Overview - Surah 34: Saba' ([The People of] Saba)
The Surah answers some of the objections raised by the non-believers about Tawhid, Risalah and Akhirah. It also speaks about Prophets David and Solomon and the Queen of Sheba to remind people about the consequences of evils as well as righteousness.
Sections:
- The Day of Judgment will surely come.
- Allah's favors on Prophets David and Solomon. Allah's judgment on the people of Saba'.
- Shirk will be of no use on the Day of Judgment. Prophet Muhammad is sent for all people.
- The wrong leaders will leave their followers on the Day of Judgment, the discussion of their mutual recrimination.
- Material riches do not necessarily bring you closer to Allah.
- The truth will prosper.
Surah Saba' takes its name after the People of Saba', لَقَدْ كَانَ لِسَبَإٍ فِي مَسْكَنِهِمْ آيَةٌ ۖ جَنَّتَانِ عَن يَمِينٍ وَشِمَالٍ ۖ كُلُوا مِن رِّزْقِ رَبِّكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لَهُ ۚ بَلْدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ وَرَبٌّ غَفُورٌ "There was for [the tribe of] Saba' in their dwelling place a sign: two [fields of] gardens on the right and on the left. [They were told], "Eat from the provisions of your Lord and be grateful to Him. A good land [have you], and a forgiving Lord." (34:15)
There are 54 Ayat in this Surah.
Overview
| Total Ayat | 54 |
| Total Words * | 883 |
| Root Words * | 229 |
| Unique Root Words * | 7 |
| Makki / Madani | Makki |
| Chronological Order* | 58th (according to Ibn Abbas) |
| Year of Revelation* | |
| Events during/before this Surah*
N/A
| |
| Events during/after still to occur*
N/A
| |
| Names of Prophets Mentioned
Dawud, Sulayman
| |
| Surah Index
God (knows that beyond comprehension) , Angels, Astronomy (objects impacting Earth) , Birds, Charity, Children, David, Earthquake, Hell, Iblis, Jinn, Judgement (Day) , Knowledge, Metallurgy (molten copper) , Mountains, Nuclear physics (things smaller than an atom (originally meant as ant?)) , Qur’an, Resurrection (of humans) , Sheba, Solomon, Solomon (discovery of the death of) , Weather (wind)
| |
The Surah deals with those objections of the disbelievers which they were raising against the Prophet’s message of Monotheism (Tawhid), the Hereafter and about his Prophethood itself. This was mostly in the form of absurd allegations, taunts and mockery. These objections have been answered sometimes by citing them and sometimes without citing them while the discourse itself shows which objection is being answered at a particular place. The answers mostly take the form of instruction and admonition and argument but at some places the disbelievers have been warned also of the evil consequences of their stubbornness. In this connection the stories of the Sabaeans and the Prophets David and Solomon have been related to impress this lesson: “You have both these historical precedents before you. On the one hand there were the Prophets David and Solomon who had been blessed by God with great powers and such grandeur and glory as had been granted to hardly any people before them. In spite of this they were not proud and arrogant but remained grateful servants of their Lord. They were never rebellious. On the other hand there were the people of Saba who when blessed by God became proud and were consequently so thoroughly destroyed and dispersed as to be remembered only in myths and legends. With these precedents in view you may see and judge for yourselves as to which bind of the life is better: that which is built on belief in Monotheism (Tawhid), the Hereafter and the attitude of gratefulness to God or that which is based on disbelief, polytheism (shirk), denial of the Hereafter and the worship of the world.”
