We gave knowledge to David and Solomon. They said: 'Praise be to Allah who has preferred us above many of His believing worshipers' 15 Solomon inherited David. He said: 'Know, my people, we have been taught the speech of birds and given everything. Surely, this is a clear 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 till, when they came on the Valley of Ants, an ant said, 'Ants, enter your dwelling-places, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you, being unaware!' 18 So he smiled, amused at her speech, and said: my Lord! arouse me that I should be thankful for Thy favour wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and that I should work righteously pleasing Thee, and out of Thy mercy enter me among Thine righteous bondmen. 19 And [one day] he looked in vain for [a particular one of] the birds; and so he said: How is it that I do not see the hoopoe? Or could he be among the absent? 20 Surely I shall torment him with a severe torment, or I shall slaughter him, unless he bringeth unto me a warranty manifest. 21 But he was not long in coming, and reported: "I have been around where you have not been. I come from Saba with positive news. 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 [And] so they do not prostrate to Allah, who brings forth what is hidden within the heavens and the earth and knows what you conceal and what you declare - 25 Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne! ۩ 26 ۞ Said he, 'Now We will see whether thou hast spoken truly, or whether thou art amongst those that lie. 27 Go with this my letter and throw it down unto them; then turn away and see what (answer) they return, 28 (The Queen of Sheba) said to her officials, "A gracious letter has been dropped before me. 29 Verily it is from Sulaiman, and verily it is: in the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. 30 Do not rise up against me, but come to me in surrender (Muslims)." 31