النمل
An-Naml
The Ant • makkah • 93 Verses
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طسٓ ۚ تِلْكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ وَكِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ
26:2; 28:2.
15:2; 26:3; 28:3.
Commentary:
For a general discussion about abbreviated letters see 2:2 & 19:2 and about طس see 26:2.
It is significant that whereas 26th and 28th chapters which have the abbreviated letters طسم in their beginning open with the verse "These are the verses of the clear Book", the present Surah which is prefixed with طس begins with the verse, "These are verses of the Quran, and of an illuminating Book." This shows that while in the former two Surahs the Quran was alluded to only with reference to Moses’ Book, in the present Surah it has been mentioned expressly and by name, as in the verse under comment as well as in vv. 7, 93.
One more fact deserves special notice. The verse has used two descriptive words for the Quran, viz. کتاب i.e. the Book and القرآن the Quran. The use of these two words implies a mighty prophecy that the Holy Book of Islam will continue to be preserved in the form of a book till the end of time and that it will be widely studied and read, the word قرآن meaning a book that is read. This prophecy was made at a time when the very art of printing had not yet been known and it was made to a people most of whom could not even read or write. The prophecy has met with marvellous fulfilment. Even the most hostile opponent of Islam can hardly deny the fact that no other book is so widely and frequently read as the Quran. The famous German orientalist Nöldeke writes: "Since the use of the Koran in public worship, in schools and otherwise, is much more extensive than, for example, the reading of the Bible in most Christian countries, it has been truly described as the most widely read book in existence" (Enc. Bri. 9th edit. vol. 16, p.597).
26:2; 27:2; 28:2.
15:2; 26:3; 28:3.
For a general discussion of the abbreviated letters see {16} and {1738} and about Ta Sin, see {2094}. It is significant that whereas the 26th and 28th Chapters which have the abbreviated letters Ta Sin Mim in their beginning, open with the verse, These are verses of the Book that makes things clear, the present Surah which is prefixed with the letters Ta Sin begins with the verse, These are verses of the Qur’an, and of an illuminating Book. This shows that while in the former two Chapters the Qur’an is alluded to only with reference to Moses’s Book, in the present Surah it has been mentioned by name, in its own right as in the verse under comment as well as in vv. 7 and 93.
The use of 'Al-Qur’an' and 'the Book' as qualifying words implies a mighty prophecy that the Holy Book of Islam will continue to be preserved in the form of a book till the end of time and that it will be widely studied and read, the word Qur’an meaning a book that is read. 'Since the use of the Koran in public worship, in schools and otherwise, is much more extensive than, for example, the reading of the Bible in most Christian countries, it has been truly described as the most widely read book in existence' (Enc. Bri. 9th edit. vol. 16, p. 597).
هُدًى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
2:3; 10:58; 12:112; 31:4.
Commentary:
The verse points to the two prominent characteristics of the Quran to which repeated reference has been made in it, viz. (1) that it is a guidance and (2) that it gives good tidings to the believers. These characteristics signify that the Quran contains all those rules of conduct, precepts and ordinances which are required for man’s moral and spiritual development and progress, and are essential for the achievement of the goal of human life, and that it also holds out to believers the promise that if they acted upon its teaching they will enjoy prosperity, prestige and power in this world and the pleasure and nearness of God in the life to come.
2:3; 10:58; 12:112; 31:4.
ٱلَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُم بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ
2:4; 8:4; 14:32; 31:5.
2:4; 8:4; 14:32; 31:5.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ زَيَّنَّا لَهُمْ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ فَهُمْ يَعْمَهُونَ
16:23; 17:11; 34:9.
Commentary:
Elsewhere in the Quran we have: "Satan made all that they did seem fair to them" (6:44) and "And when Satan made their deeds seem fair to them" (8:49). It is clear from these two verses that it is Satan who makes evil and mischievous deeds of evildoers look beautiful in their eyes. But in the verse under comment it is stated that God makes the deeds of disbelievers appear beautiful to them. Thus there seems to be a contradiction between the present verse and vv. 6:44; 8:49. But in reality there is no contradiction because it is a law that if a person pursues an evil course, thinking that he is not accountable for what he does he begins to justify his conduct as good and proper and so it begins to appear to him in that light. This, in fact, is the consequence of his own conduct but inasmuch as it comes about in accordance with a divine law, it is attributed to God, because it is God Who has ordained that disbelief in the Hereafter should result in evil deeds appearing beautiful in the eyes of disbelievers; otherwise God only commends good and righteous deeds and has made disbelief, transgression and disobedience hateful and repugnant (49:8).
