Al-Kashshaf on An-Naml 27:22

Surah An-Naml 27:22

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ﳂ ﳃ ﳄ ﳅ ﳆ ﳇ ﳈ ﳉ ﳊ ﳋ ﳌ ﳍ ﳎ ﳏ

But the hoopoe stayed not long and said, "I have encompassed [in knowledge] that which you have not encompassed, and I have come to you from Sheba with certain news.

{فمكث} It is read with both the fatha and the damma on the kaf.

{غير بعيد} Meaning: not a long time, similar to the saying: "in a short while" (‘an qarib). He described his stay as short to indicate his haste out of fear of Solomon, to show how the birds were subjugated to him, and to demonstrate the miracle granted to him that proves his prophethood and the power of Allah Almighty.

{أحطت} Read with the ta’ assimilated into the ta’ (idgham), both with and without itbaq (velarization). Allah inspired the hoopoe to confront Solomon with this speech, despite the excellence of prophethood, wisdom, vast knowledge, and comprehensive awareness he was granted. This was a trial for Solomon regarding his knowledge, and a reminder that even among the lowest and weakest of His creation, there is one who encompasses knowledge that he does not. This is to humble his soul and make his own knowledge seem small to him, serving as a grace (lutf) to prevent self-admiration—which is the trial of scholars and the greatest of trials.

"Encompassing a thing" (al-ihata) means to know it from all its aspects, such that nothing of it remains hidden. They said: This is evidence against the claim of the Rafida that the Imam is hidden from nothing, and that there is no one in his time more knowledgeable than him.

{سبأ} Read both as sarf (diptotic/triptotic) and non-sarf. It has also been narrated with a sukun on the ba’. Ibn Kathir narrated it in one version as Saba’ with an alif, like their saying: "They went aydi saba’ (scattered)."

It is Saba’ ibn Yashjub ibn Ya‘rub ibn Qahtan. Whoever treats it as the name of a tribe does not decline it (ghayr munsarif), and whoever treats it as the name of the clan or the great forefather declines it (munsarif). He said:

From Saba’, those present at Ma’rib, When they built the dam against its flood.

And he said:

Those who arrived, and Taym in the lineage of Saba’, The hide of buffaloes has bitten their necks.

Then the city of Ma’rib was named Saba’, and between it and Sana’a is a three-day journey, just as Ma’afir was named Ma’afirin. It is possible that both the city and the people are intended.

{النبأ} The news that carries significance.

{من سبإ بنبإ} This is of the genre of speech that the modernists call Badi‘ (rhetorical embellishment). It is among the beauties of speech related to the wording, provided it comes naturally or is crafted by a scholar who understands the essence of language while preserving the correctness and soundness of the meaning. Here, it has come as an addition to correctness, making it beautiful and innovative in both wording and meaning. Do you not see that if one were to place "with news" (bi-khabar) in place of "with a report" (bi-naba’), the meaning would be correct, yet as it came, it is more accurate due to the added nuance in naba’ that corresponds to the description of the situation.

Tafsir of An-Naml 27:22

Al-Kashshaf

{فمكث} It is read with both the fatha and the damma on the kaf.

{سبأ} Read both as sarf (diptotic/triptotic) and non-sarf. It has also been narrated with a sukun on the ba’. Ibn Kathir narrated it in one version as Saba’ with an alif, like their saying: "They went aydi saba’ (scattered)."

{النبأ} The news that carries significance.

{إني وجدت امرأة تملكهم وأوتيت من كل شيء ولها عرش عظيم}

Tafsir of An-Naml 27:22

Al-Kashshaf

{فمكث} It is read with both the *fatha* and the *damma* on the *kaf*.

{سبأ} Read both as *sarf* (diptotic/triptotic) and *non-sarf*. It has also been narrated with a *sukun* on the *ba’*. Ibn Kathir narrated it in one version as *Saba’* with an *alif*, like their saying: "They went *aydi saba’* (scattered)."

{النبأ} The news that carries significance.

{إني وجدت امرأة تملكهم وأوتيت من كل شيء ولها عرش عظيم}

{فمكث} It is read with both the fatha and the damma on the kaf.

{سبأ} Read both as sarf (diptotic/triptotic) and non-sarf. It has also been narrated with a sukun on the ba’. Ibn Kathir narrated it in one version as Saba’ with an alif, like their saying: "They went aydi saba’ (scattered)."