And assuredly We vouchsafed unto Daud and Sulaiman a knowledge, and the twain said: praise unto Allah Who hath preferred us above many of His believing bondmen! 15 And [in this insight] Solomon was [truly] David's heir; and he would say: "O you people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and have been given [in abundance] of all [good] things: this, behold, is indeed a manifest favour [from God]!" 16 Soloman's army, consisting of human beings, jinn, and birds were gathered together in his presence in ranks. 17 Till, when they reached the Valley of the Ants, an ant exclaimed: O ants! Enter your dwellings lest Solomon and his armies crush you, unperceiving. 18 So [Solomon] smiled, amused at her speech, and said, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants." 19 When he reviewed the Tair, he said: "How is it I do not see Hud-hud? Is he absent? 20 I will inflict a severe punishment on him or maybe even slaughter him unless he comes forth with a convincing reason (for his absence)." 21 But the Hoopoe tarried not far: he (came up and) said: "I have compassed (territory) which thou hast not compassed, and I have come to thee from Saba with tidings true. 22 I found there a woman ruling over them, one who has been endowed with all things and has a mighty throne. 23 I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah; and Satan maketh their works fairseeming unto them, and debarreth them from the way (of Truth), so that they go not aright; 24 Should they not worship God who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and earth and knows both what you conceal and what you make known? 25 Allah! there is no God but he, the Lord of the Magnificent Throne. ۩ 26 ۞ [Solomon] said, "We will see whether you were truthful or were of the liars. 27 “Go with this letter of mine and drop it upon them – then move aside from them and see what they answer in return.” 28 The woman said, “O chieftains, indeed a noble letter has been dropped upon me.” 29 It is from Solomon and it is "In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful. 30 "Be you not exalted against me, but come to me as Muslims (true believers who submit to Allah with full submission)' " 31