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 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."

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Translation of Verse 15-31

(27:15) (On the other hand), We granted knowledge to David and Solomon¹⁸ and they said: "All praise be to Allah Who has exalted us above many of His believing servants!"¹⁹

(27:16) And Solomon succeeded David²⁰ and said: "O people, we have been taught the speech of birds²¹ and we have been endowed with all kinds of things.²² Surely this is a conspicuous favour (from Allah)."

(27:17) Hosts of jinn and humans and birds²³ were marshalled for Solomon and were kept under full control.

(27:18) (Solomon was once on the move with them) until when they reached a valley of ants one of the ants said: "O ants, get into your holes, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under their feet) without even knowing."²⁴

(27:19) Smiling at the ant's utterance, Solomon burst into laughter and said: "My Lord! Hold me under (Your) control²⁵ that I may render thanks for the favour which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may act righteously in a manner that would please You. Include me, out of Your Mercy, among Your righteous servants."²⁶

(27:20) (On another occasion) Solomon inspected the birds²⁷ and said: "Why is it that I do not see the hoopoe? Is he among the absentees?

(27:21) I will inflict a severe punishment on him or maybe even slaughter him unless he comes forth with a convincing reason (for his absence)."²⁸

(27:22) Not before long the hoopoe came up and said: "I have obtained a knowledge which you could not. I have brought for you sure news about Sheba.²⁹

(27:23) I found there a woman ruling over them, one who has been endowed with all things and has a mighty throne.

(27:24) I found that she and her people prostrate themselves before the sun rather than Allah.³⁰" Satan³¹ has made their deeds appear attractive to them³² and has, thus, debarred them from the Right Path so they do not find true guidance

(27:25) that they would prostrate themselves before Allah Who brings to light all that is hidden in the heavens and the earth³³ and knows all that you conceal and all that you reveal.³⁴

(27:26) Allah - none is worthy of worship save He; He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne.³⁵

(27:27) Solomon said: "Soon shall we see whether you have spoken the truth or are one of those that lie.

(27:28) Take this letter of mine, deliver it to them, and then draw back from them, and observe what they do."³⁶

(27:29) The Queen said:" Know my nobles that a gracious letter has been delivered to me.

(27:30) It is from Solomon, and it is: "In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate."

(27:31) (It says): "Do not act towards me with defiance, but come to me in submission."³⁷

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Commentary

18. This refers to the knowledge of Reality: to the knowledge that whatever people have is a gift from God and that the power over the things entrusted to man by God should be used in a manner that pleases Him; to the knowledge that people are responsible before God in their right or wrong exercise of this.

This knowledge was in sharp contrast to Pharaoh’s ignorance. The kind of character that this ignorance produced has been depicted in the previous verses. In the verses that follow a different character is being depicted — the character of a morally upright person which arises from this knowledge. The Prophets David and Solomon (peace be on them) had been granted dominion, wealth, power and glory and so was Pharaoh. But David and Solomon (peace be on them) were altogether different in their attitudes from Pharaoh and this because the Prophets had been endowed with true knowledge while Pharaoh wallowed in ignorance.

19. The conferment of political authority on David and Solomon (peace be on them) did not make them arrogant. They recognized that God alone could confer this authority on any of His servants. They were quite conscious that the conferment of political authority on them was an act of God’s favor rather than something to which they were entitled because of any intrinsic merit.

20. To say that Solomon succeeded or inherited David does not mean that he received the wealth and property left behind by David; rather, it means Solomon’s succession to David’s Prophet hood and his caliphal office.

For even if there had been wealth and property, it could not have been given solely to Solomon for David also had other children. Therefore, this verse cannot be cited as a negation of the following tradition narrated from the Prophet (peace be on him): “We Prophets do not leave behind any inheritance; whatever we leave behind is charity (sadaqah).” (See Bukhari, ‘K. Abwab al-Khums’, ‘Bab Fard al-Khums’ — Ed.) Nor can similar claim be made in regard to the following tradition: “Whatever he [i.e. a Prophet] leaves behind is divided among. the needy, the believers, and the wayfarers.” (See Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, Vol. 1, p. 13.)

