Passage hii ina picha tofauti za shukrani na ukosefu wake, pia inaonyesha kwamba baadhi ya nguvu na viumbe vimetiishwa, kwa mapenzi ya Mungu, kwa watu fulani ingawa kwa kawaida hawako chini ya binadamu yeyote. Mapenzi na uwezo wa Mungu havizuiliwi na yale ya kawaida au yanayojulikana kwa binadamu. Kupitia picha hizi tunajifunza mambo fulani kuhusu majini ambao baadhi ya washirikina waliwaabudu.

This passage contains contrasting images of gratitude and a lack of it, as well as making some powers and creatures subservient, by God’s will, to certain people even though they are not normally subordinate to any human being. God’s will and power are not limited to what is normal or familiar to humans. Through these images we learn certain things about the jinn whom some idolaters worshipped.

Wengine walijaribu kupata kupitia wao habari za ulimwengu usioonekana, lakini wao wenyewe hawajui chochote kuhusu ulimwengu huo. Pia tunapata taarifa za ziada kuhusu jinsi Shetani anavyoweza kumshinda mwanadamu, ingawa Shetani hana mamlaka yoyote juu ya mwanadamu isipokuwa kwa kiwango ambacho mwanadamu mwenyewe anampa kwa uchaguzi wake. Mambo mengine yaliyo wazi katika kifungu hiki yanahusu njia ambazo Mungu hufichua baadhi ya matendo ya siri ya binadamu ili yaonekane mbele yetu kwa hali halisi. Kisha atawapa thawabu wale waliohusika nayo katika maisha ya Akhera. Kifungu hiki kinahitimishwa, kama cha kwanza, kwa kutajwa kwa maisha ya Akhera.

Others tried to learn through them news from the world beyond perception, but they themselves know nothing about that realm. We also have additional information about how Satan can prevail over man, despite the fact that Satan has no power over man except in as much as man gives him this by his own choice. Other clear elements within the passage concern the means by which God reveals some secret human actions so that they appear before us in real terms. He will then give those responsible for them reward in the life to come. This passage concludes, like the first one, with a reference to the life to come.

“Tulimneemesha Daudi kwa fadhila Yetu. Tukasema: ‘Enyi milima, msifuni Mungu pamoja naye! Na ndege nao vilevile!’ Tukamlainishia chuma, tukisema: Tengenezeni mavazi ya chuma ya kujikinga na vipimo vyake vilivyopangwa kwa makini. Tendeni mema, nyote. Hakika Mimi naona yote mnayoyatenda.” (Aya 10-11) Daudi alikuwa wa aina ya waja iliyoelezwa mwishoni mwa sehemu ya kwanza ya sura hii: “Katika haya yote, kuna ishara kwa kila mja anayemrudia Mungu kwa toba.” (Aya 9) Sura inafuata kutaja hili kwa kusimulia baadhi ya historia yake, ikitanguliwa na maelezo ya neema ambayo Mungu alimpa: “Enyi milima, msifuni Mungu pamoja naye! Na ndege nao vilevile!” (Aya 10) Taarifa zinaonyesha kuwa Daudi alikuwa na sauti nzuri isiyo ya kawaida, na alikuwa akiimba Zaburi zake, ambazo ni sifa za Mungu zinazotajwa katika Agano la Kale, lakini Mungu ndiye ajuaye ni zipi kati yake zilikuwa za Daudi kweli. Hadithi sahihi inatuambia kwamba Mtume ﷺ alimsikia Abū Mūsā al-Ash`arī akisoma Qur’ani kwa sauti usiku sana. Alisimama kumsikiliza, kisha akasema:

“We graced David with Our favour. We said: ‘You mountains, sing with him God’s praises! And likewise you birds!’ We caused iron to become soft for him, saying: Make coats of mail and measure their links with care. Do good, all of you. I certainly see all that you do.” (Verses 10-11) David was the type of servant described at the end of the first part of the sūrah:” In all this, there is a sign for every servant of God turning to Him in repentance.” (Verse 9) The sūrah follows this reference by recounting some of his history, preambled by details of the grace God bestowed on him: “You mountains, sing with him God’s praises! And likewise you birds!” (Verse 10) Reports suggest that David had an unusually beautiful voice, and he used to sing his Psalms, which are praises of God mentioned in the Old Testament, but God knows which of them were truly David’s. An authentic ĥadīth tells us that the Prophet overheard Abū Mūsā al-Ash`arī reciting the Qur’ān deep at night. He stopped to listen to him, and then commented:

