34. Surah Saba

In verse 13: يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُ مَا يَشَاءُ مِن مَّحَارِ‌يبَ وَتَمَاثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍ كَالْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ‌ رَّ‌اسِيَاتٍ (They used to make for him whatever he wished of castles, images, basins as (large as) tanks and big cook-wares fixed in their places), there is a somewhat detailed description of the jobs Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) assigned to the Jinns. The word: مَحَاریب (maharib, translated above as 'castles' ) is the plural form of: مِحرَاب (mihrab) and is used to identify the noblest part of the house. When kings and men of authority make a state operation chamber, sort of power niche for themselves, it is also known as mihrab. Then the word: is a derivation from: حَرب (harb) meaning war. One makes a seat of power for himself, keeps it safe against being approached by others, and should anyone resort to any high-handedness, he would fight against the aggressor. Given this congruity, the special section of a mansion is called mihrab. Then the masajid or mosques as such are, on occasions, referred to as maharib. When reference is made to the maharib of sahabah from among the maharib of Ban' Isra'il and Islam, it means their Masajid or mosques. The injunction of having a separate place for making a Mihrab in Masajid As far as the blessed period of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the rightly-guided Khulafa' is concerned, the custom of making the place where the Imam stands as a separate special unit just did not exist. After the early centuries of Islam, the kings promoted this custom for their security and, among common Muslims, it found currency due to the expedient consideration that the whole row where the Imam stands remains empty. It is in view of the large number of people praying in the congregation of masajid already short on space that only a place for the Imam to stand is made by going in depth toward the wall facing the Qiblah so that full rows could be formed behind him. Since this method did not prevail during the early centuries of Islam, some ` Ulama' have dubbed it as bid'ah (innovation in the established religious practice of Islam). Shaykh Jalaluddin as-Suyuti' has written a regular treatise entitled: I` lam-ul-'Aranib fi Bid` atil-Maharib on this issue. However, the correct position in this matter is that, should mihrabs of this nature be made for the convenience of the people praying, and in the best interests of the masjid - without taking it to be the desired Sunnah - then, there is no reason to call it a bid'ah (innovation in established religion). Yes, if this is made to be the desired Sunnah, and whoever does anything against it gets to be censured, then, this excess (ghuluww) can make such an action fall under the purview of bid'ah. Ruling If mihrab is made in the form of a regular place for the Imam to stand and lead the prayers, it is incumbent on the Imam that he stands slightly outside the mihrab in a manner that his feet remain out of the mihrab, so that the place in which the Imam and the muqtadis (those praying behind the Imam) can be counted as one. Otherwise, reprehensible and impermissible is the situation in which the Imam stands alone in a separate place and the rest of the muqtadis, in another. Some masajid would make a mihrab so spacious that it would be good enough to hold a small row of muqtadis within it. In a mihrab such as this, should a row of muqtadis also stand in the mihrab and the Imam stands ahead of them, being fully inside the mihrab, then, because of the Imam and the muqtadis being on common grounds, the element of harahah (reprehensibility) will no more be there. The next word: تَمَاثِیل (tamathil, translated above as 'images' ) is the plural form of: J (timthal). It appears in the Arabic Lexicon, al-Qamus, that: تِمثَال (timthal) with a fathah on the letter: sUi (ta' is a verbal noun, and the word: تِمثَال (timthal) with a kasrah on the letter: اَلتَاء (ta) denotes a picture. In Ahkam-ul-Qur'an, Ibn-ul-` Arabi has said that timthal, that is, a picture is of two kinds: (1) The picture of animate and living things, (2) that of inanimate and lifeless things. After that, inanimate things are further divided in two kinds: (1) Jamad or inorganic in which there is no increase and growth, such as, rock or soil, (2) nami or organic in which increase and growth go on, such as, trees and crops. The Jinns used to make pictures of all kinds of these things for Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) . To begin with, the very generality of the Qur'anic word: تَمَاثِیل (tamathil: images) lends support to the view that these pictures were not those of some particular kind, instead, were common to all kinds. Then there are the historical narratives in which the presence of the pictures of birds on the throne of Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) has also been mentioned. The prohibition of making and using pictures of the living in Shari’ ah The cited verse (12) tells us that making and using pictures of the living was not haram (forbidden) in the Shari` ah of Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) . But, experience bore out that pictures of people were made among past communities to pay homage to them, then they were put in their houses of worship to serve as reminders of their devotion in the hope that it might enable them too to devote likewise. This did not happen. Gradually, what really happened was that