One
day, Prophet Solomon ordered his troops consisting of a group of humans, jinns,
and birds to gather before him. Prophet Solomon was holding a big assembly and
checking the presence of each group. He did not see the presence of hoopoe.
Even though all the birds were present except the hoopoe. Prophet Solomon asked
about the existence of the hoopoe. His absence is a big mistake and
undisciplined. Prophet Solomon intends to punish him and even slaughter him,
unless it gives clear reasons.
Surah An-Naml verses
20-21:
وَتَفَقَّدَ
ٱلطَّيۡرَ فَقَالَ مَا لِيَ لَآ أَرَى ٱلۡهُدۡهُدَ أَمۡ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَآئِبِينَ ٢٠ لَأُعَذِّبَنَّهُۥ عَذَابٗا شَدِيدًا أَوۡ
لَأَاْذۡبَحَنَّهُۥٓ أَوۡ لَيَأۡتِيَنِّي بِسُلۡطَٰنٖ مُّبِينٖ ٢١
20. And he took attendance of the birds and said,
"Why do I not see the hoopoe - or is he among the absent?
21. I will surely punish him with a severe
punishment or slaughter him unless he brings me clear authorization."
Hoopoe
are birds whose task is to search and find a source of water for the troops of
Prophet Solomon. When the hoopoe perched on the ground with a water source, the
troops moved towards the place and began digging the ground out of the water.
Then,
the hoopoe had arrived at the place of Prophet Solomon. The bird immediately
explained what had happened so it made it too late. He brought important news
that had not been known by Prophet Solomon before. The bird said that he had
flown to reach a large country called the kingdom of Saba, now the territory of
Yemen. The country was led by a queen named Balqis. The queen sits on a large
and luxurious throne. Unfortunately, Queen Balqis and her people are sun
worshipers. They have been directed by Satan to think that the sun is the
source of life that must be worshiped. The residents of Saba assume that the
action is a common habit.
Surah An-Naml verses
22-26:
فَمَكَثَ
غَيۡرَ بَعِيدٖ فَقَالَ أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمۡ تُحِطۡ بِهِۦ وَجِئۡتُكَ مِن سَبَإِۢ
بِنَبَإٖ يَقِينٍ ٢٢ إِنِّي وَجَدتُّ ٱمۡرَأَةٗ
تَمۡلِكُهُمۡ وَأُوتِيَتۡ مِن كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ وَلَهَا عَرۡشٌ عَظِيمٞ ٢٣ وَجَدتُّهَا وَقَوۡمَهَا يَسۡجُدُونَ
لِلشَّمۡسِ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ فَصَدَّهُمۡ
عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ فَهُمۡ لَا يَهۡتَدُونَ
٢٤ أَلَّاۤ يَسۡجُدُواْۤ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي يُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡخَبۡءَ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ
وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا تُخۡفُونَ وَمَا تُعۡلِنُونَ ٢٥ ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَرۡشِ
ٱلۡعَظِيمِ۩ ٢٦
22. But the hoopoe stayed not long and said,
"I have encompassed [in knowledge] that which you have not encompassed,
and I have come to you from Sheba with certain news.
23. Indeed, I found [there] a woman ruling them,
and she has been given of all things, and she has a great throne.
24. I found her and her people prostrating to the
sun instead of Allah, and Satan has made their deeds pleasing to them and
averted them from [His] way, so they are not guided,
25. [And] so they do not prostrate to Allah, who
brings forth what is hidden within the heavens and the earth and knows what you
conceal and what you declare -
26. Allah - there is no deity except Him, Lord of
the Great Throne."
The
residents of Saba do not realize that all the pleasures they get come from the
gifts of Allah SWT. It is supposed that humans only worship Allah SWT. He had
wanted the clouds to bring down rain in the country, so that the plants thrived
and shared sufficient needs. Plants have grown from fertile soils which produce
food supplies for human needs. Allah SWT knows what they do whenever and
wherever, everything that is seen from the outside or hidden inside the heart.
Prophet
Solomon had listened to the story carefully, but he still wanted to make sure
whether what the hoopoe said was true. Prophet Solomon wrote a letter to Queen
Saba. Hoopoe don't receive punishment and ask permission to rest after a long
journey. After resting, the hoopoe again turned to Prophet Solomon. Prophet
Solomon put the letter into a fancy envelope and closed it. He ordered hoopoe
to send the letter to Queen Balqis. Then the hoopoe flew high in the sky on a
long journey from Palestine to Yemen.