"Huyu mtu amepewa mojawapo ya Zaburi za Daudi." Maelezo ya Qur'ani yanaonyesha kwamba Daudi (amani iwe juu yake) alifikia kiwango cha juu sana cha ibada na uwazi katika sifa zake, hata vizuizi kati yake na viumbe vingine vikatoweka. Hivyo ukweli kati yao ukawa umeunganishwa, kwa kuwa wote wanamsifu Mungu. Ndiyo maana milima na ndege walirudia sifa zake kwa Mungu. Wote walipokuwa na uhusiano wa moja kwa moja na Mungu, kila kitu kilichotenganisha spishi na viumbe kiliondolewa. Walihisi kwamba uhusiano wao na Mungu ulishinda vizuizi vyote kati yao. Kwa hiyo, walirudiana katika kumsifu Mungu, wakifikia kiwango cha ajabu cha uwazi ambacho hakiwezi kufikiwa isipokuwa kwa neema ya Mungu.

‘This man has been given one of David’s Psalms.’ The Qur’ānic description shows that David (peace be upon him) attained such a sublime standard of devotion and transparency in his praises that barriers between him and other creatures disappeared. Thus the truth between them became interrelated as they all praise God. Hence the mountains and the birds echoed his praises of God. When all of them had direct links with God, whatever separates species and creatures was removed. They felt that their bond with God overcame all barriers between them. Hence, they echoed one another in praising God, attaining an extraordinary level of transparency which can only be attained through God’s grace.

Neema hii yote alipewa Daudi. Sulemani pia alipewa uwezo wa kufanya mambo ya ajabu, kama dhihirisho la neema ya Mungu: "Kwa Sulemani [Tulimtiishia] upepo: safari yake ya asubuhi ilikuwa ni mwezi mmoja, na safari yake ya jioni ilikuwa ni mwezi mmoja. Tulimfanyia chemchemi ya shaba iliyoyeyushwa itiririke, na baadhi ya majini walifanya kazi chini ya usimamizi wake kwa idhini ya Mola wao Mlezi. Yeyote miongoni mwao aliyepotoka na amri Yetu, Tutamuonjesha adhabu ya moto unaowaka. Walimtengenezea chochote alichotaka: maulamaa na sanamu, mabakuli makubwa kama mabwawa ya kunywesha, na kazani zilizotiwa imara. Tukasema, 'Fanyeni kazi kwa shukrani, enyi watu wa nyumba ya Daudi, kwani ni wachache sana miongoni mwa waja Wangu walio wenye shukrani.'" (Aya 12-13)

All this grace was given to David. Solomon was also given the ability to perform extraordinary feats, as a manifestation of God’s grace: “To Solomon [We made subservient] the wind: its morning course [covered the distance of] a month’s journey, and its evening course a month’s journey. We caused a fountain of molten brass to flow for him, and some of the jinn worked under his control by permission of his Lord. Whoever of them deviated from Our command We shall make him taste suffering through a blazing flame. They made for him whatever he pleased: shrines and statues, basins as large as watering troughs, and firmly anchored cauldrons. We said ‘Work thankfully, family of David, for few of My servants are truly thankful.’“ (Verses 12-13)

Kuna hadithi nyingi kuhusu upepo kutiishwa kwa Sulemani, lakini nyingi kati yake zinaonekana kuwa na asili ya Waisraeli, ingawa maandiko ya asili ya Kiyahudi hayataji chochote kuhusu jambo hili. Kwa hiyo ni bora zaidi kujizuia kujadili hadithi hizo na kujiweka ndani ya maandishi ya Qur'ani, tukifuata maana yake ya juu juu tu. Hivyo tunaweza kusema kwamba Mwenyezi Mungu aliuweka upepo chini ya amri ya Sulemani, ukisafiri mbele hadi mahali maalum [ambao, kwa mujibu wa Sura ya 21, Al-Anbiyaa, ni Ardhi Takatifu] kwa muda wa mwezi mmoja, kisha ukirudi safari yake kwa muda wa mwezi mmoja. Malengo fulani yalitimizwa kwa safari hizi mbili. Malengo haya yalijulikana kwa Sulemani, naye aliyatimiza kwa amri ya Mwenyezi Mungu. Hatupendi kusema zaidi kuhusu jambo hili ili tusijiingize katika hadithi zisizothibitishwa.

