| An-Naml (The Ants): (34 - 37) She said: "Indeed, when kings...

Translation and Exegesis

Know that when the matter [of Solomon's demand] was presented to the chiefs of her people, and they gave the previously mentioned response, she then revealed her opinion.

Her opinion was that kings, when they enter a town by force, corrupt it (i.e., destroy it and humiliate its honorable people). Thus, she warned them about the consequence of war.

As for His saying: {And thus they do} (34), there is a difference of opinion whether this is her speech or a statement from God, the Almighty, affirming her view. The closer opinion is that it is her speech, which she added to emphasize the description she gave of the kings' conduct.

Regarding the description of the gift, people elaborated much upon it, but the Book makes no mention of it.

Her statement: {So await what the messengers will return with} (35) indicates that she did not trust that the gift would be accepted and allowed for the possibility of rejection. By this, she intended to ascertain Solomon's true objective.

When the gifts reached Solomon, peace be upon him, he mentioned two matters:

1. His statement: {Do you suggest to me wealth?} (36). Through this statement, he demonstrated his indifference to that wealth.

As for His saying: {But it is you who rejoice in your gift} (36), there are three interpretations:

1. That hadiyyah (gift) is a name for the recipient of the gift, just as ‘aṭiyyah (donation) is named after the giver. Thus, it is attributed to both the giver and the recipient. Here, the implied subject is the recipient. The meaning is: God, the Almighty, has granted me the religion, which is the ultimate felicity, and granted me from this world what cannot be surpassed. So how can someone like me be tempted by such a gift? Rather, {it is you who rejoice in what is presented to you}, but my state is contrary to your state.
2. Alternatively: You rejoice in this gift you sent because you were capable of sending such a gift.
3. As if he said: It is appropriate for you to take back your gift and rejoice in it.

2. His statement: {Return to them} (37). It has been said that this address is to the messenger (the hoopoe), and others say it is to the hoopoe, sending it back with another letter.

As for His saying: {no strength} (37), meaning no power. The reality of qabl (strength/ability) is resistance and confrontation. Meaning, they do not have the power to confront them. Ibn Mas‘ud recited it as: (lā qabla lahum bihim) (They will have no power over them).

The pronoun in {from them} refers to Saba’ (Sheba). Humiliation (dhull) is the removal of the honor and sovereignty they possessed. Degradation (ṣighār) is their falling into captivity and servitude, not merely returning to being commoners after having been kings.

Verse 38-44

{He said, "O eminent ones, which of you will bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?"} (38)

{An audacious one of the jinn said, "I will bring it to you before you rise from your place, and indeed, I am for that [task] strong and trustworthy."} (39)

{He said, "The one who had knowledge from the Scripture said, 'I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you.' And when he saw it settled before him, he said, 'This is from the bounty of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is grateful - indeed, his gratitude is for his own soul. And whoever is ungrateful - indeed, my Lord is free of need and noble.'"} (40)

{He said, "Disguise her throne for her; we will see whether she is guided or is among those who are not guided."} (41)

{So when she arrived, it was said, "Is your throne like this?" She said, "It is as if it were the same." And [Solomon said], "We were given knowledge before her, and we were Muslims."} (42)

{And what she used to worship besides Allah prevented her, for indeed, she was of a disbelieving people.} (43)

{It was said to her, "Enter the chamber." But when she saw it, she thought it was a pool and uncovered her shins. He said, "Indeed, it is a floor paved with smooth stone." She said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, and I submit with Solomon to Allah, Lord of the worlds."} (44)

Exegesis Summary

Verse 38: Solomon addresses the chiefs, asking which of them can bring the Queen of Sheba's throne before she arrives as a Muslim.

Verse 39: An Ifrit (a powerful jinn) volunteers, claiming he can bring it before Solomon stands up from his place, asserting his strength and trustworthiness for the task.

Verse 40: The one possessing knowledge from the Scripture (often identified as Asaf ibn Barkhiya) claims he can bring it before Solomon's gaze returns (i.e., in the blink of an eye). When Solomon saw it settled before him, he immediately attributed this miracle to God's grace: {This is from the bounty of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful.} Gratitude benefits the self, while ingratitude harms it, as {my Lord is free of need and noble.}

Verse 41: Solomon then orders the throne to be disguised to test the Queen's intellect and guidance.

Verse 42: When she arrived and was asked if her throne resembled this one, she replied cautiously: {It is as if it were the same.} Solomon then stated that knowledge preceded her arrival, and he and his people were already Muslims.

Verse 43: What prevented her from accepting the truth earlier was her previous worship of something other than Allah, as she belonged to a disbelieving people.

Verse 44: She was then asked to enter a chamber. Upon seeing the floor, she mistook it for water and uncovered her shins. Solomon corrected her, explaining: {Indeed, it is a floor paved with smooth stone.} Recognizing the miracle and the truth, she immediately repented: {My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, and I submit with Solomon to Allah, Lord of the worlds.}