these people made these very pictures the objects of their worship and thus began the worship of idols and icons. In short, the pictures of the living creatures made in past communities became the conduit of idol-worship. Since it is divinely destined that the Shari` ah of Islam must stay and survive right through the Day of Judgment, therefore, particular attention has been paid there to block the intrusion of the undesirable. Hence, the way sins and initially haram things have been made unlawful, similarly, their conduits and close causes have also been made unlawful by appending these to main sins and haram things. Of crimes, the real one, and the most serious, happens to be shirk and idol-worship. When this was forbidden, the law of Islam did not leave the ways and means that could smuggle idol-worship in it unchecked. It was boldly and wisely checked when the conduits and close causes of idol-worship were also prohibited. Making and using pictures of the living was made prohibited on this very basis. That it is unlawful stands proved on the authority of the ahadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، ahadith that are sound, authentic, and have been transmitted in an uninterrupted succession. Similarly, when liquor was made haram, also made haram were its buying and selling, wages to deliver or carry it, and its making, everything about it, being the conduits of drinking. When theft was made haram, the very entry in someone's house without permission, in fact, even peeping in from outside the house was prohibited. When zina (fornication, adultery) was made haram, even casting a look intentionally at a non-mahram was also made haram. Comparable examples of it abound in the Shari` ah of Islam. The prohibition of pictures: A common doubt and its answer It can be said that the use of pictures during the blessed time of the Holy Prophet ﷺ could have become a source of idol-worship. But, in our time, pictures serve many purposes, such as establishing identity of criminals, advertising trademarks, meeting friends and relatives, investigating events and circumstances and so many other things. For this reason, it has been included in one of the necessities of life. In this, the apprehension of any idol-worship is far too remote to conceive. As such, this prohibition that was made to offset the danger of idol-worship should now be lifted. Answer to this doubt is that First of all, it is not correct to say that, in our time, pictures are no more a source of idol-worship. Even today, there are so many sects and groups who worship their peers. Then, it is not necessary either that the wisdom behind an operative divine order should be found in every individual case. In addition to that, the sole reason for the prohibition of pictures is not that it is a conduit of idol-worship. In fact, there are Sahih (sound and authentic) ahadith in which other reasons for this prohibition have also been given. For example, picture making is a duplication of the special attribute of Allah Ta’ ala. The name: مُصَوَّر (musawwir: the giver of form, shape, color and real presence) is one of the most beautiful names of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ ala, and making of pictures (and the giving of form, shape and presence) is, in reality, befitting for Him and it lies within His power to create among His creations thousands in terms of genus, race, class, category and kinds with millions and billions of living units in each kind, each different in shape. Take the example of human beings. The form and shape of men is different. So is the form and shape of women. There have been billions of individual men and women. None of them were absolutely like anyone else. The distinct features of every person are so manifest that an onlooker would easily recognize him without much hesitation. Who can claim to give the creatures such marvelous shapes other than Allah Almighty? A human being who makes a picture, or painting, or statue of someone living is claiming, for all practical purposes, that he or she too can make (the same) 'images.' Therefore, it appears in the Sahih of al-Bukhari and in other ahadith that, on the Day of Judgment, those who make pictures will be told: When you have tried to imitate Us, make the imitation perfect too - if you have the power to do so. We did not simply make an image. We have invested it with a spirit too. If you claim to have 'created' it, then, you better put a spirit inside the thing you have 'made’. Another reason why a picture is prohibited appears in Sahih ahadith where it is said that the angels of Allah hate pictures and dogs. Angels do not enter the house that has these, because of which, the bliss and radiance of the house is gone, and the ability of the inmates to worship and remain obedient to Allah is reduced. Then, along with it, not so wrong is the well-known saying: خانہ خالی را دیو می گیرد (A vacant house is occupied by demons). So, when some house remains unvisited by angels of mercy, who else but the devils and demons will be all over it staying there to sow scruples of sins first and then give the intention and the courage to fall into them. Yet another reason appearing in some ahadith is that pictures are unnecessary embellishment of this world. Of course, in our time, pictures yield many benefits but thousands of crimes, including those that range between immodesty and pornography, also breed and flourish from these very pictures. In short, it is not simply one reason alone that was made basis for its prohibition, rather, there