And We gave David and Solomon knowledge and they said, 'Praise belongs to God who has preferred us over many of His believing servants.' 15 And Solomon was David's heir, and he said, 'Men, we have been taught the speech of the birds, and we have been given of everything; surely this is indeed the manifest bounty.' 16 And [one day] there were assembled before Solomon his hosts of invisible beings, and of men, and of birds; and then they were led forth in orderly ranks, 17 At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." 18 So he smiled, wondering at her word, and said: My Lord! grant me that I should be grateful for Thy favor which Thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I should do good such as Thou art pleased with, and make me enter, by Thy mercy, into Thy servants, the good ones. 19 He reviewed the birds and said: 'Why is it that I do not see the hoopoe here? Or is he among the absent? 20 “I will indeed punish him severely or slay him, or he must bring to me some clear evidence.” 21 But he tarried not long, and said, 'I have comprehended that which thou hast not comprehended, and I have come from Sheba to thee with a sure tiding. 22 "I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne. 23 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, 24 So that they adore not Allah who bringeth forth the hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knoweth that which ye conceal and that which ye make known. 25 Allah; there is no Allah save Him, the Lord of the Tremendous Throne. ۩ 26 ۞ Said Sulaiman, “We shall now see whether you spoke the truth or are among the liars.” 27 "Go thou, with this letter of mine, and deliver it to them: then draw back from them, and (wait to) see what answer they return"... 28 She said: O chief! surely an honorable letter has been delivered to me 29 It is from Solomon, and it is: "In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate." 30 Do not rise up against me, but come to me in surrender (Muslims)." 31