Solomon was David’s youngest son. His Hebrew name was Solomon, which is equivalent to the Arabic word salim (one who is affable, one who is endowed with wisdom and understanding). Solomon succeeded the Prophet David (peace be on him) in 965 B.C. and ruled over his kingdom for about 40 years until 926 B.C. (For more details see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, Vol. V, al-Anbiya’ 21:.nn. 74-5, pp. 285~7.) Commentators on the Qur’an- have exaggerated the extent of Solomon’s kingdom and have depicted him as the ruler of a very large area of the world.

In fact, however, his kingdom was limited to Palestine, Transjordan and a ‘part of Syria. (See the map of the Kingdom of the Prophets David and Solomon, Towards Understanding the Qur'an, Vol. V, p. 18.)

21. The Bible does not mention that Solomon was given the knowledge of the speech of birds and animals though Israeli traditions do specifically refer to it. (See The Jewish Encyclopedia, Vol. XI, p. 439.)

22. That is, God bestowed on them a great many favors. This, however, should not be understood literally. The statement simply denotes an abundance of wealth and other material resources which God had granted to Solomon. Solomon (peace be on him) did not say this in order to make a show of his wealth; rather, it was an expression of gratitude to God and was mentioned in a spirit of humility.

23. The Bible does not mention that Solomon had jinn working for him, but the Talmudic and Rabbinical traditions mention this in some detail. (See The Jewish Encyclopedia, Vol. XI, p. 440.) Some contemporary writers have gone to great lengths to prove that the jinn and tayr mentioned here do not mean jinn and birds. They claim that these were simply human beings in the service of Solomon (peace be on him). They also contend that the word jinn signify those mountainous area tribesmen who had been subdued by Solomon (peace be on him) and who performed wondrous feats requiring extraordinary physical prowess and skill. They also contend that tayr means cavalry which could move much faster than infantry.

These represent some of the worst examples of interpreting the Qur’an arbitrarily. The Qur’an mentions three distinct armies: those comprising men, those comprising jinn, and those comprising birds. Each of these has been prefixed by the article “al” which indicates that each was a separate genre. Therefore, al-jinn and al-tayr cannot be contained in al-ins; they are two distinct categories apart from, i.e. separate to, al-ins. Further, anyone with even a cursory knowledge of Arabic knows that in Arabic one cannot say al-jinn and mean a group of human beings or say al-tayr and mean mounted troops. No native speaker of Arabic will accept such meanings. To ° call someone a jinn figuratively, because of his extraordinary strength, or to call a woman a fairy because of her beauty, or to call a fast-moving person a bird does not mean that the words jinn, fairy and bird will, henceforth, mean powerful men, beautiful women and fast-moving people. For these uses are only figurative, and do not embrace the real meanings of these words.

When a word is occasionally used in a discourse in its figurative sense — and the reader or the listener understands it in that sense — it is considered to be figurative only if the context clearly indicates that it has been used in such a sense. In the present case, however, there is no indication that leads one to understand that the words jinn and tayr are used figuratively rather than literally. On the contrary, the description of one member of each of these groups in the verses that follow (verses 16 ff.) indicate that a figurative interpretation of these words would be quite erroneous. If someone does not want to believe in what the Qur’an says regarding a matter he should say so clearly. But to extract from the Qur’an’s clear ‘statements which are not corroborated by the Qur’anic text is an act of intellectual dishonesty and moral cowardice. Such people distort the meaning of the Qur’an and impose their fabrications on the Qur’anic Message. They do so all the while pretending that they subscribe to the Qur’an’s statements whereas in actual fact they believe in their own fancies.

24. This verse has also been grossly misinterpreted by some contemporary commentators. They say that wādī al-naml does not mean the "valley of the ants", but is rather the name of a valley in Syria. They also say that the word namlah does not mean "an ant", but is the name of a tribe. Thus, according to them, the verse means: "When the Prophet Solomon reached the valley of the tribe called Naml, one of the Namlites said: 'O people of the Naml tribe'..." But this, too, is an interpretation which is not at all supported by the words of the Qur'ān. Even if we were to accept that wãdī al-naml refers to a valley where a tribe by the name of Banu al-Nami lived, it is still totally against Arabic usage to call a member of that tribe "Namlah".

