Moral lesson of the story in the Quran:
Dear believing brothers, we are discussing the fourth lesson of Surat An-Naml today. Let me first keep reminding you that whatever story, mentioned in the Noble Quran, is not meant to tell us about the plot, the characters, the conversations, the beginning, the climax and the end. The main purpose of all stories, mentioned in the Quran, is the moral lesson. I mean the story happened thousands of years ago, and it is motioned in the Quran which will be recited till the end of time to teach people a moral lesson. The Quran is Allah's Words, so what benefit we may get from these stories? Well, we are not concerned about the attitudes, the events, the actions, the stillness, the visualization of the events and so on, but rather, the only thing we should be concerned about is the moral lesson Allah the Almighty intends when He mentions those stories. Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ (Indeed in their stories, there is a lesson for men of understanding. It (the Qur'an) is not a forged statement but a confirmation of the Allah's existing Books [the Taurat (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel) and other Scriptures of Allah] and a detailed explanation of everything and a guide and a Mercy for the people who believe.) ﴿
What is the moral lesson of the incidents mentioned in the story of our Master Sulaiman, peace be upon him? What can we deduce from it? What are we supposed to do about his attitude towards the ants, the hoopoe, and Queen Bilquis?
Dear noble brothers, this great Prophet (Sulaiman), peace be upon him, was given kingdom, and in a previous lesson I mentioned the following Ayah to you:
(And indeed We gave knowledge to Dawud (David) and Sulaiman (Solomon), and they both said: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has preferred us above many of His believing slaves!")
"And indeed We gave knowledge to Dawud (David) and Sulaiman (Solomon)":
1- Knowledge is favored over kingdom:
Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, did not say that He gave him (Sulaiman, peace be upon him) kingdom with knowledge, but do you know why? Because if you compare between knowledge and kingdom, you will find that kingdom is worthless in comparison with knowledge. I mean, kingdom is a fleeting thing, and man sometimes loses his kingdom within a matter of days, and this is why it is considered temporary. In contrast, knowledge is permanent, and this is why Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, did not add anything besides knowledge unless it was on the same level of its importance.
Although Allah the Almighty gave kingdom to our Master Sulaiman, peace be upon him, it was not mentioned along with the knowledge Allah the Almighty gave him. This is one point.
2- The importance of power and kingdom is manifested in serving others:
The second point is that this great kingdom gives us a moral lesson that power and kingdom can be employed to support Al-Haqq (the truth). Why would you believe that power is used recklessly? Sometimes it is purposeful; when it is employed for the sake of spreading Al-Haqq and guidance, and for the sake of bringing virtue, generosity and morality to the world.
Allah the Almighty puts this story in our hands to learn that the first truth in it is that the kingdom, the power, and the authority, that are given to someone who could be a Prophet with the highest level of faith, are great factors to be employed in serving, spreading and supporting Al-Haqq. This is the main point of the story
Let me repeat what I have just said: The main point of the story is that the kingdom is nothing if compared with knowledge, because the impact of knowledge extends forever, whereas the impact of kingdom ends with the death of the king. It is enough for the heart to stop, and the kingdom is over. Knowledge, on the other hand, continues with man for good.
Based on the above-mentioned points, Allah the Almighty intends in this story to tell us that, if He gives someone, power, prestige, and prominent position, he should put them at the disposal of Al-Haqq by serving and supporting it. Similarly, wealth, which is considered a means to gain power, can be employed in Allah's Cause. Hence, power and authority can be employed for the sake of Al-Haqq just like knowledge, which is considered another means of gaining power, and which can be employed in Allah's Cause.
We move to the following Ayah:
﴾ (He inspected the birds, and said: "What is the matter that I see not the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees?) ﴿
"He inspected the birds…":
The ruler should inspect his people:
Our Master Sulaiman inspected the birds, and this indicates that inspecting people is one of the duties of the king to show his strict leadership. Actually being careless to one's people does not befit the successful prince, the strict king, or the qualified leader. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (He inspected the birds, and said: "What is the matter that I see not the hoopoe?) ﴿
Before I go on, let me remind you of the Ayah in which Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ (And there were gathered before Sulaiman (Solomon) his hosts of jinns and men, and birds, and they all were set in battle order (marching forwards).) ﴿
Not all jinns, men, and bird were subjected to Sulaiman:
This Ayah does not indicate that all the people who lived in the era of this noble Prophet were subjected to him, that all the jinns were subjected to him, and that all the birds were subjected to him. The Ayah means that some of the people, jinns and birds were subjected to him. One more point regarding this Ayah: the birds Allah the Almighty subjected to him are not like other birds, but rather, they are special birds that have a distinctive power of perception, and they have exceptional capabilities that are not found in other birds. You will see with me shortly what I mean.
﴾ "What is the matter that I see not the hoopoe?" ﴿
I repeat the Ayah:
﴾ (He inspected the birds, and said: "What is the matter that I see not the hoopoe?) ﴿
Had all the hoopoes been subjected to this Noble Prophet, he would not have been able to differentiate between them. So, only one special hoopoe which had high capabilities was subjected to him.
As I have just said, one of the traits of the great rulers is to inspect those whom they rule.
