Page 716 - An Index to the Qur'an

until they give birth. If they are suckling for you, in tight ranks. Then, when they reached the
give them their wages and consult together with Valley of the Ants, an ant said, ‘Ants! Enter your
correctness and courtesy. But if you make things dwellings so that Sulayman and his troops do not
difficult for one another, another woman should crush you unwittingly.’ He smiled, laughing at its
do the suckling for you. (65:6) words, and said, ‘My Lord, keep me thankful for
the blessing You have bestowed on me and on
SULAYMAN (AS) (SOLOMON) my parents, and keep me acting rightly, pleasing
They follow what the Satans recited in the reign You, and admit me, by Your mercy, among Your
of Sulayman. Sulayman did not disbelieve, but servants who are righteous.’ He inspected the
the Satans did, teaching people sorcery and what birds and said, ‘How is it that I do not see the
had been sent down to Harut and Marut, the two hoopoe? Or is it absent without leave? I will cer-
angels in Babylon, who taught no one without tainly punish it most severely or slaughter it if it
first saying to him, ‘We are merely a trial and does not bring me clear authority.’ However, it
temptation, so do not disbelieve.’ People learned was not long delayed, and then it said, ‘I have
from them how to separate a man and his wife comprehended something you have not and
but they cannot harm anyone by it, except with bring you accurate intelligence from Sheba. I
Allah's permission. They have learned what will found a woman ruling over them who has been
harm them and will not benefit them. They know given everything. She possesses a mighty throne.
that any who deal in it will have no share in the I found both her and her people prostrating to the
hereafter. What an evil thing they have sold sun instead of Allah. Satan has made their ac-
themselves for if they only knew! (2:102) tions seem good to them and debarred them from
We have revealed to you as We revealed to Nuh the Way so they are not guided and do not pros-
and the Prophets who came after him. And We trate to Allah, Who brings out what is hidden in
revealed to Ibrahim and Isma‘il and Ishaq and the heavens and the earth, and knows what you
Ya‘qub and the Tribes, and ‘Isa and Ayyub and conceal and what you divulge. Allah–there is no
Yunus and Harun and Sulayman. And We gave god but Him–the Lord of the Mighty Throne.’ He
Dawud the Zabur. (4:163) said, ‘We will soon see if you have told the truth
We gave him Ishaq and Ya‘qub, each of whom or are a liar. Take this letter of mine and deliver it
We guided. And before him We had guided Nuh. to them and then withdraw from them a little and
And among his descendants were Dawud and see how they respond.’ She said, ‘Council! A
Sulayman, and Ayyub, Yusuf, Musa and Harun. noble letter has been delivered to me. It is from
That is how We recompense the good-doers. Sulayman and says: "In the name of Allah, All-
(6:84) Merciful, Most Merciful. Do not rise up against
And to Sulayman We gave the fiercely blowing me, but come to me in submission."’ She said,
wind, speeding at his command towards the land ‘Council! Give me your opinion about this mat-
which We had blessed. And We had full knowl- ter. It is not my habit to make a final decision
edge of everything. And some of the Satans dived until I have heard what you have to say.’ They
for him and did other things apart from that. And said, ‘We possess strength and we possess great
We were watching over them. (21:81-82) force. But the matter is in your hands so consider
We gave knowledge to Dawud and Sulayman what you command.’ She said, ‘When kings
who said, ‘Praise be to Allah Who has favoured enter a city, they lay waste to it and make its
us over many of His servants who are believers.’ mightiest inhabitants the most abased. That is
Sulayman was Dawud’s heir. He said, ‘Mankind! what they too will do. I will send them a gift and
We have been taught the speech of birds and we then wait and see what the messengers bring
have been given everything. This is indeed clear back.’ When it reached Sulayman he said,
favour.’ Sulayman’s troops, made up of jinn and ‘Would you give me wealth when what Allah has
men and birds, were assembled for him, paraded given me is better than what He has given you?
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