سُوْرَةُ النَّمْلِ
Surah An-Naml (27) — Ayah 15
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ وَسُلَيْمَـٰنَ عِلْمًا ۖ وَقَالَا ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى فَضَّلَنَا عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّنْ عِبَادِهِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿15﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And indeed We gave knowledge to Dâwûd (David) and Sulaimân (Solomon), and they both said: "All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, Who has preferred us above many of His believing slaves!"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
And verily
ءَاتَيْنَا
ātaynā
We gave
دَاوُۥدَ
dāwūda
Dawood
وَسُلَيْمَـٰنَ
wasulaymāna
and Sulaiman
عِلْمًۭا ۖ
ʿil'man
knowledge
وَقَالَا
waqālā
and they said
ٱلْحَمْدُ
l-ḥamdu
Praise be
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
to Allah
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
the One Who
فَضَّلَنَا
faḍḍalanā
has favored us
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
over
كَثِيرٍۢ
kathīrin
many
مِّنْ
min
of
عِبَادِهِ
ʿibādihi
His servants
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
l-mu'minīna
the believers
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 15) ➊ { وَ لَقَدْ اٰتَيْنَا دَاوٗدَ وَ سُلَيْمٰنَ عِلْمًا:} In the story of Musa (peace be upon him) and Pharaoh, there is an example of those people who knowingly denied the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him), such as Abu Lahab and Abu Jahl, etc. And in the story of Sulaiman (peace be upon him) and the Queen of Sheba, there is an example of those who, when the truth became clear, accepted faith, and unlike the conduct of Pharaoh, their kingdom did not become an obstacle for them in acknowledging the truth. The same was the case with those who believed in the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Whether it was the king of Yemen, Najashi, or those among the chiefs of Quraysh who believed, or the leaders of Aws and Khazraj in Madinah.
➋ {’’ عِلْمًا ‘‘} The tanween here can be for indefiniteness, which would mean a specific type of knowledge, i.e., We granted both of them a knowledge that was not granted to others. What is meant is the knowledge of the language of birds. Ibn Kathir says: “We do not know of anyone besides these two prophets who was given this knowledge.” And this tanween can also be for magnification, i.e., We granted both of them a magnificent knowledge, which included prophethood and wisdom, judgment and sovereignty, the language of birds, and sciences, due to which, in their time, their kingdom was the most powerful government of its era in terms of land, sea, and air. In fact, Sulaiman (peace be upon him) was granted such a kingdom that no kingdom until the Day of Resurrection can be like his, because he had prayed: «{ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ وَهَبْ لِيْ مُلْكًا لَّا يَنْۢبَغِيْ لِاَحَدٍ مِّنْۢ بَعْدِيْ }» [ صٓ : ۳۵ ] “My Lord! Forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me.”
➌ { وَ قَالَا الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ … :} This too was part of the knowledge granted by Allah Almighty, that instead of being arrogant over all these blessings, they considered them as a favor from Allah Almighty and expressed gratitude for them.
➍ { الَّذِيْ فَضَّلَنَا عَلٰى كَثِيْرٍ … :} “Who has given us preference over many of His believing servants”—they did not claim superiority over all, because when Musa (peace be upon him) made such a claim, Allah Almighty reproached him, and Dawud and Sulaiman (peace be upon them), who followed the Shariah of Musa (peace be upon him), knowing this, could not claim superiority over all servants. And because absolute superiority over all the children of Adam is only for the Seal of the Prophets (peace be upon him), as he (peace be upon him) said: [ أَنَا سَيِّدُ وَلَدِ آدَمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ يَنْشَقُّ عَنْهُ الْقَبْرُ وَ أَوَّلُ شَافِعٍ وَ أَوَّلُ مُشَفَّعٍ ] [ مسلم، الفضائل، باب تفضیل نبینا صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم علی جمیع الخلائق… : ۲۲۷۸ ] “I am the leader of the children of Adam on the Day of Resurrection, and the first for whom the grave will be opened, and the first intercessor, and the first whose intercession will be accepted.”
➋ {’’ عِلْمًا ‘‘} The tanween here can be for indefiniteness, which would mean a specific type of knowledge, i.e., We granted both of them a knowledge that was not granted to others. What is meant is the knowledge of the language of birds. Ibn Kathir says: “We do not know of anyone besides these two prophets who was given this knowledge.” And this tanween can also be for magnification, i.e., We granted both of them a magnificent knowledge, which included prophethood and wisdom, judgment and sovereignty, the language of birds, and sciences, due to which, in their time, their kingdom was the most powerful government of its era in terms of land, sea, and air. In fact, Sulaiman (peace be upon him) was granted such a kingdom that no kingdom until the Day of Resurrection can be like his, because he had prayed: «{ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ وَهَبْ لِيْ مُلْكًا لَّا يَنْۢبَغِيْ لِاَحَدٍ مِّنْۢ بَعْدِيْ }» [ صٓ : ۳۵ ] “My Lord! Forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me.”
➌ { وَ قَالَا الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ … :} This too was part of the knowledge granted by Allah Almighty, that instead of being arrogant over all these blessings, they considered them as a favor from Allah Almighty and expressed gratitude for them.
➍ { الَّذِيْ فَضَّلَنَا عَلٰى كَثِيْرٍ … :} “Who has given us preference over many of His believing servants”—they did not claim superiority over all, because when Musa (peace be upon him) made such a claim, Allah Almighty reproached him, and Dawud and Sulaiman (peace be upon them), who followed the Shariah of Musa (peace be upon him), knowing this, could not claim superiority over all servants. And because absolute superiority over all the children of Adam is only for the Seal of the Prophets (peace be upon him), as he (peace be upon him) said: [ أَنَا سَيِّدُ وَلَدِ آدَمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ يَنْشَقُّ عَنْهُ الْقَبْرُ وَ أَوَّلُ شَافِعٍ وَ أَوَّلُ مُشَفَّعٍ ] [ مسلم، الفضائل، باب تفضیل نبینا صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم علی جمیع الخلائق… : ۲۲۷۸ ] “I am the leader of the children of Adam on the Day of Resurrection, and the first for whom the grave will be opened, and the first intercessor, and the first whose intercession will be accepted.”
