Surah An-Naml — Verse 40

Word Meanings:

• "At his disposal was knowledge of the Book" — refers to one who had knowledge of the Scripture, specifically the Preserved Tablet (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuth), and some scholars identify him as Asif ibn Barkhiya, a righteous man and cousin of Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him), who knew the Greatest Name of Allah.
• "Before your glance returns to you" — meaning before the blink of an eye, i.e., in the twinkling of an eye, before your eyelid closes and opens again.
• "Settled before him" — firmly placed and established in his presence.
• "To test me" — to try and examine me.
• "Whether I am grateful or ungrateful" — whether I acknowledge His blessings with thankfulness or deny them with ingratitude.

Explanation of the Verse:

When Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) requested the throne of the Queen of Sheba to be brought to him, a righteous man who possessed knowledge from the Scripture — and this was Asif ibn Barkhiya, who knew the Greatest Name of Allah — said: "I will bring it to you before your eye blinks." He then supplicated to Allah, and by His permission, the throne was instantly transported from Yemen to Jerusalem, appearing before Sulaiman in the blink of an eye.

When Sulaiman saw the throne firmly settled before him, he did not become arrogant or proud. Instead, he immediately recognized this as a favor from his Lord, saying: "This is from the bounty of my Lord, to test me — will I be grateful or ungrateful?" He understood that this extraordinary event was not due to his own power or merit, but purely a divine gift to examine his character. Would he thank Allah for this blessing, or would he forget the Giver and become self-absorbed?

Then Sulaiman (peace be upon him) articulated a profound truth: whoever is grateful, the benefit of that gratitude returns to his own soul — for gratitude opens the door to more blessings, preserves existing ones, and draws the servant closer to his Lord. And whoever is ungrateful and denies the blessings, then indeed his Lord is Self-Sufficient, free of all need, and Most Generous. Allah does not need our thanks; rather, we need to thank Him for our own spiritual growth and well-being. His generosity extends to both the grateful and the ungrateful in this world, and He will judge them justly in the Hereafter.

A Call to Reflection:

Dear reader, ponder this magnificent scene: a throne transported across hundreds of miles in the blink of an eye — a miracle by Allah's permission. Yet the Prophet of Allah, despite witnessing such an awe-inspiring event, immediately turned to his Lord in humility and gratitude. This teaches us a beautiful lesson: no matter how great our achievements or how abundant our blessings, we must always remember that they come from Allah alone. He tests us through His gifts — will we recognize His favor and thank Him, or will we become heedless and ungrateful?

Gratitude is not merely words on the tongue; it is a way of life. It is using every blessing in a way that pleases the Giver. When you thank Allah, you are not doing Him a favor — you are doing yourself a favor, for gratitude purifies the heart, increases provision, and brings tranquility to the soul. The Most Generous Lord does not withhold His bounty from anyone; He gives to all, but He loves those who acknowledge His favors with a grateful heart. So let us be among the thankful, for the One who gave us everything is worthy of our praise.