Chapter 34-51
Sheba (Surah Saba)
(54 verses in total; revealed in Makkah, Middle Period)
This chapter refers to the land of Sheba that was blessed but because of their disbelief, ungratefulness and deliberate misdeeds, God transform the land into a barren land and brought about hardship after ease of life. Such fate could also be of the Makkan if they do not believe and accept the guidance brought to them by the Prophet.
Key themes in this chapter are as follows:
· While the disbelievers deny the Prophet and ignore the message, the true believers can discern the truth and align themselves with God’s guidance
· The Prophet is reminded of the grace that God bestowed on prophet David and Solomon – their mastery over natural forces and other creations – to encourage him to stay the course so that he can earn similar blessings from God
· People of Sheba did not fully appreciate the fertile land they were given and the trading posts within easy distance which earned them hefty profit; – as a result they lost those blessings and became an insignificant reference in the annals of history
· People in Makkah are urged to get out of their doubts and negligence of the messages before it is too late
In the name of God, the God of Mercy, the Endower of Mercy!
Praise be to Allah – all that is in the heavens and in the earth belong to Him. God’s praise continues in the life to come. God is Wise, Well-informed! God knows what goes into the earth and what comes out of it, what comes down from the heavens and what ascends to it. God is Merciful, Forgiving! (v. 1-2)
The disbelievers say, “The Hour (of Resurrection) will never come upon us.” Reply, “Yes, by my God, it will certainly come to you. God is the Knower of unseen – not even an atom’s worth is hidden from God, or anything smaller or greater – they are all documented in a book, so that God can compensate those who believe and do good. For such people, there is forgiveness and an honorable sustenance! But those who oppose Our Messages to undermine – they will have chastisement undermining them. (v. 3-5)
Those who have been gifted with knowledge, see plainly that what has been revealed from your Sustainer God is the truth and is a guide that leads to the path of the Mighty, the Praised! While those who disbelieve, say, “Let us show you a man who claims that when you are totally decayed and reduced to nothing, you will be resurrected in a new creation!” Why? Had the Prophet fabricated a message from God, or had he gone mad? These who deny the Hereafter are clearly in the wrong and will face the consequences. Do these people not see what is ahead of them and what is behind them of the heavens and the earth? If We (God) will, We can swallow them into this earth or bring on them a piece from the heavens. In all of these are evidence for every creature who wishes to turn to God! (v. 6-9)
We certainly graced David with abundance from Us. “O mountains, sing God’s praises with him, and you birds too.” We made the iron to be pliant for him and said, “Make jackets of body armor, and make them well. Do good – surely, I am Seer of what you do.” We made the wind subservient to Solomon – it enabled a month’s journey in the morning and a month’s journey in the evening. We made a mountain of molten brass to flow for him. There were among the Jinns1 some who were made to work for him under God’s command. If any of them tried to avoid our command, We would make them face the flames of fire. They made for him whatever he wished – places of worship, images, large basins for reservoir, cooking pots – large and fixed. “Perform your duty thankfully, O people of David. Very few of My servants are truly thankful.” (v. 10-13)
Then We decreed his death, but none could show that he was dead, except a creature of the earth who ate away his stick and he then fell, making the Jinns fully realize that if they had been privy to the unknown, they would not have toiled (since his death) under him which they considered humiliating. (v. 14)
There too were signs for the people of Sheba in their habitat – two gardens on the far east and far west. “Eat from the provision of your Sustainer God and give thanks – a good land and a Forgiving God!” But they were heedless, and We sent over them torrential flood2 and transformed those two gardens into two different gardens growing only bitter fruits, tamarisk and a few lote-trees3. This is how We reciprocate those who are ungrateful, and We reproach none but those who deny. (v. 15-17)
We also made other cities, between them and other towns We had blessed, close enough to be visible, so that journeys can be made easily – “Travel through them night and day, secure.”4 But they preferred instead, “Our God, make the stages further apart in these journeys.” So, We made them into stories and ruined them with a scattering of lesser significance5. In these, there are evidence for every patient and grateful souls. (v. 18-19)
The Devil indeed found his assertions about them to be true – they followed him, except a few who were believers, over whom he had no authority but for Us to differentiate who among them believe in the Hereafter and who among them are in doubt about it. (Know that) your Sustainer God is the Preserver of all things! (v. 20-21)
Say, “Call your deities that you assert besides God – they cannot control even an atom’s worth in the heavens or in the earth, nor they have any ownership in them either, nor God has any helpers from among them. No intervention works with God, except when permission is given.” Once the fear of the day (Day of Judgement) has subsided, they will be asked, “What did your God say?” They will reply, “The truth – God is Most High, the Greatest!” (v. 22-23)