is a host of reasons why the Shari'ah of Islam has declared it prohibited to make and use pictures of the living. Now, if we were to suppose that there is some particular person in whom those causes are not found, then, from this stray incidence, the rule of the Shari'ah cannot change. According to a narration from Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ appearing in the .Sahih of al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said: اَشَدُّ النَّاسِ عَذَاباً یَّومَ القِامۃ المُصَوِّرُونَ Of people the most affected by punishment on the Day of Judgment shall be the makers of pictures. And in some other narrations of Hadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ t has been reported to havb cursed the makers of pictures. Then, a narration from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ appearing in the two Sahihs of al-Bukhari and Muslim reports that the Holy Prophet ﷺ t said: کُلُّ مُصَوِّرِ فِی النَّارِ Every maker of pictures will be in the Jahannam. This humble writer has put together detailed evidences concerning this issue from the narrations of Hadith and the practice of the early forbears of Islam in his treatise entitled, At-taswir li-ahkam-it-taswir. Also included in it, there are answers to doubts entertained by people. If needed, please consult. A photograph is also a picture Some people argue that a photo is outside the definition of taswir or picture, because it is a shadow, or reflection, as it would appear in mirror or water. So, they would argue, the way it is permissible to look at yourself in a mirror, in the same way, a photo picture is also permissible. But this argument is absolutely wrong, because a reflection or shadow is a reflection until it has not been made to last through some device. Take the example of mirror or water. Your reflection in it will be gone once you move away from it. If the reflection of this figure were to be made lasting through the use of some chemical process or device, this very thing will become a picture, the forbiddance and prohibition of which stands proved from ahadith appearing in an uninterrupted succession. A detailed discussion relating to the issue of photographs has also been included in my treatise on pictures referred to earlier. The next word: جِفَان (jifan, translated in the text as 'basins' ) is the plural of: جَفنَۃ (jafnah) which means a large dish-like pan or tub to hold ample supply of water, and the word: اَلجَوِاب (aljawab, translated above as 'tanks' ) in: کَالجَوَابِ (kaljawab) is the plural of: جاَبِیَۃ (jabiyah). A small water tank is called: جابیہ (jabiyah). The sense is that they would make water-storing utensils so large as would hold water equal to that of a small tank. The first of the next two words: قُدُور (qudur, translated above as 'cook-wares' ) is the plural of: قِدر (qidr) which is spelt with the Kasrah of the letter: القَاف (qaf). It means a pot (to boil or cook. The last of the two words: رَاسِیَات (rasiyat, translated as 'fixed at their place' ) refers to their state as being set where they were. The sense is that they used to make these cauldrons so huge and heavy that they were virtually immovable - and it is also possible that they would have made these cauldrons fixed on the ovens of solid rock, and therefore they were immovable in that respect. Early Tafsir authority, Dahhak has given this very explanation of these words. In verse 13: اعْمَلُوا آلَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرً‌ا وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ‌ (Do good, 0 family of Dawud, in thankfulness. And few from My slaves are thankful." [ 34:13]), after having stated that Sayyidna Dawud and Sulayman (علیہما السلام) were particularly blessed by Allah Ta’ ala, they and their family and children have been ordered to remain grateful. The reality of Shukr (gratitude) and its injunctions According to Al-Qurtubi, the reality of shukr (gratitude) is that one admits that this blessing has been bestowed by such and such giver and then goes on to use it in consonance with the spirit of his pleasure and in obedience to him. Therefore, using the blessing bestowed by someone counter to his pleasure is ungratefulness and a virtual denial of that blessing. This tells us that the way gratefulness can be in words, it can also be expressed by acts. When expressed by acts, it would mean the use of that blessing in accordance with the pleasure of the giver and in obedience to him. Abu 'Abdur-Rahman As-Sulami has said that Salah is gratitude, fasting is gratitude, and every good deed is gratitude. And Muhammad Ibn Ka'b al-Qurazi says that gratitude is the name of piety and righteous conduct. (Ibn Kathir) In the verse under study, the noble Qur'an could have used the comparatively brief expression اَشکُرُونِی (ushkuruni: thank Me), but the words used are اعْمَلُوا شُكْرً‌ا ‌ Perhaps this expression is adopted to release the hint that the gratitude expected from the House of Dawud was gratitude in practice. (The translation in the text has taken care of this hint by saying, 'Do good....' ) This injunction was carried out so faithfully by Sayyidna Dawud and Sulayman (علیہما السلام) and their families and children, both in word and deed, that no time passed in their homes when they did not have an individual member of the family standing exclusively devoted to worship. In fact, specific time was allotted to all family members for this purpose. As a result, the prayer mat of Sayyidna Dawud (علیہ السلام) would not remain unoccupied at any time by one or the