[34].Surah Saba [Sheba]: Ayat 16-17

১৬. অতঃপর তারা অবাধ্যতা করল ফলে আমি তাদের উপর প্রেরণ করলাম প্রবল বন্যা! আর তাদের উদ্যানদ্বয়কে পরিবর্তন করে দিলাম এমন দুই উদ্যানে, যাতে উদগত হয় বিস্বাদ ফলমূল, ঝাউ গাছ এবং সামান্য কুলবৃক্ষ।

১৭. এটা ছিল কুফরের কারণে তাদের প্রতি আমার শাস্তি। আমি অকৃতজ্ঞ ব্যতীত কাউকে শাস্তি দেই না।

Ayat 16. But they turned away (from the obedience of Allah), so Allah sent against them Sail Al­'Arim (flood released from the dam), and Allah converted their two gardens into gardens producing bitter bad fruit, and tamarisks, and some few Lote ­trees.

Ayat 17. Like this Allah requited them because they were ungrateful disbelievers. And never do Allah requit in such a way except those who are ungrateful, (disbelievers).

Tafseer of Surah Saba' (Sheba) Ayat 16 and 17. But they turned away (from Allah., and Allah sent against them the Flood (released) from the Dams, and We converted their two garden (rows) into "gardens" producing bitter fruit, and tamarisks, and some few (stunted) Lote-trees. Into that happy Garden of Eden in Arabia Felix (Araby the Blest) came the insidious snake of Unfaith and Wrongdoing. Perhaps the people became arrogant of their prosperity, or of their science, or of their skill in irrigation engineering, in respect of the wonderful works of the Dam which their ancestors had constructed. Perhaps they got broken up into rich and poor, privileged and unprivileged, high caste and low-caste, disregarding the gifts and closing the opportunities given by Allah to all His creatures. Perhaps they broke the laws of the very Nature which fed and sustained them. The Nemesis came. It may have come suddenly, or it may have come slowly. The pent-up waters of the eastern side of the Yemen highlands were collected in a high lake confined by the Dam of Ma'arib. A mighty flood came: the dam burst: and it has never been repaired since. This was a spectacular crisis: it may have been preceded and followed by slow desiccation of the country. "'Arim" (= Dams or Embankments) may have been a proper noun, or may simply mean the great earthworks lined with stone, which formed the Ma'arib dam, of which traces still exist. The French traveler TJ. Arnaud saw the town and ruins of the Dam of Ma'arib in 1843, and described its gigantic works and its inscriptions: See Journal Asiatique for January 1874: the account is in French. For a secondary account in English, see W.B. Harris, Journey Through Yemen, Edinburgh, 1893. The dam as measured by Arnaud was two miles long and 120 ft. high. The date of its destruction was somewhere about 120 A.C., though some authorities put it much later. The flourishing "Garden of Arabia" was converted into a waste. The luscious fruit trees became wild, or gave place to wild plants with bitter fruit. The feathery leaved tamarisk, which is only good for twigs and wattle-work, replaced the fragrant plants and flowers. Wild and stunted kinds of thorny bushes, like the wild Lote tree, which were good for neither fruit nor shade, grew in place of the pomegranates, the date palms, and the grapevines. The Lote tree belongs to the family Rhamnaceac, Zizyphus Spina Christi of which {it is supposed) Christ's crown of thorns was made, allied to the Zizyphus Jujuba, or bertree of India. Wild, it is shrubby, thorny and useless. In cultivation it bears good fruit, and some shade, and can be thorn-less, thus becoming a symbol of heavenly bliss: 56:28. 17. That was the Requital We gave them because they ungratefully rejected Faith: and never do Allah give (such) requital except to such as are ungrateful rejecters. Kufr intensive form: "those who deliberately and continuously reject Allah and are ungrateful for His Mercies, as shown by their constant wrongdoing.

Hazrat Salamah bin Al-Akwa` (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah  [SAWW](PBUH) said, "Man continues to display haughtiness and arrogance until he is recorded among the arrogant and will be therefore afflicted with what afflicts them.'' [At-Tirmidhi Hadith # 2000].