Ask them (Prophet), “Who gives you sustenance from the heavens and the earth?” Reply, “God alone! Indeed, either you or we are on the right path or in clear delusion.” Add further, “You will not be asked of our guilt, not shall we be asked of what you did. Our Sustainer God will gather us all and then judge between us with truth. God is the Best Knowing Judge! Ask them, “Show me the partners that you assign to God; by no means you can! But true God is the Most Dignified Judge!” (v. 24-27)
We have not sent you (Prophet) except as a bearer of good news and as a warner to humankind, but most people seem to be unaware. They ask, “When will this promise (of judgment) be executed, if you speak the truth?” Reply, “You do have the appointment of the day, which you cannot postpone or speed up even by an hour!” (v. 28-30)
The disbelievers say, “We do not believe this Qur’an, nor anything else that was revealed before it.” But if you could see them, as guilty, standing before God and throwing back and forth their guilts to one another. Those who deemed themselves weak address those who they considered strong, “Had it not for you, we would have been believers.” Those who were arrogant and strong will reply to those they considered weak, “Did we make you disbelieve when the guidance came to you? No, you yourself did so!” The weak will then address the strong and the arrogant, “No, it was your scheming by night and day and ordering us to disbelieve in God and to set up partners with God, that we did so.” They will fall silent with remorse when they will face the chastisement, but We (God) will bind the necks of those who disbelieve. Shall We not compensate but according to what they did? (v. 31-33)
We had never sent a messenger to a town where people led easy life except that they said, “We deny what you have been sent with! We have more wealth and more followers! We will not be chastised.” Say to them, “It is my Sustainer God who amplifies provisions and curtails provisions for whomever God pleases. But most people are ignorant about it. It is not your wealth nor your followers that bring you closer to God, but it is your faith and your goodness that bring double rewards as compensation and provide security in lofty places (closer to God). It is those who oppose and undermine Our messages will be made to face the consequence.” (v. 34-38)
Remind them, “For sure it is my Sustainer God Who amplifies provision for the creations, as God pleases and curtails provisions as God pleases. Whatever you spend (to do good), God amplifies its reward and God is the Best Provider!” (v. 39)
On the Day when God gathers them all, God will ask the angels, “Did they worship you?” The angels will reply, “Glory to You! You are our protector against them. They worshipped the jinns6 and many of them believed in the jinns!” Therefore, on that Day, you can neither benefit nor harm one another. We will address those who were unjust7, “Face the chastisement of the fire that you called a lie.” (v. 40-42)
When Our messages are explained to them, they say, “This is nothing but a man who wish to move you away from the traditions of your forefathers! This is nothing but a lie!” Truly those who disbelieve, say of the truth when it is related to them, “This is just delusional!” Yet, before this We have not given them a book to read, nor did We sent a messenger before you to warn. And these people have not been given even a tenth of what was given to their previous generations, who also rejected and called the messengers liars! How fitting was then My disapproval of them? (v. 43-45)
Say, “I only encourage you of one thing – that is to rise before God, singly or in pair and ponder!” Your companion (Prophet) is not delusional. He is here only to warn before a severe consequence confronts you. Say to them, “Whatever reward I speak of is for yourselves, while my reward is with God only, Who sees everything. God indeed brings out the truth – the Knower of all that is hidden. The truth has arrived while falsehood neither originates nor reproduces.” (v. 46-49)
Say, “If I am misguided, then it is my loss but if I am guided, that is because of what my Cherisher God had revealed to me. Surely God hears and is very near!” (v. 50)
Only if you could see when terror will strike them, they will have no escape and will be seized from wherever they are. Then they will say, “We do believe”, but how could they, being so remote from truth? Indeed, they disbelieved before and fabricated lies with regards to the reality, being distant from the truth. Now there is a barrier between them and that which they wish to believe, as was the case of other partisans like these – for sure, they all are in deep doubt and full of suspicion! (v. 51-54)
1 Also refer to 38:37-38, 2 Chronicle 2:2-19
2 Sheba was a ‘city of Yamam’, also known as Maraab in modern day Yemen, and the destruction of the city by a flood is a historical fact, in about the first or second century? (Palmer)
3 Also known as Christ-thorn in some places
4 See also 106:1-2
5 See Muir’s writing ...
6 Jinns are mentioned in the Qur’an multiple times as another creation of God who had been given free will like humankind. While humankind is made from the elements of the earth – soil, the jinns are made from the flames of fire and as such are invisible to the human eye, like dark matter. The Devil – known as Iblis in the Qur’an and Lucifer in the Bible, is considered a jinn and not a fallen angel, as angels are incapable of disobeying God.
7 Denier of faith (Kafir) and unjust (Jhalem) are frequently used in place of each other in the Qur’an since ultimate injustice to the soul and to the universe is to deny the very Creator of us and the universe. Any injustice is a manifestation of the denial of God, the source of all justice. That is another reason the Qur’an repeats the phrase – to believe (iman) and to do good (justice) are the two sides of the same coin – one cannot exist without the other!