other maker of prayer. (Ibn Kathir) According to Hadith in al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said that the dearest prayer to Allah is that of Dawud (علیہ السلام) . He would sleep half of the night, stand in worship for one third of it, and then, sleep -during the last one sixth. And the dearest fasts to Allah are the fasts of Dawud علیہ السلام ، for he would fast on alternate days. (Ibn Kathir) It has been reported from Fudayl (رح) that following the revelation of this command of gratitude to Sayyidna Dawud (علیہ السلام) ، he submitted before Allah Ta’ ala: '0 my Lord, how could I show my gratitude to You fully and sufficiently while my gratitude too, be it oral or practical, is nothing but a blessing bestowed by You? On this too, a separate gratitude becomes due.' Allah Ta’ ala said, اَلاٰنَ شَکَرتنِی یَا داؤدُ (Now, 0 Dawud, you did thank Me). The reason was that he had realized his inability to thank Him as was His due, and had made a confession to that effect. Tirmidhi and Abu Bakr al-Jassas (رح) report from Sayyidna ` Ata' Ibn Yasar ؓ that when this verse: اعْمَلُوا آلَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرً‌ا (Do good, 0 family of Dawud, in thankfulness) was revealed, the Holy Prophet ﷺ came to the pulpit, recited this verse and then said, "There are three acts whoever accomplishes them would achieve the same excellence as was bestowed on the House of Dawud." The noble Sahabah asked: "Ya RasulAllah, what are those three acts?" He said, "Staying firm on justice in states of pleasure and displeasure both; and taking the path of moderation in states of prosperity and adversity both; and fearing Allah both in private and in public." (Qurtubi, Ahkam ul-Quran, al-Jassas) In the last sentence of verse وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ‌ soon after having given the command for gratitude with special emphasis, the reality on ground was also pointed to by saying that 'And few from My slaves are thankful.' which is an admonition for a believer, and an incitement to observe gratitude.

The word: مِنسَأ (minsa'ah, translated in the text as 'scepter' ) in verse 14 beginning with: فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَوْتَ (So, when We decided (that) death (should come) upon him, - 14) appears in the sense of staff or pole (as of purpose or authority). Some early commentators have said that it is a word taken from the Ethiopian language and denotes staff. Others have said that it is an Arabic word from: نَسَاء (nasa) which means move back, drive away, postpone. Since a staff or stick is used to remove things undesirable or harmful, therefore, it was called: مِنسأۃ : 'minsa'ah,' that is, the device to remove. By describing the circumstances of Sayyidna Sulayman's (علیہ السلام) unusual death, the text has opened a gateway of many lessons and gems of guidance. The strange event of the death of Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) The elements of guidance embedded in this event are many. For example, Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) was a ruler having such an unmatched state at his command that ruled not simply over the world of his time, but over the Jinns and birds and the wind as well. Yet, despite all these assets at his command, he too had no escape from death, and that it had to come only when the time was appointed for it to come. The construction of Baytul-Maqdis started by Sayyidna Dawud (علیہ السلام) and completed by Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) had part of it still unfinished. This construction job was entrusted with the Jinns. They were contumacious by nature but kept working in fear of Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) . If they were to find out that he had died, they would have stopped working instantly and the structure would have been left incomplete. With the leave of Allah, Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) made appropriate arrangements to offset this situation. So, when came the time of his death, he got ready for it and entered the mihrab (seat of authority in the palace) which was made of sparking transparent glass. His presence could be clearly seen from outside. As was his routine, he stood there in a stance of worship slightly supported by his scepter, so that, once his soul departs (when he dies), the body remains poised at its place with the support of his staff. The soul of Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) was taken away at the appointed hour, but he kept firmly reclining on his staff and from the outside it appeared as if he was engrossed in worship. In that state, Jinns would not dare come close and peek at him. They kept working under the impression that Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) was alive. Thus passed a full year and when the remaining work on Baytul-Maqdis was complete, Allah Ta’ ala empowered the termite, (which is referred to by the Qur'an as دَابَّۃ الارض (dabbatul-ard: a creature of the earth), to occupy the staff of Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) . The termite ate out the wood and weakened the staff. When the staff was gone, Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) fell down. That was the time when the Jinns came to know about his death. Allah Ta’ ala has given the Jinns the capability of traversing very long distances within moments. They used to be aware of many circumstances and events not known by human beings. When they would communicate this information to human beings, they took it to be