27:40 An-Naml (The Ant)

وهذا الملك العظيم الذي عند آحاد رعيته هذه القوة والقدرة وأبلغ من ذلك أن قَالَ الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمٌ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ قال المفسرون: هو رجل عالم صالح عند سليمان يقال له: \" آصف بن برخيا \"كان يعرف اسم الله الأعظم الذي إذا دعا الله به أجاب وإذا سأل به أعطى. أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ بأن يدعو الله بذلك الاسم فيحضر حالا وأنه دعا الله فحضر. فالله أعلم [هل هذا المراد أم أن عنده علما من الكتاب يقتدر به على جلب البعيد وتحصيل الشديد] فَلَمَّا رَآهُ سليمان مُسْتَقِرًّا عِنْدَهُ حمد الله تعالى على إقداره وملكه وتيسير الأمور له و قَالَ هَذَا مِنْ فَضْلِ رَبِّي لِيَبْلُوَنِي أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ أي: ليختبرني بذلك. فلم يغتر عليه السلام بملكه وسلطانه وقدرته كما هو دأب الملوك الجاهلين، بل علم أن ذلك اختبار من ربه فخاف أن لا يقوم بشكر هذه النعمة، ثم بين أن هذا الشكر لا ينتفع الله به وإنما يرجع نفعه إلى صاحبه فقال: وَمَنْ شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ غني عن أعماله كريم كثير الخير يعم به الشاكر والكافر، إلا أن شكر نعمه داع للمزيد منها وكفرها داع لزوالها.

"قال الذي عنده علم من الكتاب" قال ابن عباس وهو آصف كاتب سليمان وكذا روى محمد بن إسحاق عن يزيد بن رومان أنه آصف بن برخياء وكان صديقا يعلم الاسم الأعظم وقال قتادة كان مؤمنا من الإنس واسمه آصف وكذا قال أبو صالح والضحاك وقتادة إنه كان من الإنس زاد قتادة من بني إسرائيل وقال مجاهد كان اسمه أسطوم قال قتادة في رواية عنه كان اسمه بليخا وقال زهير بن محمد هو رجل من الإنس يقال له ذو النور وزعم عبدالله بن لهيعة أنه الخضر وهو غريب جدا وقوله "أنا آتيك به قبل أن يرتد إليك طرفك" أي ارفع بصرك وانظر مد بصرك مما تقدر عليه فإنك لا يكل بصرك إلا وهو حاضر عندك وقال وهب ابن منبه أمدد بصرك فلا يبلغ مداه حتى آتيك به فذكروا أنه أمره أن ينظر نحو اليمن التي فيها هذا العرش المطلوب ثم قام فتوضأ ودعا الله تعالى قال مجاهد قال يا ذا الجلال والإكرام وقال الزهري قال: يا إلهنا وإله كل شيء إلها واحدا لا إله إلا أنت ائتني بعرشها قال فمثل بين يديه قال مجاهد وسعيد بن جبير ومحمد بن إسحاق وزهير بن محمد وغيرهم لما دعا الله تعالى وسأله أن يأتيه بعرش بلقيس وكان في اليمن وسليمان عليه السلام ببيت المقدس غاب السرير وغاص في الأرض ثم نبع من بين يدي سليمان وقال عبد الرحمن بن زيد بن أسلم لم يشعر سليمان إلا وعرشها يحمل بين يديه قال وكان هذا الذي جاء به من عباد البحر فلما عاين سليمان وملأه ذلك ورآه مستقرا عنده "قال هذا من فضل ربي" أي هذا من نعم الله علي "ليبلوني" أي ليختبرني "ءأشكر أم أكفر ومن شكر فإنما يشكر لنفسه" كقوله "من عمل صالحا فلنفسه ومن أساء فعليها" وكقوله "ومن عمل صالحا فلأنفسهم يمهدون" وقوله "ومن كفر فإن ربي غني كريم" أي هو غني عن العباد وعبادتهم كريم أي كريم في نفسه فإن لم يعبده أحد فإن عظمته ليست مفتقرة إلى أحد وهذا كما قال موسى "إن تكفروا أنتم ومن في الأرض جميعا فإن الله لغني حميد" وفي صحيح مسلم "يقول الله تعالى: يا عبادي لو أن أولكم وآخركم وإنسكم وجنكم كانوا على أتقى قلب رجل منكم ما زاد ذلك في ملكي شيئا يا عبادي لو أن أولكم وآخركم وإنسكم وجنكم كانوا على أفجر قلب رجل منكم ما نقص ذلك من ملكي شيئا يا عبادي إنما هي أعمالكم أحصيها لكم ثم أوفيكم إياها فمن وجد خيرا فليحمد الله ومن وجد غير ذلك فلا يلومن إلا نفسه".