1- The ruler should ask about the reason behind the absence of the ruled:
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (He inspected the birds, and said: "What is the matter that I see not the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees?) ﴿
The word hoopoe means the bird Sulaiman, peace be upon him, knew very well, so asking about him indicates an important point. If you are a leader and you went soft on one of your subordinates and you were not strict with him, this will lead to rumors about being indecisive, incapable of reckoning and lacking control over the affairs. The laxity of this hoopoe would have been adopted by all other hoopoes within days, within weeks, or within months if our Master Sulaiman had not asked about him. Not to mention, other hoopoes would not attend or do the tasks assigned to them.
Hence, when our Master Sulaiman inspected the hoopoe, and he could not find him, everyone around this great Prophet knew that the hoopoe was absent without getting the permission. If he had been absent with permission, this noble Prophet would not have asked about him. It is just like when you send a person on a mission, and he is absent for days while accomplishing that mission; you will not ask others about him, because you are the one who have sent him.
Based on the above-mentioned, we deduce that the absence of this hoopoe was without Prophet Sulaiman's permission, so it was unacceptable, and our Master Sulaiman knew when he inspected the hoopoe, and he let those around him of jinns, men and birds know that he was absent without getting the permission from him. Therefore, they were waiting for his reaction wondering what he would do, and whether he would excuse, punish, or forgive it. In fact, if our Master Suliaman, peace be upon him, had lost control over that hoopoe, all those (hoopoes, birds, men and jinns) who were subjected to him would no longer have been under his control. Indeed, this is a lesson in leadership.
2- The leader should hold responsibility
:
If you are a teacher at a school, and you ask your students to do their homework, but the next day one of them does not do it, and the other students are just waiting for you to take an action towards that student, what will your attitude be in such a case? If you do not do anything about that and you just say, "It is up to you to do the homework or not", the next time half of the students will not do their homework because of your passive reaction towards that student. As days pass, all students save one or two, will stop doing their homework. When students see that you are not strict towards the student who falls short in doing his homework, and you do not threaten to punish him, all of them will fall short in doing their homework, since you will take no actions towards them.
Likewise, as a father, if you have got many children, and one of them exceeds the boundaries, but you do nothing about it, neither positively or negatively, exceeding the boundaries will become contagious day after day among all the children.
In brief, if you are a general manager, a manger in a hospital, a principal of a school or a manager in whatsoever institution, and one of those who work for you commits a mistake, neglects something, commits an error, or transgresses the limits, but you do nothing to him, all your subordinates will do the same.
The stance taken by Prophet Sulaiman, peace be upon him, towards the absence of the hoopoe teaches us how to be successful parents and successful teachers, and how to manage people correctly to reach the desired results of our leadership. Abu Dharr, said to our Master Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, after he became a Khalifah, "The people feared your strictness." So, this merciful Khalifah cried and said, "By Allah, Abu Dharr, if people know the mercy in my heart, they will take this cloak of mine, but being a Khalifah necessities being strict, as you can see."
This great Khalifah was once in Madinah, and he saw a man who did not care about him, did not stand up for him, and did not revere the Khalifah. Umar said to him, "Do you not fear the authority of the Khalifah? Well, the Khalifah does not fear you?" Had Umar left the man alone without saying anything to him, there would have been a serious problem, as all other people would have done the same. This is the lesson we should all learn in leadership.
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (He inspected the birds, and said: "What is the matter that I see not the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees?) ﴿
The hoopoe was absent without getting the permission to do so from our Master Sulaiman, peace be upon him.
"I will surely punish him with a severe torment…":
Sulaiman, peace be upon him, said, as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ ("I will surely punish him with a severe torment, or slaughter him, unless he brings me a clear reason.") ﴿
Pay attention to the following Hadith, please:
(( (Hang your whip where the members of the household can see it, for that will discipline them) ))
If you are in charge, all those around you should know that you will punish the one who does something wrong in the proper time. Taking an action in the right time is important. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (And make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds of war (tanks, planes, missiles, artillery, etc.) to threaten the enemy of Allah and your enemy, and others besides whom, you may not know but whom Allah does know. And whatever you shall spend in the Cause of Allah shall be repaid unto you, and you shall not be treated unjustly.) ﴿
The Ayah means this power is not for consumption or use, but sometimes it is just to intimidate your enemy. Therefore, the great countries that possess lethal weapons, they manufacture these weapons only to be feared by other countries. They may not use these weapons, but they are always feared due to them. For this purpose, Allah the Almighty has commanded us, as Muslims, to prepare all we can of power to threaten our enemies, so that they will not exceed their limits, attack us or invade our territories.
Let me repeat the Ayaat one more time:
﴾ (He inspected the birds, and said: "What is the matter that I see not the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees?* "I will surely punish him with a severe torment, or slaughter him, unless he brings me a clear reason.") ﴿
Treating those whom were under his control fairly is manifested in the following Ayah. This great and noble Prophet would not punish the hoopoe severely if the latter brought to him a clear reason of his absence.