news from the unseen surmising that the Jinns too possess the knowledge of the unseen ('ilm-ul-ghaib). Moreover, the possibility that the Jinns themselves had a claim of possessing the knowledge of the unseen cannot be ruled out. But, this unusual incidence of death unfolded the reality of all that. The Jinns themselves found out - and human beings too - that the Jinns are no possessors of the knowledge of the unseen. Because, had that been the case and had they been aware of the workings of the unseen, they would have come to know about the death of Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) more than a year ago, and would have been spared of the hard labor they went on doing on the assumption that he was alive. This is what has been stated in the last sentence of the verse: فَلَمَّا خَرَّ‌ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ أَن لَّوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ مَا لَبِثُوا فِي الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ So, when he fell down, the Jinns came to know that if they had the knowledge of the Unseen, they would not have stayed (so long) in the humiliating punishment. (34:14). Here, the expression: الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ (al-'adhabil-muhin: humiliating punishment) refers to the hard labor they had to do in completing the edifice of Baytul-Maqdis under the orders of Sayyidna Sulayman Part of this unusual event of the death of Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) has been mentioned in this very verse of the Qur'an while its details have been reported from several Tafsir authorities, including Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، and are there in Ibn Kathir and all other Tafsirs. From this unusual event, we also learn the essential lesson that there is no escape from death for anyone and also that Allah Ta’ ala can, when He decides to have someone do something, arrange to have it done the way He wills. This is exactly as it happened during the course of this event when Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) was kept, despite his death, standing at his place and the Jinns were made to complete the work assigned to them. This event also shows that all causes and instruments of the whole world keep fulfilling their function until such time as Allah would let them do so. When He would not let them do so, causes and instruments fail, like the support of the staff here that was terminated through the termite. Moreover, soon after the death of Sayyidna Sulayman ill there existed the danger that people, who notice the astonishing performance of the Jinns and come across their apparently unbelievable access to things unseen, might take them as their objects of worship. This danger was also eliminated by this event of death. Everyone came to know that the Jinns were really unaware and helpless in this matter. From this submission, it becomes clear that Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) had adopted this particular mode at the time of his death for two reasons: (1) That the remaining work on the construction of Baytul-Maqdis gets to be completed. (2) That people find out the truth about the Jinns, realize that they were really unaware and helpless, and thus there remains no danger of Jinns being taken by them as objects of veneration and worship. (Qurtubi) According to a narration of Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Amr reported by Imam Nasa'i with sound chains of authority, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "When Sulayman (علیہ السلام) accomplished the building of Baytul-Maqdis, he made some prayers that were answered. One of these was: 0 Allah, whoever enters this masjid with the sole intention of making Salah (and having no other worldly motive), purify him before he goes out of this masjid, from all his sins (making him) as pure as he was when born from the womb of his mother." And in the narration of Suddiyy, it also appears that soon after Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) was finished with the building of Baytul-Maqdis, he sacrificed twelve thousand cows and heifers and twenty thousand goats as a token of thanksgiving and declared the feast open to all. Celebrating the day as a day of rejoicing, he stood on the Sakhrah of Baytul-Maqdis praying: 0 Allah, it is You who bestowed this power, and all these resources, on me by virtue of which the edifice of Baytul-Maqdis reached its completion. Now, also give me the ability to thank you for this blessing; and give me death while adhering to the faith you chose for me; and once you have given me right guidance, let there come no crookedness or deviation in it." And he further supplicated, "0 my Lord, for a person who enters this masjid, I ask you of five things: (1) Accept the repentance of a sinner who enters this masjid to confess and repent, and forgive his sins. (2) Guarantee peace for a person who enters this masjid to remain safe from fear and danger, and deliver him from all dangers. (3) Heal the sick person who enters this masjid. (4) Make the poor person who enters here need-free. (5) Let Your mercy be on the person who enters it as long as he remains here - except a person who is busy doing something unjust or faithless. (Qurtubi) This Hadith tells us that the work of building Baytul-Maqdis was already completed during the lifetime of Sayyidna Sulayman. But, the event mentioned above is really not contrary to the possibility that there remained some construction work left out even after the completion