Lesson: as mentioned above in Surah Saba Ayat 17. “Allah requited them because they were ungrateful disbelievers” To adopt the habits and manners of good people is deemed to be desirable. But, on the contrary, to take to the bad ways of bad people is considered undesirable. A man will ultimately be counted among those people whom he will take as a model to emulate, because he is gradually fitted into their framework and assimilates all of their qualities. Quite naturally then retribution will be administered to him accordingly.

[34].Surah Saba [Sheba]: Ayat 15

১৫. সাবার অধিবাসীদের জন্যে তাদের বাসভূমিতে ছিল এক নিদর্শন-দুটি উদ্যান, একটি ডানদিকে, একটি বামদিকে। তোমরা তোমাদের পালনকর্তার রিযিক খাও এবং তাঁর প্রতি কৃতজ্ঞতা প্রকাশ কর। স্বাস্থ্যকর শহর এবং ক্ষমাশীল পালনকর্তা।

Ayat 15. Indeed there was for Saba' (Sheba) a sign in their dwelling place, - two gardens on the right hand and on the left (and it was said to them) "Eat of the provision of your Lord, and be grateful to Allah as he provided you fair land, and Oft­-Forgiving Lord.

Tafseer of Surah Saba' (Sheba) Ayat 15. There was, for Saba', aforetime, a Sign in their home-land - two Gardens to the right and to the left. "Eat of the Sustenance (provided) by your Lord, and be grateful to Him: a territory fair and happy, and a Lord Oft-Forgiving! This is the same city and territory in Yemen as is mentioned in 27:22: see note there as to its location. There the period was the time of Solomon and Queen of Saba. Here it is some centuries later. It was still a happy and prosperous country, amply irrigated from the Ma'arib dam. Its road or perhaps its canals were skirted by gardens on both sides, right and left: at any given point you always saw two gardens. It produced fruit, spices, and frankincense, and got the name of Araby the Blest for that part of the country. The land was fair to look upon: the people happy and prosperous: and they enjoyed the blessings of Allah, Who is Gracious and does not punish small human faults or weaknesses.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah  [SAWW](PBUH) said, "Any matter of importance which is not begun with Al-hamdu lillah (praise be to Allah) remains defective.''

[Abu Dawud Hadith # 4840]

Lesson: as mentioned above in Surah Saba Ayat 15. “and be grateful to Allah as he provided you fair land, and Oft­-Forgiving Lord” There is another Hadith to the effect that every important work which is not started with the invocation "Bismillah'' is devoid of Allah's Grace, it is desirable to begin every good work with the Glorious Name of Allah and His Praise.

[34].Surah Saba [Sheba]: Ayat 14

১৪. যখন আমি সোলায়মানের মৃত্যু ঘটালাম, তখন ঘুণ পোকাই জিনদেরকে তাঁর মৃত্যু সম্পর্কে অবহিত করল। সোলায়মানের লাঠি খেয়ে যাচ্ছিল। যখন তিনি মাটিতে পড়ে গেলেন, তখন জিনেরা বুঝতে পারল যে, অদৃশ্য বিষয়ের জ্ঞান থাকলে তারা এই লাঞ্ছনাপূর্ণ শাস্তিতে আবদ্ধ থাকতো না।

Ayat 14. Then when We decreed death for him [Suleiman PBUH (Solomon)], nothing informed them (jinns) of his death except a little worm of the earth, which kept (slowly) gnawing away at his stick, so when he fell down, the jinns saw clearly that if they had known the unseen, they would not have stayed in the humiliating torment.

