the Mighty Throne."

27. Solomon said, "We will see whether you are telling the truth or lying.

28. Go with this letter of mine and deliver it to them, then stand aside and see how they will respond."

29. The Queen ˹later˺ announced, "O chiefs! Indeed, a noble letter has been delivered to me.

30. It is from Solomon, and it reads: 'In the Name of Allah-the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

31. Do not be arrogant with me, but come to me, fully submitting ˹to Allah˺.'"

---

Commentary

769. The privilege was their ability to communicate with members of the animal kingdom, control the wind, utilize the jinn for their service, etc.

770. The Queen of Sheba is known in Islamic tradition as Bilkis.