How the Throne of Bilqis was brought in an Instant

Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from Yazid bin Ruman: "When the messengers returned with word of what Sulayman said, she said: `By Allah, I knew he was more than a king, and that we have no power to match him, and that we can gain nothing by being stubborn with him. So, she sent word to him saying: "I am coming to you with the leaders of my people to see what you will instruct us to do and what you are calling us to of your religion." Then she issued commands that her throne, which was made of gold and inlaid with rubies, chrysolite and pearls, should be placed in the innermost of seven rooms, one within the other, and all the doors should be locked. Then she told her deputy whom she was leaving in charge, "Take care of my people and my throne, and do not let anyone approach it or see it until I come back to you." Then she set off to meet Sulayman with twelve thousand of her commanders from the leaders of Yemen, under each of whose command were many thousands of men. Sulayman sent the Jinn to bring him news of her progress and route every day and night, then when she drew near, he gathered together the Jinns and humans who were under his control and said:

يأَيُّهَا الْمَلأ أَيُّكُمْ يَأْتِينِى بِعَرْشِهَا قَبْلَ أَن يَأْتُونِى مُسْلِمِينَ

(O chiefs! Which of you can bring me her throne before they come to me surrendering themselves in obedience (as Muslims))."

قَالَ عِفْرِيتٌ مِّن الْجِنِّ

(An `Ifrit from the Jinn said: ) Mujahid said, "A giant Jinn." Abu Salih said, "It was as if he was a mountain."

أَنَاْ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن تَقُومَ مِن مَّقَامِكَ

(I will bring it to you before you rise from your place.) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Before you get up from where you are sitting." As-Suddi and others said: "He used to sit to pass judgements and rulings over the people, and to eat, from the beginning of the day until noon."

وَإِنِّى عَلَيْهِ لَقَوِىٌّ أَمِينٌ

(And verily, I am indeed strong and trustworthy for such work.) Ibn `Abbas said: "Strong enough to carry it and trustworthy with the jewels it contains. Sulayman, upon him be peace, said, "I want it faster than that." From this it seems that Sulayman wanted to bring this throne as a demonstration of the greatness of the power and authority that Allah had bestowed upon him and the troops that He had subjugated to him. Power such as had never been given to anyone else, before or since, so that this would furnish proof of his prophethood before Bilqis and her people, because this would be a great and wondrous thing, if he brought her throne as if he were in her country, before they could come to it, although it was hidden and protected by so many locked doors. When Sulayman said, "I want it faster than that,

قَالَ الَّذِى عِندَهُ عِلْمٌ مِّنَ الْكِتَـبِ

(One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: ) Ibn `Abbas said, "This was Asif, the scribe of Sulayman." It was also narrated by Muhammad bin Ishaq from Yazid bin Ruman that he was Asif bin Barkhiya' and he was a truthful believer who knew the Greatest Name of Allah. Qatadah said: "He was a believer among the humans, and his name was Asif."

