And certainly We gave knowledge to Dawood and Sulaiman, and they both said: Praise be to Allah, Who has made us to excel many of His believing servants. 15 And Solomon succeeded David and said: "O people, we have been taught the speech of birds and we have been endowed with all kinds of things. Surely this is a conspicuous favour (from Allah)." 16 And his hosts of the jinn and the men and the birds were gathered to him, and they were formed into groups. 17 Till, when they came to the valley of the ants, one of the ants said: "O ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Sulaiman (Solomon) and his hosts crush you, while they perceive not." 18 He smiled, and laughed at its words, and said: 'My Lord, inspire me that I should be thankful for Your blessing with which You have blessed me and my parents, and that I may do good works that will please You. Admit me, by Your Mercy, among Your righteous worshipers' 19 And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? 20 Surely, I will punish him with a terrible punishment, or I will slaughter him or he gives me a good reason' 21 But [the hoopoe] tarried but a short while; and [when it came] it said: "I have encompassed [with my knowledge] something that thou hast never yet encompassed [with thine] - for I have come to thee from Sheba with a tiding sure! 22 There I found a woman ruling over them. She possess everything and has a great throne. 23 “I found her and her nation prostrating before the sun instead of Allah, and Satan has made their deeds seem good to them thereby preventing them from the Straight Path – so they do not attain guidance.” 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!- Lord of the Throne Supreme!" ۩ 26 ۞ He said: We will see whether you have told the truth or whether you are of the liars: 27 Take this letter of mine and deliver it to them, then return and see what their reply will be." 28 She (the Queen of Sheba) said: 'O Council, look, an honorable letter has been dropped to me. 29 It is from Solomon. It reads, "In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful, 30 Be not haughty with me but come to me in submission [as Muslims].' " 31