And We indeed bestowed great knowledge to Dawud and Sulaiman; and they both said, “All praise is to Allah, Who bestowed us superiority over many of His believing bondmen.” 15 And Sulaiman became Dawud’s heir; and he said, “O people, we have indeed been taught the language of birds, and have been given from all things; this surely is a manifest favour.” 16 We gathered to Solomon his army of jinn, humans and birds; gathered and dispersed, 17 Until, when they came upon the valley of the ants, an ant said, "O ants, enter your dwellings that you not be crushed by Solomon and his soldiers while they perceive not." 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 And he reviewed the birds; then he said, 'How is it with me, that I do not see the hoopoe? Or is he among the absent? 20 Assuredly I will chastise him with a terrible chastisement, or I will slaughter him, or he bring me a clear authority.' 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 “I have seen a woman who rules over them, and she has been given from all things, and she has a mighty 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 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 He is God: there is no deity but He, the Lord of the mighty throne." ۩ 26 ۞ Said he, 'Now We will see whether thou hast spoken truly, or whether thou art amongst those that lie. 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 (The queen) said: "Ye chiefs! here is delivered to me - a letter worthy of respect. 29 Surely it is from Sulaiman, and surely it is in the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; 30 Saying: exalt not yourselves against me and come to me in submission. 31