Manuscripts / Inscriptions
13th Century
13th Century
15th century
15th century
10th/16th Century
10th/16th Century
704H
704H
1250-1517 CE
1250-1517 CE
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
2nd / 3rd Century of Hijrah
2nd / 3rd Century of Hijrah
Early 11th century AD
Early 11th century AD
- Wind ريح - In Surah al-Ahzab (33) and Surah Saba' (34) there is a mention of the usage of the 'wind' In Surah al-Ahzab, إِذْ جَاءَتْكُمْ جُنُودٌ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًا وَجُنُودًا لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا "....We sent upon them a wind and armies [of angels] you did not see...." (33:9). In Surah Saba' وَلِسُلَيْمَانَ الرِّيحَ غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ "And to Solomon [We subjected] the wind - its morning [journey was that of] a month - and its afternoon [journey was that of] a month..." (34:12)
- Purposes of sending the Prophet أَرْسَلْنَاكَ. Allah says in Surah al-Ahzab (33), يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا ﴿٤٥﴾ وَدَاعِيًا إِلَى اللَّـهِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَسِرَاجًا مُّنِيرًا "O Prophet, indeed We have sent you as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner. And one who invites to Allah, by His permission, and an illuminating lamp." (33:45-46)
In Surah Saba' (34) Allah says, وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ "And We have not sent you except to all mankind as a bringer of good tidings and a warner. But most of the people do not know." (34:28)
- Relationship between the Leadership and the Masses. In Surah al-Ahzab (33), Allah says, "The Day their faces will be turned about in the Fire, they will say, "How we wish we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger. And they will say, "Our Lord, indeed we obeyed our masters and our dignitaries, and they led us astray from the [right] way. Our Lord, give them double the punishment and curse them with a great curse." (33:66-68). In Surah Saba' (33), Allah says, " And those who disbelieve say, "We will never believe in this Qur'an nor in that before it." But if you could see when the wrongdoers are made to stand before their Lord, refuting each other's words... Those who were oppressed will say to those who were arrogant, "If not for you, we would have been believers." Those who were arrogant will say to those who were oppressed, "Did we avert you from guidance after it had come to you? Rather, you were criminals." Those who were oppressed will say to those who were arrogant, "Rather, [it was your] conspiracy of night and day when you were ordering us to disbelieve in Allah and attribute to Him equals." But they will [all] confide regret when they see the punishment; and We will put shackles on the necks of those who disbelieved. Will they be recompensed except for what they used to do?" (34:31-33)
- Both Surah Saba' (34) and al-Fatir (35) begin with the words "Alhamdulillah" All praise is for Allah....
- No control of even an atom/speck of dust. Allah Almighty says in Surah Saba', قُلِ ادْعُوا الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّـهِ ۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا لَهُمْ فِيهِمَا مِن شِرْكٍ وَمَا لَهُ مِنْهُم مِّن ظَهِيرٍ "Say, [O Muhammad], "Invoke those you claim [as deities] besides Allah." They do not possess an atom's weight [of ability] in the heavens or on the earth, and they do not have therein any partnership [with Him], nor is there for Him from among them any assistant." (34:22). In the following Surah, al-Fatir, Allah Almighty says, وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِن قِطْمِيرٍ "....And those whom you invoke other than Him do not possess [as much as] the membrane of a date seed." (35:13)
- Plotting/scheming. Allah Almighty says in Surah Saba' (34), وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا بَلْ مَكْرُ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَا أَن نَّكْفُرَ بِاللَّـهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُ أَندَادًا "Those who were oppressed will say to those who were arrogant, "Rather, [it was your] conspiracy of night and day when you were ordering us to disbelieve in Allah and attribute to Him equals...." (34:33)
In Surah al-Fatir, Allah Almighty says in two different Ayaat, وَالَّذِينَ يَمْكُرُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ ۖ وَمَكْرُ أُولَـٰئِكَ هُوَ يَبُورُ " ....but they who plot evil deeds will have a severe punishment, and the plotting of those - it will perish." (35:10) and اسْتِكْبَارًا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَكْرَ السَّيِّئِ ۚ وَلَا يَحِيقُ الْمَكْرُ السَّيِّئُ إِلَّا بِأَهْلِهِ "[Due to] arrogance in the land and plotting of evil; but the evil plot does not encompass except its own people...." (35:43)
- The Hour. There is a reference to the Hour and the end of Surah al-Ahzab (33) and the beginning of Surah Saba (34).
يَسْأَلُكَ النَّاسُ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ السَّاعَةَ تَكُونُ قَرِيبًا "People ask you concerning the Hour. Say," Knowledge of it is only with Allah. And what may make you perceive? Perhaps the Hour is near." (33:63)
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَا تَأْتِينَا السَّاعَةُ ۖ قُلْ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّي لَتَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ ۖ لَا يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا أَصْغَرُ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَا أَكْبَرُ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ
"But those who disbelieve say, "The Hour will not come to us." Say, "Yes, by my Lord, it will surely come to you. [Allah is] the Knower of the unseen." Not absent from Him is an atom's weight within the heavens or within the earth or [what is] smaller than that or greater, except that it is in a clear register -" (34:3).
Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) = 7* | ||
| # | Root Word | Frequency in Surah | Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | ق و ل | 36 | 1722 |
| 2. | ٱلَّذِى | 26 | 1464 |
| 3. | ب ي ن | 16 | 523 |
| 4. | ك و ن | 16 | 1390 |
| 5. | إِلَّا | 15 | 663 |
| 6. | ر ب ب | 14 | 980 |
| 7. | أ م ن | 11 | 879 |
| 8. | ع م ل | 11 | 360 |
| 9. | ك ف ر | 10 | 525 |
| 10. | ع ل م | 9 | 854 |
| Root Word | Frequency in Surah |
Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|
| ق و ل | 36 | 1722 |
| ٱلَّذِى | 26 | 1464 |
| ب ي ن | 16 | 523 |
| ك و ن | 16 | 1390 |
| إِلَّا | 15 | 663 |
| ر ب ب | 14 | 980 |
| أ م ن | 11 | 879 |
| ع م ل | 11 | 360 |
| ك ف ر | 10 | 525 |
| ع ل م | 9 | 854 |
- The Day of Resurrection is sure to come for Allah's Judgement to reward the believers and punish the disbelievers.
- Those who do not believe in the hereafter are doomed.
- The mountains and birds used to sing Allah's praises with the Prophet Dawood.
- Allah subjected the winds and Jinns to the Prophet Sulaiman.
- Intercession before Allah can not avail anyone except for whom He permits.
- Muhammad (pbuh) is sent as a Rasool for the whole of mankind.
- Wealth and children are a test to whom they are given.
- Whatever you spend in charity, Allah will pay you back in full.
- The truth has come, falsehood neither originates nor restores anything.
- On the Day of Judgement disbelievers will wish that they were believers.
Tafsir Zone
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Overview (Verses 12 - 13) More Favours for Solomon All this grace was given to David. Solomon was also given the ability to perform extraordinary feats, as a manifestation of God’s grace: “To Solomon [We made subservient] the wind: its morning course [covered the distance of] a month’s journey, and its evening course a month’s journey. We caused a fountain of molten brass to flow for him, and some of the jinn worked under his control by permission of his Lord. Whoever of them deviated from Our command We shall make him taste suffering through a blazing flame. They made for him whatever he pleased: shrines and statues, basins as large as watering troughs, and firmly anchored cauldrons. We said ‘Work thankfully, family of David, for few of My servants are truly thankful.’“ (Verses 12-13) There are plenty of reports about the wind being subservient to Solomon, but many appear to have an Israelite origin even though the original Jewish texts do not mention anything about this. It is, therefore, much better to refrain from discussing these reports and to confine ourselves to the Qur’ānic text, going no further than its surface meaning. Thus we can say that God placed the wind at Solomon’s command, making it travel forward to a specific place [which according to Sūrah 21, The Prophets, is the Holy Land] for a month, and then making its return journey over a period of a month. Certain objectives were achieved by these two journeys. These were known to Solomon and he accomplished them by God’s command. We prefer not to say any more on this point so as not to indulge in unsubstantiated legends. “We caused a fountain of molten brass to flow for him.” (Verse 12) The general context of these verses again suggests that this was also a miracle, like the softening of iron for David. This might have taken place in the form of a volcanic fountain pouring forth brass that had been molten underground. Likewise, God might have instructed Solomon on how to get brass to become fluid and mould it into different shapes. Regardless of how all this took place, it was nonetheless an act of God’s abundant grace. “Some of the jinn worked under his control by permission of his Lord.” (Verse 12) God also gave him jinn to work under His command. Linguistically speaking, the word jinn refers to anything that people cannot see. There is also a type of creature God gave the name jinn to and about whom we know nothing except what God states. He mentions here that He placed a group of them under Solomon’s command. Whoever disobeys will be punished by God. “Whoever of them deviated from Our command We shall make him taste suffering through a blazing flame.” (Verse 12) That this comment occurs here, before completing the aspects of their subservience to Solomon, highlights the fact that the jinn are also subject to God, even though some idolaters worshipped them. Like mankind, the jinn are liable to God’s punishment should they deviate from His orders. They were placed under Solomon’s command: “They made for him whatever he pleased: shrines and statues, basins as large as watering troughs, and firmly anchored cauldrons.” (Verse 13) All these articles are examples of what the jinn used to make, by God’s leave, whenever Solomon bid them. Again all these are miraculous things, and we cannot imagine them to be anything but. This is the only interpretation we can give to this statement. The verse concludes with an address to David’s household: “We said: ‘Work thankfully, family of David.’