أَنَاْ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ

(I will bring it to you within the twinkling of an eye!) Meaning, lift your gaze and look as far as you can, and before you get tired and blink, you will find it before you. Then he got up, performed ablution and prayed to Allah, may He be exalted. Mujahid said: "He said, O Owner of majesty and honor." When Sulayman and his chiefs saw it before them,

قَالَ هَـذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّى

(he said: "This is by the grace of my Lord...") meaning, `this is one of the blessings which Allah has bestowed upon me.'

لِيَبْلُوَنِى أَءَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ

(to test whether I am grateful or ungrateful! And whoever is grateful, truly, his gratitude is for himself;) This is like the Ayat:

مَّنْ عَمِلَ صَـلِحاً فَلِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ أَسَآءَ فَعَلَيْهَا

(Whosoever does righteous good deed, it is for himself; and whosoever does evil, it is against himself.) (41:46)

وَمَنْ عَمِلَ صَـلِحاً فَلاًّنفُسِهِمْ يَمْهَدُونَ

(and whosoever does righteous good deed, then such will prepare a good place for themselves.) (30:44).

وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّى غَنِىٌّ كَرِيمٌ

(and whoever is ungrateful, certainly my Lord is Rich, Bountiful.) He has no need of His servants or their worship.

كَرِيمٌ

(Bountiful) He is Bountiful in and of Himself, even if no one were to worship Him. His greatness does not depend on anyone. This is like what Musa said: p

إِن تَكْفُرُواْ أَنتُمْ وَمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعًا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ

(If you disbelieve, you and all on earth together, then verily, Allah is Rich, Owner of all praise.) (14:8). It is recorded in Sahih Muslim:

«يَقُولُ اللهُ تَعَالَى: يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَتْقَى قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ مَا زَادَ ذَلِكَ فِي مُلْكِي شَيْئًا. يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَفْجَرِ قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي شَيْئًا. يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّمَا هِيَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ أُحْصِيهَا لَكُمْ ثُمَّ أُوَفِّيكُمْ إِيَّاهَا فَمَنْ وَجَدَ خَيْرًا فَلْيَحْمَدِ اللهَ،وَمَنْ وَجَدَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَلَا يَلُومَنَّ إِلَّا نَفْسَه»

(Allah, may He be exalted, says: "O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, mankind and Jinn alike, were all to be as pious as the most pious among you, that would not add to My dominion in the slightest. O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, mankind and Jinn alike, were all to be as evil as the most evil one among you, that would not detract from My dominion in the slightest. O My servants, these are deeds which I am recording for you, and I will judge you according to them, so whoever finds something good, let him praise Allah, and whoever finds otherwise, let him blame no one but himself.")

The one who had knowledge of the revealed Scripture — and this was one Āsif b. Barkhiyā a righteous individual with knowledge of God’s Greatest Name which when invoked in supplication for something it is immediately granted — said ‘I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you after you look at something. So he the afreet said to him ‘Look up towards the heaven’ which he did and when his glance returned in front of him he found it Bilqīs’ throne placed before him — for in the instance in which Solomon looked up to the heaven Āsif supplicated by invoking the Greatest Name that God bring it thereto; and this was done by having it travel under the earth until it sprung up below Solomon’s seat kursī. Then when he saw it standing still before him he said ‘This bringing it to me is of my Lord’s bounty that He may try me test me whether I give thanks read a-ashkur pronouncing both hamzas; or by replacing the second one with an alif; or by not pronouncing the second one but inserting an alif between the one not pronounced and the other one or without the insertion or am ungrateful for the favour. And whoever gives thanks gives thanks only for his own sake because the reward for his thanks shall be his and whoever is ungrateful for the favour should know then my Lord is surely Independent with no need of his thanks Generous’ by being bounteous to those who are ungrateful for it.