﴾ ("I will surely punish him with a severe torment, or slaughter him, unless he brings me a clear reason.") ﴿
Explaining the excuses before being blamed or rebuked by others is important:
The hoopoe had to either bring the Noble Prophet a clear reason or he would be severely punished as mentioned in the Ayah:
﴾ ("I will surely punish him with a severe torment, or slaughter him…) ﴿
It is said about making excuses for others, "Never blame anyone for certain behavior before you know his excuse." Never get angry with anyone for behaving in a certain a way, and never say, "I will punish him for his behavior", before he brings you a clear excuse. Thus, the believer who abides by al-Haqq (the truth) never judges others in their absence if he does not know their excuses.
Notice how the great Prophet (Sulaiman, peace be upon him) did not punish the hoopoe although he got angry regarding his unjustified absence, and Allah the Almighty wants us to know what to do in similar cases.
The hoopoe had to bring a clear proof, a legitimate excuse, or a convincing reason as indicated in the following Words of Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (But the hoopoe stayed not long, he (came up and) said: "I have grasped (the knowledge of a thing) which you have not grasped and I have come to you from Saba' (Sheba) with true news.) ﴿
Soon, the hoopoe got back.
Learn from the hoopoe how apology should be:
The hoopoe's stance towards our Master Sulaiman reflects utmost intelligence. Did I not tell you a while ago that this is not an ordinary hoopoe? It is impossible for an ordinary hoopoe to have such intelligence, wisdom, and deep understanding.
When you raise someone's ire, you should try to calm him down. In this incident, what would make this great and feared king calm down and stop punishing the hoopoe severely? Brining news about something he had no idea about, something dangerous, or something unique, will distract prophet Sulaiman from punishing the hoopoe and will save the latter's life. The hoopoe had to tell this great king about the news he brought in order to escape the severe punishment that was awaiting him. Listen to what he said as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ (But the hoopoe stayed not long, he (came up and) said: "I have grasped (the knowledge of a thing) which you have not grasped…) ﴿
[ [An-Naml, 22] ]
"I have grasped (the knowledge of a thing) which you have not grasped…":
Sometimes when the son arrives at his house late at night, he will notice how angry his parents are, so he will immediately tell them about the horrible accident that has happened while he is outside. As a result, the parents will forget about their anger and will start asking about the accident. This is exactly what the hoopoe did. He said:
﴾ (…He (came up and) said: "I have grasped (the knowledge of a thing) which you have not grasped and I have come to you from Saba' (Sheba) with true news.) ﴿
It seems that the hoopoe wanted to say: O Sulaiman, O Great King to whom some birds, jinns and men are subjected and to whom the wind is subjected, you have not grasped the knowledge I have grasped.
﴾ "…and I have come to you from Saba' (Sheba) with true news" ﴿
The hoopoe was in Saba', while our Master Sulaiman, peace be upon him, was in Al-Quds (Jerusalem). The hoopoe went to Saba' and got back from it with true news which our Mater Suliaman was keen on hearing. What was that true news? What was that serious matter?
Some points deduced from "I found a woman ruling over them…":
The hoopoe said as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ ("I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given all things that could be possessed by any ruler of the earth, and she has a great throne.) ﴿
1- Man and woman are equal in terms of Divine assigning and honoring:
Listen to the following Hadith, please:
(( (Narrated Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "A people who make a woman their ruler will never be successful.") ))
[ [Al-Bukhari, on the authority of Abi Bakrah] ]
I keep saying to you that both the woman and the man are equal in two things: the Divine assignment and honor. Like man, the woman is assigned to do the pillars of faith, and the pillars of Islam, and she should know what must be known by necessity, like performing Salah, observing Sawm, performing Hajj, and adhering to Shari'ah rulings. So, she is equal to man in being divinely assigned and being honored, and the proof is in the following Ayah:
﴾ (Verily, the Muslims (those who submit to Allah in Islam) men and women, the believers men and women (who believe in Islamic Monotheism), the men and the women who are obedient (to Allah), the men and women who are truthful (in their speech and deeds), the men and the women who are patient (in performing all the duties which Allah has ordered and in abstaining from all that Allah has forbidden), the men and the women who are humble (before their Lord Allah), the men and the women who give Sadaqat (i.e. Zakat, and alms, etc.), the men and the women who observe Saum (fast) (the obligatory fasting during the month of Ramadan, and the optional Nawafil fasting), the men and the women who guard their chastity (from illegal sexual acts) and the men and the women who remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues (while sitting, standing, lying, etc. for more than 300 times extra over the remembrance of Allah during the five compulsory congregational prayers) or praying extra additional Nawafil prayers of night in the last part of night, etc.) Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise).) ﴿
2- The male is not like the female
As I have just explained, woman and man are alike in assignment and honor. However, the woman is a female, while the man is a male. In other words, Allah the Almighty has created her with special psychological characteristics, mental qualities, physical structure, and social emotions that befit her femininity.
The woman is a woman in every sense of this word, and so her physical structure, psychology, and mentality are created as such to help her perform her fundamental role as a wife and a mother. On the other hand, man is created with certain physical structure including his muscles and with certain mentality and way of thinking that wins over his emotions. These characteristics reflect his masculinity, which helps him accomplish his tasks outside his house successfully.