of the main building, as is usually done in the case of such huge projects. May be, Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) had devised the plan mentioned above for the completion of the remaining work. It has also been reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ that Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) kept standing for a year supported by his staff, even after his death. (Qurtubi) And according to some narrations, when the Jinns found out that a long time had passed since the death of Sayyidna Sulayman علیہ لسلام while they had remained in the dark all along, they tried to determine the time of his death, and for that purpose, they went for an experiment. They released a termite on a piece of wood. Thus, from whatever of the wood was eaten by the termite in one day and night, they calculated that a year had passed over the staff of Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) in that state. Special Note Citing historians, al-Baghawi has said that Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) lived for fifty three years and ruled for forty years. He had succeeded to the throne at the age of thirteen years and had started building Baytul-Maqdis in the fourth year of his reign. (Mazhari, Qurtubi)

Commentary In previous verses, warning was given to those who denied prophethood and the Day of Judgment and failed to realize that the power of Allah Ta’ ala was most perfect. Reference was then made to miracles shown at the hands of past prophets and mention was made of the events relating to Sayyidna Dawud and Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہما السلام) . Now the text mentions the limitless blessings bestowed on the people of Saba' who were later punished because of their ungratefulness. The people of Saba' and the particular blessings of Allah upon them Ibn Kathir has said that Saba' is the title of the kings and citizens of Yemen. Tababi'ah (plural of tubba' ) who ruled this country were these very people of Saba', and Queen Bilquis who has been mentioned along with Sayyidna Sulayman (علیہ السلام) in Surah An-Naml was also from among these people. Allah Ta’ ala had opened the doors of His blessing on them providing their state with all conceivable comforts. Against these blessings they were asked to believe in one God and obey His commandments and thus be grateful for blessings bestowed on them. For a certain period of time, these people stayed straight with their mandate and kept enjoying ease and comforts. Then came the time when they became so engrossed in the good things of life they were blessed with that they started touching the limits of negligence, even denial. Then Allah Ta’ ala sent thirteen of His prophets to warn them. They did their best to admonish them and bring them round to the straight path. But, these people kept persisting with their attitude of negligence. Then came the consequence. A flood was sent over them, a punishment that devastated their once flourishing city of gardens. (Reported by Muhammad Ibn Ishaq - Ibn Kathir) Imam Ahmad (رح) reports from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ that someone asked the Holy Prophet ﷺ if Saba' mentioned in the Qur'an was the name of a man, woman or some country. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: This is the name of a man who had ten sons among his progeny. Out of these, six remained settled in Yemen and four migrated to Syria. The names of those who lived in Yemen were: Mudhhij, Kindah, Azd, Ash'ari, Anmar, Himyar (from the progeny of these six sons, there came to be six tribes known by those very names). And the names of those who settled in Syria are: Lakham, Judham, ` Amilah, Ghassan (tribes coming in their lines were known by the same names). This narration has also been reported by Hafiz Imam Ibn ` Abd-ul-Barr in his book, al-Qasd wa al-Amam bi Ma'arifati Ansab-il 'Arab wa-l-'Ajam. According to Ibn Kathir's research with reference to scholars of genealogy, these ten sons were not directly from the loins of Saba’; rather, they were born in the third or fourth generation of Saba'. After that, their tribes spread out in Syria and Yemen and got to be known by their very names. And the real name of Saba' was ` Abd-ush-Shams. His genealogical tree becomes established by the name Saba' ` Abd Shams son of Yashhab son of Ya'rub son of Qahtan. Historians write that Saba’ Abd Shams had, during this time, given the glad tidings of the coming of the Last Prophet, Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ . It is possible that he came to know about it from early books of the Torah and Injil, or from astrologers or soothsayers. He has also composed some lines of poetry in Arabic in which he has mentioned his coming and wished to have been during his time and been of some help to him. Then, he has also exhorted his people to believe in him and support him. As for the statement of the Hadith quoted above in which it is said that out of the ten sons of Saba', six settled in Yemen and four went towards Syria, this event relates to the time after the coming of the punishment of flood against them which means that these people had scattered towards different directions and cities at the time the flood came. (Ibn Kathir) Quoting Qushairi, al-Qurtubi has reported that the period of the people of Saba' is after Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) and before the coming of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، and thus it falls in the period known as: فترۃ (fatrah or gap).

