سُوْرَةُ النَّمْلِ
Surah An-Naml (27) — Ayah 31
أَلَّا تَعْلُوا۟ عَلَىَّ وَأْتُونِى مُسْلِمِينَ ﴿31﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"Be you not exalted against me, but come to me as Muslims (true believers who submit to Allâh with full submission).’ "
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَلَّا
allā
That not
تَعْلُوا۟
taʿlū
exalt yourselves
عَلَىَّ
ʿalayya
against me
وَأْتُونِى
watūnī
but come to me
مُسْلِمِينَ
mus'limīna
(in) submission
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
Do not act arrogantly against me, but come to me in submission and obedience [29].
[29]
The Distinctive Features of the Brief Letter of Sayyiduna Sulaiman (peace be upon him):
When the messenger hoopoe dropped this letter in the court before the Queen of Sheba, she was preparing for the worship of the sun. This letter put her in a strange kind of dilemma, because this letter was very important from several aspects. For example, firstly, she received this letter in an extraordinary manner; that is, the letter was not delivered through the embassy of any country, but rather through a messenger bird. Secondly, this letter was not from an ordinary ruler, but from the great sovereign of Syria and Palestine. Thirdly, this letter began with the names of the Most Merciful and the Most Compassionate, names with which these people were completely unfamiliar. Fourthly, in this extremely brief letter, the queen was demanded to show complete obedience and then to present herself before Sayyiduna Sulaiman (peace be upon him). It was also made clear that she should not choose the path of rebellion against him, otherwise she would suffer loss. Fifthly, the manner of address was such that there was no flexibility of any kind. In this verse, the words: ﴿وَأْتُونِي مُسْلِمِينَ﴾ appear. One meaning of "Muslimeen" is that you should come to me as my obedient subjects, and this command is in accordance with his sovereignty. Its second meaning is that you should come to me having accepted Islam, or as Muslims, and abandon sun worship. This command relates to his prophethood, and since he was both a king and a prophet, she considered it appropriate to consult her official nobles and ministers in this matter. Thus, she gathered everyone together, informed them of the receipt of this letter and its importance from various aspects, and then asked them: What advice do you give me regarding the reply to this letter? And you already know that in such important matters of the kingdom, I have always consulted you before, and I have never made any decision in any matter without consultation.
[29]
The Distinctive Features of the Brief Letter of Sayyiduna Sulaiman (peace be upon him):
When the messenger hoopoe dropped this letter in the court before the Queen of Sheba, she was preparing for the worship of the sun. This letter put her in a strange kind of dilemma, because this letter was very important from several aspects. For example, firstly, she received this letter in an extraordinary manner; that is, the letter was not delivered through the embassy of any country, but rather through a messenger bird. Secondly, this letter was not from an ordinary ruler, but from the great sovereign of Syria and Palestine. Thirdly, this letter began with the names of the Most Merciful and the Most Compassionate, names with which these people were completely unfamiliar. Fourthly, in this extremely brief letter, the queen was demanded to show complete obedience and then to present herself before Sayyiduna Sulaiman (peace be upon him). It was also made clear that she should not choose the path of rebellion against him, otherwise she would suffer loss. Fifthly, the manner of address was such that there was no flexibility of any kind. In this verse, the words: ﴿وَأْتُونِي مُسْلِمِينَ﴾ appear. One meaning of "Muslimeen" is that you should come to me as my obedient subjects, and this command is in accordance with his sovereignty. Its second meaning is that you should come to me having accepted Islam, or as Muslims, and abandon sun worship. This command relates to his prophethood, and since he was both a king and a prophet, she considered it appropriate to consult her official nobles and ministers in this matter. Thus, she gathered everyone together, informed them of the receipt of this letter and its importance from various aspects, and then asked them: What advice do you give me regarding the reply to this letter? And you already know that in such important matters of the kingdom, I have always consulted you before, and I have never made any decision in any matter without consultation.