Where do problems come from? Problems start upon changing the roles (between the male and the female). To clarify, consider the air conditioning; it is manufactured to give you coolness in hot summer and to keep you warm in winter, but if you turn the air conditioner on in the winter to give you coolness and you turn it on in summer to give you warmth, you will have done unacceptable thing. Similarly, it is unacceptable to change the roles of man and woman in a way that man behaves like women and woman behaves like men.
How does corruption start? It starts when the roles of man and woman are reversed. Allah the Almighty has honored the woman with beauty, so that she would please her husband, but when she shows this beauty to every man she meets and to whoever asks her to show her beauty, corruption will prevail on earth.
As for man, Allah the Almighty has given him reason, wisdom, and strong muscles, so that he will perform his role outside his household effectively. Therefore, when he abandons his role, and he becomes subordinate to the woman, things will reverse, which is a serious problem. It was reported in the relic that:
(( (Treat women in an honourable manner. By Allah, none but a noble man treats women in an honourable manner, and none but an ignorant man treats women disgracefully. They defeat the noble man, but they are defeated by the ignorant one, and I would rather be a defeated noble man than a defeating ignorant one.) ))
[ [Mentioned in the relic] ]
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
(( (Do not hate girls, for they are the sources of delight and they are the valuable [ones].) ))
Here is another Hadith:
(( (Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Take my advice with regard to women: Act kindly towards women…) ))
[ [Al-Bukhari and Muslim, on the authority of Abi Hurairah] ]
There are countless Prophetic Ahadeeth about honoring the woman, but it does not mean that she can occupy a position that requires to think rationally rather than emotionally, which is difficult for her. For instance, it is difficult for her as a judge to sentence a criminal to death, because the nature of her structure, her affection, her motherhood, and her love for her children do not enable her to end the life of a criminal by death sentence, even though Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (And there is (a saving of) life for you in Al-Qisas (the Law of Equality in punishment), O men of understanding, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious).) ﴿
Whoever kills an innocent person deserves to be killed, and by this sentence, the life of all other members of the society will be protected, but the female judge cannot do this mission with criminals. This is explained in the following Hadith of the Prophet, peace be upon him:
(( (Narrated Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "A people who make a woman their ruler will never be successful.") ))
[ [Al-Bukhari, on the authority of Abi Bakrah] ]
We move to the strange news the hoopoe brought:
﴾ (But the hoopoe stayed not long, he (came up and) said: "I have grasped (the knowledge of a thing) which you have not grasped and I have come to you from Saba' (Sheba) with true news* "I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given all things that could be possessed by any ruler of the earth…) ﴿
﴾ "I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given all things…": ﴿
The phrase "and she has been given all things" reminds me of another Ayah:
﴾ (So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened to them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them to punishment, and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows.) ﴿
They had every pleasant thing of properties, houses, and vehicles:
﴾ (…And she has been given all things that could be possessed by any ruler of the earth…)
﴿
It seems that the hoopoe saw the throne, the palace, the soldiers, the servants, the army, the capabilities and the power Queen Bilquis used to have:
﴾ ("I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given all things that could be possessed by any ruler of the earth, and she has a great throne.) ﴿
In this part of the Ayah, there is nothing unacceptable about the woman who used to rule her people, who had a great throne, and who was given all things that could be possessed by any ruler on the earth:
﴾ (…And she has been given all things that could be possessed by any ruler of the earth, and she has a great throne) ﴿
The serious problem lies in the second part of the Ayah. What is mentioned about this woman and her people is catastrophic:
﴾ ("I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah, and Shaitan (Satan) has made their deeds fair-seeming to them, and has barred them from (Allah's) Way, so they have no guidance,") ﴿
I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah
Did they lose their mind? How could they consider the sun their lord? How could they worship it instead of Allah the Almighty? Did they not know that sun sets and disappears at night? Pay attention to the following Ayah, please:
﴾ (When he saw the sun rising up, he said: "This is my lord. This is greater." But when it set, he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah.) ﴿
Who will rule the universe when the sun sets?
﴾ ("I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah…) ﴿
[An-Naml, 24]
﴾ "…And Shaitan (Satan) has made their deeds fair-seeming to them…": ﴿
The hoopoe went on as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ (…and Shaitan (Satan) has made their deeds fair-seeming to them…) ﴿
How serious the situation of those people is! They worshiped the sun instead of Allah, and Shaitan made their deeds fair-seeming to them. When the misguided person believes that he is on the right path, it is very difficult to convince him that he is mistaken, and so you will not be able to guide him easily.
It was said, "Some people have Islamic knowledge, and they realize that; those are knowledgeable ones, so follow them. Some people do not have knowledge, and they realize that they are not knowledgeable; those are ignorant, so teach them. Others have no knowledge, but they do not realize that they are ignorant; those are but devils, so be cautious and turn away from them." Now, let me repeat the Ayah:
﴾ ("I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah, and Shaitan (Satan) has made their deeds fair-seeming to them, and has barred them from (Allah's) Way, so they have no guidance,") ﴿
Pay attention to the following Ayaat, please:
﴾ (Say (O Muhammad PBUH): "Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds?* "Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds!) ﴿
It is a calamity for a person to disobey his Lord, and the gravest calamity for someone is to disobey his Lord while he thinks that he is doing the right thing. This is serious; better yet it is the most serious thing in deviation. If you are a morally deviated person, Allah forbid, and you know that you have deviated from the Right Path, you can return to this path, but the most dangerous thing about deviation is to think that you are right, and that all people are astray, because in such case, you cut off the path of guidance and the path of returning to guidance.
