CHAPTER XXVII.

INTITLED, THE ANT; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

T. S. THESE are the signs of the Korân, and of the perspicuous book: a direction, and good tidings unto the true believers? who regularly perform their prayer, and give alms, and firmly believe in the life to come. As to those who believe not in the life to come, we have prepared their works for them; and they shall be struck with astonishment at their disappointment, when they shall be raised again: these are they whom an evil punishment awaiteth in this life; and in that which is to come they shall be the greatest losers. Thou hast certainly received the Korân from the presence of a wise, a knowing God. Remember when Moses said unto his family, Verily I perceive fire: I will bring you tidings thereof, or I will bring you a lighted brand, that ye may be warmed. And when he was come near unto it, a voice cried unto him, saying, Blessed be he who is in the fire, and whoever is about it; and praise be unto God, the LORD of all creatures! O Moses, verily I am GoD, the mighty, the wise cast down now thy rod. And when he saw it, that it moved, as though it had been a serpent, he retreated, and fled, and returned not. And God said, O Moses, fear not; for my messengers are not disturbed with fear in my sight: except he who shall have done amiss, and shall have afterwards substituted good in lieu of evil; for I am gracious and merciful.TM Moreover put thy hand into thy bosom; it shall come forth white, without hurt: this shall be one among the nine signs "* unto Pharaoh and his people: for they are a wicked people. And when our visible signs had come unto them, they said, This is a manifest sorcery. And they denied them, although their souls certainly knew them to be from God, out of iniquity and pride: but behold what was the end of the corrupt doers. We heretofore bestowed knowledge on David and Solomon; and they said, Praise be unto God,

In this chapter is related, among other strange things, an odd story of the ant, which has therefore been pitched on for the title.

By rendering them pleasing and agreeable to their corrupt natures and inclinations. * See chap. 20, p. 256.

Some suppose God to be intended by the former words, and by the latter, the angels who were present; others think Moses and the angels are here meant, or all persons in general in this holy plain, and the country round it."

This exception was designed to qualify the preceding assertion, which seemed too general: for several of the prophets have been subject to sins, though not great ones, before their mission; for which they had reason to apprehend God's anger, though they are here assured that their subsequent merits entitle them to his pardon. It is supposed that Moses's killing the Egyptian undesignedly is hinted at.

See chap. 17, p. 236.

"The nine miracles."-Savary.

1 Yahya.

'Jallalo'ddin, al Beidâwi.

• Iidem.

who hath made us more excellent than many of his faithful servants! And Solomon was David's heir; and he said, O men, we have been taught the speech of birds," and have had all things bestowed on us; this is manifest excellence.* And his armies were gathered together unto Solomon, con sisting of genii, and men, and birds; and they were led in distinct bands, until they came unto the valley of ants. And an ant, seeing the hosts approaching, said, O ants, enter ye into your habitations, lest Solomon and his army tread you under foot, and perceive it not. And Solomon smiled, laughing at her words, and said, O LORD, excite me that I may be thankful for thy favour, wherewith thou hast favoured me, and my parents; and that I may do that which is right, and well-pleasing unto thee: and introduce me, through thy mercy, into paradise, among thy servants the righteous. And he viewed the birds, and said, What is the reason that I see not the lapwing? Is she absent? Verily I will chastise her with a severe chastisement, or I will put her to death; unless she bring me a just excuse. And she tarried not long before she presented herself unto Solomon, and said, I have viewed a country which thou hast not viewed; and I come

• Inheriting not only his kingdom, but also the prophetical office, preferably to his other who were no less than nineteen.*

sons,

That is, The meaning of their several voices, though not articulate; of Solomon's interpretation whereof the commentators give several instances."

*"Solomon was the heir of David. Mortals, said he, I understand the song of the birds; I possess every kind of knowledge; I have been raised to the sublime height.”— Savary.

