Surah 34. Saba

instructing: 'Make full-length armour, 'perfectly' balancing the links. And work righteousness 'O family of David!'. Indeed, I am All-Seeing of what you do.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

(Commanding) "Make thou coats of mail balancing well the rings of chain armor and work ye righteousness; for be sure I see (clearly) all that ye do." ^{3801 3802}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Coats of chain armour 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 armour; and the second is addressed to him and his whole people. He made the armour, but it was to be worn not only by him but all the warriors. But he and all 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 the personal solicitude implied in the singular pronoun "I".

And to Solomon 'We subjected' the wind: its morning stride was a month's journey and so was its evening stride. And We caused a stream of molten copper to flow for him, and 'We subjected' some of the jinn to work under him by his Lord's Will. And whoever of them deviated from Our command, We made them taste the torment of the blaze.

  - Mustafa Khattab

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. ^{3803 3804 3805}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xxi. 81-82, n. 2736, and xxxviii. 36-38. See also xxvii. 38-39. The winds are swift and can cover in a short morning's or evening's flight the distance which 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, II. Chronicles, Chapters iii., and iv., are described the various costly materials with which Solomon's Temple was built, and it was furnished with vessels, candle-sticks, lamps, censers, etc. "Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out" (II. Chronicles, iv. 18).

See xxvii. 17, and n. 3257.

They made for him whatever he desired of sanctuaries, statues,¹ basins as large as reservoirs, and cooking pots fixed 'into the ground'. 'We ordered:' 'Work gratefully, O family of David!' 'Only' a few of My servants are 'truly' grateful.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Which was permissible at the time of Solomon (ﷺ).

They worked for him as he desired (making) Arches Images Basins 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!" ^{3806 3807}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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, the word "arches" is I think most appropriate. "Arches" would be structural Ornaments in the Temple. Images would be like the images of oxen and Cherubim mentioned in II. Chronicles, iv. 3 and iii. 14; the Basons (11. Chronicles iv. 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 (II. Chronicles, iv. 16), were fixed in one place, being so large in capacity that they could not be moved about. Indian readers will get some idea of them from the huge cooking Degs, which they use in the festivals.

The building of the Temple was a great event in Israelite history. They are asked to be thankful without which 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.

When We decreed Solomon's death, nothing indicated to the 'subjected' jinn that he was dead except the termites eating away his staff.¹ So when he collapsed, the jinn realized that if they had 'really' known the unseen, they would not have remained in 'such' humiliating servitude.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Which he died while leaning on.

Then when We decreed (Solomon's) 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). ^{3808 3809}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This statement 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 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 story above, his mighty strength as a warrior (see ii. 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 (xxxiv. 1 1).

The Jinns looked upon their work as a Penalty, and so it became to them. The people who worked at the Temple of Solomon as the People of David 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 staff.

Indeed, there was a sign for 'the tribe of' Sheba in their homeland: two orchards- one to the right and the other to the left. 'They were told:' 'Eat from the provision of your Lord, and be grateful to Him. 'Yours is' a good land and a forgiving Lord.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

There was for Saba' aforetime a Sign in their homeland 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! ^{3810 3811}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This is the same city and territory in Yemen as is mentioned in xxvii. 22: see note there as to its location. There the period was the time of Solomon and Queen Bilqis. Here it is some centuries later. It was still a happy and prosperous country, amply irrigated from the Maarib dam. Its roads 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.

But they turned away. So We sent against them a devastating flood, and replaced their orchards with two others producing bitter fruit, fruitless bushes,¹ and a few 'sparse' thorny trees.²

  - Mustafa Khattab

 lit., tamarisks. 

 lit., lote trees.

But they turned away (from Allah) and We 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. ^{3812 3813 3814}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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 Maarib. 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 earth-works fined with stone, which formed the Maarib dam, of which traces still exist. The French traveller T.J. Arnaud saw the town and ruins of the Dam of Maarib 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.D., 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 grape-vines. The Lote-tree belongs to the family Rhamnaceae, Zizyphus Spina Christi, of which (it is supposed) Christ's crown of thorns was made, allied to the Zizyphus Jujuba, or ber tree of India. Wild, it is shrubby, thorny and useless. In cultivation it bears good fruit, and some shade, and can be thornless, thus becoming a symbol of heavenly bliss: lvi. 28.

This is how We rewarded them for their ingratitude. Would We ever punish 'anyone in such a way' except the ungrateful?