The 'flood of the dam' (sayl al-'arim) and the Dam of Ma'arib (the sadd of Ma` arib) The word: عرم (` arim) in: فَأَرْ‌سَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَيْلَ الْعَرِ‌مِ (So We sent to them the flood of the dam - 16) carries several recognized meanings in terms of Arabic lexical usage and the scholars of tafsir have explained this verse in terms of every such meaning. But, the meaning more in consonance with the context of the Qur'an is the one that appears in the Arabic lexicons like Qamus, Sihah of Jawhari and others, that is, 'arim' means a dam that is made to block water. Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has also given the meaning of 'arim as dam. (Qurtubi) The episode regarding the 'flood of the dam' referred: to in this verse, according to the statement of Ibn Kathir, is that in the country of Yemen, three miles away from its capital, San'a', there was a city by the name of Ma'arib settled in which the people of Saba' used to live. The city was located in between two mountains. Water from rains used to come from the two mountains, leaving the city inundated. The city had the reputation of being a target of such deluges. Rulers of the city (of those, Queen Bilquis has been mentioned particularly) built a strong and fortified dam between these two mountains, a dam that would remain unaffected by the flow of water. This dam stopped the serial surges of flooded water that entered from the two mountains and turned the place into a great big storage of water. Even the water from rains falling on the mountains started flowing in there. Provided inside this dam, there were three gates at appropriate levels, so that this storage of water could be released systematically for people of the city to irrigate their farms and gardens. To accomplish this objective, they would first open the topmost gate and use water as needed. When no water remained at that level, they would open the gate in the middle and after that came the turn of the third and last gate until came the time of rains next year, and the whole dam would stand filled to the brim all over again. Then, engineered and built under the dam, there was a huge big tank in which twelve outlets of water were provided to supply water to twelve canals serving different parts of the city with water flowing in all canals uniformly and was used to take care of various needs of the city. (Mazhari) The slopes of the two mountains to the right and left of the city were landscaped with rows of gardens fed by canals of water. These gardens stood adjacent to each other in two continuous rows by the slopes of the mountains. Though many in number, but the Qur'an identified them as: جَنَّتَان (jannatan: Two gardens) because it has taken all the gardens in one row to be one due to their proximity, and then all the gardens on the other side as the other garden. Trees and fruits of all sorts used to grow in these gardens so abundantly that, according to the statement of the leading early authority, Qatadah, and others, a woman would walk with an empty basket perched on her head, and it would automatically get filled with fruits falling off from the trees without the least need to make use of her hands. (Ibn Kathir) The second sentence of verse 15: كُلُوا مِن رِّ‌زْقِ رَ‌بِّكُمْ وَاشْكُرُ‌وا لَهُ بَلْدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ وَرَ‌بٌّ غَفُورٌ‌(Eat of the provision from your Lord, and be grateful to Him-- (You have) a good city, and a Most-Forgiving Lord - 34:15) means that Allah Ta’ ala had ordered them through His prophets that they should make use of their extended means of livelihood provided by Allah Ta’ ala and continue to be grateful to Him through their good deeds and unfailing obedience to Divine injunctions, for He had made that city of theirs a really good city. It had a moderate climate without any extremes of heat or chill, so healthy, clean and bracing - to the extent that there was no trace of any hurting life forms like mosquitoes, flies, fleas, snakes and scorpions anywhere throughout the city. In fact, when travelers from outside would reach the city - having lice or other harmful parasites in their clothes - these would die off naturally as soon as they arrived there (Ibn Kathir) At the end of the verse (15), by adding: بَلْدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ وَرَ‌بٌّ غَفُورٌ‌(a good city) along with (a Most Forgiving Lord), reference to divine blessings has been made all the more perfect by suggesting that 'this good life is not restricted to the life of the present world, in fact, should you remain consistent with your gratefulness, the promise of greater and more everlasting blessings of the Hereafter also holds good. The reason is simple. He is the creator and master-dispenser of all blessings