I would like to repeat the words of the hoopoe as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ ("I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah, and Shaitan (Satan) has made their deeds fair-seeming to them, and has barred them from (Allah's) Way, so they have no guidance,") ﴿
﴾ "…Has barred them from (Allah's) Way, so they have no guidance": ﴿
Their path to Allah was blocked, due to their desires and polytheism which made a barrier between them and their Lord. Joining others in worship with Allah was a severe obstacle between them and monotheism. In addition, their disobedience veiled them from Allah, and their polytheism prevented them from seeking the Right Path and made them unable to have a clear insight.
Now the question is: Was that hoopoe a normal bird? Have you noticed how he was able to make the great Prophet, peace be upon him, forget about his anger with him, and he drew his attention to the exciting news he brought about the woman who got everything one would imagine?
﴾ ("I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given all things that could be possessed by any ruler of the earth, and she has a great throne.) ﴿
He also told him that she and her people worshipped the sun instead of Allah, and that Shaitan (Satan) had made their deeds fair-seeming to them, and had barred them from (Allah's) Way, so they had no guidance.
"…So that they do not worship (prostrate before) Allah":
In the Ayah that comes next, the hoopoe was wondering as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ (Al-La (this word has two interpretations) (A) [As Shaitan (Satan) has barred them from Allah’s Way] so that they do not worship (prostrate before) Allah, or (B) So that they may worship (prostrate before) Allah, Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you reveal.) ﴿
What prevented them from prostrating before Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, the creator of the sun, the moon, the earth, the mountain, the air, the water, the food, the drinks, and the human being? What prevented them from prostrating to Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He?
﴾ (Al-La (this word has two interpretations) (A) [As Shaitan (Satan) has barred them from Allah's Way] so that they do not worship (prostrate before) Allah, or (B) So that they may worship (prostrate before) Allah…) ﴿
"Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth…":
Who is Allah the Almighty?
1- Some of Allah's creations that are hidden in the heavens:
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth…) ﴿
What is hidden in the heaven? Let me talk about rain. Sometimes while the sky is clear, and people are desperate, because rain has not fallen for a long time, they start making Du'a to Allah the Almighty to send rain, and shortly, the sky will be full of clouds and it will start raining heavily. This rain revives the earth after it has become barren, and it is stirred to life and growth (of vegetations). Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (And among His Signs (in this), that you see the earth barren, but when We send down water (rain) to it, it is stirred to life and growth (of vegetations). Verily, He Who gives it life, surely, (He) is Able to give life to the dead (on the Day of Resurrection). Indeed! He is Able to do all things.) ﴿
I repeat the Ayah:
﴾ (Al-La (this word has two interpretations) (A) [As Shaitan (Satan) has barred them from Allah's Way] so that they do not worship (prostrate before) Allah, or (B) So that they may worship (prostrate before) Allah, Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth…) ﴿
2- Some of Allah's creations that are hidden in the earth:
What is hidden in earth? When you plant a very small seed that can hardly be seen with the naked eye, it will turn into a tall plant that bears the fruits or the vegetables you need. These plants are among the basic needs of our daily life. How can you get them? How do they grow? How amazing the growing of plants is! Sow some seeds that are about 5 grams, and see how they will fill approximately half a dunum. After about 90 days, you will see that this half of a dunum will be filled with plants the height of which can be two and a half meters, or one and a half meters, and they bear all kinds of vegetables. Where the seeds were hidden before they grow and become like that? How do they grow during a certain period of time and bear different kinds of fruits and vegetables? They are created by Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, so you should prostrate to Allah.
The cow is an animal that can be seen on the earth and that makes man raise many question about its creation. You see with your own eyes that the cow eats grass which turns into milk. O Lord, how silent the laboratory that makes the milk inside the breast of the cow is! It works without noise or fuel.
Four hundred liters of blood makes one liter of milk. The mammary cell takes what it needs from blood and gives one drop of milk which pours into the udder. The cow udder has a dome shape and it is wrapped by a huge number of capillaries, and in order for 1 cc of milk to be produced, 300-400 cc of blood is needed to pass around the mammary cells. The cow's udder is divided into four cavities each of which has its own nipple. The cow udder produces 40 kilograms of milk, and some species of cows produces even 60 kilograms of milk on daily basis.
As I have just mentioned, the cow eats grass as we all know, but none of us can turn the grass into milk nor can any advanced factory. From this milk, many dairy products are made, like cheese, yogurt, ghee and so on. These are but Divine Signs that indicate Allah's Greatness.
