AND, INDEED, We granted [true] knowledge unto David and Solomon [as well]; and both were wont to say: All praise is due to God, who has [thus] favoured us above 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 Soloman's army, consisting of human beings, jinn, and birds were gathered together in his presence in ranks. 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 And (Solomon) smiled, laughing at her speech, and said: My Lord, arouse me to be thankful for Thy favour wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and to do good that shall be pleasing unto Thee, and include me in (the number of) Thy righteous slaves. 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 shall surely punish him severely or order him to be executed, unless he gives me a good 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 Surely I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given abundance and she has a mighty throne: 23 But she and her people prostrate to the sun instead of Allah. And satan has made their deeds seem pleasing to them and barred them from the Path, and therefore they are not guided. 24 That they do not make obeisance to Allah, Who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and the earth and knows what you hide and what you make manifest: 25 Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne! ۩ 26 ۞ Said [Solomon]: "We shall see whether thou hast told the truth or art one of the liars! 27 "Go you with this letter of mine, and deliver it to them, then draw back from them, and see what (answer) they return." 28 (The Queen of Sheba) said to her officials, "A gracious letter has been dropped before me. 29 "It is from Solomon, and is (as follows): 'In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful: 30 (It says): "Do not act towards me with defiance, but come to me in submission." 31