Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 8–14

34. Saba · Sheba

Makkan54 verses

أَفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَم بِهِۦ جِنَّةٌۢ ۗ بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ فِى ٱلْعَذَابِ وَٱلضَّلَٰلِ ٱلْبَعِيدِ

34:8Has he fabricated a lie against Allah, or is there a madness in him?’ Indeed, those who do not believe in the Hereafter languish in punishment and extreme error.

أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ إِن نَّشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفًۭا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَةًۭ لِّكُلِّ عَبْدٍۢ مُّنِيبٍۢ

34:9Have they not regarded that which is before them and that which is behind them of the sky and the earth? If We like, We can make the earth swallow them, or let a fragment from the sky fall on them. There is indeed a sign in that for every penitent servant.

۞ وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ مِنَّا فَضْلًۭا ۖ يَٰجِبَالُ أَوِّبِى مَعَهُۥ وَٱلطَّيْرَ ۖ وَأَلَنَّا لَهُ ٱلْحَدِيدَ

34:10Certainly We gave David our grace: ‘O mountains and birds, chime in with him!’ And We made iron soft for him,1

أَنِ ٱعْمَلْ سَٰبِغَٰتٍۢ وَقَدِّرْ فِى ٱلسَّرْدِ ۖ وَٱعْمَلُوا۟ صَٰلِحًا ۖ إِنِّى بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌۭ

34:11saying, ‘Make easy coats of mail, and keep the measure in arranging [the links], and act righteously. Indeed I watch what you do.’

وَلِسُلَيْمَٰنَ ٱلرِّيحَ غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌۭ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌۭ ۖ وَأَسَلْنَا لَهُۥ عَيْنَ ٱلْقِطْرِ ۖ وَمِنَ ٱلْجِنِّ مَن يَعْمَلُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِۦ ۖ وَمَن يَزِغْ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ أَمْرِنَا نُذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ

34:12And for Solomon [We subjected] the wind: its morning course was a month’s journey and its evening course was a month’s journey. We made a fount of [molten] copper flow for him, and [We placed at his service] some of the jinn who would work for him by the permission of his Lord, and if any of them swerved from Our command, We would make him taste the punishment of the Blaze.

يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُۥ مَا يَشَآءُ مِن مَّحَٰرِيبَ وَتَمَٰثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍۢ كَٱلْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍۢ رَّاسِيَٰتٍ ۚ ٱعْمَلُوٓا۟ ءَالَ دَاوُۥدَ شُكْرًۭا ۚ وَقَلِيلٌۭ مِّنْ عِبَادِىَ ٱلشَّكُورُ

34:13They built for him as many temples as he wished, and figures, basins like cisterns, and caldrons fixed [in the ground]. ‘O House of David, act thankfully, and few of My servants are grateful.’

فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ ٱلْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَوْتِهِۦٓ إِلَّا دَآبَّةُ ٱلْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُۥ ۖ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ ٱلْجِنُّ أَن لَّوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ٱلْغَيْبَ مَا لَبِثُوا۟ فِى ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلْمُهِينِ

34:14When We decreed death for him, nothing apprised them of his death except a worm which gnawed away at his staff. And when he fell down, [the humans] realized that had the jinn known the Unseen, they would not have remained in a humiliating torment.

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 10

1.This was Allah’s excellent grace on Dawood and Sulaiman (a.s.) that Allah made the iron pliant to him and made a fountain of molten copper to flow out for Sulaiman (a.s.) that many things could be made from it. But in both accounts it is stated that when Dawood (a.s.) obtained the perfection, he used it to earn his livelihood and started making amours as his subsistence and it was useful in the battlefield.

Sulaiman (a.s.) made places of worship for jinns, and images of his ancestors, bowls, watering troughs and cooking pots. On the whole he used his art for the benefit of the world as well as for religion and in this way clarified that people of Allah do not use their abilities for personal use. It is only for the people and the hereafter. In the end, it is demanded from Dawood (a.s.) to give thanks as it is the best remedy for pride. Such as it is stated in Hadith-e-Qudsi that when Allah asked Moosa (a.s.) to thank Him a perfect thanks he excused himself saying that who can thank Allah perfectly? Allah said: To consider the bounty from Allah is the greatest thankgiving. After this obedience is created and not egotism.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. Benefit

    The deniers of the Hereafter are said to be in punishment and deviation which shows that the denial of Hereafter is a punishment in this world also. Due to which there is neither assurance of reward nor the guarantee of the punishment of the wrong doers. Life becomes uncertain and this deviation is distant and the punishment severe. Also in the description of Qiyamat the heaven and the earth is not mentioned to be above the other which shows that if one sees the horizon he can have some idea about the profound changes in the Hereafter. Thus he would become certain of the Hereafter.

  2. 1

    Awwib means to refer. Taweeb is to refer witb respect. Saabeghat and Sawabegh arc the plurals of Saabegb. That is a perfect dress. Sard is to put in order. Ghadoo - Morning journey. Rawaah - Evening journey. Qatar - Copper, iron or zinc. Muhareeb - It is the plural of Mehrab, that is, prayer niche. Jafaan - It is the plural of Jama, that is a bowl. Jawaab - Plural of Jabiya, a big pool. Qadoor - Plural of Qadr, Big cooking pot. Rasiyaat - Buried in the earth. Mansa -A big staff.

  3. Benefit

    The detailed knowledge of Dawood (a.s.) regarding the manufaclurc of armour indicates that every manufacturer should aim for perfection. They must not indulge in deceit. And the powwers of Sulaiman (a.s.) prove that a fast vehicle is necessary for rulership, raw material is required for manufacture, and untiring servants are required for work. Without these the system of government is not possible.