For this fancy, as well as the former, Mohammed was obliged to the Talmudists, who, according to their manner, have interpreted the Hebrew words of Solomon,' which the English version renders, I get men-singers and women-singers, as if that prince had forced demons or spirits to serve him at his table, and in other capacities; and particularly in his vast and magnificent buildings, which they could not conceive he could otherwise have performed.

The valley seems to be so called from the great numbers of ants which are found there. Some place it in Syria, and others in Tâyef.'

The Arab historians tell us, that Solomon, having finished the temple of Jerusalem, went in pilgrimage to Mecca, where having staid as long as he pleased, he proceeded towards Yaman; and leaving Mecca in the morning, he arrived by noon at Sanaa, and being extremely delighted with the country, rested there; but wanting water to make the ablution, he looked among the birds for the lapwing, called by the Arabs al Hudbud, whose business it was to find it; for it is pretended she was sagacious or sharp-sighted enough to discover water under ground, which the devils used to draw, after she had marked the place by digging with her bill: they add, that this bird was then taking a tour in the air, whence seeing one of her companions alighting, she descended also, and having had a description given her by the other of the city of Saba, whence she was just arrived, they both went together to take a view of the place, and returned soon after Solomon had made the inquiry which occasioned what follows."

It may be proper to mention here what the eastern writers fable of the manner of Solomon's travelling. They say that he had a carpet of green silk, on which his throne was placed, being of a prodigious length and breadth, and sufficient for all his forces to stand the men placing themselves on his right hand, and the spirits on his left: and that when all were in order, the wind, at his command, took up the carpet, and transported it, with all that were upon it, wherever he pleased; the army of birds at the same time flying over their heads, and forming a kind of canopy, to shade them from the sun.

on,

t

By plucking off her feathers, and setting her in the sun, to be tormented by the insects; or by shutting her up in a cage.'

• Jallalo'ddin, al Beidâwi.

See Marracc. not. in loc. p. 511. • Vide Midrash, Yalkut Shemuni, p. 11, f. 29; and Millium de Mohammedismo ante Mohammed. p. 232. 'Eccles. ii. 8. Al Beidawi, Jallalo'ddin.

• Iidem.

10 See chap. 21, p. 270.

'Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin

unto thee from Saba, with a certain piece of news. I found a woman to reign over them, who is provided with every thing requisite for a prince, and hath a magnificent throne. I found her and her people to worship the sun, besides GOD: and Satan hath prepared their works for them, and hath turned them aside from the way of truth (wherefore they are not rightly directed), lest they should worship God, who bringeth to light that which is hidden in heaven and earth, and knoweth whatever they conceal, and whatever they discover. GOD! there is no God but he; the LORD of the magnificent throne. Solomon said, We shall see whether thou hast spoken the truth, or whether thou art a liar. Go with this my letter, and cast it down unto them; then turn aside from them, and wait to know what answer they will return. And when the queen of Saba had received the letter," she said, O nobles, verily an honourable letter hath been delivered unto me; it is from Solomon, and this is the tenor thereof: In the name of the most merciful God, Rise not up against me: but come, and surrender yourselves unto me." She said, O nobles, advise me in my business : I will not resolve on any thing, until ye be witnesses and approve thereof. The nobles answered, We are endued with strength, and are endued with great prowess in war; but the command appertaineth unto thee: see therefore what thou wilt command. She said, Verily kings, when they enter a city by force, waste the same, and abase the most powerful of the inhabitants hereof and so will these do with us. But I will send gifts unto them; and will wait for what further information those who shall be sent shall bring back. And when the queen's ambassador came unto Solomon, that prince

C

This queen the Arabs call Balkîs; some make her the daughter of al Hodhâd Ebn Sharhabil, and others of Sharahil Ebn Malec; but they all agree she was a descendant of Yarab Ebn Kahtân. She is placed the twenty-second in Dr. Pocock's list of the kings of Yaman.'

Which the commentators say was made of gold and silver, and crowned with precious stones. But they differ as to the size of it; one making it fourscore cubits long, forty bread, aud thirty high; while some say it was fourscore, and others, thirty cubits every way.