قَالَ الَّذِي عِندَهُ عِلْمٌ مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ (Said the one who had the knowledge of the book - 27:40). The question is as to who was this person? One possibility is that he was Sulaiman (علیہ السلام) himself, because his knowledge of the book of Allah was most extensive. In that case this incident happened as a miracle. The objective was also that Bilqis should have an experience of the prophetic miracle, so that no doubt was left in her mind. But Ibn Jarir has reported from many commentators of the Qur'an, like Qatadah, that he was a person from the companions of Sayyidna Sulaiman (علیہ السلام) . Qurtubi has declared it to be the view of the majority. Ibn Ishaque has mentioned his name as 'Asif Ibn Barkhiya, and has opined that he was a friend of Sayyidna Sulaiman (علیہ السلام) . Some other narrations say that a cousin of Sayyidna Sulaiman (علیہ السلام) had the knowledge of Al-Ism ul-A` zam, (a particular name of Allah Almighty) the speciality of which is that whatever blessing is invoked from Allah Ta` ala by reciting this name, it is accepted, and anything requested is delivered from Him. It does not prove that Sayyidna Sulaiman (علیہ السلام) did not have the knowledge of Al-Ism-ul-A` zam. Rather it is quite likely that he considered it prudent to have the manifestation of the miracle by one of his people, which should have deeper impression on Bilqis. Therefore, instead of performing the miracle himself, he addressed his people in the above manner. (کذا فی فصوص الحکم) In such a situation, this incident was a Karamah, which was performed by 'Asif Ibn Barkhiya.

Difference between miracle and Karmah

Miracles take place without any involvement of natural phenomena by the exclusive act and will of Allah Ta` ala. It is clearly defined in the Qur'an itself وَمَا رَ‌مَيْتَ إِذْ رَ‌مَيْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ اللَّـهَ رَ‌مَىٰ (You did not throw when you threw but Allah did throw - 8:17). Likewise, there is no involvement of natural phenomena in the happening of Karamah. They take place exclusively with the act and will of Allah Ta’ ala. This should also be understood that miracles and Karamah do not take place with the wish or control of the person performing them, but only by the will and act of Allah Ta` ala. The only difference between the two is that if such an unusual act is demonstrated through a prophet, it is known as a miracle; and if it is demonstrated through someone who is not a prophet, it is called Karamah. In this particular incident if it is correct that 'Asif Ibn Barkhiya, who was a companion of Sayyidna Sulaiman (علیہ السلام) performed it, then it will be called his Karamah. The unusual acts performed by saints are in fact the reflection of the perfections of their prophets, which in turn are deemed to be the miracles of their prophet.

The incident of the throne of Bilqis was a Karamah or a Tasarruf

Shaikh Muhiyyuddin ibn al-` Arabi has declared it as a Tasarruf of 'Asif ibn Barkhiya. In the general use of the term, Tasarruf means to captivate the audience by the power of sight and mind, for which it is not necessary for the person performing it that he is a prophet or saint or even a Muslim. It is something like mesmerism or hypnotism. The saints have used this power occasionally for reforming and training of their disciples also. Ibn al-'Arabi has explained that since prophets avoid using Tasarruf, therefore Sayyidna Sulaiman (علیہ السلام) got this job done by 'Asif ibn Barkhiya. But the Qur'an has declared it the result of عِلْمٌ مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ (The knowledge of the book - 27:40). In the light of the wordings of the Qur'an, it seems preferable that it was an outcome of some prayer or of Al-Ism ul-A` zam which falls within the purview of Karamah, and has nothing to do with Tasarruf.

The assertion أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْ‌تَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْ‌فُكَ (I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you - 27:40) may create confusion, because it gives the impression that this act was carried out with intent and control. That being so, it is a sign of Tasarruf, because Karamah is not under the control of a saint. The answer to this doubt is that presumably Allah Ta’ ala had already given the signal that if there would be a desire for that, He would fulfill it in no time.

This explanation is taken from the commentary ` Ahkam ul Qur'an' by Sayyidi Hakimul Ummah Maulana Ashraf ` Ali Thanawi (رح) ، on Surah An-Naml. Apart from that, he has also written a pamphlet on Tasarruf in Arabic under the title ` At-Tasarruf, which I have translated in Urdu and has been published separately.