Al-Qur'an Surah An-Naml Verse 41

Mufti Taqi Usmani

He said, “Disguise the throne for her, and we will see whether she discovers the truth, or she does not recognize it.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹Then˺ Solomon said, “Disguise her throne for her so we may see whether she will recognize ˹it˺ or she will not be able to.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

He said, “Disguise her throne for her, so we may see whether she can discover the truth, or she will be of those who cannot recognize.”

A. J. Arberry

He said, 'Disguise her throne for her, and we shall behold whether she is guided or if she is of those that are not guided.'

Abdul Haleem

Then he said, ‘Disguise her throne, and we shall see whether or not she recognizes it.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

He said: disguise for her her throne, that we may see whether she be guided or be of those who are not guided.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He said; "Transform her throne out of all recognition by her; let us see whether she is guided (to the truth) or is one of those who receive no guidance."

Abul Ala Maududi

Solomon said: " Set the throne before her casually, and let us see whether she gets to the Truth or is one of those who are not guided to what is right."

Ahmed Ali

(Turning to his nobles) he said: "Change the appearance of her throne. Let us see if she is rightly guided, or is not guided at all."

Ahmed Raza Khan

Said Sulaiman, “Disguise her throne in front of her so that we may see whether she finds the way* or becomes of those who remain unknowing.” (*Recognises her throne.)

Ali Quli Qarai

He said, ‘Disguise her throne for her, so that we may see whether she is discerning or if she is one of the undiscerning ones.’

Ali Ünal

He said: "Disguise her throne, and let us see whether she is able to find guidance or remains one of those who are not guided."

Amatul Rahman Omar

He (further) said, `Make her own (old) throne seem discredited to her (in her own estimation by making this new throne of a very excellent standard). We shall see (thereby) whether she follows the right way (by discarding her old idolatrous throne) or whether she is (one) of those who do not follow the right way.´

English Literal

He said: "Change/disguise for her, her throne , we see is she to be guided or she becomes from those who do not be guided."

Faridul Haque

Said Sulaiman, “Disguise her throne in front of her so that we may see whether she finds the way * or becomes of those who remain unknowing.” (*Recognises her throne.)

Hamid S. Aziz

He who had the knowledge of the Book said, "I will bring it to you before your glance can turn." And when he saw it set down beside him, he (Solomon) said, "This is of my Lord´s grace that He may try me whether I give thanks or am ungrateful. Whoever gives thanks, gives thanks for the good of his own soul; but he who is ungrateful - truly, my Lord is rich (independent, free of all needs) and Bountiful."

Hilali & Khan

He said: "Disguise her throne for her that we may see whether she will be guided (to recognise her throne), or she will be one of those not guided."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

One audacious among the jinn said: I will bring it to thee before thou rise up from thy place; and surely I am strong, trusty for it.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

He said: Alter her throne for her, we will see whether she follows the right way or is of those who do not go aright.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

He said: Disguise her throne for her that we may see whether she will go aright or be of those not rightly guided.

Muhammad Sarwar

Then he said, "Make a few changes to her throne and let us see whether she will recognize it or not."

Qaribullah & Darwish

(Then) he said: 'Let her throne be disguised, so that we can see whether she is guided or if she is among those who are not guided'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

He said: "Disguise her throne for her that we may see whether she will be guided, or she will be one of those not guided."

Wahiduddin Khan

He said, "Disguise her throne. We shall see whether or not she will recognize it."

Talal Itani

He said, “Disguise her throne for her, and we shall see whether she will be guided, or remains one of the misguided.”

Tafsir jalalayn

He said, `Disguise her throne for her -- in other words, transform it such that when she sees it, it will be in an unrecognisable form -- that we may see whether she will be guided, to recognising it, or be of those who cannot be guided', to recognise when things are transformed around them. He [Solomon] sought thereby to test her mind, for it was said to have something wrong with it. Thus they transformed it by adding or taking away [certain things] and in other ways.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Test of Bilqis

Allah tells;

قَالَ

He (Suleiman) said;

When Suleiman brought the throne of Bilqis before she and her people arrived, he issued orders that some of its features should be altered, so that he could test her and see whether she recognized it and how composed she would be when she saw it. Would she hasten to say either that it was her throne or that it was not! So he said;

نَكِّرُوا لَهَا عَرْشَهَا نَنظُرْ أَتَهْتَدِي أَمْ تَكُونُ مِنَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَهْتَدُونَ



Disguise her throne for her that we may see whether she will be guided, or she will be one of those not guided.

Ibn Abbas said;

"Remove some of its adornments and parts."

Mujahid said;

"He issued orders that it should be changed, so whatever was red should be made yellow and vice versa, and whatever was green should be made red, so everything was altered."

Ikrimah said,

"They added some things and took some things away."

Qatadah said,

"It was turned upside down and back to front, and some things were added and some things were taken away.