An-Naml
This is a tafsīr in a language other than Arabic as the Quranic Universal Library (QUL, by Tarteel) has it, taken through the open copy of QUL’s data that spa5k/tafsir_api keeps. QUL’s record does not say who wrote or translated it or which printed edition it follows, and states no licence for the text, so the right to show it is not verified. Nobody has compared it with a printed book, and no scholar has reviewed it. Each passage stands beside the verses it comments on, which are the Qur’ān text of Tanzil, shown as it is there. Sabīl did not write or translate any of it.
Text fromQuranic Universal Libraryspa5k/tafsir_apiMITtaken 2026-10-21
قَالَتْ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلَؤُا۟ أَفْتُونِى فِىٓ أَمْرِى مَا كُنتُ قَاطِعَةً أَمْرًا حَتَّىٰ تَشْهَدُونِ 32 قَالُوا۟ نَحْنُ أُو۟لُوا۟ قُوَّةٍ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ وَٱلْأَمْرُ إِلَيْكِ فَٱنظُرِى مَاذَا تَأْمُرِينَ 33 قَالَتْ إِنَّ ٱلْمُلُوكَ إِذَا دَخَلُوا۟ قَرْيَةً أَفْسَدُوهَا وَجَعَلُوٓا۟ أَعِزَّةَ أَهْلِهَآ أَذِلَّةً ۖ وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَفْعَلُونَ 34 وَإِنِّى مُرْسِلَةٌ إِلَيْهِم بِهَدِيَّةٍ فَنَاظِرَةٌۢ بِمَ يَرْجِعُ ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ 35
She said: "O chiefs! Advise me in case of mine. I decide no case till you are present with me. (32)They said: "We have great strength, and great ability for war, but it is for you to command; so think over what you will command. (33)She said: "Verily, kings, when they enter a town, they destroy it and make the most honorable among its people the lowest. And thus they do. (34)"But verily, I am going to send him a present, and see with what (answer) the messengers return. (35)
Bilqis consults with Her Chiefs
When she read Sulayman's letter to them and consulted with them about this news, she said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ أَفْتُونِي فِي أَمْرِي مَا كُنْتُ قَاطِعَةً أَمْرًا حَتَّىٰ تَشْهَدُونِ
("O chiefs! Advise me in (this) case of mine. I decide no case till you are present with me.") meaning, 'until you come together and offer me your advice.'
قَالُوا نَحْنُ أُولُو قُوَّةٍ وَأُولُو بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ
(They said: "We have great strength, and great ability for war...")
They reminded her of their great numbers, preparedness and strength, then they referred the matter to her and said:
وَالْأَمْرُ إِلَيْكِ فَانْظُرِي مَاذَا تَأْمُرِينَ
(but it is for you to command; so think over what you will command.) meaning, 'we have the power and strength, if you want to go to him and fight him.' The matter is yours to decide, so instruct us as you see fit and we will obey. Ibn 'Abbas said: "Bilqis said:
إِنَّ الْمُلُوكَ إِذَا دَخَلُوا قَرْيَةً أَفْسَدُوهَا وَجَعَلُوا أَعِزَّةَ أَهْلِهَا أَذِلَّةً ۖ
(Verily, kings, when they enter a town, they destroy it and make the most honorable amongst its people the lowest.) And Allah said:
وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَفْعَلُونَ
(And thus they do.) Then she resorted to peaceful means, seeking a truce and trying to placate Sulayman, and said:
وَإِنِّي مُرْسِلَةٌ إِلَيْهِمْ بِهَدِيَّةٍ فَنَاظِرَةٌ بِمَ يَرْجِعُ الْمُرْسَلُونَ
(But verily, I am going to send him a present, and see with what the messengers return.) meaning, 'I will send him a gift befitting for one of his status, and will wait and see what his response will be. Perhaps he will accept that and leave us alone, or he will impose a tax which we can pay him every year, so that he will not fight us and wage war against us.' Qatadah said: "May Allah have mercy on her and be pleased with her – how wise she was as a Muslim and (before that) as an idolator! She understood how gift-giving has a good effect on people." Ibn 'Abbas and others said: "She said to her people, if he accepts the gift, he is a king, so fight him; but if he does not accept it, he is a Prophet, so follow him."