Tafseer of Surah Saba' (Sheba) Ayat 14. Then, when We decreed (Solomon´s PBUH) death, nothing showed them his death except a little worm of the earth, which kept (slowly) gnawing away at his staff: so when he fell down, the Jinns saw plainly that if they had known the unseen, they would not have tarried in the humiliating Penalty (of their Task). This allegory illustrates three points: (1) however great and glorious human power and grandeur may be, it is only for a time, and it may fade away even before people know of its decline; (2) the most remarkable events may be brought to light, not by a flourish of trumpets, but by a humble individual, unknown and unseen, who works imperceptibly and undermines even so strong a thing as a staff, on which a great man may lean; (3) work done by men merely on the basis of brute strength or fear, as in the case of the Jinns, will not endure. This is brought up in strong contrast against the Power and Majesty of Allah, which will endure, which cannot be sapped, and which can only be fully appreciated by a training of the will and heart. In the same way, in David's PBUH story above, his mighty strength as a warrior, (see 2:251), and his skill in making armour are only to be valued when used, as it was used, in the service of Allah, in righteous works (34:11). The Jinns looked upon their work as a Penalty, and so it became to them. The people who worked at the Temple of Solomon PBUH as the People of David PBUH worked and gloried in their work as a thanksgiving to Allah, and their work became sanctified. The Jinns knew nothing of hidden secrets; they only saw the obvious, and had not even the significance of the little worm that slowly gnawed away Solomon's PBUH staff.

Hazrat Masruq (May Allah be pleased with him) said: We visited `Abdullah bin Masud (May Allah be pleased with him) and he said to us: O people! He who has the knowledge of any matter may convey it to the others. And he who has no knowledge, thereof, should say: "Allahu a'lam (Allah knows better).'' It is a part and parcel of knowledge that a man who has no knowledge of a matter should say: "Allah knows better.'' Allah said to His Prophet  [SAWW](PBUH): "Say (O Muhammad  [SAWW](PBUH)): `No wage do I ask of you for this (the Qur'an), nor am I one of the Mutakallifun (those who pretend and fabricate things which do not exist).''' (38:86)  [Al-Bukhari Book 06, Chapter 60, Hadith # 333]. 

Lesson: as mentioned above in Surah Saba Ayat 14. “The jinns saw clearly that if they had known the unseen, they would not have stayed in the humiliating torment.  If one does not know about something, he should not say anything about it by way of conjecture, speculation and guesswork because this is also pretension which is forbidden. When religious scholars are asked about anything which they do not know, they should confess their ignorance. Such a confession is also a mark of scholarship. In other words, they should abstain from giving verdict about any matter without making a thorough study and research on it.

[34].Surah Saba [Sheba]: Ayat 13

১৩. তারা সোলায়মানের ইচ্ছানুযায়ী দুর্গ, ভাস্কর্য, হাউযসদৃশ বৃহদাকার পাত্র এবং চুল্লির উপর স্থাপিত বিশাল ডেগ নির্মাণ করত। হে দাউদ পরিবার! কৃতজ্ঞতা সহকারে তোমরা কাজ করে যাও। আমার বান্দাদের মধ্যে অল্পসংখ্যকই কৃতজ্ঞ।

Ayat 13. They worked for Solomon PBUH what he desired, (making) Forts, Castles, high rooms, Mosque, images, basins as large as reservoirs, and (cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places). "Work you, O family of Dawud PBUH (David), with thanks!" But few of My servants are grateful.

Tafseer of Surah Saba' (Sheba) Ayat 13. They worked for him as he desired, (making) Arches, images, bassoons as large as reservoirs, and (cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places): "Work ye, sons of David, with thanks! but few of My servants are grateful!" Mihrab (Plural Maharib), translated "arch", may be applied to any fine, elevated, spacious architectural structure. As the reference here is to the Temple of Solomon PBUH, the word "arches" is I think most appropriate. "Arches" would be structure Ornaments in the Temple. Images would be like the images of oxen and Cherubim mentioned in 2 Chronicles, 4:3 and 3:14; the Basins 2 Chronicles 4:22 were perhaps huge dishes round which many men could sit together and eat, according to ancient Eastern custom, while the cooking Cauldrons or Pots (2 Chronicles, 4:16), were fixed in one place, being so large in capacity that they could not be moved about. The building of the Temple was a great event in Israelite history. The motto here given is "Work!” for only that would justify the maintenance of the Kingdom of David, which reached its zenith under Solomon. Without work, both literally, and figuratively for "righteous deeds", all that glory and power would be out of place, and it fell away in a few generations, with the decline of the moral spirit which was at its back.

