Al-Qur'an Surah An-Naml Verse 44

Mufti Taqi Usmani

It was said to her, “Enter the palace.” Then once she saw it, she thought it was flowing water, and uncovered her legs. He (Sulaimān) said, “This is a palace made of glasses.” She said, “My Lord, I had surely wronged myself, and now I submit, along with Sulaimān, to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Then she was told, “Enter the palace.” But when she saw the hall, she thought it was a body of water, so she bared her legs. Solomon said. “It is just a palace paved with crystal.” ˹At last˺ she declared, “My Lord! I have certainly wronged my soul. Now I ˹fully˺ submit myself along with Solomon to Allah, the Lord of all worlds.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

It was said to her, “Enter the palace.” But when she saw it, she thought it was a body of water, so she uncovered her calves. He said, “This is a palace paved with crystal.” She said, “My Lord, I have wronged myself, and now I submit along with Solomon to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.”

A. J. Arberry

It was said to her, 'Enter the pavilion.' But when she saw it, she supposed it was a spreading water, and she bared her legs. He said, 'It is a pavilion smoothed of crystal. She said, 'My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, and I surrender with Solomon to God, the Lord of all Being.'

Abdul Haleem

Then it was said to her, ‘Enter the hall,’ but when she saw it, she thought it was a deep pool of water, and bared her legs. Solomon explained, ‘It is just a hall paved with glass,’ and she said, ‘My Lord, I have wronged myself: I devote myself, with Solomon, to God, the Lord of the Worlds.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

It was said unto her: enter the palace. Then when she saw it,, he deemed it a pool and bared her shanks. He said: verily it is a palace evenly floored with glass. She said: my Lord! verily I wronged my soul, and now submit myself together with Sulaiman unto Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

She was asked to enter the lofty Palace; but when she saw it, she thought it was a lake of water, and she (tucked up her skirts), uncovering her legs. He said; "This is but a palace paved smooth with slabs of glass." She said; "O my Lord! I have indeed wronged my soul; I do (now) submit (in Islam), with Solomon, to the Lord of the Worlds."

Abul Ala Maududi

She was told: "Enter the palace." But when she saw it, she thought it was a pool of water and she bared both her calves (to enter into it). Solomon said: "This is a slippery floor of crystal." Thereupon she cried out: "My Lord, I have been inflicting much wrong on myself. Now I submit myself with Solomon to Allah, the Lord of the whole Universe."

Ahmed Ali

She was invited to enter the court. When she saw it, she took it for a sheet of water, and (pulling up her skirts) uncovered her legs. (Solomon) told her: "This is paved with tiles of glass." "O Lord," she said, "I have wronged myself, and I submit to the Lord of all the worlds with Solomon."

Ahmed Raza Khan

It was said to her, “Enter the hall”; and when she saw it she thought it was a pool and bared her shins*; said Sulaiman, “This is only a smooth hall, affixed with glass”; she said, “My Lord, I have indeed wronged myself, and I now submit myself along with Sulaiman to Allah, the Lord Of The Creation.” (* In order to cross it)

Ali Quli Qarai

It was said to her, ‘Enter the palace.’ So when she saw it, she supposed it to be a pool of water, and she bared her shanks. He said, ‘It is a palace paved with crystal.’ She said, ‘My Lord! Indeed I have wronged myself, and I submit with Solomon to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.’

Ali Ünal

It was said (to her): "Enter the palace." When she saw it, she thought it was a pool of water and bared her calves (in order to hold her robes above the water). He (Solomon) said: "This is a palace paved with crystal." (Having now concluded that Solomon must truly be a Prophet,) she said: "My Lord, surely I have wronged myself (by worshipping false gods). But now I submit myself, in Solomon’s company, to God, the Lord of the worlds."

Amatul Rahman Omar

It was said to her, `Enter the palace.´ And when she saw it she took it for a great expanse of water. She was greatly perturbed. (Solomon) said, `It is a palace paved smooth with slabs of glass.´ She (realizing the truth that she worshipped outward objects like the sun in place of Reality, the true God,) said, `My Lord! I have done injustice to myself and (now) I submit myself through Solomon to Allâh, the Lord of the worlds.´

English Literal

(It) was said to her: "Enter the palace/tower ." So when she saw it, she thought/supposed it (was) a wide body of water , and she removed/uncovered from her two shins/legs, he said: "That it truly is a palace/tower smoothened and spread from clear glass/mirrors ." She said: "My Lord , that I caused injustice/oppression (to) myself, and I submitted/surrendered with Soliman, to God, the creations all together`s/(universes`) Lord."

Faridul Haque

It was said to her, “Enter the hall”; and when she saw it she thought it was a pool and bared her shins *; said Sulaiman, “This is only is a smooth hall, affixed with glass”; she said, “My Lord, I have indeed wronged myself, and I now submit myself along with Sulaiman to Allah, the Lord Of The Creation.” (* In order to cross it)

Hamid S. Aziz

"But that which she worshipped beside Allah diverted her; for she came of people who had no faith."

