سُوْرَةُ سَبَاٍ
Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 15
لَقَدْ كَانَ لِسَبَإٍ فِى مَسْكَنِهِمْ ءَايَةٌ ۖ جَنَّتَانِ عَن يَمِينٍ وَشِمَالٍ ۖ كُلُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِ رَبِّكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لَهُۥ ۚ بَلْدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ وَرَبٌّ غَفُورٌ ﴿15﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Indeed there was for Saba’ (Sheba) a sign in their dwelling-place - two gardens on the right hand and on the left; (and it was said to them:) "Eat of the provision of your Lord, and be grateful to Him." A fair land and an Oft-Forgiving Lord!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لَقَدْ
laqad
Certainly
كَانَ
kāna
(there) was
لِسَبَإٍۢ
lisaba-in
for Saba
فِى
fī
in
مَسْكَنِهِمْ
maskanihim
their dwelling place
ءَايَةٌۭ ۖ
āyatun
a sign:
جَنَّتَانِ
jannatāni
Two gardens
عَن
ʿan
on
يَمِينٍۢ
yamīnin
(the) right
وَشِمَالٍۢ ۖ
washimālin
and (on the) left
كُلُوا۟
kulū
Eat
مِن
min
from
رِّزْقِ
riz'qi
(the) provision
رَبِّكُمْ
rabbikum
(of) your Lord
وَٱشْكُرُوا۟
wa-ush'kurū
and be grateful
لَهُۥ ۚ
lahu
to Him
بَلْدَةٌۭ
baldatun
A land
طَيِّبَةٌۭ
ṭayyibatun
good
وَرَبٌّ
warabbun
and a Lord
غَفُورٌۭ
ghafūrun
Oft-Forgiving
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.
15. There was indeed a sign [24] for the people of Sheba in their dwelling place: two gardens, one on the right and one on the left [25]. (We said to them,) "Eat from the provision of your Lord [26] and give thanks to Him. A good and pleasant land, and a Lord Most Forgiving."
[24]
The Jinn Also Do Not Know the Unseen:
Here, "sign" refers to historical testimony, and that is: as long as a nation remains obedient and grateful to Allah, it flourishes and continues to progress. But when it starts to disobey Allah and becomes ungrateful, decline gradually begins, and if it does not change its attitude, it is wiped off the face of the earth. This is exactly what happened to the people of Saba.
[25]
The Circumstances of the People of Saba:
The region of the people of Saba was the southwestern part of Arabia, and this area is now known as Yemen. Saba was actually the name of a person who had ten sons. Later, these ten became tribes. Among them, four sons, along with their families, migrated towards Syria. The era of rise and fall of this nation spans thirteen centuries (700 BC to 450 AD). There was a time when, in terms of civilization and culture, this nation was dominant, and the civilizations of Rome and Greece were insignificant before them. They made great progress in the fields of agriculture and trade. Their irrigation system was extremely excellent. On both sides of this region were mountain ranges. In various places, they had built dams to stop and store rainwater. Their capital was Ma’rib, and the largest and most magnificent dam was also constructed there, which was known as the Dam of Ma’rib. On both sides of their region, at the foothills of the mountains, there was a series of gardens spread over hundreds of miles, and it seemed to a person standing there that there were gardens on both sides as far as the eye could see.
[26]
Allah’s Favors Upon the People of Saba and Their Agricultural System:
In terms of rainfall, this region was not very fertile. But due to the excellence of their irrigation system, an area of three hundred square miles within the country became like paradise. There were trees of various kinds of fruits, whose fragrance perfumed the entire land, and crops were also abundantly produced. Inland, there were forests of incense, cinnamon, and very tall date palms, and their sweet fragrance would make the whole atmosphere fragrant. And when the wind blew, everyone enjoyed this fragrance. Allah the Exalted described this region with the words ﴿بَلْدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ﴾. That is, greenery, fertility, the atmosphere always filled with fragrance, moderation in climate and weather, abundance of sustenance, and plenty of means for luxury and comfort—these were the blessings Allah the Exalted had bestowed upon them. In a mountainous area of Ma’rib, among dense trees, the palaces of the rulers were located. In short, Allah the Exalted had showered His blessings upon them.
[24]
The Jinn Also Do Not Know the Unseen:
Here, "sign" refers to historical testimony, and that is: as long as a nation remains obedient and grateful to Allah, it flourishes and continues to progress. But when it starts to disobey Allah and becomes ungrateful, decline gradually begins, and if it does not change its attitude, it is wiped off the face of the earth. This is exactly what happened to the people of Saba.
[25]
The Circumstances of the People of Saba:
The region of the people of Saba was the southwestern part of Arabia, and this area is now known as Yemen. Saba was actually the name of a person who had ten sons. Later, these ten became tribes. Among them, four sons, along with their families, migrated towards Syria. The era of rise and fall of this nation spans thirteen centuries (700 BC to 450 AD). There was a time when, in terms of civilization and culture, this nation was dominant, and the civilizations of Rome and Greece were insignificant before them. They made great progress in the fields of agriculture and trade. Their irrigation system was extremely excellent. On both sides of this region were mountain ranges. In various places, they had built dams to stop and store rainwater. Their capital was Ma’rib, and the largest and most magnificent dam was also constructed there, which was known as the Dam of Ma’rib. On both sides of their region, at the foothills of the mountains, there was a series of gardens spread over hundreds of miles, and it seemed to a person standing there that there were gardens on both sides as far as the eye could see.
[26]
Allah’s Favors Upon the People of Saba and Their Agricultural System:
In terms of rainfall, this region was not very fertile. But due to the excellence of their irrigation system, an area of three hundred square miles within the country became like paradise. There were trees of various kinds of fruits, whose fragrance perfumed the entire land, and crops were also abundantly produced. Inland, there were forests of incense, cinnamon, and very tall date palms, and their sweet fragrance would make the whole atmosphere fragrant. And when the wind blew, everyone enjoyed this fragrance. Allah the Exalted described this region with the words ﴿بَلْدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ﴾. That is, greenery, fertility, the atmosphere always filled with fragrance, moderation in climate and weather, abundance of sustenance, and plenty of means for luxury and comfort—these were the blessings Allah the Exalted had bestowed upon them. In a mountainous area of Ma’rib, among dense trees, the palaces of the rulers were located. In short, Allah the Exalted had showered His blessings upon them.