Surah An-Naml verses
27-28:
۞قَالَ سَنَنظُرُ أَصَدَقۡتَ أَمۡ كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡكَٰذِبِينَ ٢٧ ٱذۡهَب بِّكِتَٰبِي هَٰذَا فَأَلۡقِهۡ
إِلَيۡهِمۡ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّ عَنۡهُمۡ فَٱنظُرۡ مَاذَا يَرۡجِعُونَ ٢٨
27. [Solomon] said, "We will see whether you
were truthful or were of the liars.
28. Take this letter of mine and deliver it to
them. Then leave them and see what [answer] they will return."
After
traveling a long distance, the hoopoe arrived at the kingdom of Saba 'and
dropped the letter in the palace environment. Queen Balqis has taken the
letter. She was surprised to see the beautiful letter. Then Queen Balqis called
on ministers and other officials to gather. The officials were curious about
what their Queen would be told. After all gathered, Queen Balqis held the
letter that she received and said that the noble letter was sent to her from
King Solomon. Hoopoe pay attention to them secretly. The contents of the letter
are contained in Surah An-Naml verses 29-31:
قَالَتۡ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمَلَؤُاْ
إِنِّيٓ أُلۡقِيَ إِلَيَّ كِتَٰبٞ كَرِيمٌ
٢٩ إِنَّهُۥ مِن سُلَيۡمَٰنَ وَإِنَّهُۥ بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ٣٠ أَلَّا تَعۡلُواْ عَلَيَّ وَأۡتُونِي
مُسۡلِمِينَ ٣١
29. She said, "O eminent ones, indeed, to me
has been delivered a noble letter.
30. Indeed, it is from Solomon, and indeed, it
reads: 'In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,
31. Be not haughty with me but come to me in
submission [as Muslims].' "
The
whole room thought about the purpose of the letter, King Solomon indirectly
ordered them not to worship the sun and surrender to Allah SWT. Queen Balqis
sought the advice of officials in the matter because she would not decide on an
affair before they were present.
They
said with enthusiasm that their kingdom had very strong military power which
was considered capable of defending their country. It turned out that the
military leaders wanted and were brave enough to fight. But they and other
officials continue to hand over the decision to Queen Balqis. She thinks first
before making a decision. She wants to know who King Solomon really is and what
he wants.
Surah An-Naml verses
32-33:
قَالَتۡ
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمَلَؤُاْ أَفۡتُونِي فِيٓ أَمۡرِي مَا كُنتُ قَاطِعَةً أَمۡرًا
حَتَّىٰ تَشۡهَدُونِ ٣٢ قَالُواْ نَحۡنُ
أُوْلُواْ قُوَّةٖ وَأُوْلُواْ بَأۡسٖ شَدِيدٖ وَٱلۡأَمۡرُ إِلَيۡكِ فَٱنظُرِي
مَاذَا تَأۡمُرِينَ ٣٣
32. She said, "O eminent ones, advise me in
my affair. I would not decide a matter until you witness [for] me."
33. They said, "We are men of strength and
of great military might, but the command is yours, so see what you will
command."
Queen
Balqis is ready to establish a relationship with King Solomon. He decided to
send gifts through her messengers to King Solomon. He wanted to test Solomon
with the prizes. The envoys were also ordered to see the kingdom of Prophet
Solomon and bring the news to Queen Balqis. The officials agreed to the Queen's
opinion. So their employees began bringing various gifts to Palestine.
Surah
An-Naml verses 34-35:
قَالَتۡ إِنَّ ٱلۡمُلُوكَ
إِذَا دَخَلُواْ قَرۡيَةً أَفۡسَدُوهَا وَجَعَلُوٓاْ أَعِزَّةَ أَهۡلِهَآ
أَذِلَّةٗۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَفۡعَلُونَ ٣٤
وَإِنِّي مُرۡسِلَةٌ إِلَيۡهِم بِهَدِيَّةٖ فَنَاظِرَةُۢ بِمَ يَرۡجِعُ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلُونَ ٣٥
34. She said, "Indeed kings - when they
enter a city, they ruin it and render the honored of its people humbled. And
thus do they do.
35. But indeed, I will send to them a gift and
see with what [reply] the messengers will return."
Hoopoe
immediately returned to Palestine and told the news to Prophet Solomon that a
group from Saba would come. Solomon thought of a plan to receive his guests so
that their kingdom would believe in Allah SWT.
Reference:
· As Sayyid, Kamal
and Anis, Selma (Translator). 2005. Kisah-kisah
Terbaik Alquran. Jakarta: Pustaka Zahra.
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