Other Divine Signs include the chicken, which gives man eggs, and the sheep, which gives man wool, leather, meat, fats, etc…
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Al-La (this word has two interpretations) (A) [As Shaitan (Satan) has barred them from Allah's Way] so that they do not worship (prostrate before) Allah, or (B) So that they may worship (prostrate before) Allah…) ﴿
3- Allah's creation that is hidden in the womb:
Man is originally a sperm. In each sexual intercourse, the husband ejaculates 300 million sperm-cells. This fetus is created from one sperm-cell that fertilizes an ovum. The ovum is divided into many parts until it becomes a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood), then it is turns into a little lump of flesh leech. As days pass, this little flesh of leech becomes an embryo, and after nine months, a little child is born. He is a human being who has eyes, ears, a nose, a mouth, a tongue, a glottis, an esophagus, a stomach, intestines, a pancreas, a bile, a liver, veins, arteries, a heart, lungs, muscles, bones, nails, hair, adrenals, a brain, a frontal lobe, an occipital lobe, a lateral lobe, a sebaceous bulb, a cerebellum, sensory nerves and motor nerves. Furthermore, every hair has a vein, an artery, a muscle, a sebaceous gland, and a pigment gland. How amazing the human being who is originally a sperm-cell is! Who has created him like this?
You should prostrate to Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He Who has created man in the best stature, and Who has created the cattle for you. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (And the cattle, He has created them for you; in them there is warmth (warm clothing), and numerous benefits, and of them you eat.) ﴿
Here is a clear Ayah about the birds:
﴾ (Do they not see the birds above them, spreading out their wings and folding them in? None upholds them except the Most Beneficent (Allah). Verily, He is the All-Seer of everything.) ﴿
The basic factor that enables a bird to fly is the feather, which is weightless but very strong. The barbs grow from the rachis, and each barb is a feather within a feather with a little shaft and little barbs of its own called barbules that are more than 100.000. When viewed as a whole the barbs are the vane.
The Barbules are mini-barbs that grow from the central shaft of each barb. The barbules on one side of the shaft are smooth. Those on the other side have tiny little hooks called barbicels that grab the smooth barbules that lie next to it. When properly preened the barbicels all hook up to their nearby barbules and the feather vane is smooth.
There are more than 25.000 feathers that cover the body of the bird. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Do they not see the birds above them, spreading out their wings and folding them in? None upholds them except the Most Beneficent (Allah)…) ﴿
Prostrate to This Great Creator Who has created birds. Few days ago I read that the most advanced plane man has manufactured is not as well-manufactured and designed as the birds. You know that the plane is the most advanced means of transportation man has ever manufactured. It carries about 400 passengers, they have their seats, and they eat, drink and have some rest while they are on the air. How can they be carried by the plane? What an amazing manufacturing system the plane has!
Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ (And (He has created) horses, mules and donkeys, for you to ride and as an adornment. And He creates (other) things of which you have no knowledge.) ﴿
No matter how advanced the plane, man manufactured, is, it can't be compared to the great creation of a bird. There are volumes about birds, and if you read them, you will just prostrate to Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He,
O Lord, how great Your creation is! Birds, cattle, and fish, which are more than a million species in seas, are all meant to be food for man. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (And He it is Who has subjected the sea (to you), that you eat thereof fresh tender meat (i.e. fish), and that you bring forth out of it ornaments to wear. And you see the ships ploughing through it, that you may seek (thus) of His Bounty (by transporting the goods from place to place) and that you may be grateful.) ﴿
They are subjected to man and are made food for him:
﴾ (…That you eat thereof fresh tender meat (i.e. fish), and that you bring forth out of it ornaments to wear. And you see the ships ploughing through it, that you may seek (thus) of His Bounty (by transporting the goods from place to place) and that you may be grateful.) ﴿
[ [An-Nahl, 14]
]
Man should prostrate only to this Great Lord Who created the liver with 5.000 functions.
Man should prostrate to the Lord Who has created the stomach, which contains 35 million gastric juices. Man should prostrate to the Lord Who created the small intestines that are completely renewed every 48 hours without being noticed by you.
Prostrate to the One Who has created this brain, which contains 140 billion grey matters whose function has not been known yet.
From the optic nerve emerge about 900.000 nerves only to make the things one sees clear to the eye.
Just read about the anatomy of the eye and the nose to see the greatness of the Creator.
What is about the ear? The middle ear looks like a device that amplifies the sound when it is weak, and it dampens it when the sound is strong. Do you have an electrical device that amplifies and reduces the sound at the same time while you do not even notice this? Do you know the function of the pinna, the canal, the tympanic membrane, the auditory ossicles (malleus, incus, and stapes), and the inner ear? How does the sound become a melody that pleases you? How do you know that this voice on the phone is the voice of such or such person?
Prostrate to this Great Lord, Who gave you hearing and sight, and Who taught you eloquent speech. This Great Lord made you able to speak and articulate letters, each of which requires the movement of seventeen muscles. Thus, if you give a lecture for an hour, how many muscles participate in articulating each letter of your speech, while you do not know how they work? Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (The Most Beneficent (Allah)!* Has taught (you mankind) the Qur'an (by His Mercy)* He created man* He taught him eloquent speech.) ﴿
He also says:
﴾ (Say (O Muhammad PBUH): "Tell me! If (all) your water were to be sunk away, who then can supply you with flowing (spring) water?") ﴿
How great rain is! It is a reservoir that gives this city 16 cubic meters each second. When the rate of rainfall decreases, people get worried about suffering from scarcity of water, so they start making Du'a to Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, to send them rain. What should we do if rainfall decreases?
