Surah 27. An-Naml

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

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Quran Text of Verse 32-44قَالَتْShe saidیٰۤاَیُّهَاOالْمَلَؤُاchiefs!اَفْتُوْنِیْAdvise meفِیْۤinاَمْرِیْ ۚmy affairمَاNotكُنْتُI would beقَاطِعَةًthe one to decideاَمْرًاany matterحَتّٰیuntilتَشْهَدُوْنِ you are present with me قَالُوْاThey saidنَحْنُWeاُولُوْا(are) possessorsقُوَّةٍ(of) strengthوَّ اُولُوْاand possessorsبَاْسٍ(of) mightشَدِیْدٍ ۙ۬greatوَّ الْاَمْرُand the commandاِلَیْكِ(is) up to youفَانْظُرِیْso lookمَا ذَاwhatتَاْمُرِیْنَ you will command قَالَتْShe saidاِنَّIndeedالْمُلُوْكَthe kingsاِذَاwhenدَخَلُوْاthey enterقَرْیَةًa townاَفْسَدُوْهَاthey ruin itوَ جَعَلُوْۤاand makeاَعِزَّةَ(the) most honorableاَهْلِهَاۤ(of) its peopleاَذِلَّةً ۚ(the) lowestوَ كَذٰلِكَAnd thusیَفْعَلُوْنَ they do وَ اِنِّیْBut indeed I amمُرْسِلَةٌgoing to sendاِلَیْهِمْto themبِهَدِیَّةٍa giftفَنٰظِرَةٌۢand seeبِمَwith whatیَرْجِعُreturnالْمُرْسَلُوْنَ the messengers 27. An-Naml Page 380فَلَمَّاSo whenجَآءَcameسُلَیْمٰنَ(to) Sulaimanقَالَhe saidاَتُمِدُّوْنَنِWill you provide meبِمَالٍ ؗwith wealthفَمَاۤBut whatاٰتٰىنِ َۧAllah has given meاللّٰهُAllah has given meخَیْرٌ(is) betterمِّمَّاۤthan whatاٰتٰىكُمْ ۚHe has given youبَلْNayاَنْتُمْyouبِهَدِیَّتِكُمْin your giftتَفْرَحُوْنَ rejoice اِرْجِعْReturnاِلَیْهِمْto themفَلَنَاْتِیَنَّهُمْsurely we will come to themبِجُنُوْدٍwith hostsلَّاnotقِبَلَ(is) resistanceلَهُمْfor themبِهَاof itوَ لَنُخْرِجَنَّهُمْand surely we will drive them outمِّنْهَاۤfrom thereاَذِلَّةً(in) humiliationوَّ هُمْand theyصٰغِرُوْنَ (will be) abased قَالَHe saidیٰۤاَیُّهَاOالْمَلَؤُاchiefs!اَیُّكُمْWhich of youیَاْتِیْنِیْwill bring meبِعَرْشِهَاher throneقَبْلَbeforeاَنْthatیَّاْتُوْنِیْthey come to meمُسْلِمِیْنَ (in) submission قَالَSaidعِفْرِیْتٌa strong oneمِّنَofالْجِنِّthe jinnاَنَاIاٰتِیْكَwill bring it to youبِهٖwill bring it to youقَبْلَbeforeاَنْ[that]تَقُوْمَyou riseمِنْfromمَّقَامِكَ ۚyour placeوَ اِنِّیْAnd indeed, I amعَلَیْهِfor itلَقَوِیٌّsurely, strongاَمِیْنٌ trustworthy قَالَSaidالَّذِیْone whoعِنْدَهٗwith himعِلْمٌ(was) knowledgeمِّنَofالْكِتٰبِthe ScriptureاَنَاIاٰتِیْكَwill bring it to youبِهٖwill bring it to youقَبْلَbeforeاَنْ[that]یَّرْتَدَّreturnsاِلَیْكَto youطَرْفُكَ ؕyour glanceفَلَمَّاThen whenرَاٰهُhe saw itمُسْتَقِرًّاplacedعِنْدَهٗbefore himقَالَhe saidهٰذَاThisمِنْ(is) fromفَضْلِ(the) Favorرَبِّیْ ۖ۫(of) my Lordلِیَبْلُوَنِیْۤto test meءَاَشْكُرُwhether I am gratefulاَمْorاَكْفُرُ ؕI am ungratefulوَ مَنْAnd whoeverشَكَرَ(is) gratefulفَاِنَّمَاthen onlyیَشْكُرُhe is gratefulلِنَفْسِهٖ ۚfor his own soulوَ مَنْAnd whoeverكَفَرَ(is) ungratefulفَاِنَّthen indeedرَبِّیْmy Lordغَنِیٌّ(is) Self-sufficientكَرِیْمٌ Noble قَالَHe saidنَكِّرُوْاDisguiseلَهَاfor herعَرْشَهَاher throneنَنْظُرْwe will seeاَتَهْتَدِیْۤwhether she will be guidedاَمْorتَكُوْنُwill beمِنَofالَّذِیْنَthose whoلَاare not guidedیَهْتَدُوْنَ are not guided فَلَمَّاSo whenجَآءَتْshe cameقِیْلَit was saidاَهٰكَذَاIs like thisعَرْشُكِ ؕyour throneقَالَتْShe saidكَاَنَّهٗIt is likeهُوَ ۚitوَ اُوْتِیْنَاAnd we were givenالْعِلْمَthe knowledgeمِنْbefore herقَبْلِهَاbefore herوَ كُنَّاand we have beenمُسْلِمِیْنَ Muslims وَ صَدَّهَاAnd has averted herمَاwhatكَانَتْshe used (to)تَّعْبُدُworshipمِنْbesidesدُوْنِbesidesاللّٰهِ ؕAllahاِنَّهَاIndeed, sheكَانَتْwasمِنْfromقَوْمٍa peopleكٰفِرِیْنَ who disbelieve قِیْلَIt was saidلَهَاto herادْخُلِیEnterالصَّرْحَ ۚthe palaceفَلَمَّاThen whenرَاَتْهُshe saw itحَسِبَتْهُshe thought itلُجَّةً(was) a poolوَّ كَشَفَتْand she uncoveredعَنْ[on]سَاقَیْهَا ؕher shinsقَالَHe saidاِنَّهٗIndeed itصَرْحٌ(is) a palaceمُّمَرَّدٌmade smoothمِّنْofقَوَارِیْرَ ؕ۬glassقَالَتْShe saidرَبِّMy Lordاِنِّیْindeed Iظَلَمْتُ[I] have wrongedنَفْسِیْmyselfوَ اَسْلَمْتُand I submitمَعَwithسُلَیْمٰنَSulaimanلِلّٰهِto Allahرَبِّ(the) Lordالْعٰلَمِیْنَ۠(of) the worlds

