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wa-ṣaddahā mā kānat taʿbudu min dūni llāhi ʾinnahā kānat min qawmin kāfirīna
She had been barred [from the way of Allah] by what she used to worship besides Allah, for she belonged to a faithless people.
— Ali Quli Qarai
27An-NamlالنملVerse 43 of 93
The Ant27. An-Namlالنمل
Al Naml
The Ants
MeccanVerse 43 of 93
Surah An-Naml - Verses 42-43
42. “So when she came, she was asked: ‘Is your throne like this?’ She said: ‘It is as it were the same. And we were given the knowledge before it, and we were submitting’.”
43. “And he barred her from the worship of others besides Allah, verily she was of the disbelieving people.”
However, when the Queen of Sheba arrived, someone pointed to the throne and asked her whether her throne was like that. The verse says:
The apparent of the verse shows that the speaker of this statement was not Solomon himself, else it was not appropriate for the sentence to be said in a passive voice form, because the name of Solomon has been mentioned before and after it, and his words are expressed in an active form. Moreover, it was not fit for the grandeur of Solomon that he speaks like that at the beginning of the arrival of Bilqiys. However, the Queen of Sheba gave the most wisely and calculated answers, when she said:
If she said it was like it, she would be wrong; and if she said it was exactly the same, she would have said something contrast to precaution, because, with that length of distance, it was impossible that her throne could be brought to the country of Solomon in an ordinary way, save that there had been done a miracle. Moreover, it is recorded in history books that she had been protecting her precious throne in a safe place in her particular castle in a room with some firm and strong doors, which was being guarded by some watchful men. Yet, with all the changes which that throne had received, the Queen of Sheba could recognize it.
Then, immediately she added:
This means that she implied if the purpose of Solomon by these deeds was that they comprehended his miracle, they had formerly been aware of his legitimacy by other signs, and even before observing this surprising supernatural event they had believed, and these things were not needed. Thus, Solomon stopped her from worshipping what was besides Allah, although she was formerly one of the disbelievers. The verse says:
Yes, by seeing these clear signs, she said farewell to her last dark position and entered into a new stage of life which was full of light of faith and certainty.