Surah an-Naml (The Ant ) 27 : 33

Overview (Verses 27 - 37)

Exchange with a Powerful Queen
 
Solomon does not judge the matter hastily. He is not too thrilled with the news brought by the hoopoe. He wants to be sure before taking any action. This is the appropriate course to follow by a fair prophet and a wise king:
 
Said [Solomon]: We shall see whether you have told the truth or you are a liar. Go with this my letter and deliver it to them; and then draw back from them, and see what answer they return. (Verses 27-28)
 
At this point the contents of the letter are not revealed. They are left until it is delivered when interest is at its highest.
 
The curtains are drawn here. When they are lifted again, we are in the presence of the Queen of Sheba, after the letter has been delivered to her. She is in consultation with her advisers:
 
[The Queen of Sheba] said: Know, my nobles, that a worthy letter has been delivered to me. It is from Solomon, and it reads, ‘In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Beneficent: Do not exalt yourselves against me, but come to me in submission [to God].’(Verses 29-31)
 
As she tells them of the letter we gather that most probably she did not know how the letter was delivered or by whom. She uses the passive voice in her report of its delivery. Had she known that it was a hoopoe who delivered it, as some commentaries on the Qur’ān suggest, she would surely have reported this as a remarkable and extraordinary event. Nevertheless, she describes the letter as “worthy’, either because of its shape, appearance, the seal it bears or because of its contents which she reports to her advisers: “It is from Solomon, and it reads, ‘In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Beneficent: Do not exalt yourselves against me, but come to me in submission [to God].” (Verses 30-31) She did not worship God, but the whole region knew about Solomon and his status. Besides, the language of the letter was clear, decisive and to the point.
 
What the letter stated was very clear, simple and powerful. It began with the name of God, the Most Merciful, and made a single demand: that the queen and her people must not take a hostile or belligerent attitude towards its sender; rather, they should go to him declaring their submission to God, in whose name he addressed them.
 
Having reported on the letter and its contents, the queen requested advice, declaring that she would not make a decision without their consultation and consent: “Nobles, counsel me in this my affair; no decision on any matter do I take unless you are present.” (Verse 32) Thus she appears to be a very wise queen. It is clear at the outset that she was greatly impressed by the letter, yet she also appears serious and decisive. She imparted this to her advisers by describing the letter as ‘worthy’. It is clear that she wants neither opposition nor belligerency. She does not say this openly; instead, she prepares the way for it by the line she takes. She then requests their advice.
 
As is customary with courtiers, they declared their readiness to do whatever was demanded of them, but they left the final decision to the queen: “They said: We are endowed with power and with mighty prowess in war; but the command is yours. Consider, then, what you would command.” (Verse 33)
 
Now we see the woman, rather than the queen, expressing her feelings. A woman instinctively hates war and the destruction it brings in its wake. Therefore, she decides to seek peace and conciliation rather than resistance and conflict:
 
Said she: When kings enter a country, they despoil it, and make the noble ones of its people the most abject. Thus do they behave. Hence, I am going to send these people a gift and wait to see what the envoys bring back. (Verses 34-35)
 
The queen is fully aware that when kings occupy a city or a country, they wreak havoc, destroying everything, so as to break all resistance. In particular, they target its chiefs, seeking to humiliate them as they are the ones who put up resistance. This is clearly the habit of all domineering kings. She is also aware that a gift wins hearts and emphasizes friendship. It may also remove the threat of war. Hence, her approach was certainly worth a try. If Solomon accepted the gift, then he was after something that belonged to this world. She would then know that normal worldly means would be effective. If he refused the gift, then it was all a question of faith which he would pursue with diligence, accepting no compromise.
 
This scene is concluded at this point. When the curtains are lifted again we see the queen’s emissaries delivering her gift to Solomon who takes them to task for thinking that they could buy his peace with money, seeking to divert him from calling on them to believe in God. He announced his final ultimatum, in clear and powerful terms:
 
When [the queen’s envoy] came to Solomon, he said: Is it gold that you would give me? What God has given me is much better than all that He has given you. Yet you rejoice with your own gift. Go back to them, for we shall certainly come to them with forces they cannot match, and we shall certainly drive them from the land in disgrace, and they will be utterly humbled.’ (Verses 36-37)
 
His answer derides money, scorning its use in a situation that involves advocacy of the faith, where it can be of no use: “Is it gold that you would give me?” Are you making me such a trivial offer? “What God has given me is much better than all that He has given you.” (Verse 36) He has given me things that are far superior to wealth; namely, knowledge, prophethood and the service of the jinn and birds. No material thing, rich as it may be, holds any attraction for me: “Yet you rejoice with your own gift.” (Verse 36) Such worldly luxuries may please the likes of you who have no bond with God and who do not receive His gifts.
 
He follows this with a new ultimatum, saying to the queen’s envoy: “Go back to them,” and take your gift with you. Tell them to await their inevitable defeat: “We shall certainly come to them with forces they cannot match.” (Verse 37) Such forces have never been placed under any person’s command. The queen and her powerful army are no match for them. “And we shall certainly drive them from the land in disgrace, and they will be utterly humbled.” (Verse 37)
 
The curtains are drawn, and the envoys are dismissed. The sūrah does not add a further word about them. It is as if the whole matter is settled and needs no further comment.