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qāla nakkirū lahā ʿarshahā nanẓur ʾa-tahtadī ʾam takūnu mina lladhīna lā yahtadūna
He said, ‘Disguise her throne for her, so that we may see whether she is discerning or if she is one of the undiscerning ones.’
— Ali Quli Qarai
27An-NamlالنملVerse 41 of 93
The Ant27. An-Namlالنمل
Al Naml
The Ants
MeccanVerse 41 of 93
Surah An-Naml - Verse 41
41. “(Solomon) said: ‘Disguise her throne for her, we will see whether she follows the right way or she is one of those who do not go aright’.”
This verse points to another surprising scene of instructive event of Solomon (as) and the Queen of Sheba. In order to test the level of wisdom, perspicacity and intelligence of the Queen of Sheba, and to prepare a ground for her faith to Allah, too, Solomon ordered that her throne, which had been brought there, should be altered in an unknown state for her in order that they see whether she could recognize it, or not. The verse says:
Though the coming of the Queen’s throne from the country of Sheba to Syria was enough for her not to recognize it, yet Solomon ordered that some changes should be done on it. These changes may have been removing some signs or jewels of the throne, or changing some colours of it, or the like. But there arises a question that what was the goal of Solomon in testing the wisdom, perspicacity, and intelligence of the Queen of Sheba? The test might be done for the sake that he could know with which logic he ought to confront her, and what kind of reason should he bring for her to prove the ideological basic principles.
Or he had the thought of suggesting marriage to her in mind and he wanted to know whether she had really the competency of being his wife, or not. Or, indeed, Solomon (as) wanted to give her a responsibility after she believed in Truth. He must know how much she was capable to undertake the responsibilities. For the Qur’anic sentence /’atahtadi/ (Does she follows the right way), there have also been mentioned two commentaries: Some have said that the purpose was the recognition of her own throne, while some others have said that the objective was her being guided to the path of Allah by seeing this miracle. But the apparent of the verse leads to the first meaning, although the first meaning itself had been a premise for the second meaning.