16:23; 17:11; 34:9.
From vv. 6:44 and 8:49 it is clear that it is Satan who makes evil and mischievous deeds of evil-doers look beautiful in their eyes. But in the verse under comment it is stated that God makes the deeds of disbelievers appear beautiful to them. It is a natural law that when a person pursues an evil course, thinking that he is not accountable for what he does, he begins to justify his conduct as good and proper, and thus it begins to appear to him in that light. This, in fact, is the consequence of his own conduct but inasmuch as it comes about in accordance with a Divine Law, it is here attributed to God.
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَهُمْ سُوٓءُ ٱلْعَذَابِ وَهُمْ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ هُمُ ٱلْأَخْسَرُونَ
وَإِنَّكَ لَتُلَقَّى ٱلْقُرْءَانَ مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ عَلِيمٍ
Important Words:
تلقی (thou hast been given) is derived from لقی. They say لقی فلانا i.e. he met him, found him, saw him, came face to face with him. لقی فلانا الشیء (laqqa) means, he threw the thing towards him, he made him meet or experience it. See 2:38 and 24:16.
Commentary:
The verse is a clear denial of the charge that the Holy Prophet had his own ideas written down and collected in the form of a book and called it "the Quran." It also constitutes an unequivocal declaration of the fact that the Prophet learnt the Quran direct from the Wise and All-Knowing God.
The verse constitutes a clear denial of the charge that the Holy Prophet had his own ideas written down and collected in the form of a book and called it 'The Qur’an,' and is an unequivocal declaration that he received the Qur’an directly from the Wise and All-Knowing God.
إِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِأَهْلِهِۦٓ إِنِّىٓ ءَانَسْتُ نَارًا سَـَٔاتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ أَوْ ءَاتِيكُم بِشِهَابٍ قَبَسٍ لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ
20:11; 28:30.
Important Words:
تصطلون (warm yourselves) is derived from اصطلی which is the same as صلی. They say صلی النار i.e. he was or became burned by the fire or he endured the heat of the fire. اصطلی means, he warmed or burned himself by the fire (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
It was not actual fire that Moses had seen. Had it been so he would have used the expression انی آنست النار i.e. I have perceived the fire, instead of انی آنست ناراً i.e. I have perceived a fire. In fact it was a vision that Moses had seen, fire symbolizing the love of God. It is worthy of note that most of the major incidents connected with Moses that have been mentioned in the Quran, were not incidents which actually took place in the material and physical world but were visions which symbolized great landmarks in his spiritual development and prophetic mission. Besides the vision about the rod (7:118) and that concerning the breaking of the mountain into pieces (7:144) there are other important instances of such visions in the Quran, the verse under comment affording one such instance. See also 20:11.
20:11; 28:30.
It was not actual fire that Moses had seen. Had it been so he would have used the expression 'I have perceived the fire,' instead of 'I have perceived a fire.' In fact, it was a vision that Moses had seen, 'fire' symbolising the love of God. It is worthy of note that most of the major incidents, connected with Moses that have been mentioned in the Qur’an, were not incidents which actually took place in the physical world but only visions symbolizing great landmarks in the course of his spiritual development and prophetic mission. Besides the vision about the rod there are mentioned other important instances of such visions in the Qur’an (7:144), the verse under comment affording one such instance.
فَلَمَّا جَآءَهَا نُودِىَ أَنۢ بُورِكَ مَن فِى ٱلنَّارِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا وَسُبْحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
Commentary:
The expression من فی النار و من حولھا may have the following two interpretations: (a) who is in search of the fire, and who is near it; (b) who is actually in the fire and who is about to enter it, 'fire' symbolizing the fire of God’s love or the fire of trials and tribulations.