﴾ ("I said (to them): 'Ask forgiveness from your Lord; Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving* 'He will send rain to you in abundance* 'And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers.'"* What is the matter with you, [that you fear not Allah (His punishment), and] you hope not for reward (from Allah or you believe not in His Oneness).) ﴿
Why do you not fear Him?
﴾ (While He has created you in (different) stages [i.e. first Nutfah, then 'Alaqah and then Mudghah, see (V.23:13,14) the Qur'an].) ﴿
The fetus develops through different stages.
By Allah, the Divine Signs Allah the Almighty has created in the universe, in the human body, in the plants, in the animals, in the birds, in the fish, in the mountains, in the seas, in the rivers, etc. are unbelievable and uncountable. Yet, not all people try to learn the moral lesson from Allah's creations as Imam Ali, may Allah ennoble his face, said, "How many are the moral lessons, but how few are those who learn them!"
Consider the words of the hoopoe, and let me ask you this question: Is the hoopoe wiser than you, O man? Is the hoopoe, the bird, more knowledgeable regarding the creation of Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, than you?
﴾ (Al-La (this word has two interpretations) (A) [As Shaitan (Satan) has barred them from Allah’s Way] so that they do not worship (prostrate before) Allah, or (B) So that they may worship (prostrate before) Allah, Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you reveal.) ﴿
"…And knows what you conceal and what you reveal":
Allah the Almighty knows the fraud of the eyes, so He knows when you look at something forbidden. You may look at a woman without letting anyone on the earth notice your forbidden look, but Allah the Almighty knows all about it. Say you are a doctor and you want to examine a woman, but you look at a part of her body that has nothing to do with her complain, and you do so only to fulfill your desire, so Who knows about this forbidden look and your evil intention other than Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He?
﴾ (…Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you reveal.) ﴿
Whatever good words you say trying to hide your evil intention, Allah the Almighty knows about it. He knows all that the breasts conceal, all your intentions, your conflicts, your ambitions, and your future plans. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (…Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you reveal.) ﴿
The hoopoe said as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ (Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne!) ﴿
"Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He":
The hoopoe's words reflected his wit:
The hoopoe was afraid to be punished so he said as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ (Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne!) ﴿
(( (Abu Mas'ud al-Badri reported: I was beating my slave with a whip when I heard a voice behind me: Understand, Abu Masud; but I did not recognize the voice due to intense anger. He (Abu Mas'ud) reported: As he came near me (I found) that he was the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and he was saying: Bear in mind, Abu Mas'ud; bear in mind. Abu Mas'ud. He (Aba Maslad) said: I threw the whip from my hand. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Bear in mind, Abu Mas'ud; verily Allah has more dominance upon you than you have upon your slave. I (then) said: I would never beat my servant in future.) ))
[ [Muslims, on the authority of Abu Mas'ud al-Badri] ]
A guilty man stood before Al-Hajjaj and said to him, "I seek refuge with the One before Whom you are more humiliated than me before you, and the One Who is more capable of punishing you than you are of punishing me."
One of the interpreters of the Noble Quran said, "When the hoopoe said "Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne", he meant that Allah is the King of all great kings (one of whom is Prophet Sulaiman.)" Regarding this point, it was reported in the Islamic tradition:
(( (I am the King of kings, and the Owner of kings. The hearts of kings are in My Hand: if My slaves obey Me, I turn the hearts of their kings to them with tenderness and mercy; but if My slaves disobey Me, I turn the hearts of their kings to them with wrath and avenge. Therefore, do not occupy yourselves by abusing kings but (rather) pray (to Allah) for their reform, as their reform comes from your own reform.) ))
I repeat the Ayah:
﴾ (Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne!) ﴿
Two great lessons Sulaiman learned from the hoopoe:
1st lesson: Being patient before judging people unjustly:
There are two great lessons we can learn from this story, particularly those who are leaders among us, such as the teacher, the director of a hospital, the manager of a factory, the engineer who is in charge of workers and so on.
The first stance towards the absence of the hoopoe:
﴾ (He inspected the birds, and said: "What is the matter that I see not the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees?*I will surely punish him with a severe torment, or slaughter him, unless he brings me a clear reason.") ﴿
The following Ayah manifests the second stance towards it:
﴾ ([Sulaiman (Solomon)] said: "We shall see whether you speak the truth or you are (one) of the liars.) ﴿
2nd lesson: Never judge people before you listen to their excuses:
Dear noble brother, if you are a father, a teacher, a manager, or any leading profession, never judge others before you listen to their excuses, because it is reported in the following Hadith by Jabir Ibn Abdullah that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
(( (Fear injustice. Injustice will appear as darkness on the Day of Rising…) ))
[ [Al-Albani, on the authority of Jabir Ibn Abdullah] ]
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ ([Sulaiman (Solomon)] said: "We shall see whether you speak the truth or you are (one) of the liars.) ﴿
"[Sulaiman (Solomon)] said: "We shall see whether you speak the truth…":
Prophet Suliaman, peace be upon him, wanted to make sure that the hoopoe was telling the truth. Accordingly, never judge anyone before you make sure of the information he provides you with, because there is no barrier between the oppressed and the response to the Du'a he makes to Allah. This fact is mentioned in the following Hadith:
(( (Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: The Prophet (peace be upon him) sent Mu'adh to Yemen and said, "Be afraid, from the curse of the oppressed as there is no screen between his invocation and Allah.") ))
Inspect and look for the truth before you take any negative attitude towards someone and before you judge him arbitrarily. Do not call anyone a liar before you are pretty sure of the information he gives you.