  - Mustafa Khattab

That was the Requital We gave them because they ungratefully rejected Faith: and never do We give (such) requital except to such as are ungrateful rejecters. ³⁸¹⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Kafur: intensive form: "those who deliberately and continuously reject Allah and are ungrateful for His Mercies, as shown by their constant wrong-doing.

We had also placed between them and the cities¹ We showered with blessings 'many small' towns within sight of one another. And We set moderate travel distances in between, 'saying,' 'Travel between them by day and night safely.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., Mecca and Jerusalem.

Between them and the Cities on which We had poured Our blessings We had placed Cities in prominent positions and between them We had appointed stages of journey in due proportion: "Travel therein secure by night and by day." ³⁸¹⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

An instance is now given of the sort of covetousness on the part of the people of Saba, which ruined their prosperity and trade and cut their own throats. The old Frankincense route was the great Highway (imam mubin xv. 79; sabil muqim, xv. 76) between Arabia and Syria. Through Syria it connected with the great and flourishing Kingdoms of the Euphrates and Tigris valleys on the one hand and Egypt on the other, and with the great Roman Empire round the Mediterranean. At the other end, through the Yemen Coast, the road connected, by sea transport, with India, Malaya, and China. The Yemen-Syria road was much frequented, and Madain Salih was one of the stations on that route, and afterwards on the Pilgrim route: see Appendix No: 4 to S. xxvi. Syria was the land on which Allah "had poured His blessings", being a rich fertile country, where Abraham had lived: it includes the Holy Land of Palestine. The route was studded in the days of its prosperity with many stations (cities) close to each other, on which merchants could travel with ease and safety, "by night and by day". The close proximity of stations prevented the inroads of highwaymen.

But they said, 'Our Lord! Make 'the distances of' our journeys longer,' wronging themselves.¹ So We reduced them to 'cautionary' tales, and scattered them utterly. Surely in this are lessons for whoever is steadfast, grateful.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 They became bored of living comfortably and traveling easily. A similar example can be found in 2:61, where the Children of Israel became bored with the manna and quails and wanted to eat other things such as onions and garlic.

But they said: "Our Lord! place longer distances between our journey-stages." But they wronged themselves (therein). At length We made them as a tale (that is told) and We dispersed them all in scattered fragments. Verily in this are Signs for every (soul that is) patiently constant and grateful. ^{3817 3818 3819}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Said: in this and other places in the Qur-an, "language" is used for thought or deed. The Commentators call it the "language of actual facts" (zaban hal) as opposed to the "language of words" (zaban qal).

The covetous Saba people, in order to get more profit from travellers' supplies by concentrating them on a few stations which they could monopolise, tended to choke off traffic and ruin the big trade. Selfishness often runs counter to true self-interest. It is a historical fact that the great Yemen-Syria route in Arabia declined with the decline of Yemen. There were no doubt physical causes, but supreme above all were the moral causes, the grasping nature of the people, and their departure from the highest standards of righteousness.

The people of Saba were given every chance. They had prosperity, skill, trade and commerce, and a healthy and beautiful country. They also had, apparently, great virtues, and as long as they remained true to their virtues, i.e., to the Law of Allah, they remained happy and contented. But when they became covetous and selfish, and became jealous of other people's prosperity instead of rejoicing in it, they fell from grace and declined. It may be that the climate changed, the rainfall became scantier, perhaps on account of the cutting down of hill forests; trade routes changed, on account of the people falling off in the virtues that make men popular: behind all the physical causes was the root-cause, that they began to worship mammon, self, greed, or materialism. They fell into the snare of Satan. They gradually passed out of history, and became only a name in a story. Moral: it is only Allah's Mercy that can give true happiness or prosperity, and happiness or prosperity is only a snare unless used for the highest service of Allah and man.

Indeed, Iblîs' assumption about them has come true,¹ so they 'all' follow him, except a group of 'true' believers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Iblîs was the name of Satan before his fall from grace (see footnote for 2:33). His assumption (or vow) was that he could easily mislead the majority of people (see 7:16-17, 15:39-40, and 38:82-83).

And on them did Satan prove true his idea and they followed him all but a Party that believed. ³⁸²⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xvii. 62. Satan out of arrogance had said, when he asked for respite from the Most High; "I will bring (Adam's) descendants under my sway, all but a few." This was now proved true on the Saba people. He had no power to force them. It was their own will that went wrong and put them into his power.

