Surah An Naml Tafseer

The Test of Bilqis

Allah tells:

قَالَ

He (Suleiman) said:

When Suleiman brought the throne of Bilqis before she and her people arrived, he issued orders that some of its features should be altered, so that he could test her and see whether she recognized it and how composed she would be when she saw it. Would she hasten to say either that it was her throne or that it was not! So he said:

نَكِّرُوا لَهَا عَرْشَهَا نَنظُرْ أَتَهْتَدِي أَمْ تَكُونُ مِنَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَهْتَدُونَ

Disguise her throne for her that we may see whether she will be guided, or she will be one of those not guided.

Ibn Abbas said:

"Remove some of its adornments and parts."

Mujahid said:

"He issued orders that it should be changed, so whatever was red should be made yellow and vice versa, and whatever was green should be made red, so everything was altered."

Ikrimah said,

"They added some things and took some things away."

Qatadah said,

"It was turned upside down and back to front, and some things were added and some things were taken away.