and the one who sustains you - and should you, at one or the other time, inadvertently fail to be grateful or betray by negligence or shortcoming, Allah Ta’ ala is a great forgiver too and will forgive your shortcomings.' In verse 16, it was said: فَأَعْرَ‌ضُوا فَأَرْ‌سَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَيْلَ الْعَرِ‌مِ (Then they turned away. So We released over them the flood of the dam). In other words, 'when the people of Saba' flouted the commandments of Allah through their contumacy and rebellion, despite having such blessings and despite having been warned by the noble prophets, We released a flood from the dam over them.' We already know that 'arim means a dam. This flood was attributed to 'arim for the reason that this very 'arim, a source of security and prosperity, was transformed by Allah Ta’ ala into a source of calamity for them. According to an account of the event given by Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، Wahb Ibn Munnabih, Qatadah, Dahhak and other early Tafsir authorities, when Allah Ta’ ala decided to undo the dam of Ma'rib ('arim) and punish and destroy these people through a flood, blind rats were set upon this great dam, who weakened its foundation and made it hollow. When came the time of rains and the flooding of water, the pressure of water broke through the already weakened foundation creating gaps and crevices in the dam. Ultimately, the water collected behind the dam ran over the entire valley in which this city of Ma'rib was located. Houses collapsed. Trees were uprooted. The water feeding the twin rows of gardens by the mountain slopes was dried up. It appears in the report of Wahb Ibn Munabbih that it was already predicted in the books of these people that rats will destroy this dam. When people saw rats near the dam, they were alerted by the danger. As a defensive measure, a large number of cats were released under the dam in the hope that they would stop the rats from coming close to the dam. But, when came the divine decree, the rats overcame the cats and entered into the foundation of the dam. Then there are historical narratives that also say that as soon as some smart and far-sighted people saw the rats, they decided to leave the place and move to somewhere else. In fact, they made the necessary arrangements and got out of there one by one. Others stayed. But, once came the flood, they too shifted. However, there were many who were swallowed by the flood. In short, the whole city was destroyed. Some details about residents of the city who had migrated to towns in other countries have been given in the Hadith of the Musnad of Ahmad appearing earlier. Six of their tribes were scattered in Yemen, four in Syria and some of these very tribes came to be the forerunners of the larger population of Madinah-at-Taiyyibah. Related details appear in books of history. What happened to the twin rows of gardens after the coming of flood and the destruction of the city? This has been stated in the second sentence of verse 16 as: وَبَدَّلْنَاهُم بِجَنَّتَيْهِمْ جَنَّتَيْنِ ذَوَاتَيْ أُكُلٍ خَمْطٍ وَأَثْلٍ وَشَيْءٍ مِّن سِدْرٍ‌ قَلِيلٍ (and replaced their two gardens with two gardens having fruits of bitter taste, and Tamarisk and some of the lot-trees), that is, their trees that yielded fruit having good taste were replaced by trees that bore fruit having an evil taste. As for the word: خَمْطٍ (Khamt), most commentators take it to mean the arak (a pungent, thorny desert tree). The lexicographer, Jawhari says that there is a kind of arak which bears some fruit and which is eaten. But, the fruit that grew on this tree was bad in taste. And ` Abu ` Ubaidah ؓ said that every tree that is thorny and of bitter taste is called: خَمْطٍ (khamt). The next word: اثل (athl) means a kind of tree that is also known in Arabic as طرفاء (turfa) according to the majority of commentators and both are generally equated with tamarisk in English. No fruit it bears is worth eating. Some commentators said that اثل 'athl' in the sense of samr (Mimosa, Egyptian thorn) or babul or کِیکَر kikar, (Acacia Arabica found in the subcontinent) is a thorny tree the fruit of which is fed to goats. The word: سِدر (sidr) means بیری beri or بَیر ber in Urdu and is translated in English as the lote-fruit or lotus tree in English. Sidr is of two kinds. The one planted on farms bears fruits of pleasant taste (something close to crunchy pears) and carries more of fruits and less of thorns. The other kind is wild and grows in the form of thorny shrubs and trees with more thorns and less fruits that are bitter as well. At this place, the use of the word:' قَلِیل (qalil: little, some) along with (sidr: bair or lote) perhaps indicates that this too was wild which bears less fruit and is bitter. Allah knows best.