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Translation of Verse 32-44

32. She said, "O chiefs! Advise me in this matter of mine, for I would never make any decision without you."

33. They responded, "We are a people of strength and great ˹military˺ might, but the decision is yours, so decide what you will command."

34. She reasoned, "Indeed, when kings invade a land, they ruin it and debase its nobles. They really do so!

35. But I will certainly send him a gift, and see what ˹response˺ my envoys will return with." ⁷⁷¹

36. When the chief-envoy came to him, Solomon said, "Do you offer me wealth? What Allah has granted me is far greater than what He has granted you. No! It is you who rejoice in ˹receiving˺ gifts.

37. Go back to them, for we will certainly mobilize against them forces which they can never resist, and we will drive them out from there in disgrace, fully humbled." ⁷⁷²

38. Solomon asked, "O chiefs! Which of you can bring me her throne before they come to me in ˹full˺ submission?" ⁷⁷³

39. One mighty jinn responded, "I can bring it to you before you rise from this council of yours. And I am quite strong and trustworthy for this ˹task˺."

40. But the one who had knowledge of the Scripture said, ⁷⁷⁴ "I can bring it to you in the blink of an eye." So when Solomon saw it placed before him, he exclaimed, "This is by the grace of my Lord to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is grateful, it is only for their own good. But whoever is ungrateful, surely my Lord is Self- Sufficient, Most Generous."

41. ˹Then˺ Solomon said, "Disguise her throne for her so we may see whether she will recognize ˹it˺ or she will not be able to."

42. So when she arrived, it was said ˹to her˺, "Is your throne like this?" She replied, "It looks to be the same. We have ˹already˺ received knowledge ˹of Solomon's prophethood˺ ⁷⁷⁵ before this ˹miracle˺, ⁷⁷⁶ and have submitted ˹to Allah˺."

43. But she had been hindered by what she used to worship instead of Allah, for she was indeed from a disbelieving people.

44. Then she was told, "Enter the palace." But when she saw the hall, she thought it was a body of water, so she bared her legs. Solomon said. "It is just a palace paved with crystal." ˹At last˺ she declared, "My Lord! I have certainly wronged my soul. Now I ˹fully˺ submit myself along with Solomon to Allah, the Lord of all worlds."

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Commentary

771. She wanted to test Solomon ( ﷺ ) to see if he was only a king (so he would be satisfied with a tribute) or a prophet (who would only settle with submission to the True God).

772. If they refuse to submit.

773. To explain why Prophet Solomon brought the Queen's magnificent throne and built the marvellous palace, many traditional commentators cite some folkloric or legendary stories. However, none of these stories is supported by reliable Islamic sources.

774. This refers to 'Aṣif ibn Barkhiya, a knowledgeable and righteous assistant of Solomon.

775. Because he had refused her tribute.

776. Bringing her well-guarded, mighty throne all the way from Sheba, Yemen.