Al-Qur'an Surah An-Naml Verse 43

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And she was prevented (from submitting before this) by that which she used to worship instead of Allah. Indeed she was from a disbelieving people.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

But she had been hindered by what she used to worship instead of Allah, for she was indeed from a disbelieving people.

Ruwwad Translation Center

But she was hindered [from the faith] because she used to worship other than Allah, for she came from a disbelieving people.

A. J. Arberry

but that she served, apart from God, barred her, for she was of a people of unbelievers.'

Abdul Haleem

she was prevented by what she worshipped instead of God, for she came from a disbelieving people.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And that which she was wont to worship instead of Allah hindered her; verily she was of an infidel people.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And he diverted her from the worship of others besides Allah; for she was (sprung) of a people that had no faith.

Abul Ala Maududi

What prevented her (from accepting the True Faith) was her worshipping deities other than Allah, for she belonged to an unbelieving people.

Ahmed Ali

She was (in fact) turned away by what she worshipped other than God, for she came of an unbelieving people.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And the thing she used to worship instead of Allah prevented her; she was indeed from the disbelieving people.

Ali Quli Qarai

She had been barred [from the way of Allah] by what she used to worship besides Allah, for she belonged to a faithless people.

Ali Ünal

That she had been worshipping other than God kept her back (from the Straight Path); for she belonged to a disbelieving people.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And (Solomon) held her back from the things she used to worship apart from Allâh, for she belonged to an unbelieving people.

English Literal

And what she was worshipping from other than God obstructed/prevented her , that she truly was from a disbelieving nation.

Faridul Haque

And the thing she used to worship instead of Allah prevented her; she was indeed from the disbelieving people.

Hamid S. Aziz

And when she came it was said unto her, "Is this your throne?" She said, "It was just like this (it could be the one)." and Solomon said, "We were given knowledge before her, and we had Surrendered (to Allah).

Hilali & Khan

And that which she used to worship besides Allah has prevented her (from Islam), for she was of a disbelieving people.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

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

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And what she worshipped besides Allah prevented her, surely she was of an unbelieving people.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And (all) that she was wont to worship instead of Allah hindered her, for she came of disbelieving folk.

Muhammad Sarwar

Her idols prevented her from believing in God and she was an infidel.

Qaribullah & Darwish

That which she worshipped, other than Allah, had prevented her, for she came from an unbelieving nation.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And Saddaha that which she used to worship besides Allah has prevented her (from Islam), for she was of a disbelieving people.

Wahiduddin Khan

And that which she used to worship beside God had stopped her [from believing]; for she came of a disbelieving people.

Talal Itani

But she was prevented by what she worshiped besides God; she belonged to a disbelieving people.

Tafsir jalalayn

And what she worshipped besides God, that is, other than Him, barred her, from the worship of God, for she belonged to disbelieving folk'.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

And Saddaha that which she used to worship besides Allah has prevented her, for she was of a disbelieving people.

This is a continuation of the words of Suleiman -- according to the opinion of Mujahid and Sa`id bin Jubayr, may Allah be pleased with them both -- i.e., Suleiman said;
وَأُوتِينَا الْعِلْمَ مِن قَبْلِهَا وَكُنَّا مُسْلِمِينَ
(Knowledge was bestowed on us before her, and we had submitted to Allah). and what stopped her from worshipping Allah alone was
مَا كَانَت تَّعْبُدُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنَّهَا كَانَتْ مِن قَوْمٍ كَافِرِينَ
(that which she used to worship besides Allah, for she was of a disbelieving people).

What Mujahid and Sa`id said is good; it was also the view of Ibn Jarir.

Then Ibn Jarir said, "It could be that the subject of the verb
وَصَدَّهَا
(And Saddaha) refers to Suleiman or to Allah, so that the phrase now means;
مَا كَانَت تَّعْبُدُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ
(She would not worship anything over than Allah),
إِنَّهَا كَانَتْ مِن قَوْمٍ كَافِرِينَ
(for she was of a disbelieving people).

I say;the opinion of Mujahid is supported by the fact that she declared her Islam after she entered the Sarh, as we shall see below