It is wrong to apply, as some commentators of the Quran have done, the expression بورک من فی النار to God. The word بورک(blessed) being in passive voice cannot be used about God, the right word to use about the Almighty is تبارک which means, He is blessed.
The expression may mean, (a) who is in search of the fire, and who is near it; (b) who is actually in the fire and who is about to enter it, 'fire' symbolising the fire of God’s love or the fire of trials and tribulations. The fire was not God, nor was God in the fire. It was only a Divine manifestation which cast its glow upon all that was near.
يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
20:12-13, 15; 28:31; 79:17.
Commentary:
The fire was not God, nor was God in the 'fire.' Holy is He and exalted far above assuming any material shape or being confined to space. The 'fire' was a manifestation of God which cast its reflection upon all that was near.
20:12, 13; 28:31.
وَأَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۚ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَآنٌّ وَلَّىٰ مُدْبِرًا وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ ۚ يَٰمُوسَىٰ لَا تَخَفْ إِنِّى لَا يَخَافُ لَدَىَّ ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ
7:118; 20:20; 28:32.
Commentary:
For a detailed discussion of the miracle of the rod and the white hand see 7:108 & 109.
إِلَّا مَن ظَلَمَ ثُمَّ بَدَّلَ حُسْنًۢا بَعْدَ سُوٓءٍ فَإِنِّى غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Commentary:
The particle إلا is used here as إستشناء منقطع and introduces a new statement; or it may have been used in the sense of ولا meaning "and not" or "nor." In this sense of the word the verse under comment conjoined with the preceding verse would mean: the Messengers need have no fear in My presence nor those who do wrong and then substitute good for evil. For discussion of إستشناء منقطع see 2:35.
وَأَدْخِلْ يَدَكَ فِى جَيْبِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَآءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوٓءٍ ۖ فِى تِسْعِ ءَايَٰتٍ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَقَوْمِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ قَوْمًا فَٰسِقِينَ
7:109; 17:102; 20:24.
Commentary:
For nine signs see 7:134. Briefly, they were: the signs (1) of the rod and (2) the white hand (7:108-109); (3) of lice; (4) frogs; and (5) locusts; (6) of blood; (7) and storm; (7:134); (8) of drought and (9) destruction of fruits (7:131).
17:102; 20:23, 24.
For 'nine Signs' see 17:102. Briefly, they were the Signs (1) of the rod and (2) of the white hand (7:108, 109); (3) of lice; (4) of frogs which implied unusual, incessant rains; and (5) of locusts; (6) of blood, i.e. a plague which caused bleeding from the nose; (7) and of storm which caused the sea- water to overwhelm Pharaoh and his hosts when they were crossing the sea after the Israelites had crossed it safely (7:134); (8) of drought and (9) of destruction of fruits (7:131).
فَلَمَّا جَآءَتْهُمْ ءَايَٰتُنَا مُبْصِرَةً قَالُوا۟ هَٰذَا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ
43:31; 61:7.
Important Words:
مبصرة (sight-giving) is act. participle from أبصر which is again derived from بصر which means, he saw, he became seeing. أبصرہ means, he perceived it mentally; he knew or understood
it. مبصرة means, clear, manifest; illumining; sight-giving, causing to have mental perception or knowledge (Lane & Aqrab). See also 7:204 & 12:94.
وَجَحَدُوا۟ بِهَا وَٱسْتَيْقَنَتْهَآ أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا ۚ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
2:88.
2:88.
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ وَسُلَيْمَٰنَ عِلْمًا ۖ وَقَالَا ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى فَضَّلَنَا عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّنْ عِبَادِهِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Commentary:
After a brief account of Moses, the Founder of the Israelite Dispensation and its greatest Prophet, the present and the following several verses make a special mention of David and Solomon. Of all the Israelite Prophets particular reference to these two Prophets in the verse possesses a special significance. The Israelite power, prosperity and prestige had attained their zenith in the reigns of the two Prophets. David was a great warrior and a mighty and sagacious statesman. He was the founder of the Judean dynasty at Jerusalem and the real builder of the Hebrew kingdom. Through him all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba became united and organized into a powerful nation whose kingdom extended from the Euphrates to the Nile. Solomon consolidated the kingdom he had inherited from his father. He was a great and good monarch. He greatly extended and developed the trade and commerce of his country. He was the master-builder among the Israelite kings and is best known for the building of the famous Temple at Jerusalem, which became the Qiblahof the Israelites. The special reference in these verses to these two mighty Israelite kings implies a prophecy that rulers of as mighty, even mightier, empires and enjoying as great, even greater, glory and prosperity will also rise among the followers of the Holy Prophet Muhammad who was the like of Moses.