“ (Verse 13) All this was given you by God’s grace, through David and Solomon. You must not take false pride in it, but instead give proper thanks. Good action is an important form of thanksgiving. However, “few of My servants are truly thankful.” (Verse 13) This comment also serves as a directive. It tells us on the one hand that the grace and favours God bestows on His servants are so great that few of them are able to express due thanks for them, and on the other that people often neglect their thanksgiving duty. In fact, however much people try to express their gratitude, they cannot give due thanks for what God bestows on them. What is their status, then, if they slacken and overlook this duty? Yet the question is: how can a human being, with limited ability, be sufficiently grateful for God’s unlimited favours? God tells us in the Qur’ān: “Should you try to count God’s blessings, you will never be able to compute them.” (14: 34) These blessings are constantly around man no matter where he looks. They are both within him and within his surroundings. Indeed, he himself is one major blessing in this world. For example, at one time we were a group of people chatting about a wide variety of subjects when our little cat came over and started walking around us as if looking for something. It was clear that the cat needed something in particular, but it could not tell us what it was, and we could not understand his purpose. Then it occurred to us that he might be looking for water, and we were right. When we put the water before him we realized that he was very thirsty but could not express himself. We realized then just how much God has favoured us with the gift of communication. We expressed our gratitude to God for this blessing, but what thanks, heartfelt as they may be, can be enough for such a blessing! On a prolonged occasion we were deprived of sunshine. At times, however, a ray of sunlight as small as a little coin would creep in, and we would take turns to stand in it, moving ourselves so as to let it fall on our faces, hands, chests, backs, abdomens and legs. I cannot forget the time when all this was over and we were allowed out: one of us was beaming with delight as he said: ‘Oh God! How lovely to see the sun again! It still rises every day! All praise to God for this blessing!” How much of this light, which is necessary for life, do we waste every day as we enjoy the sun and its warmth? Indeed we always bathe in this blessing granted to us freely by God. We neither pay for it, nor do we exert any effort to come by it. When we reflect on God’s blessings in this way, we can spend all our lives and energy covering but a little. Therefore, we only make this brief reference, following the Qur’ānic method of giving a hint or a pointer. It is up to everyone to reflect on it and try to express gratitude to God as they can. Indeed to be thankful to God is itself a blessing enjoyed by those who are sincere in their devotion. |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
Mawdudi
الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
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Overview (Verses 12 - 13) More Favours for Solomon All this grace was given to David. Solomon was also given the ability to perform extraordinary feats, as a manifestation of God’s grace: “To Solomon [We made subservient] the wind: its morning course [covered the distance of] a month’s journey, and its evening course a month’s journey. We caused a fountain of molten brass to flow for him, and some of the jinn worked under his control by permission of his Lord. Whoever of them deviated from Our command We shall make him taste suffering through a blazing flame. They made for him whatever he pleased: shrines and statues, basins as large as watering troughs, and firmly anchored cauldrons. We said ‘Work thankfully, family of David, for few of My servants are truly thankful.’“ (Verses 12-13) There are plenty of reports about the wind being subservient to Solomon, but many appear to have an Israelite origin even though the original Jewish texts do not mention anything about this. It is, therefore, much better to refrain from discussing these reports and to confine ourselves to the Qur’ānic text, going no further than its surface meaning. Thus we can say that God placed the wind at Solomon’s command, making it travel forward to a specific place [which according to Sūrah 21, The Prophets, is the Holy Land] for a month, and then making its return journey over a period of a month. Certain objectives were achieved by these two journeys. These were known to Solomon and he accomplished them by God’s command. We prefer not to say any more on this point so as not to indulge in unsubstantiated legends. “We caused a fountain of molten brass to flow for him.” (Verse 12) The general context of these verses again suggests that this was also a miracle, like the softening of iron for David. This might have taken place in the form of a volcanic fountain pouring forth brass that had been molten underground. Likewise, God might have instructed Solomon on how to get brass to become fluid and mould it into different