قَالَ نَكِّرُوا۟ لَهَا عَرْشَهَا نَنظُرْ أَتَهْتَدِىٓ أَمْ تَكُونُ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَهْتَدُونَ 41
Translations
He said, "Disguise for her her throne; we will see whether she will be guided [to truth] or will be of those who is not guided."
Transliteration
Qala nakkiru laha 'arshaaha nanthur atahhtadi am takunu mina alladhina la yahtadun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Solomon commanded his courtiers to alter the Queen of Sheba's throne to test whether she would recognize it or fail to do so, as a sign of her wisdom and guidance. This verse demonstrates Solomon's strategic wisdom in using a tangible test to discern the Queen's perception and understanding. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi note this was designed to assess her intelligence before her conversion to Islam, as someone of wisdom would recognize the altered throne despite its transformation.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Surah An-Naml detailing Solomon's correspondence with the Queen of Sheba and the miraculous events surrounding her throne. The broader context shows Solomon's diplomatic approach to inviting her to Islam, employing wisdom and clear signs rather than force. This test of the throne precedes the actual presentation of the throne to the Queen in the following verses.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly addresses this specific verse, Hadith Qudsi and various reports in Sunan At-Tirmidhi discuss the excellence of wisdom (hikma) as a gift from Allah. The Quranic narrative itself serves as the primary textual source, with Ibn Abbas's tafsir providing detailed commentary on Solomon's testing methodology.
Themes
Key Lesson
This verse teaches that wise leaders employ strategic tests and signs to understand others' character and capacity for understanding truth, and that genuine guidance is often recognized by those of discerning minds—a lesson applicable to how we present faith and wisdom to others in our own lives.
Related Ayahs
وَتَفَقَّدَ ٱلطَّيْرَ فَقَالَ مَا لِىَ لَآ أَرَى ٱلْهُدْهُدَ أَمْ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْغَآئِبِينَ
And he took attendance of the birds and said, "Why do I not see the hoopoe - or is he among the absent?
فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًا مِّن قَوْلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِىٓ أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَىَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَـٰلِحًا تَرْضَىٰهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِى بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِى عِبَادِكَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
So [Solomon] smiled, amused at her speech, and said, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants."
أَمَّن جَعَلَ ٱلْأَرْضَ قَرَارًا وَجَعَلَ خِلَـٰلَهَآ أَنْهَـٰرًا وَجَعَلَ لَهَا رَوَٰسِىَ وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَ ٱلْبَحْرَيْنِ حَاجِزًا ۗ أَءِلَـٰهٌ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Is He [not best] who made the earth a stable ground and placed within it rivers and made for it firmly set mountains and placed between the two seas a barrier? Is there a deity with Allāh? [No], but most of them do not know.
وَإِنَّهُۥ لَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
And indeed, it is guidance and mercy for the believers.