The words "We gave knowledge to David and Solomon" may either mean that God endowed them with wisdom and knowledge in abundance as is apparent from the wise decisions they made or that being Divine Messengers God disclosed to them the secrets of the unknown and imparted to them special understanding and realization of Divine attributes which constitute the fountainhead of all knowledge. In reality the greatest proof of the truth of a Divine teacher consists in the fact that he is vouchsafed in an unusually large measure knowledge of the things beyond human ken (72:27-28). This is one explanation of the above-mentioned words. They may also imply an allusion to the great progress and advance made during the reigns of these two Prophets in navigation and in the preparation of implements of war which is also a branch of knowledge and to which a reference has been made in the verses that immediately follow, and also in 21:81-83; 34:11-14; 38:19-21.
David was a great warrior and a mighty and sagacious statesman. He was the founder of the Judean dynasty and the real builder of the Hebrew Kingdom. Through him all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba became united and organised into a powerful nation whose Kingdom extended from the Euphrates to the Nile. Solomon consolidated the Kingdom he had inherited from his father. He too was a great and good monarch. He greatly extended and developed the trade and commerce of his country. He was the master-builder among the Israelite Kings and is best known for the building of the famous Temple at Jerusalem, which became the Qiblah of the Israelites.
وَوَرِثَ سُلَيْمَٰنُ دَاوُۥدَ ۖ وَقَالَ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ عُلِّمْنَا مَنطِقَ ٱلطَّيْرِ وَأُوتِينَا مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ ٱلْفَضْلُ ٱلْمُبِينُ
Important Words:
منطق (language) is derived from نطق which means, he spoke with sound and letters which made clear his meaning. نطق الکتابmeans, the book explained and made clear. Thus نطق (nutq) applies to both articulate and inarticulate speech and to the condition of a thing which is as significant as articulate speech. It is of two kinds: external, viz. spoken words; internal, viz. understanding. The word is also used with regard to animals and birds when the use is metaphorical (Aqrab & Mufradat).
For طیر (birds) see next verse.
Commentary:
Solomon was heir to both the temporal power and prophetic office and spiritual knowledge of his father, David. The word ورث (was heir) here has special reference to the spiritual heritage of David because whereas kingship and temporal power and property descend from father to son, prophethood does not. Birds and insects have their own means of communication. Migratory birds fly from one region to another with the change in weather. They fly in flocks and their flight is orderly. Similarly, ants live in communities and the bees have a well-regulated system of government. This could not be possible without there being some means of communication between them. This means of communication may be called their language. Prophets David and Solomon are stated here to have been taught the language of birds which may be taken as signifying that they had learnt how to make use of birds. The art of using birds for carrying messages from one place to another had been very much developed by Solomon and frequent use of it made in the management of the far-flung empire over which he ruled.
If the word طیر be taken to signify righteous men (3:50) who soar high into the spiritual firmament and attain nearness to God, the words "we have been taught the language of birds" would mean that David and Solomon knew the language in which God’s Elect speak i.e. they possessed the wisdom and knowledge that is given to highly spiritual men.
The expression "and we have had everything bestowed upon us," means that all things that were necessary to make the Israelites a strong and prosperous people were bestowed upon them in the reigns of David and Solomon. It clearly does not mean that every existing thing was given to them. The words point to no exclusive prerogative of these two Prophets. Identical words have been used with regard to the Queen of Saba’ (27:24).
