And We had certainly given to David and Solomon knowledge, and they said, "Praise [is due] to Allah, who has favored us over many of His believing servants." 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 And there were gathered together unto Solomon his armies of the jinn and humankind, and of the birds, and they were set in battle order; 17 Until when they came unto the valley of the ants, an ant said: O ants! enter your habitations lest Sulaiman and his hosts crush you while they perceive not. 18 (Solomon) smiled, amused at her speech, and said: "O Lord grant me that I should be grateful for the favours You have bestowed on me and my parents, and do good things of Your pleasing; and admit me among Your righteous devotees by Your grace." 19 (Solomon) inspected the birds and said, "How is it that I cannot see the hoopoe. Is he absent? 20 "I will surely punish him with a severe torment, or slaughter him, unless he brings me a clear reason." 21 Not before long the hoopoe came up and said: "I have obtained a knowledge which you could not. I have brought for you sure news about Sheba. 22 There I found a woman ruling over them. She possess everything and has a great throne. 23 And I found her and her people adoring the sun instead of God; and Satan has made these doings of theirs seem goodly to them, and [thus] has barred them from the path [of God,] so that they cannot find the right way: 24 “Why do they not prostrate to Allah, Who brings forth the things hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows all what you hide and all what you disclose?” 25 Allah, there is no god except He, the Lord of the Mighty Throne' ۩ 26 ۞ (Solomon) said: 'We shall see if you speak the truth or you are a liar. 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 Surely it is from Sulaiman, and surely it is in the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; 30 "Be you not exalted against me, but come to me as Muslims (true believers who submit to Allah with full submission)' " 31