Surah An-Naml >> Currently viewing Surah An-Naml Ayat 36 (27:36)

Surah An-Naml Ayat 36 in Arabic Text

فَلَمَّا جَآءَ سُلَيۡمَٰنَ قَالَ أَتُمِدُّونَنِ بِمَالٖ فَمَآ ءَاتَىٰنِۦَ ٱللَّهُ خَيۡرٞ مِّمَّآ ءَاتَىٰكُمۚ بَلۡ أَنتُم بِهَدِيَّتِكُمۡ تَفۡرَحُونَ
Falammaa jaaa’a Sulaimaana qaala atumiddoonani bimaalin famaaa aataaniyal laahu khairum mimmmaaa aataakum bal antum bihadiy-yatikum tafrahoon

English Translation

Here you can read various translations of verse 36

Sahih International
So when they came to Solomon, he said, “Do you provide me with wealth? But what Allah has given me is better than what He has given you. Rather, it is you who rejoice in your gift.

Yusuf Ali
Now when (the embassy) came to Solomon, he said: “Will ye give me abundance in wealth? But that which Allah has given me is better than that which He has given you! Nay it is ye who rejoice in your gift!

Abul Ala Maududi
Now, when (the envoy of the Queen) came to Solomon, he said: “Do you want to aid me with wealth? Whatever Allah has granted me is much more than what He has given you. (Keep for yourselves) your gift in which you are exulting.

Muhsin Khan
So when (the messengers with the present) came to Sulaiman (Solomon), he said: “Will you help me in wealth? What Allah has given me is better than that which He has given you! Nay, you rejoice in your gift!”

Pickthall
So when (the envoy) came unto Solomon, (the King) said: What! Would ye help me with wealth? But that which Allah hath given me is better than that which He hath given you. Nay it is ye (and not I) who exult in your gift.

Dr. Ghali
So, as soon as he (the envoy) came to Sulayman, (Solomon) he said, “Would you supply me with wealth? Then what Allah has brought me is more charitable (i.e., better) than what He has brought you. No indeed, (but) you exult with your present.

Abdel Haleem
When her envoy came to Solomon, Solomon said, ‘What! Are you offering me wealth? What God has given me is better than what He has given you, though you rejoice in this gift of yours.

Muhammad Junagarhi
پس جب قاصد حضرت سلیمان کے پاس پہنچا تو آپ نے فرمایا کیا تم مال سے مجھے مدد دینا چاہتے ہو؟ مجھے تو میرے رب نے اس سے بہت بہتر دے رکھا ہے جو اس نے تمہیں دیا ہے پس تم ہی اپنے تحفے سے خوش رہو

Quran 27 Verse 36 Explanation

For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah An-Naml ayat 36, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.

Ala-Maududi

(27:36) Now, when (the envoy of the Queen) came to Solomon, he said: “Do you want to aid me with wealth? Whatever Allah has granted me is much more than what He has given you.[41] (Keep for yourselves) your gift in which you are exulting.


41. This sentence is not meant to express pride and vanity. What it means to say is this: “I have no desire for your wealth; I only desire that you should believe, or at least submit to a righteous system. If you agree to neither of these alternatives, it is not possible for me to accept the bribes of wealth and leave you free in the matter of a polytheistic and wicked system of life. What my Lord has given me is enough for me to cherish any desire for your wealth.

Ibn-Kathir

36. So, when (the messengers with the gift) came to Sulayman, he said: “Will you help me in wealth What Allah has given me is better than that which He has given you! Nay, you rejoice in your gift!” 37. “Go back to them. We verily, shall come to them with armies that they cannot resist, and we shall drive them out from there in disgrace, and they will be abased.”


The Gift and the Response of Sulayman

More than one of the scholars of Tafsir among the Salaf and others stated that she sent him a huge gift of gold, jewels, pearls and other things. It is apparent that Sulayman, peace be upon him, did not even look at what they brought at all and did not pay any attention to it, but he turned away and said, rebuking them:

﴿أَتُمِدُّونَنِ بِمَالٍ﴾

(“Will you help me in wealth”) meaning, `are you trying to flatter me with wealth so that I will leave you alone with your Shirk and your kingdom’

﴿فَمَآ ءَاتَـنِى اللَّهُ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّآ ءَاتَـكُمْ﴾

(What Allah has given me is better than that which He has given you!) means, `what Allah has given to me of power, wealth and troops, is better than that which you have.’

﴿بَلْ أَنتُمْ بِهَدِيَّتِكُمْ تَفْرَحُونَ﴾

(Nay, you rejoice in your gift!) means, `you are the ones who are influenced by gifts and presents; we will accept nothing from you except Islam or the sword.’

﴿ارْجِعْ إِلَيْهِمْ﴾

(Go back to them) means, with their gift,

﴿فَلَنَأْتِيَنَّهُم بِجُنُودٍ لاَّ قِبَلَ لَهُمْ بِهَا﴾

(We verily, shall come to them with armies that they cannot resist,) they have no power to match them or resist them.

﴿وَلَنُخْرِجَنَّهُم مِّنْهَآ أَذِلَّةً﴾

(and we shall drive them out from there in disgrace,) `we shall drive them out in disgrace from their land.’

﴿وَهُمْ صَـغِرُونَ﴾

(and they will be abased.) means, humiliated and expelled. When her messengers came back to her with her undelivered gift, and told her what Sulayman said, she and her people paid heed and obeyed him. She came to him with her troops in submission and humility, honoring Sulayman and intending to follow him in Islam. When Sulayman, peace be upon him, realized that they were coming to him, he rejoiced greatly.

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surah an-naml ayat 36
surah an-naml ayat 37
surah an-naml ayat 38
surah an-naml ayat 39
surah an-naml ayat 40

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