English Translation of Al-Quran
[27].Surah Al-Naml [The Ants]
Ayat 40. One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: “I will bring it to you within the twinkling of an eye!” Then when [Suleiman AS (Solomon)] saw it placed before him, he said: “This is by the Grace of my Lord to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful! And whoever is grateful, truly, his gratitude is for (the good of) his own self, and whoever is ungrateful, (he is ungrateful only for the loss of his own self). Certainly! My Lord is Rich (Free of all wants), Bountiful.”
Tafseer of Surah Al Naml (The Ants) Ayat 40. Said one who had knowledge of the Book: “I will bring it to thee within the twinkling of an eye!” Then when (Solomon) saw it placed firmly before him, he said: “This is by the Grace of my Lord!-to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful! and if any is grateful, truly his gratitude is (a gain) for his own soul; but if any is ungrateful, truly my Lord is Free of all Needs, Supreme in Honour !” The symbolic meaning still continues. The big ‘Ifrit had boasted of his brute strength, and his reliability. But this is not enough to transform a power (throne) based on materialism into one based on inward knowledge, knowledge of the heart and spirit, the sort of knowledge that comes from the Book of the Grace of Allah, the spirit of truth and benevolence which is the invisible magic of Prophet of Allah. Even if worldly power and common honesty may be able to effect some good, it will take a comparatively long time, while the magic of spiritual love acts instantaneously. Solomon was thankful to Allah for he had men endowed with such power, and he had the throne of Bilqis transported to his Court and transformed as he desired, without Bilqis even knowing it. If Solomon had been ungrateful to Allah, i.e., if he had worked for his own selfish or worldly ends, he could have used the brute strength of the “Ifrit to add to his worldly strength and glory. Instead, he uses the higher magic of the Book-or the Spirit-to transform the throne of Bilqis for her highest good, which means also the highest good for her subjects, by the divine Light. He had the two alternatives, and he chose the better, and he thus shows his gratitude to Allah for the Grace He had given him. Man’s gratitude to Allah is not a thing that benefits Allah, for Allah is high above all needs; it benefits a man’s soul and gives him higher rank in the spiritual world. Per contra, man’s ingratitude will not detract from Allah’s Glory and Honour or the value of Allah’s generous gifts to man: for Allah as supreme in honour, glory and generosity. Karim in Arabic involved all three significations.
English Translation of Hadith
Hazrat Iyad bin Himar (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) said, “Allah has revealed to me that you should humble yourselves to one another. One should neither hold himself above another nor transgress against another.”
[Muslim Book 40, Chapter 17, Hadith # 6856]
Lesson : as mentioned above in Surah Al-Naml Ayat 40 “Grace of my Lord to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful! And whoever is grateful, truly, his gratitude is for (the good of) his own self”. To treat each other humbly, leniently and lovingly is understood as humility. One, under this principle, is also required not to despise anybody on the basis of wealth, social distinction and lineage. Moreover, one should also not adopt an unkind attitude towards others. Besides, if Allah has bestowed honour on somebody, he is supposed to be grateful to Him, instead of behaving disrespectfully towards people and subjecting them to unkindness and tyranny.
