سُوْرَةُ النَّمْلِ
Surah An-Naml (27) — Ayah 34
قَالَتْ إِنَّ ٱلْمُلُوكَ إِذَا دَخَلُوا۟ قَرْيَةً أَفْسَدُوهَا وَجَعَلُوٓا۟ أَعِزَّةَ أَهْلِهَآ أَذِلَّةً ۖ وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَفْعَلُونَ ﴿34﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
She said: "Verily kings, when they enter a town (country), they despoil it and make the most honourable amongst its people the lowest. And thus they do.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالَتْ
qālat
She said
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلْمُلُوكَ
l-mulūka
the kings
إِذَا
idhā
when
دَخَلُوا۟
dakhalū
they enter
قَرْيَةً
qaryatan
a town
أَفْسَدُوهَا
afsadūhā
they ruin it
وَجَعَلُوٓا۟
wajaʿalū
and make
أَعِزَّةَ
aʿizzata
(the) most honorable
أَهْلِهَآ
ahlihā
(of) its people
أَذِلَّةًۭ ۖ
adhillatan
(the) lowest
وَكَذَٰلِكَ
wakadhālika
And thus
يَفْعَلُونَ
yafʿalūna
they do
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 34) ➊ { قَالَتْ اِنَّ الْمُلُوْكَ اِذَا دَخَلُوْا قَرْيَةً …:} The queen was more intelligent than them and had more knowledge about Sulaiman (peace be upon him) than they did. Although they had given their opinion in favor of war, she knew that among the armies of Sulaiman (peace be upon him) were not only humans but also jinn and birds, and she could not possibly confront them. She had also witnessed the strange and wondrous letter that had come through the hoopoe. Therefore, she said, I fear that if we intend to confront and fight them, they will attack with their armies and especially humiliate or destroy me and all you chiefs. Allah Almighty says that she said, when kings enter a town by force of arms, they ruin it and humiliate its honored people, either by killing them or taking them captive, because they consider their presence a threat to their rule.
➋ { وَ كَذٰلِكَ يَفْعَلُوْنَ:} This could be the statement of the queen of Sheba, that if we do not accept obedience, these people will do the same, and it could also be the speech of Allah Almighty, that this is what kings do. It should be clear that this is the condition of kings who do not fear Allah, because their expeditions and attacks on other nations are not for the exaltation of Allah’s word or for any good purpose, but merely to show their superiority, to enslave other nations, and to seize all their resources. For this purpose, they do not refrain from any form of oppression, to the extent that sometimes they burn entire cities to the ground.
➋ { وَ كَذٰلِكَ يَفْعَلُوْنَ:} This could be the statement of the queen of Sheba, that if we do not accept obedience, these people will do the same, and it could also be the speech of Allah Almighty, that this is what kings do. It should be clear that this is the condition of kings who do not fear Allah, because their expeditions and attacks on other nations are not for the exaltation of Allah’s word or for any good purpose, but merely to show their superiority, to enslave other nations, and to seize all their resources. For this purpose, they do not refrain from any form of oppression, to the extent that sometimes they burn entire cities to the ground.