Jallalo'ddin says that the queen was surrounded by her army, when the lapwing threw the letter into her bosom; but al Beidâwi supposes she was in an apartment of her palace, the doors of which were shut, and that the bird flew in at the window. The former commentator gives a copy of the epistle somewhat more full than that in the text; viz. From the servant of God, Solomon, the son of David, unto Balkis queen of Saba. In the name of the most merciful God. Peace be on him who followeth the true direction. Rise not up against me, but come and surrender yourselves unto me. He adds that Solomon perfumed this letter with musk, and sealed it with his signet.

Or, Come unto me and resign yourselves unto the divine direction, and profess the true religion which I preach.

"Rise not up against me, but come unto me and believe.”—Savary.

bie. Whether thou wilt obey the summons of Solomon, or give us orders to make head against him.

"We have courage and troops, replied the nobles; but thou art our queen; princess, what dost thou command ?"-Savary.

• Bearing the presents, which they say were five hundred young slaves of each sex, all habited in the same manner, five hundred bricks of gold, a crown enriched with precious stones, besides a large quantity of musk, amber, and other things of value. Some add, that Balkis, to try whether Solomon was a prophet or no, dressed the boys like girls, and the girls like boys, and sent him, in a casket, a pearl not drilled, and an onyx drilled with a crooked hole; and that Solomon distinguished the boys from the girls by the different

4

Vide Pocock. Spec. p. 59. 'Al Beidâwi, &c. Vide D'Herbel. Bibl. Orient. p. 182. Jallalo'ddin.

♦ Ubi sup.

said, Will ye present me with riches? Verily that which God hath given me is better than what he hath given you: but ye do glory in your gifts.* Return unto the people of Saba. We will surely come unto them with forces, which they shall not be able to withstand; and we will drive them out from their city, humbled; and they shall become contemptible. And Solomon said, O nobles, which of you will bring unto me her throne, before they come and surrender themselves unto me? A terrible genius answered, I will bring it unto thee, before thou arise from thy place: for I am able to perform it, and may be trusted. And one with whom was the knowledge of the scriptures' said, I will bring it unto thee, in the twinkling of an eye. And when Solomon saw the throne placed before him, he said, This is a favour of my LORD, that he may make trial of me, whether I will be grateful, or whether I will be ungrateful; and he who is grateful is grateful to his own advantage, but if any shall be ungrateful, verily my LORD is self-sufficient and munificent. And Solomon said unto his servants, Alter her throne, that she may not know it, to the end we may see whether she be rightly directed, or whether she be one of those who are not rightly directed. And when she was come unto Solomon, it was said unto her, Is thy throne like this? She answered, As though it were the same. And we have had knowledge bestowed on us before this, and have been resigned unto God. But that which she worshipped, besides Gon, had turned her aside from the truth; for she was of an unbelieving people. It was said unto her, Enter the palace. And when she saw it, she imagined it to be a great water; and she discovered her legs, by lifting up her robe to pass manner of their taking water, and ordered one worm to bore the pearl, and another to pass a thread through the onyx. They also tell us, that Solomon, having notice of this em bassy, by means of the lapwing, even before they set out, ordered a large square to be enclosed with a wall built of gold and silver bricks, wherein he ranged his forces and attendants to receive them."

* "Keep your gifts."-Savary.

This was an Ifrît, or one of the wicked and rebellious genii; and his name, says al Beidâwi, was Dhacwân or Sakhr.

i. e. From thy seat of justice. For Solomon used to sit in judgment every day till noon."

This person, as is generally supposed, was Asaf the son of Barachia, Solomon's wazir (or visir), who knew the great or ineffable name of God, by pronouncing of which he performed this wonderful exploit. Others, however, suppose it was al Khedr, or else Gabriel, or some other angel; and some imagine it to have been Solomon himself.1

The original is, Before thou canst look at any object, and take thy eye off it. It is said that Solomon, at Asaf's desire, looked up to heaven, and before he cast his eye down. wards, the throne made its way under ground, and appeared before him.

h For, on the return of her ambassador, she determined to go and submit herself to that prince, but before her departure she secured her throne, as she thought, by locking it up in a strong castle, and setting a guard to defend it; after which she set out, attended by a vast army.2

It is uncertain whether these be the words of Balkîs, acknowledging her conviction by the wonders she had already seen; or of Solomon and his people, acknowledging the favour of God, in calling them to the true faith before her.