﴾ (O you who believe! If a rebellious evil person comes to you with a news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful to what you have done.) ﴿
Do not make any judgments, do not take any negative stance, and do not take any decision before you get all the true information. The successful people are those who never make judgment until they inspect and look for the truth.
Sulaiman, peace be upon him, said as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ ([Sulaiman (Solomon)] said: "We shall see whether you speak the truth or you are (one) of the liars.) ﴿
Sulaiman tested the hoopoe:
Sulaiman wanted to test the hoopoe, but how would this great king test him? He said as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ ("Go you with this letter of mine, and deliver it to them, then draw back from them, and see what (answer) they return.") ﴿
[ [An-Naml, 28]
]
He gave him a letter to deliver to the queen of Saba', and we still have no idea about the content of the letter. King Sulaiman just wanted by this letter to make sure that the hoopoe was telling the truth or it was lying.
﴾ (...Then draw back from them and see what (answer) they return.") ﴿
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (...Then draw back from them, and see what (answer) they return.") ﴿
Based on the answer of the queen's people, Sulaiman, peace be upon him, would be able to see whether the hoopoe was telling the truth or not.
We move to another incident of the story which is considered a qualitative leap. It seems that the hoopoe went to the queen of Saba', and delivered the letter without letting anyone see it, because the queen said as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ (Here is delivered to me a noble letter) ﴿
After that, the hoopoe returned back.
The whole scene now is in Saba' in Yemen, where the queen said after seeing the letter:
﴾ (She said: "O chiefs! Verily! Here is delivered to me a noble letter) ﴿
She addressed the chiefs of her people after summoning them:
﴾ (She said: "O chiefs! Verily! Here is delivered to me…) ﴿
She did not know who delivered the letter. She said, as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ (Verily! Here is delivered to me a noble letter) ﴿
It seems that the queen read the letter, and so she knew that it was noble:
﴾ (Verily! Here is delivered to me a noble letter) ﴿
Let me explain why it is noble.
"Verily! It is from Sulaiman (Solomon)…":
The queen said as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ ("Verily! It is from Sulaiman (Solomon), and verily! It (reads): In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful) ﴿
It is noble because it is from Sulaiman, peace be upon him:
﴾ (…And verily! It (reads): In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful) ﴿
The letter is noble because it is from Prophet Sulaiman, peace be upon him, who never wrote anything in his name, in the name of his people or in the name of his state, but rather he only wrote it in the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. So, why was it a noble letter? Because it was sent from a man who spoke in the Name of Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He:
﴾ ("Verily! It is from Sulaiman (Solomon), and verily! It (reads): In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful) ﴿
Brevity is the soul of wit:
﴾ ("Be you not exalted against me, but come to me as Muslims (true believers who submit to Allah with full submission)') ﴿
"Be you not exalted against me, but come to me as Muslims" is the letter:
Brevity is the soul of wit:
This is the content of the letter. In Arabic literature, brief letters are called signatures. To clarify, people once complained to one of the Khulafa' (caliphs) against their governor, so he sent him a letter of few words. He wrote to him saying, "The complaints against you have increased, while the appreciators have decreased, so be just to them, lest you will be dismissed." That was all what he wrote. In another incident, one of the governors asked a Khalifah for ten thousand trunks to build a house for him, so the Khalifah sent a letter with an eloquent answer that said it all, "Tell me, are you going to build your house in Basra or will you bring Basra to your house?"
I return to the following Ayaat:
﴾ ("Verily! It is from Sulaiman (Solomon), and verily! It (reads): In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful* "Be you not exalted against me, but come to me as Muslims (true believers who submit to Allah with full submission)' ﴿
Sulaiman, peace be upon him, meant to say in his letter: Will you come to me O queen with your people as submitted Muslims?
﴾ ("Be you not exalted against me, but come to me as Muslims (true believers who submit to Allah with full submission)') ﴿
The following Hadith was reported in the Islamic tradition:
(( ("Whoever from among My servants gets disappointed with My creatures and takes refuge in Me, I shall realize his intentions. Then even if the Heavens and the Earth and whatever they contain plot against him, I shall provide means for him to be saved from them. I shall know the intentions of whomever from among My servants who take refuge in others. Then I will take away from him all the means in the Heavens and the Earth, and leave him alone. I will not be concerned about where he will die). ))
[ [Mentioned in the Islamic tradition] ]
No matter who is the one you seek his help might be, he will not be helpful to you, because only Allah the Almighty can help you. Even if you seek the help of half the people of the earth, you will get no help or support unless you put your trust in Allah the Almighty and seek His Help.
Our Master Sulaiman sought the Help of Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, so when he sent the letter to the queen if Saba' in Yemen, Queen Bilquis responded to his request. We will see next lesson insha' Allah how she came to him submitted and she embraced Islam.
