Exegesis of the Story of Sulayman and the Queen of Saba
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
In the verse, O Shaykh,[An-Naml 27:30] the Merciful.
Answer:
Yes, at the beginning of the verse it says: "O my people, indeed a noble letter has been thrown to me. It is from Sulayman, and it says: 'In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Most Merciful.'" This is Saba, the Queen of Yemen. The Queen of Yemen—Sulayman (peace and blessings be upon him) sent this letter to her with the hoopoe, with the hoopoe bird. The hoopoe had disappeared from Sulayman's soldiers, so he said, "What is the matter that I do not see the hoopoe?[An-Naml 27:20]? [An-Naml 27:21]" Then the hoopoe came and said, "I have [An-Naml 27:22]"—he is saying this to Sulayman—"and I have come to you from Saba, the Queen of Yemen, with certain news. [An-Naml 27:24-26]. [An-Naml 27:27]?"
[An-Naml 27:28] So he took Sulayman's letter, and when he reached the level of Bilqis's council, he dropped the letter on her, and she took it and read it, and [An-Naml 27:29-31].
Muslims.[An-Naml 27:32]. [An-Naml 27:33]. [An-Naml 27:34].
To the end of the story, and I am sending them a gift. When the gift came to Sulayman (peace and blessings be upon him)[An-Naml 27:36], then he threatened them and said: [An-Naml 27:37], so nothing remained for her but to submit and her people submitted by the call of Sulayman (peace and blessings be upon him), by their entering into his obedience, yes.
The presenter:
May Allah bless you,
In the verse, O Shaykh,
Indeed, it is from Solomon, and indeed, it reads: 'In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful
إِنَّهُ مِن سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِAnswer:
Yes, at the beginning of the verse it says: "O my people, indeed a noble letter has been thrown to me. It is from Sulayman, and it says: 'In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Most Merciful.'" This is Saba, the Queen of Yemen. The Queen of Yemen—Sulayman (peace and blessings be upon him) sent this letter to her with the hoopoe, with the hoopoe bird. The hoopoe had disappeared from Sulayman's soldiers, so he said, "What is the matter that I do not see the hoopoe?
Why do I not see the hoopoe - or is he among the absent?
مَا لِيَ لَا أَرَى الْهُدْهُدَ أَمْ كَانَ مِنَ الْغَائِبِينَI will surely punish him with a severe punishment or slaughter him unless he brings me clear authorization."
لَأُعَذِّبَنَّهُ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا أَوْ لَأَذْبَحَنَّهُ أَوْ لَيَأْتِيَنِّي بِسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍI have encompassed [in knowledge] that which you have not encompassed
أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ(24) I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allah, and Satan has made their deeds pleasing to them and averted them from [His] way, so they are not guided, (25) [And] so they do not prostrate to Allah, who brings forth what is hidden within the heavens and the earth and knows what you conceal and what you declare - (26) Allah - there is no deity except Him, Lord of the Great Throne."
وَجَدتُّهَا وَقَوْمَهَا يَسْجُدُونَ لِلشَّمْسِ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فَصَدَّهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ فَهُمْ لَا يَهْتَدُونَ أَلَّا يَسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ الَّذِي يُخْرِجُ الْخَبْءَ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تُخْفُونَ وَمَا تُعْلِنُونَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ[Solomon] said, "We will see whether you were truthful or were of the liars.
قَالَ سَنَنظُرُ أَصَدَقْتَ أَمْ كُنتَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَTake this letter of mine and deliver it to them
اذْهَب بِّكِتَابِي هَٰذَا فَأَلْقِهْ إِلَيْهِمْ(29) She said, "O eminent ones, indeed, to me has been delivered a noble letter. (30) Indeed, it is from Solomon, and indeed, it reads: 'In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful, (31) Be not haughty with me but come to me in submission [as Muslims].' "
قَالَتْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ إِنِّي أُلْقِيَ إِلَيَّ كِتَابٌ كَرِيمٌ إِنَّهُ مِن سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ أَلَّا تَعْلُوا عَلَيَّ وَأْتُونِيMuslims.
She said, "O eminent ones, advise me in my affair. I would not decide a matter until you witness [for] me."
قَالَتْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ أَفْتُونِي فِي أَمْرِي مَا كُنتُ قَاطِعَةً أَمْرًا حَتَّىٰ تَشْهَدُونِThey said, "We are men of strength and of great military might, but the command is yours, so see what you will command."
قَالُوا نَحْنُ أُولُو قُوَّةٍ وَأُولُو بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ وَالْأَمْرُ إِلَيْكِ فَانظُرِي مَاذَا تَأْمُرِينَShe said, "Indeed kings - when they enter a city, they ruin it and render the honored of its people humbled. And thus do they do.
قَالَتْ إِنَّ الْمُلُوكَ إِذَا دَخَلُوا قَرْيَةً أَفْسَدُوهَا وَجَعَلُوا أَعِزَّةَ أَهْلِهَا أَذِلَّةً وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَفْعَلُونَTo the end of the story, and I am sending them a gift. When the gift came to Sulayman (peace and blessings be upon him)
he said, "Do you provide me with wealth? But what Allah has given me is better than what He has given you. Rather, it is you who rejoice in your gift.
قَالَ أَتُمِدُّونَنِ بِمَالٍ فَمَا آتَانِيَ اللَّهُ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا آتَاكُم بَلْ أَنتُم بِهَدِيَّتِكُمْ تَفْرَحُونَReturn to them, for we will surely come to them with soldiers that they will be powerless to encounter, and we will surely expel them therefrom in humiliation, and they will be debased."
ارْجِعْ إِلَيْهِمْ فَلَنَأْتِيَنَّهُم بِجُنُودٍ لَّا قِبَلَ لَهُم بِهَا وَلَنُخْرِجَنَّهُم مِّنْهَا أَذِلَّةً وَهُمْ صَاغِرُونَThe presenter:
May Allah bless you,
Source
قناة «إذاعة القرآن الكريم»، نور على الدرب مع فضيلة الشيخ صالح الفوزان ح7476 — youtube.com (12:28)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.