Or, as some understand the word, the court before the palace, which Solomon had commanded to be built against the arrival of Balkîs; the floor or pavement being of transparent glass, laid over running water, in which fish were swimming. Fronting this pave ment was placed the royal throne, on which Solomon sat to receive the queen.'

Al Beidâwi.

Al Beidâwi.

Jallalo'ddin.. Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin, interp. 'Jallalo'ddin. 2 Jallalo'ddin. Idem, Al Beidâwi.

3

through it. Whereupon Solomon said unto her, Verily this is a palace evenly floored with glass. Then said the queen, O LORD, verily I have dealt unjustly with my own soul; and I resign myself, together with Solomon, unto God, the LORD of all creatures." Also we heretofore sent unto the tribe of Thamud their brother Saleh; who said unto them, Serve ye GOD. And behold, they were divided into two parties, who disputed among themselves." Saleh said, O my people why do ye hasten evil rather than good? Unless ye ask pardon of GoD, that ye may obtain mercy, ye are lost. They answered, We presage evil from thee, and from those who are with thee. Saleh replied, The evil which ye presage is with GOD but ye are a people who are proved by a vicissitude of prosperity and adversity. And there were nine men in the city, who acted corruptly in the earth, and behaved not with integrity. And they said unto one another, Swear ye reciprocally by GoD, that we will fall upon Saleh and his family by night: and afterwards we will say unto him who hath right to avenge his blood, We were not so much as present at the destruction of his family; and we certainly speak the truth. And they devised a plot against him: but we devised a plot against them ;† and they perceived it not. And see what was the issue of their plot," we utterly destroyed them and their whole people; and these their habitations remain empty, because of the injustice which they committed. Verily herein is a sign unto people who understand. And we delivered those who believed, and feared God. And remember Lot; when he said unto his people, Do ye commit a wickedness, though ye see the heinousness thereof? Do ye approach lustfully unto men, leaving the women? Ye are surely an ignorant people. *[XX.] But the answer of his people was no other than that they said, Cast the family of Lot out of your city for they are men who preserve themselves pure from the crimes of which ye are guilty.

:

1 Some Arab writers tell us, Solomon had been informed that Balkîs's legs and feet were covered with hair, like those of an ass, of the truth of which he had hereby an opportunity of being satisfied by ocular demonstration.

"It is a solid edifice built of glass, said Solomon unto her."-Savary.

The queen of Saba having by these words professed Islâm, and renounced idolatry, Solomon had thoughts of making her his wife; but could not resolve to do it, till the devils had, by a depilatory, taken off the hair from her legs. Some, however, will have it that she did not marry Solomon, but a prince of the tribe of Hamdân.

Concerning the doctrine preached by Saleh; one party believing on him, and the other treating him as an impostor.

i. e. Why do ye urge and defy the divine vengeance with which ye are threatened, instead of averting it by repentance?

See chap. 7, p. 129, where the Egyptians in the same manner accuse Moses as the cause of their calamities.

"While they were devising their plot, we decreed the moment of their ruin, and they knew it not."-Savary.

It is related that Saleh, and those who believed on him, usually meeting to pray in a certain narrow place between the mountains, the infidels said, He thinks to make an end of us after three days, but we will be beforehand with him: and that a party of them went directly to the straits above-mentioned, thinking to execute their design, but were terribly disappointed; for, instead of catching the prophet, they were caught themselves, thei retreat being cut off by a large piece of rock, which fell down at the mouth of the straits. so that they perished there in a miserable manner.

'Jallalo'ddin.

'Apud Al Beidâwi.

See chap. 7, p. 124, note k.