shapes. Regardless of how all this took place, it was nonetheless an act of God’s abundant grace. “Some of the jinn worked under his control by permission of his Lord.” (Verse 12) God also gave him jinn to work under His command. Linguistically speaking, the word jinn refers to anything that people cannot see. There is also a type of creature God gave the name jinn to and about whom we know nothing except what God states. He mentions here that He placed a group of them under Solomon’s command. Whoever disobeys will be punished by God. “Whoever of them deviated from Our command We shall make him taste suffering through a blazing flame.” (Verse 12) That this comment occurs here, before completing the aspects of their subservience to Solomon, highlights the fact that the jinn are also subject to God, even though some idolaters worshipped them. Like mankind, the jinn are liable to God’s punishment should they deviate from His orders. They were placed under Solomon’s command: “They made for him whatever he pleased: shrines and statues, basins as large as watering troughs, and firmly anchored cauldrons.” (Verse 13) All these articles are examples of what the jinn used to make, by God’s leave, whenever Solomon bid them. Again all these are miraculous things, and we cannot imagine them to be anything but. This is the only interpretation we can give to this statement. The verse concludes with an address to David’s household: “We said: ‘Work thankfully, family of David.’“ (Verse 13) All this was given you by God’s grace, through David and Solomon. You must not take false pride in it, but instead give proper thanks. Good action is an important form of thanksgiving. However, “few of My servants are truly thankful.” (Verse 13) This comment also serves as a directive. It tells us on the one hand that the grace and favours God bestows on His servants are so great that few of them are able to express due thanks for them, and on the other that people often neglect their thanksgiving duty. In fact, however much people try to express their gratitude, they cannot give due thanks for what God bestows on them. What is their status, then, if they slacken and overlook this duty? Yet the question is: how can a human being, with limited ability, be sufficiently grateful for God’s unlimited favours? God tells us in the Qur’ān: “Should you try to count God’s blessings, you will never be able to compute them.” (14: 34) These blessings are constantly around man no matter where he looks. They are both within him and within his surroundings. Indeed, he himself is one major blessing in this world. For example, at one time we were a group of people chatting about a wide variety of subjects when our little cat came over and started walking around us as if looking for something. It was clear that the cat needed something in particular, but it could not tell us what it was, and we could not understand his purpose. Then it occurred to us that he might be looking for water, and we were right. When we put the water before him we realized that he was very thirsty but could not express himself. We realized then just how much God has favoured us with the gift of communication. We expressed our gratitude to God for this blessing, but what thanks, heartfelt as they may be, can be enough for such a blessing! On a prolonged occasion we were deprived of sunshine. At times, however, a ray of sunlight as small as a little coin would creep in, and we would take turns to stand in it, moving ourselves so as to let it fall on our faces, hands, chests, backs, abdomens and legs. I cannot forget the time when all this was over and we were allowed out: one of us was beaming with delight as he said: ‘Oh God! How lovely to see the sun again! It still rises every day! All praise to God for this blessing!” How much of this light, which is necessary for life, do we waste every day as we enjoy the sun and its warmth? Indeed we always bathe in this blessing granted to us freely by God. We neither pay for it, nor do we exert any effort to come by it. When we reflect on God’s blessings in this way, we can spend all our lives and energy covering but a little. Therefore, we only make this brief reference, following the Qur’ānic method of giving a hint or a pointer. It is up to everyone to reflect on it and try to express gratitude to God as they can. Indeed to be thankful to God is itself a blessing enjoyed by those who are sincere in their devotion. |
- Surah 34. Saba - Saad al Ghamidi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_pkKrjMN_I&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN&index=34
- Surah 34. Saba Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73uotTbuukw&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM&index=34
- Surah 34.Saba Muhammad Al Luhaydan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k5c8QNnVbg&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe&index=34
- Surah 34.Saba - muhammad Minshawi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh8S1BJUfCY&index=34&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG
