قالَ عِفريتٌ مِنَ الجِنِّ أَنا آتيكَ بِهِ قَبلَ أَن تَقومَ مِن مَقامِكَ ۖ وَإِنّي عَلَيهِ لَقَوِيٌّ أَمينٌ
A powerful one from among the jinn said, "I will bring it to you before you rise from your place, and indeed, I am for this [task] strong and trustworthy."
قالَ الَّذي عِندَهُ عِلمٌ مِنَ الكِتابِ أَنا آتيكَ بِهِ قَبلَ أَن يَرتَدَّ إِلَيكَ طَرفُكَ ۚ فَلَمّا رَآهُ مُستَقِرًّا عِندَهُ قالَ هـٰذا مِن فَضلِ رَبّي لِيَبلُوَني أَأَشكُرُ أَم أَكفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّما يَشكُرُ لِنَفسِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبّي غَنِيٌّ كَريمٌ
Said one who had knowledge from the Scripture, "I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you." And when [Solomon] saw it placed before him, he said, "This is from the favor of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is grateful - his gratitude is only for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever is ungrateful - then indeed, my Lord is Free of need and Generous."
قالَ نَكِّروا لَها عَرشَها نَنظُر أَتَهتَدي أَم تَكونُ مِنَ الَّذينَ لا يَهتَدونَ
He said, "Disguise for her her throne; we will see whether she will be guided [to truth] or will be of those who is not guided."
فَلَمّا جاءَت قيلَ أَهـٰكَذا عَرشُكِ ۖ قالَت كَأَنَّهُ هُوَ ۚ وَأوتينَا العِلمَ مِن قَبلِها وَكُنّا مُسلِمينَ
So when she arrived, it was said [to her], "Is your throne like this?" She said, "[It is] as though it was it." [Solomon said], "And we were given knowledge before her, and we have been Muslims [in submission to Allah].
وَصَدَّها ما كانَت تَعبُدُ مِن دونِ اللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّها كانَت مِن قَومٍ كافِرينَ
And that which she was worshipping other than Allah had averted her [from submission to Him]. Indeed, she was from a disbelieving people."
قيلَ لَهَا ادخُلِي الصَّرحَ ۖ فَلَمّا رَأَتهُ حَسِبَتهُ لُجَّةً وَكَشَفَت عَن ساقَيها ۚ قالَ إِنَّهُ صَرحٌ مُمَرَّدٌ مِن قَواريرَ ۗ قالَت رَبِّ إِنّي ظَلَمتُ نَفسي وَأَسلَمتُ مَعَ سُلَيمانَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ العالَمينَ
She was told, "Enter the palace." But when she saw it, she thought it was a body of water and uncovered her shins [to wade through]. He said, "Indeed, it is a palace [whose floor is] made smooth with glass." She said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, and I submit with Solomon to Allah, Lord of the worlds."
وَلَقَد أَرسَلنا إِلىٰ ثَمودَ أَخاهُم صالِحًا أَنِ اعبُدُوا اللَّهَ فَإِذا هُم فَريقانِ يَختَصِمونَ
And We had certainly sent to Thamud their brother Salih, [saying], "Worship Allah," and at once they were two parties conflicting.
قالَ يا قَومِ لِمَ تَستَعجِلونَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ قَبلَ الحَسَنَةِ ۖ لَولا تَستَغفِرونَ اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُم تُرحَمونَ
He said, "O my people, why are you impatient for evil instead of good? Why do you not seek forgiveness of Allah that you may receive mercy?"
قالُوا اطَّيَّرنا بِكَ وَبِمَن مَعَكَ ۚ قالَ طائِرُكُم عِندَ اللَّهِ ۖ بَل أَنتُم قَومٌ تُفتَنونَ
They said, "We consider you a bad omen, you and those with you." He said, "Your omen is with Allah. Rather, you are a people being tested."
وَكانَ فِي المَدينَةِ تِسعَةُ رَهطٍ يُفسِدونَ فِي الأَرضِ وَلا يُصلِحونَ
And there were in the city nine family heads causing corruption in the land and not amending [its affairs].
قالوا تَقاسَموا بِاللَّهِ لَنُبَيِّتَنَّهُ وَأَهلَهُ ثُمَّ لَنَقولَنَّ لِوَلِيِّهِ ما شَهِدنا مَهلِكَ أَهلِهِ وَإِنّا لَصادِقونَ
They said, "Take a mutual oath by Allah that we will kill him by night, he and his family. Then we will say to his executor, 'We did not witness the destruction of his family, and indeed, we are truthful.' "