Hilali & Khan

It was said to her: "Enter As-Sarh" [(a glass surface with water underneath it) or a palace], but when she saw it, she thought it was a pool, and she (tucked up her clothes) uncovering her legs, Sulaiman (Solomon) said: "Verily, it is Sarh [(a glass surface with water underneath it) or a palace] paved smooth with slab of glass." She said: "My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit (in Islam, together with Sulaiman (Solomon), to Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists)."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So when she came, it was said: Was thy throne like this? She said: It is as it were the same; and we were given the knowledge before about it, and we submitted.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

It was said to her: Enter the palace; but when she saw it she deemed it to be a great expanse of water, and bared her legs. He said: Surely it is a palace made smooth with glass. She said: My Lord! surely I have been unjust to myself, and I submit with Sulaiman to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

It was said unto her: Enter the hall. And when she saw it she deemed it a pool and bared her legs. (Solomon) said: Lo! it is a hall, made smooth, of glass. She said: My Lord! Lo! I have wronged myself, and I surrender with Solomon unto Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

Muhammad Sarwar

She was told to enter the palace. When she saw it, she thought that it was a pool and raised her clothe up to her legs. Solomon said, "This is a palace constructed with glass." She said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself and I submit myself with Solomon to the will of God, the Lord of the Universe."

Qaribullah & Darwish

It was said to her: 'Enter the pavilion' And when she saw it, she thought it was a pool of water, and bared her legs. But he said: 'It is a pavilion smoothed with crystal' She said: 'My Lord, I have wronged myself, and I become a Muslim (submissive) with Solomon to Allah, Lord of the Worlds'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

It was said to her: "Enter As-Sarh," but when she saw it, she thought it was a pool, and she (tucked up her clothes) uncovering her legs. Sulayman said: "Verily, it is a Sarh Mumarrad of Qawarir." She said: "My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit, together with Sulayman to Allah, the Lord of all that exits."

Wahiduddin Khan

Then she was bidden to enter the palace; but when she saw it, she thought it was a deep pool of water, and bared her legs. But Solomon explained, "It is just a palace paved with glass," and she said, "My Lord, I have wronged myself: now I submit myself along with Solomon, to God, the Lord of the Universe."

Talal Itani

It was said to her, “Go inside the palace.” And when she saw it, she thought it was a deep pond, and she bared her legs. He said, “It is a palace paved with glass.” She said, “My Lord, I have done wrong to myself, and I have submitted with Solomon, to God, Lord of the Worlds.”

Tafsir jalalayn

It was, also, said to her, `Enter the palace [hallway]' -- this was a transparent white glass floor underneath which flowed sweet water that contained fish. Solomon had it made when he was told that her legs and feet resembled the shanks of a mule. And when she saw it, she supposed it to be a pool, of water, and so she bared her legs, to wade through it. Meanwhile Solomon was seated on his throne at the front part of the palace [hallway], and he saw that her legs and feet were [in fact] fair. He said, to her; `It is a hallway paved [smooth] with crystal', and thereafter he called her to submit [to God]. She said, `My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, by worshipping other than You, and I submit with Solomon to God, the Lord of the Worlds'. He wanted to marry her but disliked the hair on her legs. So the devils made a [depilatory] lime mixture (nra) and she removed it therewith. He married her and had [great] love for her. And he let her remain as ruler of her kingdom and would visit her once a month, staying for three days [every time]. Her reign came to an end at the same time as that of Solomon. It is reported that he became king at the age of 13 and died at the age of 53 -- Glory be to the One whose enduring sovereignty will never end!

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

قِيلَ لَهَا ادْخُلِي الصَّرْحَ فَلَمَّا رَأَتْهُ حَسِبَتْهُ لُجَّةً وَكَشَفَتْ عَن سَاقَيْهَا

It was said to her;"Enter As-Sarh" but when she saw it, she thought it was a pool, and she (tucked up her clothes) uncovering her legs.

Suleiman had commanded the Shayatin to build for her a huge palace of glass beneath which water was flowing. Anyone who did not know the nature of the building would think that it was water, but in fact there was a layer of glass between a person walking and the water.

قَالَ إِنَّهُ صَرْحٌ مُّمَرَّدٌ مِّن قَوَارِيرَ

He (Suleiman) said;"Verily, it is a Sarh Mumarrad of Qawarir."

means a palace or any lofty construction.

Allah says of Fir`awn -- may Allah curse him -- that he said to his minister Haman;

ابْنِ لِى صَرْحاً لَّعَـلِّى أَبْلُغُ الاٌّسْبَـبَ

Build me a Sarh that I may arrive at the ways. (40;36-37)
Sarh is also used to refer to the high constructed palaces in Yemen.
Mumarrad means sturdily constructed and smooth.

مِّن قَوَارِيرَ

of Qawarir,

means, made of glass, i.e., it was built with smooth surfaces.
Marid is a fortress in Dawmat Al-Jandal. What is meant here is that Suleiman built a huge, lofty palace of glass for this queen, in order to show her the greatness of his authority and power. When she saw for herself what Allah had given him and how majestic his position was, she submitted to the command of Allah and acknowledged that he was a noble Prophet, so she submitted to Allah and said;

قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي

She said;My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself,

meaning, by her previous disbelief and Shirk and by the fact that she and her people had worshipped the sun instead of Allah.

وَأَسْلَمْتُ مَعَ سُلَيْمَانَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ



and I submit, together with Suleiman to Allah, the Lord of all that exists.

meaning, following the religion of Suleiman, worshipping Allah alone with no partner or associate, Who created everything and measured it exactly according to its due measurements