يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُۥ مَا يَشَآءُ مِن مَّحَـٰرِيبَ وَتَمَـٰثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍ كَٱلْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ رَّاسِيَـٰتٍ ۚ ٱعْمَلُوٓا۟ ءَالَ دَاوُۥدَ شُكْرًا ۚ وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِىَ ٱلشَّكُورُ 13
Translations
They made for him what he willed of elevated chambers, statues, bowls like reservoirs, and stationary kettles. [We said], "Work, O family of David, in gratitude." And few of My servants are grateful.
Transliteration
Ya'malūna lahū mā yashāu min mahārība wa-tamāthīl wa-jifān ka-l-jawāb wa-qudūr rāsiyāt. I'malū āl Dāwūd shukrā wa-qalīl min 'ibādī al-shukūr.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how the jinns worked for Prophet Sulaiman, crafting magnificent items including mihrabs (prayer niches), statues, large basins, and massive cooking pots at his command. Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note that these artisans were commanded to work with gratitude, and Allah emphasizes that few of His servants truly practice shukr (gratitude) despite their blessings. The ayah highlights both the miraculous capability granted to Sulaiman and the importance of recognizing divine favors with thankfulness.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Saba (Meccan), which discusses the reign of Prophet Sulaiman and the miraculous subjugation of the wind and jinn to his authority. It appears in the broader narrative of divine favors granted to Sulaiman, contrasting material grandeur with spiritual obligation—gratitude being more valuable than wealth.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari 7405: The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, 'Whoever is grateful, has been grateful to Allah, and whoever is ungrateful, has been ungrateful to Allah.' This hadith reinforces the emphasis on shukr (gratitude) central to this ayah's message.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that possessing great abilities and blessings is secondary to expressing genuine gratitude to Allah for them; true nobility lies not in what we accomplish but in acknowledging that all accomplishment flows from divine favor with a grateful heart.
Related Ayahs
فَٱلْيَوْمَ لَا يَمْلِكُ بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ نَّفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا وَنَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ ذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ٱلَّتِى كُنتُم بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ
But today [i.e., the Day of Judgement] you do not hold for one another [the power of] benefit or harm, and We will say to those who wronged, "Taste the punishment of the Fire, which you used to deny."
قُلِ ٱدْعُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَلَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا لَهُمْ فِيهِمَا مِن شِرْكٍ وَمَا لَهُۥ مِنْهُم مِّن ظَهِيرٍ
Say, [O Muḥammad], "Invoke those you claim [as deities] besides Allāh." They do not possess an atom's weight [of ability] in the heavens or on the earth, and they do not have therein any partnership [with Him], nor is there for Him from among them any assistant.
وَمَا كَانَ لَهُۥ عَلَيْهِم مِّن سُلْطَـٰنٍ إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مِمَّنْ هُوَ مِنْهَا فِى شَكٍّ ۗ وَرَبُّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَفِيظٌ
And he had over them no authority except [it was decreed] that We might make evident who believes in the Hereafter from who is thereof in doubt. And your Lord, over all things, is Guardian.
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتُنَا بَيِّنَـٰتٍ قَالُوا۟ مَا هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَن يَصُدَّكُمْ عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُكُمْ وَقَالُوا۟ مَا هَـٰذَآ إِلَّآ إِفْكٌ مُّفْتَرًى ۚ وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, they say, "This is not but a man who wishes to avert you from that which your fathers were worshipping." And they say, "This is not except a lie invented." And those who disbelieve say of the truth when it has come to them, "This is not but obvious magic."