There are plenty of reports about the wind being subservient to Solomon, but many appear to have an Israelite origin even though the original Jewish texts do not mention anything about this. It is, therefore, much better to refrain from discussing these reports and to confine ourselves to the Qur’ānic text, going no further than its surface meaning. Thus we can say that God placed the wind at Solomon’s command, making it travel forward to a specific place [which according to Sūrah 21, The Prophets, is the Holy Land] for a month, and then making its return journey over a period of a month. Certain objectives were achieved by these two journeys. These were known to Solomon and he accomplished them by God’s command. We prefer not to say any more on this point so as not to indulge in unsubstantiated legends.

Daudi na familia yake walijawa shukrani kwa Mungu kwa baraka zake zote, na walitumia neema hizo kwa madhumuni mema. Watu wa Sheba, hata hivyo, wanapaswa kulinganishwa na mifano hiyo ya kuigwa. Katika Sura ya 27, An-Naml (Chungu), tunapata simulizi la yaliyotokea kati ya malkia wao na Sulemani. Hapa, hadithi inatoa maelezo ya yaliyowapata baada ya Sulemani, jambo linaloashiria kwamba matukio yaliyomo hapa yalitokea katika kipindi cha baadaye kuliko mazungumzo ya malkia na Sulemani. Kinachofanya hili kuwa na uwezekano zaidi ni kwamba hadithi hii inaeleza jinsi watu wa Sheba walivyokuwa wasio na shukrani kwa baraka za Mungu, ambazo kisha ziliondolewa, na watu wakatawanywa. Chini ya malkia aliyetajwa katika Sura ya 27, walifurahia kipindi cha wingi na walikuwa na nguvu nyingi sana. Taarifa ya kwanza aliyoipokea Sulemani kuhusu wao ilitoka kwa hudhudu aliyemwambia: "Nimemkuta huko mwanamke anayewatawala; naye amepewa kila kitu chema, na ana kiti cha enzi kikubwa. Nimemkuta yeye na watu wake wakisujudia jua badala ya Mungu; na Shetani amewapambia matendo yao, akawazuia njia [ya Mungu!], kwa hiyo hawawezi kuiona njia iliyo sawa." ({Sura 27: 23-24})

David and his family were full of gratitude to God for all His blessings and used such favours for good purpose. The people of Sheba, however, are to be contrasted with such role models. In Sūrah 27, The Ants, we have a report of what took place between their queen and Solomon. Here, the story gives an account of what happened to them after Solomon, which suggests that the events included here date back to a period after the queen’s exchanges with Solomon. What makes this more likely is that the story here speaks of Sheba’s people becoming ungrateful for God’s blessings, which were then withdrawn and the people scattered. Under the queen mentioned in Sūrah 27, they enjoyed a plentiful period and were very powerful. The first report received by Solomon about them was from a hoopoe who told him: “I found there a woman ruling over them; and she has been given of all good things, and hers is a magnificent throne. I found her and her people prostrating themselves to the sun instead of God; and Satan has made their deeds seem goodly to them, thus turning them away from the path [of God!, so that they cannot find the right way.” (27: 23-24)

Hii ilifuatiwa baadaye na kujisalimisha kwa malkia kwa Mungu, alipoukubali imani ya kiungu. Kwa hiyo, hadithi hii bila shaka ni ya kipindi cha baadaye. Inaeleza yaliyowapata baada ya kuigeuka njia ya Mungu na kukataa kumshukuru kwa neema zake.

This was subsequently followed by the queen’s submission to God, as she embraced the divine faith. The story here, then, is certainly of a subsequent period. It tells of what happened to them after they turned away from God and refused to thank Him for His favours.