Hazrat Iyad bin Himar (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah  [SAWW](PBUH) said, "Allah has revealed to me that you should humble yourselves to one another. One should neither hold himself above another nor transgress against another.'' [Muslim Book 40, Chapter 17, Hadith # 6856].

Lesson: as mentioned above in Surah Saba Ayat 13. “O family of Dawud PBUH (David), with thanks!" But few of My servants are grateful” To treat each other humbly, leniently and lovingly is understood as humility. One, under this principle, is also required not to despise anybody on the basis of wealth, social distinction and lineage. Moreover, one should also not adopt an unkind attitude towards others. Besides, if Allah has bestowed honour on somebody, he is supposed to be grateful to Him, instead of behaving disrespectfully towards people and subjecting them to unkindness and tyranny.  

[34].Surah Saba [Sheba]: Ayat 12

১২. আর আমি সোলায়মানের অধীন করেছিলাম বায়ুকে, যা সকালে এক মাসের পথ এবং বিকালে এক মাসের পথ অতিক্রম করত। আমি তার জন্যে গলিত তামার এক ঝরণা প্রবাহিত করেছিলাম। কতক জিন তার সামনে কাজ করত তার পালনকর্তার আদেশে। তাদের যে কেউ আমার আদেশ অমান্য করবে, আমি জ্বলন্ত অগ্নির-শাস্তি আস্বাদন করাব।

Ayat 12. And to Solomon PBUH (We subjected) the wind, its morning (stride from sunrise till mid-noon) was a month's (journey), and its afternoon (stride from the midday decline of the sun to sunset) was a month's (journey i.e. in one day he could travel two months' journey). And Allah caused a fount of (molten) brass to flow for him, and there were jinns that worked in front of Solomon PBUH, by the Leave of his Lord, and whosoever of them turned aside from Our Command, Allah shall cause him to taste of the torment of the blazing Fire.

Tafseer of Surah Saba' (Sheba) Ayat 12. And to Solomon (We made) the Wind (obedient): Its early morning (stride) was a month´s (journey), and its evening (stride) was a month´s (journey); and We made a Font of molten brass to flow for him; and there were Jinns that worked in front of him, by the leave of his Lord, and if any of them turned aside from our command, We made him taste of the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. Cf. 21:81-82, and 38:36-38. See also 27:38-39. The winds are swift and can cover in a short morning's or evening's flight the distance it takes a whole month to cover on foot or by bullock cart. In our own day, with air speeds of 400 miles and more per hour, this seems a moderate statement. In the Old Testament, 2 Chronicles, Chapters 3, and 4, are described the various costly materials with which Solomon's Temple was built, and it was furnished with vessels, candlesticks, lamps, censers, etc. "Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out" (2 Chronicles, 4:18). "Also he made a molten sea often cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about" (2 Chronicles, 4:2). The receptacle or "sea" or Font was made of molten brass: presumably it contained flowing water for washing with. See 27:17.

[34].Surah Saba [Sheba]: Ayat 11

১১. এবং তাকে আমি বলে ছিলাম, প্রশস্ত বর্ম তৈরী কর, কড়াসমূহ যথাযথভাবে সংযুক্ত কর এবং সৎকর্ম সম্পাদন কর। তোমরা যা কিছু কর, আমি তা দেখি।

Ayat 11. (Allah made the iron soft for Prophet Dawood (David) PBUH), and Saying to him: "Make you perfect coats of mail, balancing well the rings of chain armor, and work you (men) righteousness. Truly, I am All Seer of what you do."

Tafseer of Surah Saba' (Sheba) Ayat 11. (Allah Commanding), "Make thou coast of mail, balancing well the rings of chain armor, and work ye righteousness; for be sure I see (clearly) all that ye do." Coats of chain armor have to be made with cunning art, if the chains are to fit into each other and the whole garment is to be worn in comfort in fierce warfare. Note the transition from the singular, "make them coats of mail", to the plural "and work ye righteousness". The first is addressed to David, who was the artificer of defensive armor: and the second is addressed to him and his whole people. He made the armor, but it was to be worn not only by him but all the warriors. But he and his people were to be careful to see that they did not deviate from the paths of righteousness. Fighting is a dangerous weapon and may well degenerate (as it so often does) into mere violence. They were to see that this should not happen, and they were told that Allah was watching over them all with personal solicitude implied in the singular pronoun "I".