There are many Arab tribes that are named after animals - for instance, Banū Kalb and Banū Asad. But no Arab will say “qāla al-kalb" (“the dog said") if he wanted to state that a member of the Kalb tribe said something. Nor will he say qāla asadun ("a lion said") when he wants to state that a member of the Asad tribe said something. Therefore, to use the expression qālat namnlatun (literally, "an ant said") to mean that it was a member of Banu al-Naml who said something, is altogether against Arabic usage.

Further, it would be utterly meaningless for a member of this so-called tribe to say: "O Namlites, rush into your houses lest Solomon's troops trample you down without knowing it." No army of men can trample a group of human beings under their feet without knowing it. Hence, if Banū al-Naml.were a tribe of human beings and a member of that tribe wanted to warn his tribesmen against the danger of an attack from Sołomon's army, he would simply have said: "O Namlites, flee, lest one of you is harmed by Solomon's troops." This shows the error of this interpretation in terms of Arabic idiom and literary usage. As for the contention that wadi al-naml was in fact a valley where a tribe called Banū al-Nam! lived, it is merely an assumption which is not supported by any evidence. Some scholars have indeed expressed the view that the valley in question was called wādī al-naml. Those who hold this view, however, also admit that it was so called because of the abundance of ants in that valley. Qatādah and Muqātil contend that: "It is a valley in Syria where there is an abundance of ants." (Rāzī mentions this without referring to Qatādah and Muqātil. See Rāzī, Tafsīr, comments on Surah al-Naml, verse 18. See also Ãlūsī, Rūh al-Ma'ānī, comments on Surah al-Naml 27, verse 18 - Ed.) But no book of history or geography, nor any archaeological inquiry has so far come forth with the finding that this was a valley wherein there lived a tribe called Bani al-Naml. This is no more than a fanciful fabrication with the specific purpose of supporting an erroneous interpretation.

The event in question is mentioned in Israelite traditions but the last part of their account is contrary to its Qur’anic version. Furthermore, that account does not go along with the Prophet Solomon’s exalted position. According to Israelite traditions, when Solomon (peace be on him) was passing through a valley where there was an abundance of ants, he heard an ant saying to others that they should get into their holes, or else Solomon’s troops would trample on them. Upon hearing this, Solomon (peace be on him) showed much arrogance and vanity, whereupon the ant said, to quote from the Israelite tradition: “The king greatly angered, threw her down, saying, Dost thou know who I am? I am Solomon, the son of David! She (the ant answered): I know that thou art created of a corrupted drop; therefore, thou oughtest not to be proud.” (The Jewish Encyclopedia, Vol. XI, p. 440.)

Amazingly, these are the traditions, according to Orientalists’ claims, from which the Qur’an has drawn its content. So far as reason is concerned, there is nothing antithetical to reason in one ant informing other ants about an impending danger. As for how the Prophet Solomon (peace be on him) “heard” this, the answer is simple. If one believes in Revelation from God, then a Prophet who can “hear” something as subtle and fine as the Message communicated to him through Revelation — and this is what belief in Revelation means — can surely hear the speech of an ant.

25. Rabbi awzi‘ni, “My Lord, hold me under [Your] control ...” The root w z‘literally means “to restrain” “to keep under control”. (Ibn Manzur, Lisan al-‘Arab, q.v. WZ‘ ~ Ed.) We think that Solomon’s words, “awzi‘nain ashkura ni‘mataka ...” (... hold me, under [Your] control that I may render thanks for the favor which You have bestowed on me ...) actually mean the following: “O my Lord; the great gifts and abilities and powers that You have bestowed on me are such that if I succumb to negligence even for a moment, I am likely to transgress the bounds of my servitude and fal] prey to excessive arrogance and vanity. So, restrain me, my Lord, from it so that I may remain grateful to You for all Your bounties.”

