قالَ عِفريتٌ مِنَ الجِنِّ أَنا آتيكَ بِهِ قَبلَ أَن تَقومَ مِن مَقامِكَ ۖ وَإِنّي عَلَيهِ لَقَوِيٌّ أَمينٌ
A powerful jinn responded, “I can bring it to you before you rise from your place. I am strong and trustworthy enough to do it.”
قالَ الَّذي عِندَهُ عِلمٌ مِنَ الكِتابِ أَنا آتيكَ بِهِ قَبلَ أَن يَرتَدَّ إِلَيكَ طَرفُكَ ۚ فَلَمّا رَآهُ مُستَقِرًّا عِندَهُ قالَ هـٰذا مِن فَضلِ رَبّي لِيَبلُوَني أَأَشكُرُ أَم أَكفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّما يَشكُرُ لِنَفسِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبّي غَنِيٌّ كَريمٌ
The one who had knowledge of the Scripture suggested, “I can bring it to you before you can blink.” When Solomon saw it placed before him, he exclaimed, “This is by the grace of my Lord, to test whether I am grateful or ungrateful. Whoever gives thanks, he gives thanks for his own good. And whoever is ungrateful—my Lord is Free of need and Generous.”
قالَ نَكِّروا لَها عَرشَها نَنظُر أَتَهتَدي أَم تَكونُ مِنَ الَّذينَ لا يَهتَدونَ
He said, “Alter her throne for her; we shall see whether she will be guided or she will be one of those not guided.”
فَلَمّا جاءَت قيلَ أَهـٰكَذا عَرشُكِ ۖ قالَت كَأَنَّهُ هُوَ ۚ وَأوتينَا العِلمَ مِن قَبلِها وَكُنّا مُسلِمينَ
Upon her arrival, she was asked, “Does your throne resemble this one?” She replied, “As if it were the same.” “We were given knowledge beforehand, and we have already submitted.”
وَصَدَّها ما كانَت تَعبُدُ مِن دونِ اللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّها كانَت مِن قَومٍ كافِرينَ
What she was worshiping besides God had prevented her. She was from a disbelieving people.
قيلَ لَهَا ادخُلِي الصَّرحَ ۖ فَلَمّا رَأَتهُ حَسِبَتهُ لُجَّةً وَكَشَفَت عَن ساقَيها ۚ قالَ إِنَّهُ صَرحٌ مُمَرَّدٌ مِن قَواريرَ ۗ قالَت رَبِّ إِنّي ظَلَمتُ نَفسي وَأَسلَمتُ مَعَ سُلَيمانَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ العالَمينَ
She was directed to enter the palace. Upon seeing it, she mistook it for a pool and bared her legs. He said, “It is a courtyard paved with glass.” She said, “My Lord, I have wronged myself, and I submit with Solomon, to God—Lord of the worlds.”
وَلَقَد أَرسَلنا إِلىٰ ثَمودَ أَخاهُم صالِحًا أَنِ اعبُدُوا اللَّهَ فَإِذا هُم فَريقانِ يَختَصِمونَ
To Thamud, We sent their brother Saleh: “Worship God.” Yet, they became two quarreling factions.
قالَ يا قَومِ لِمَ تَستَعجِلونَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ قَبلَ الحَسَنَةِ ۖ لَولا تَستَغفِرونَ اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُم تُرحَمونَ
He pleaded, “O my people, why do you hasten towards evil rather than good? Why not ask for God’s forgiveness, so you may receive mercy.”
قالُوا اطَّيَّرنا بِكَ وَبِمَن مَعَكَ ۚ قالَ طائِرُكُم عِندَ اللَّهِ ۖ بَل أَنتُم قَومٌ تُفتَنونَ
They responded, “We see ill omens in you and those with you.” He replied, “Your omens are determined by God; you are a people being tested.”
وَكانَ فِي المَدينَةِ تِسعَةُ رَهطٍ يُفسِدونَ فِي الأَرضِ وَلا يُصلِحونَ
In the city were nine individuals who made mischief in the land and didn’t reform.
قالوا تَقاسَموا بِاللَّهِ لَنُبَيِّتَنَّهُ وَأَهلَهُ ثُمَّ لَنَقولَنَّ لِوَلِيِّهِ ما شَهِدنا مَهلِكَ أَهلِهِ وَإِنّا لَصادِقونَ
They conspired, “Let us swear by God to attack him and his family under the cover of night. Then, we will tell his guardian that we didn’t know of his family’s demise; we are telling the truth.”