Hazrat Abdullah bin Abu Aufa (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: On one occasion the Messenger of Allah  [SAWW](PBUH) was confronting the enemy. He waited until the sun had declined. Then he stood up to address the people and said, "O people! Do not wish for an encounter with the enemy. Pray to Allah to grant you safety; (but) when you encounter them, show patience, and know that Jannah is under the shades of the swords.'' Then he  [SAWW](PBUH) said: "Allahumma munzilal-kitab, wa mujriyas-sahab, wa hazimal-Ahzab, ihzimhum wansurna alaihim (O Allah, Revealer of the Book, Disperser of the clouds, Defeater of the Confederates, put our enemy to rout and support us against them).''  [Al-Bukhari Book 04, Chapter 52, Hadith # 210]

Lesson: as mentioned above in Surah Saba Ayat 11. “"Make you perfect coats of mail, balancing well the rings of chain armor, and work you (men) righteousness. Truly, I am All Seer of what you do." From this Hadith we learn that it is better to start war in the afternoon because this was the practice of the Prophet  [SAWW](PBUH). The desire for war is prohibited, but when war becomes inevitable, one should not show his back to the enemy; rather, one should fight to the best of his ability and be steadfast in it.  Along with steadfastness and patience in fighting, one should also pray for victory because all powers lie with Allah and no one can gain victory without His Will. The Hadith also mentions a supplication which one should make when he encounters the enemy.

[34].Surah Saba [Sheba]: Ayat 10

১০. আমি দাউদের প্রতি অনুগ্রহ করেছিলাম এই আদেশ মর্মে যে, হে পর্বতমালা, তোমরা দাউদের সাথে আমার পবিত্রতা ঘোষণা কর এবং হে পক্ষী সকল, তোমরাও। আমি তাঁর জন্য লৌহকে নরম করে ছিলাম।

Ayat 10. And indeed Allah bestowed grace on Prophet Dawood (David PBUH) from Allah (saying): "O you mountains. Glorify (Allah) with him! And you birds (also)! And Allah made the iron soft for Prophet Dawood (David PBUH)."

Tafseer of Surah Saba' (Sheba) Ayat 10. Allah bestowed Grace Aforetime on David PBUH from Ourselves: "O ye Mountains! Sing ye back the Praises of Allah with him! and ye birds (also)! And Allah made the iron soft for him; - Cf. 21:79-80, David PBUH had the gift of song and sacred music, and this is shown in his Psalms. All nature —hills and birds—sing and echo back the Praise of Allah. Iron or steel is hard stuff: but in the hands of a craftsman it becomes soft and pliable, and with it can be made instruments for the defense of righteousness. These, in the literal sense, are coats of mail, and defensive armors, and the manufacture of them is traditionally attributed to David PBUH.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah

​ ​

 [SAWW](PBUH) said,  "There are two statements that are light for the tongue to remember, heavy in the Scales and are dear to the Merciful: `Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi, Subhan-Allahil-Azim [Glory be to Allah and His is the praise, (and) Allah, the Greatest is free from imperfection)'.''  [Al-Bukhari Book 08, Chapter 75, Hadith # 415]. 

Lesson: as mentioned above in Surah Saba Ayat 10. “And indeed Allah bestowed grace on Prophet Dawood (David PBUH) from Us (saying): "O you mountains. Glorify (Allah) with him! And you birds (also)" This Hadith affirms that man's actions carry weight. On the Day of Judgment, his actions will be cast into the Balance. At that time Allah will endow these actions with weight, or according to some scholars, those records which register man's actions will be weighed. This is quite possible for the reason that Almighty Allah is Capable of weighing things without even their physical form. This discussion apart, when actions will be cast into the Balance, the formula mentioned in the Hadith, the utterance of which is very easy, will prove weighty. Every Muslim should make it a practice to repeat them frequently.