26. “Include me, out of Your Mercy, among Your righteous servants” is a Prayer that one’s end in the Hereafter may be with the righteous in Paradise. This prayer is a necessity even when someone acts righteously. This because righteous conduct does not necessarily guarantee admission to Paradise, that being entirely dependent on God’s Mercy. Once the Prophet (peace be on him) said: “None of you will enter Paradise by dint of his deeds.” The Companions asked, “You, too, O Messenger of God?” The Prophet (peace be on him) replied: Yes, I too will also not enter Paradise merely on the basis of my deeds. [I will not enter Paradise] ... except that God covers me with His Mercy.” (See Bukhari ‘K. cal-Rigaq ’, ‘Bab al-Qasd wa al-Mudawamah ‘ala al- ‘Amal’. See also Muslim, K. Sifat al-Qiyamah wa al-Jannah wa al-Nar’, ‘Bab Lan Yadkhul Ahad Al-Jannah bi ‘Amalihi bal bi Rahmat Allah Ta ‘ala’.)

It should also be pointed out that Solomon’s prayer would be quite meaningless if the word al-naml meant a tribe of humans or a member of that tribe. After all, what-is so extraordinary in one member of a tribe warning his kinsmen that the king’s army is on its way to invade them that it should prompt someone as powerful as Solomon (peace be on him) to make this unusual prayer! On the other hand, a person endowed with the ability to understand the speech of an ant is surely something extraordinary, so much so, that it might, indeed give rise to pride and arrogance in him hence Prophet Solomon’s prayers is so very relevant here.

27. Solomon inspected the troops of those birds who, like men and jinn armed part of his armed forces, as mentioned in the verse above. It is possible that Solomon (peace be on him) used them for communicating messages, for hunting, and for other tasks of this kind.

28. Some contemporary writers say that the word hud-hud does not denote the hoopoe bird but was rather the name of an officer in Solomon’s army. This contention is not based on any historical record documenting such a person but has been erected merely on the grounds that there is a tradition in Arabic and Hebrew, like other languages, where humans are named after birds and animals.

This whole line of argument is based on the premise that the task performed by the hud-hud, as well as the conversation that took place between him and the Prophet Solomon (peace be on him) mentioned in the verse that. follows, is conceivable only in respect of a human being rather than a bird. But if we consider the context, it is quite obvious that this is not at all a plausible line of interpretation. In fact it constitutes a misinterpretation, even distortion of the Qur’an. After all, why would the Qur’an use such a complicated and involved language merely to say that an officer of Solomon’s battalion or cavalry or intelligence was absent, and that Solomon frantically searched for this officer and the officer eventually reported for duty! What grudge does the Qur’an hold against human reason and intelligence to have recourse to such an enigmatic style which leaves the reader thinking that the one in question is a bird! Let us now look at the sequence of the Qur’anic statements: First of all, the Prophet Solomon (peace be on him) expresses his gratitude to God for having taught him the speech of the birds (verse 16.) In this verse, the word tayr is used in the absolute sense so that it is quite evident to every Arab, in fact to everyone who knows Arabic, that the word could only mean “bird” because there is nothing in the context which indicates that it has been used figuratively. Second, if tayr really meant a tribe rather than a bird, then the Arabic word that would have been used about their speech would have been lisan or lughah rather than mantiq. For someone to know the language of another tribe is not something so extraordinary that it would have been mentioned in this most unusual manner. There are thousands of people among us to-day who speak the languages of other nations. There is nothing so very special about it to be mentioned as an extraordinary gift from God.

Solomon’s statement thanking God for teaching him the speech of birds is followed by the verse: “Hosts of jinn and men and birds were marshalled for Solomon” (verse 17). The words jinn, ins and tayr in this verse are used to mean three ‘well-known and distinct species, each expressed by a specific word in Arabic. Additionally, these words are used in an unqualified manner and there is nothing in the context to indicate a figurative connotation, whether simile or metaphor. Since there is no such indication there remains no reasonable basis to believe that they should be taken in any other form than their ordinary lexical meaning. Further, ins occur in between jinn and tayr which does not permit us to believe that jinn and tayr were, in fact, two groups of people who were included in the species of ins (human beings). Had this been the intention, the words would have been al-jinn wa al-tayr min al-ins rather than min al-jinn wa al-ins wa al-tayr.

Further, the Prophet Solomon (peace be on him) says: “I will inflict a severe punishment on him or maybe even slaughter him unless he comes forth with a convincing reason for his absence” (verse 21.) A human being is killed, hanged, or done to death, but who punishes someone by slaughtering him? True, a cruel-hearted person. when blinded with rage, may slaughter another.