He does not have any authority over them, but 'Our Will is' only to distinguish those who believe in the Hereafter from those who are in doubt about it. And your Lord is a 'vigilant' Keeper over all things.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

But he had no authority over them except that We might test the man who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it: and thy Lord doth watch over all things. ³⁸²¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Might test: the word in the original is might know. It is not that Allah does not know all. Why does He want to test? It is in order to help us subjectively, to train our will, to put us definitely the question, "Will you obey Allah or other than Allah?" Cf. n. 467 to iii. 154.

Say, 'O Prophet,' 'Call upon those you claim 'to be divine' besides Allah. They do not possess 'even' an atom's weight either in the heavens or the earth, nor do they have any share in 'governing' them. Nor is any of them a helper to Him.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Say: "Call upon other (gods) whom ye fancy besides Allah: they have no power not the weight of an atom in the heavens or on earth; no (sort of) share have they therein nor is any of them a helper to Allah. ^{3822 3823}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Other objects of worship, such as Self, or Money, or Power, or things we imagine will bring us luck or prosperity, though they can do nothing of the kind.

The false gods have no power whatever either in heaven or on earth, either in influencing our spiritual life or our ordinary worldly life. To suppose that they have some share, or that they can give some help to Allah, even though Allah is Supreme, is both false and blasphemous. Allah is One and Supreme, without sharer, helper, or equal.

No intercession will be of any benefit with Him, except by those granted permission by Him. 'At last,' when the dread 'of Judgment Day' is relieved from their hearts 'because they are permitted to intercede', they will 'excitedly' ask 'the angels', 'What has your Lord 'just' said?' The angels will reply, 'The truth! And He is the Most High, All-Great.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

"No intercession can avail in His Presence except for those for whom He has granted permission. So far (is this the case) that when terror is removed from their hearts (at the Day of Judgement then) will they say `What is it that your Lord commanded?' They will say `That which is true and just; and He is the Most High Most Great.' " ^{3824 3825 3826}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xx. 109, n. 2634, where I have explained the two possible modes of interpretation. Each soul is individually and personally responsible. And if there is any intercession, it can only be by Allah's gracious permission. For the Day of judgment will be a terrible Day, or Day of Wrath (Dies Irae) according to the Latin hymn, when the purest souls will be stupefied at the manifestation of Allah's Power. See next note.

"Their hearts": the pronoun "their" is referred to the angels nearest to Allah. On the Day of Judgment there will be such an irresistible manifestation of Power that even they will be silent for a while, and will scarcely realise what is happening. They will question each other, and only thus will they regain their bearings. Or "their" may refer to those who seek intercession.

In their mutual questionings they will realise that Allah's Judgment, as always, is right and just.

Ask 'them, O Prophet', 'Who provides for you from the heavens and the earth?' Say, 'Allah! Now, certainly one of our two groups¹ is 'rightly' guided; the other is clearly astray.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

 The believers and polytheists.

Say: "Who gives you sustenance from the heavens and the earth?" Say: "It is Allah and certain it is that either we or ye are on right guidance or in manifest error!" ^{3827 3828}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

There are six propositions introduced here with the word "Say", at verses 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, and 30. They clearly explain the doctrine of Unity (verse 22), the Mercy of Allah (verse 24), man's Personal Responsibility (verse 25), the Final Justice of Allah (verse 26), Allah's Power and Wisdom (verse 27), and the Inevitability of the Judgment, by which true values will be restored (verse 30).

Right and Wrong, Good and Evil, are incompatible, one with another. In this matter we can make no compromise. It is true that in men there may be various degrees of good or evil mixed together, and we have to tolerate men as our fellow-creatures, with all their faults and shortcomings. But this does not mean that we can worship Allah and Mammon together. Wrong is the negation of Right as light is of darkness. Though there may be apparently varying depths of darkness, this is only due to the imperfection of our vision: it is varying strengths of light as perceived by our relative powers of sight. So we may perceive the Light of Allah in varying degrees according to our spiritual vision. But in simple questions of Right or Wrong, we are faced by the Categorical Imperative.

Say, 'You will not be accountable for our misdeeds, nor will we be accountable for your deeds.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Say: "Ye shall not be questioned as to our sins nor shall we be questioned as to what ye do." ³⁸²⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Therefore do not persecute us, or bring personal animus to bear on us. We must do our duty in declaring the universal Message, which is for you as much as for us.