Mantiq (Language) is derived from Nataqa which means, he spoke with sound and letters which made clear his meaning. Thus Nutq applies to both articulate and inarticulate speech and also to the condition of a thing which is as significant as articulate speech. It is external, viz. spoken words; and internal, viz. understanding. The word is also used with regard to animals and birds when the use is metaphorical (Mufradat). Birds and insects have their own means of communication. Migratory birds fly from one region to another with the change in weather. They fly in flocks and their flight is orderly. Similarly, ants live in communities and the bees have a well-regulated system of government. This could not be possible without there being some means of communication between them. This means of communication may be called their language. Prophets David and Solomon are here stated to have been taught the language of birds which may be taken as signifying that they had learnt how to make use
وَحُشِرَ لِسُلَيْمَٰنَ جُنُودُهُۥ مِنَ ٱلْجِنِّ وَٱلْإِنسِ وَٱلطَّيْرِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ
38:19-20.
Important Words:
یوزعون (formed into separate groups) is derived from وزع. They say وزع فلانا او بفلان i.e. he hindered or led or drove such a one and restrained him, and he incited or urged him with such a one. وزع الجیش means, he stopped the first part of the army so that their last part may join them. They say رأیته یزع الجیش i.e. I saw that he was arranging the soldiers in proper order and placing them in rows. وزع المال بینھم (wazza’a) means, he distributed the property among them. أوزع اللّٰه فلانا means, God inspired such a one. الاوزاع means, parties; companies (Aqrab). Thus according to the different significations of the root word, the Quranic expression فھم یوزعون would mean, they were formed into separate groups or classes; (2) they were hindered from cruel and tyrannous acts; (3) they marched like an ordered and disciplined army; and (4) their first part was stopped so that their last part might join them. These words show that Solomon had a well-trained and disciplined army which had several separate and distinct departments.
طیر (birds) is the plural of طائر which is active participle from طار which means, it flew or moved in the air by means of wings. طیر besides meaning "birds" may also apply to swift animals such as horses, etc. طیار (tayyar) which is an intensive form of طائر signifies a sharp-spirited and quick-footed horse that runs so fast that it seems to be flying (Lane). See also 3:50; 7:132 & 17:14.
جن (jinn) is derived from جن (janna). جنه means, it concealed, veiled, covered or protected him. جن means, the darkness of night or its intense darkness; such beings as keep aloof from the people as if remaining concealed, i.e. big people (Lane). Jinn in the present verse may represent mountain or wild people who had not till then been subjugated.
Commentary:
The verse under comment should be read along with 21:83; 34:13 & 38:38. It seems to refer to the military personnel of Solomon’s army. The three words جن (jinn), انس (men) and طیر (birds) may represent three departments of his army. In the present verse and in 34:13, the word جن (jinn) has been used to represent a particular section of the army while in 21:83 & 38:38, the word شیاطین has been used to represent the same class. It seems that Solomon had subdued and subjugated some wild tribes, this approximately being the sense of both the words جن and شیاطین who formed an integral part of his army and did sundry other difficult tasks for him.
The word طیر denoting swift-footed horses may represent Solomon’s cavalry. This meaning of the word finds corroboration in 38:32-34 where Solomon has been stated to possess great love for horses. Thus whereas جن (jinn) and انس(men) represented two sections of Solomon’s infantry, طیر (birds) stood for his cavalry. But if طیر may be taken to mean 'birds' then it would signify birds which Solomon employed for carrying messages. Thus they also formed a very useful and necessary adjunct to his army.
But these three words may also have been used in a metaphorical sense signifying respectively "big men," "ordinary men" and "highly spiritual men." In this sense of the words the verse would mean that while on military expeditions Solomon had all these three classes of men with him because they all had their usefulness.
38:19, 20.
'Jinn' here may signify mountain or wild tribes. The verse under comment should be read along with vv. 21:83; 34:13 and 38:38. It seems to refer to the military personnel of Solomon’s army. The three words—Jinn, Ins (men) and Tair (birds)—may represent three departments of his army. In the present verse and in 34:13, the word Jinn has been used to represent a particular section of the army while in 21:83 and 38:38, the word Shayatin has been used to represent the same class. It seems that Solomon had subdued and subjugated some wild tribes, this approximately being the sense of both the words, Jinn and Shayatin, who formed an integral part of his army and did sundry, other hard tasks for him. The word Tair denoting swift-footed horses may represent Solomon’s cavalry. This meaning of the word finds corroboration in 38:32-34 where Solomon has been stated to possess great love for horses. Thus whereas Jinn and Ins (men) represented
Tair, besides meaning 'birds,' may also apply to swift-footed animals such as horses, etc. Tayyar which is an intensive form of Ta’ir signifies a sharp-spirited and quick-footed horse which runs so fast that it seems to be flying (Lane & Lisan).