But can we expect a Prophet to declare his intention to “slaughter” a member of his army merely because he was absent? Would God not have something to say by way of condemnation? Later, Solomon sends a letter to the Queen of Sheba through this same hud-hud and tells it to “cast” it or “throw” it towards them (alqihi ilayhim). Obviously such a directive could be given to a bird, but not to a human being, for it is highly unlikely that an emissary would be required to carry out such an instruction. Only someone whose mind is completely deranged would believe that a king would send an emissary to the queen of another country with the instruction to throw his letter in front of her. This would mean Solomon (peace be on him) did not even possess the basics of refinement or social etiquette which even ordinary people observe. Is it conceivable that anyone would ask his servant to take a letter and throw it in front of its addressee?

All these things show that, here, the word hud-hud is used in its lexical meaning; that is, as the name of a bird and not of a human being. Now, if someone has qualms about this, then he may clearly say that he is not willing to accept what the Qur’an says on this matter. He should not try, however, to hide his lack of faith behind a facade of figuratively interpreting the Qur’anic verse in question. This seems to be the worst kind of hypocrisy.

29. Saba’ was the renowned trading nation of southern Arabia. Their capital city was Ma’arib, located 55 miles north-east of San‘a’, the present capital of Yemen. The Sabaeans rose to power after the decline of the Minaean kingdom around 1100 B.C. and for about one thousand years they remained predominant in Arabia. Then, around 115 B.C., they were replaced by the Himyarites, another renowned people of southern Arabia who ruled over Yemen and Hadramawt in Arabia and Abyssinia in Africa.

The Sabaeans controlled the trade between East Africa, India, the Far East and Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome, a fact which explains their affluence. Greek historians have called them the richest nation of the world. In addition to their trading skills, another reason accounting for their prosperity was their excellent irrigation system which dotted the length and breadth of the country with dams. Their land was unusually fertile and lush. This is also mentioned by Greek historians and the Qur’an alludes to it too in Surah Saba’ 34:15. (For a detailed account by Greek historian Diodorus Siculus (80 B.C.-20 B.C.) see Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, translated by C.H. Old Father, London, William Heinemann Limited, 1968, Vol. II, Book 3, 46-7, pp. 225-33 - Ed.)

The hud-hud’s statement that: “I have obtained a knowledge which you could not” (verse 22), does not mean that Solomon (peace be on him) was unaware of the existence of Saba’. It is obvious that the King of Palestine and Syria whose kingdom stretched from the northern shores of the Red Sea to the Gulf of ‘Aqabah could not have been unaware of a nation on the southern shores of the very same Red Sea and which controlled an important segment of the international trade route. Further, according to the Psalms, Solomon’s father, the Prophet David (peace be on them) also knew about Saba’ for we find the following prayer in Psalms: “Give the king thy justice, O God, and thy righteousness to the royal son!” (72:1). “May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute, may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts” (72:10).

What the hud-hud, therefore, wants to say here is that the details of the splendor that he had observed in the Sabaeans capital had not yet reached them.

30. This tells us that at that time those people worshipped the sun. Ancient Arabian traditions also say the same. Ibn Ishaq quotes genealogists while stating that the people of Saba’ were the descendants of ‘Abd Shams (“the Servant of the Sun”) and their title was Saba’. (Ibn Hisham, Sirah, Vol. 1, p. 10.) Israelite traditions also support this for they tell us that when hud-hud arrived with Solomon’s letter, the Queen of Sheba was on her way to worship the sun-god and hud-hud cast the letter down in her path.

31. The style of this and the next verse suggest that this was not part of the hud-hud’s speech. Rather, the hud-hud concluded his statement with the words: “I found that she and her people prostrate themselves before the sun” (verse 24). What follows is God’s own statement, made additionally to that of the hud-hud. This view is supported by the last part of the verse: “...and [He] knows all what you conceal and all what you reveal” (verse 25). It would also appear that these words are addressed to the Makkan unbelievers, for whose instruction this story was being narrated, rather than to Solomon and his courtiers. Among the Qur’anic commentators, Alusi, the author of Ruh al-Ma‘ani, prefers this opinion. (See Alusi, Ruh al-Ma ‘ani, comments on Surah al-Naml 27:25.)

