Al-Qur'an Surah An-Naml Verse 23

Mufti Taqi Usmani

I have found a woman ruling over them, and all sorts of things are given to her, and she has a great throne.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed, I found a woman ruling over them,[[ The Queen of Sheba is known in Islamic tradition as Bilkis. ]] who has been given everything ˹she needs˺, and who has a magnificent throne.

Ruwwad Translation Center

I found a woman ruling over them, who has been given of all things, and she has a great throne.

A. J. Arberry

I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given of everything, and she possesses a mighty throne.

Abdul Haleem

I found a woman ruling over the people, who has been given a share of everything- she has a magnificent throne-

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Verily have found a woman ruling over them and she hath been vouchsafed somewhat of everything, and hers is a mighty throne.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.

Abul Ala Maududi

I found there a woman ruling over them, one who has been endowed with all things and has a mighty throne.

Ahmed Ali

I found a woman reigning over them, and she has been favoured with everything; and she has a throne that is magnificent.

Ahmed Raza Khan

“I have seen a woman who rules over them, and she has been given from all things, and she has a mighty throne.”

Ali Quli Qarai

I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given everything, and she has a great throne.

Ali Ünal

"I found there a woman ruling over them, one who has been granted everything (that a ruler is expected to have), and who has a mighty throne.

Amatul Rahman Omar

`I found (there) a (wonderful) woman ruling over them (- the Sabaeans) and she has been given everything (she requires) and owns a magnificent throne.

English Literal

That I found a woman, she owns/rules them, and she was given from every thing, and for her (is) a great throne .

Faridul Haque

“I have seen a woman who rules over them, and she has been given from all things, and she has a mighty throne.”

Hamid S. Aziz

But he was not long in coming, and said, "I have compassed (covered territory or found out) what you compassed (covered or understood) not; for I come unto you from Sheba with sure information:

Hilali & Khan

"I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given all things that could be possessed by any ruler of the earth, and she has a great throne.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

I will certainly punish him with a severe punishment, or kill him, or he shall bring me a clear excuse.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Surely I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given abundance and she has a mighty throne:

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lo! I found a woman ruling over them, and she hath been given (abundance) of all things, and hers is a mighty throne.

Muhammad Sarwar

I found a woman ruling the people there and she possessed something of (almost) everything and a great throne.

Qaribullah & Darwish

There I found a woman ruling over them. She possess everything and has a great throne.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

"I found a woman ruling over them, she has been given all things, and she has a great throne."

Wahiduddin Khan

I found a woman ruling over them, who has been given everything and she has a mighty throne.

Talal Itani

I found a woman ruling over them, and she was given of everything, and she has a magnificent throne.

Tafsir jalalayn

I found a woman ruling over them, in other words, she was their queen, her name Bilqs; and she has been given [an abundance] of all things, that kings might require, in the way of machines and instruments, and she possesses a great throne -- its length was 80 cubits, its width 40 cubits, its height 30 cubits, and was made of gold and silver, encrusted with pearls, rubies, chrysolite, and emeralds, with its legs made of rubies, chrysolite and emeralds, containing seven [inner] doors, the door of each chamber shut.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

إِنِّي وَجَدتُّ امْرَأَةً تَمْلِكُهُمْ

I found a woman ruling over them,

Al-Hasan Al-Basri said,

"This is Bilqis bint Sharahil, the queen of Saba'."

Allah's saying;

وَأُوتِيَتْ مِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ

she has been given all things,

means, all the conveniences of this world that a powerful monarch could need.

وَلَهَا عَرْشٌ عَظِيمٌ



and she has a great throne.

meaning, a tremendous chair adorned with gold and different kinds of jewels and pearls.

The historians said,

"This throne was in a great, strong palace which was high and firmly constructed. In it there were three hundred and sixty windows on the east side, and a similar number on the west, and it was constructed in such a way that each day when the sun rose it would shine through one window, and when it set it would shine through the opposite window. And the people used to prostrate to the sun morning and evening."

This is why the hoopoe said