Waza‘a means, he stopped the first part of the army so that their last part may join them. Huwa Yada‘ul-Jaisha means, he was arranging the soldiers in proper order and placing them in rows (Aqrab). The Quranic expression means: (1) They were formed into separate groups. (2) They marched like an ordered and disciplined army. (3) Their first part was stopped so that their last part might join them. These words show that Solomon had a well-trained and disciplined army which had several separate and distinct departments.
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَتَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ وَادِ ٱلنَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّمْلُ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ مَسَٰكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَٰنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
Commentary:
نمل (Naml) being a proper noun, واد النمل (the valley of Naml) does not mean the valley of ants as is generally misunderstood but the valley where a tribe named Naml lived. In Qamus under the word برق we have الابرقة من میاہ النملة i.e. Abriqah is one of the springs of Namlah. So Naml is the name of a tribe just as Mazin (مازن) which means the eggs of ants is the name of an Arab tribe. In Arabia it was not an uncommon practice that tribes were named after animals and beasts such as Banu Asad, Banu Taghlab, Banu Kalb, Banu Naml, etc. Moreover, the use of the words ادخلوا (enter) and مساکنکم(your habitations) in the verse lends powerful support to the view that Naml was a tribe, since the former word is used only for rational beings and the expression مساکنکم (your habitations) has been used in the Quran exclusively for human habitations (29:39; 32:27). Thus نملة means a person of the tribe of النمل; a Namlite. The said Namlite was possibly their leader and had ordered the people to get out of the way of the army of Solomon and enter their houses.
According to some authorities this valley is situated between Jibrin and ‘Asqalan. ‘Asqalan is a town on the sea coast, twelve miles to the north of Gaz, near Sinai (Taqwimul-Buldan). Jibrin is a town in the north, situated in the vilayat of Damascus. This shows that the Valley of Naml is situated near the sea coast, opposite to or near Jerusalem, lying on the route from Damascus to Hijaz, at a distance of about a hundred miles from it. This part of the country was up to the time of Solomon inhabited by the Arabs and the Midianites. (See ancient and modern maps of Syria and Palestine). According to other authorities, however, it is situated in Yemen. This latter view seems to be more akin to reality. In view of this historical fact fabulous legends woven round this valley are mere conjectures of the commentators of the Quran. The simple fact seems to be that while on a military expedition to Saba’, Solomon might have passed by the valley where the tribe called Namlah lived.
It further appears from the verse that the piety and godliness of Solomon’s soldiers was famed far and wide. They would not knowingly harm or injure any people. This seems to be the implication of the words "and they knew not" and this is what pleased Solomon as is clear from the next verse.
Naml being a proper noun, "the Valley of An-Naml" does not mean the valley of ants as is generally misunderstood but the valley where a tribe named Naml lived. In Qamus we have, al-Abriqatu min Miyahili Namlati, i.e. Abriqah is one of the springs of Namlah. So Naml was the name of a tribe just as Mazin (Hamasah), which means the eggs of ants, was the name of an Arab. In Arabia it was not an uncommon practice that tribes were named after animals and beasts such as Banu Asad, Banu Kalb, Banu Naml, etc. Moreover, the use of the words Udkhulu (enter) and Masakinakum (your habitations) in the verse lends powerful support to the view that Naml was a tribe, since the former verb is used only for rational beings and the latter expression (your habitations) also has been used in the Qur’an exclusively for human habitations (29:39; 32:27). Thus Namlah means a person of the tribe of An- Naml—a Namlite. The said Namlite was possibly their leader and had ordered the people to get
It appears that the piety and godliness of Solomon’s soldiers was famed far and wide. They would not knowingly harm or injure any people. This seems to be the implication of the words, while they knew not, and this is what pleased Solomon as is clear from the next verse.