32. Satan prompted them to believe that their obsessive preoccupation with worldly goods and with obtaining the appurtenances of a luxurious life were the only true and befitting use of their mental, intellectual and physical abilities; that nothing else deserved their attention; that they should not bother themselves with finding out the ultimate Reality underlying the phenomenon of the present life and whether or not their religion, morality and culture were in conformity with that Reality. Satan had gratified them with the idea that because their worldly possessions were increasing and their power and glory were constantly on the rise, they did not need to worry about whether or not their ideas, philosophies and beliefs were true. The fact that they were making money and that their lives were becoming increasingly. comfortable and luxurious was, in itself, sufficient proof that everything was all right with them.

33. God constantly reveals new things; things which were hidden until brought out by Him. For example, the myriad of vegetation and minerals from " the bowels of the earth and. the varieties descending from the sky which were previously beyond man’s imag8i nation.

34. God’s knowledge encompasses everything. For Him, the “hidden” and “the manifest” are all the same for He knows it all.

By citing these two attributes of God, it is emphasized that if people were not deluded by Satan, they easily could have seen the Truth. They could have appreciated that the sun was merely a burning sphere, which was not even aware of its own state, and quite unworthy of worship. It is God, the All-Knowing and the Most Wise, Whose infinite power constantly shows us the pageant of ever new phenomena, it is He Alone Who deserves to be worshipped.

35. According to the unanimous opinion of Muslim scholars, sajdah (prostration) is obligatory on whoever recites this verse. The real objective of this sajdah is to distinguish the true believer from the sun-worshipper. The believer by his action testifies that God alone should be worshipped and it is before Him alone that a person should prostrate himself.

36. This brings to an end the role assigned to the hud-hud. People with rationalist pretensions deny that the hud-hud was a bird because, in their opinion, a bird cannot possess those great faculties of observation, discernment and speech that enable it to establish that it was the land of the Sabaeans , as also know the system of government obtaining there; nor to learn that the inhabitants of the country were being ruled by a woman who held erroneous beliefs and worshipped the sun. In their opinion, it is impossible for a bird to find out all this and then to report it to Solomon (peace be on him) so clearly and eloquently.

Such people try to interpret the Qur’an within the parameters of rationalism and, hence, impose their own meanings upon it. Atheists, on the other hand, call the Qur’an a book of myths and legends. One may, however, ask what scientific information do these people have which can truly tell them about the faculties of various species and about each member of the different species of animals and birds? What they consider to be knowledge about these species is merely a superficial understanding of animal life based on insufficient observation. Man has not been able to conclusively find out what various animals and birds really know, what they see and hear, what they feel and think, und how their minds work.

Whatever little information we have about the various species of wild life, however, tells us of their extraordinary abilities. Now God, Who is the Creator of these animals and birds, tells us here that He endowed one of His Prophets with the ability to understand the speech of birds and to communicate with them. So, do we take our own insufficient knowledge as the criterion of judgement and either’ decry that statement as false or distort its meaning or do we re-evaluate our own knowledge of birds in the light of this revealed information?

37. This letter was important to Queen Sheba for several reasons: (i) It had arrived in an unusual fashion; delivered and dropped in front of her by a bird (it) It was from Solomon the magnificent, the ruler of Palestine and Syria. (iii) It commenced with the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful even though this formula was not used anywhere in the world in diplomatic state correspondence. (iv) To write a letter in the name of Almighty God in disregard of all deities was something uncommon for them. (v) The letter contained a clear message to Queen Sheba to give up defiance, to commit her allegiance to Solomon and to go to him in the state of submission “as a Muslim” To come as a “Muslim” can have two meanings: (i) to come in the state of submission, or (ii) to accept Islam and come to him in that capacity. The first accords with Solomon’s position as a ruler, the second, with his position as a Prophet. Perhaps this word, which is pregnant with meaning, was used to convey both things at the same time. Islam has always extended the invitation to sovereign governments and nations either to become equal partners in administering the Islamic system by accepting Islam or to part with their political over lordship and live under the suzerainty of Islam, symbolically expressed by the payment of a capitation tax.