Tarikh (al-Tabari) 273
The story of Sulaymān b. Dāwūd (peace be upon them both)
ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْمُبِينُ أَيْ: مِنْ بَارِئِ الْبَرِيَّاتِ وَخَالِقِ الْأَرْضِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتِ، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: وَحُشِرَ لِسُلَيْمَانَ جُنُودُهُ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ وَالطَّيْرِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَوْا عَلَى وَادِي النَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّمْلُ ادْخُلُوا مَسَاكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَانُ وَجُنُودُهُ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًا مِنْ قَوْلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ [ النَّمْلِ: 17 - 19 ]. يُخْبِرُ تَعَالَى عَنْ عَبْدِهِ وَنَبِيِّهِ وَابْنِ نَبِيِّهِ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ، عَلَيْهِمَا الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ، أَنَّهُ رَكِبَ يَوْمًا فِي جَيْشِهِ جَمِيعِهِ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ وَالطَّيْرِ، فَالْجِنُّ وَالْإِنْسُ يَسِيرُونَ مَعَهُ، وَالطَّيْرُ سَائِرَةٌ مَعَهُ تُظِلُّهُ بِأَجْنِحَتِهَا مِنَ الْحَرِّ وَغَيْرِهِ، وَعَلَى كُلٍّ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْجُيُوشِ الثَّلَاثَةِ وَزَعَةٌ، أَيْ نُقَبَاءُ يَرُدُّونَ أَوَّلَهُ عَلَى آخِرِهِ، فَلَا يَتَقَدَّمُ أَحَدٌ عَنْ مَوْضِعِهِ الَّذِي يَسِيرُ فِيهِ وَلَا يَتَأَخَّرُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَوْا عَلَى وَادِي النَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّمْلُ ادْخُلُوا مَسَاكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَانُ وَجُنُودُهُ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ فَأَمَرَتْ، وَحَذَّرَتْ، وَاعْتَذَرَتْ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ وَجُنُودِهِ بِعَدَمِ الشُّعُورِ. وَقَدْ ذَكَرَ وَهْبٌ أَنَّهُ مَرَّ وَهُوَ عَلَى الْبِسَاطِ بِوَادٍ بِالطَّائِفِ، وَأَنَّ هَذِهِ النَّمْلَةَ كَانَ اسْمُهَا " جَرْسَ " وَكَانَتْ مِنْ قَبِيلَةٍ يُقَالُ لَهُمْ: بَنُو الشَّيْصَبَانِ، وَكَانَتْ عَرْجَاءَ، وَكَانَتْ بِقَدْرِ الذِّئْبِ. وَفِي هَذَا كُلِّهِ نَظَرٌ، بَلْ فِي هَذَا السِّيَاقِ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى أَنَّهُ كَانَ فِي مَوْكِبِهِ رَاكِبًا فِي خُيُولِهِ وَفُرْسَانِهِ، لَا كَمَا زَعَمَ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ أَنَّهُ كَانَ إِذْ ذَاكَ عَلَى الْبِسَاطِ ; لِأَنَّهُ لَوْ كَانَ كَذَلِكَ لَمْ يَنَلِ النَّمْلَ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ وَلَا وَطْءٌ ; لَأَنَّ الْبِسَاطَ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ جَمِيعُ مَا يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الْجُيُوشِ وَالْخُيُولِ وَالْجِمَالِ وَالْأَثْقَالِ وَالْخِيَامِ وَالْأَنْعَامِ، وَالطَّيْرُ مِنْ فَوْقِ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ، كَمَا سَنُبَيِّنُهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ، إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى. وَالْمَقْصُودُ أَنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ ، فَهِمَ مَا خَاطَبَتْ بِهِ تِلْكَ النَّمْلَةُ لِأُمَّتِهَا مِنَ الرَّأْيِ السَّدِيدِ وَالْأَمْرِ الْحَمِيدِ، وَتَبَسَّمَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الِاسْتِبْشَارِ وَالْفَرَحِ وَالسُّرُورِ بِمَا أَطْلَعَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ دُونَ غَيْرِهِ، وَلَيْسَ كَمَا يَقُولُهُ بَعْضُ الْجَهَلَةِ، مِنْ أَنَّ الدَّوَابَّ كَانَتْ تَنْطِقُ قَبْلَ سُلَيْمَانَ، وَتُخَاطِبُ النَّاسَ حَتَّى أَخَذَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ الْعَهْدَ وَأَلْجَمَهَا، فَلَمْ تَتَكَلَّمْ مَعَ النَّاسِ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ، فَإِنَّ هَذَا لَا يَقُولُهُ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ، وَلَوْ كَانَ هَذَا هَكَذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ لِسُلَيْمَانَ فِي فَهْمِ لُغَاتِهَا مَزِيَّةٌ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ ; إِذْ قَدْ كَانَ النَّاسُ كُلُّهُمْ يَفْهَمُونَ ذَلِكَ، وَلَوْ كَانَ قَدْ أَخَذَ عَلَيْهَا الْعَهْدَ أَنْ لَا تَتَكَلَّمَ مَعَ غَيْرِهِ، وَكَانَ هُوَ يَفْهَمُهَا، لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي هَذَا أَيْضًا فَائِدَةٌ يُعَوَّلُ عَلَيْهَا، وَلِهَذَا قَالَ: رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَيْ: أَلْهِمْنِي وَأَرْشِدْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ فَطَلَبَ مِنَ اللَّهِ أَنْ يُقَيِّضَهُ لِلشُّكْرِ عَلَى مَا أَنْعَمَ بِهِ عَلَيْهِ، وَعَلَى مَا خَصَّهُ بِهِ مِنَ الْمَزِيَّةِ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ، وَأَنْ يُيَسِّرَ عَلَيْهِ الْعَمَلَ الصَّالِحَ، وَأَنْ يَحْشُرَهُ إِذَا تَوَفَّاهُ مَعَ عِبَادِهِ الصَّالِحِينَ، وَقَدِ اسْتَجَابَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لَهُ. وَالْمُرَادُ بِوَالِدَيْهِ دَاوُدُ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، وَأُمُّهُ، وَكَانَتْ مِنَ الْعَابِدَاتِ الصَّالِحَاتِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ: قَالَتْ أَمُّ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ: يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تُكْثِرِ النَّوْمَ بِاللَّيْلِ ; فَإِنَّ كَثْرَةَ النَّوْمِ بِاللَّيْلِ تَدَعُ الْعَبْدَ فَقِيرًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ. وَعَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ: إِنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ دَاوُدَ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، خَرَجَ هُوَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ يَسْتَسْقُونَ، فَرَأَى نَمْلَةً قَائِمَةً رَافِعَةً إِحْدَى قَوَائِمِهَا تَسْتَسْقِي، فَقَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: ارْجِعُوا فَقَدْ سُقِيتُمْ، إِنَّ هَذِهِ النَّمْلَةَ اسْتَسْقَتْ فَاسْتُجِيبَ لَهَا. وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: خَرَجَ نَبِيٌّ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ بِالنَّاسِ يَسْتَسْقُونَ اللَّهَ، فَإِذَا هُمْ بِنَمْلَةٍ رَافِعَةٍ بَعْضَ قَوَائِمِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ: ارْجِعُوا فَقَدِ اسْتُجِيبَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَجْلِ هَذِهِ النَّمْلَةِ وَقَالَ السُّدِّيُّ: أَصَابَ النَّاسَ قَحْطٌ عَلَى عَهْدِ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، فَأَمَرَ النَّاسَ فَخَرَجُوا، فَإِذَا بِنَمْلَةٍ قَائِمَةٍ عَلَى رِجْلَيْهَا، بَاسِطَةٍ يَدَيْهَا وَهِيَ تَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا خَلْقٌ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ وَلَا غَنَاءَ بِنَا عَنْ فَضْلِكَ. قَالَ: فَصَبَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَطَرَ.
Translation
✧ Then He said: “Indeed this is the manifest bounty,” that is, from the Originator of created things and the Creator of the earth and the heavens, as He, exalted be He, said: “And there were gathered unto Sulaymān his hosts of the jinn and humans and birds, and they were marshaled in ordered ranks, until when they came upon the valley of the ants, an ant said: O ants, enter your dwellings lest Sulaymān and his hosts crush you while they perceive not. So he smiled, laughing at her speech, and said: My Lord, inspire me to give thanks for the favor You bestowed upon me and upon my two parents, and to do righteous deeds that please You, and admit me by Your mercy among Your righteous servants” [al-Naml: 17–19]. He, exalted be He, relates of His servant and prophet and son of His prophet, Sulaymān b. Dāwūd, may prayers and peace be upon them both, that he rode one day in all his host of jinn and humans and birds. The jinn and humans marched with him, and the birds flew with him, shading him with their wings from the heat and other things. Over each of these three hosts were wardens, that is, overseers, who turned back its first to its last, so that no one advanced beyond the position in which he marched or lagged behind it. God, exalted be He, said: “until when they came upon the valley of the ants, an ant said: O ants, enter your dwellings lest Sulaymān and his hosts crush you while they perceive not.” She commanded, warned, and excused Sulaymān and his hosts on account of lack of perception. Wahb mentioned that he passed, while upon the carpet, by a valley in al-Ṭāʾif, and that this ant's name was “Jarsā,” and she was from a tribe called Banū al-Shayṣabān, and she was lame, and was the size of a wolf. But there is scrutiny in all of this; rather, in this narrative there is evidence that he was in his procession riding among his horses and horsemen, not as some have claimed, that he was at that time upon the carpet; for if that were so, nothing of the ants would have reached him, nor any trampling; for upon the carpet was everything they needed of troops, horses, camels, baggage, tents, and livestock, and the birds were above all that, as we will explain later, if God, exalted be He, wills. The point is that Sulaymān, ﷺ, understood what that ant addressed to her community of sound counsel and praiseworthy command, and he smiled at that by way of rejoicing, gladness, and delight at what God had granted him alone, not as some ignorant people say, that beasts used to speak before Sulaymān and address people, until Sulaymān b. Dāwūd took a covenant from them and bridled them, so they no longer spoke with people after that. None but those who do not know would say this. Were this so, Sulaymān would have had no distinction over others in understanding their languages, since all people would have understood that; and had he taken a covenant from them that they not speak with anyone but him, and he understood them, there would also be no benefit in that to rely on. Therefore he said: “My Lord, inspire me,” that is, grant me the inspiration and guidance “to give thanks for the favor You bestowed upon me and upon my two parents, and to do righteous deeds that please You, and admit me by Your mercy among Your righteous servants.” He asked God to dispose him to gratitude for what He had bestowed upon him, and for the distinction He had singled him out with over others, and to facilitate righteous deeds for him, and to gather him, when He took him, with His righteous servants. God, exalted be He, answered him. The meaning of his two parents is Dāwūd, ﷺ, and his mother, who was among the devout worshipers. From Jābir, from the Prophet ﷺ, he said: “The mother of Sulaymān b. Dāwūd said: O my son, do not sleep too much at night; for too much sleep at night leaves the servant poor on the Day of Resurrection.” From al-Zuhrī: Sulaymān b. Dāwūd, ﷺ, went out with his companions to pray for rain, and he saw an ant standing, raising one of its legs, praying for rain. He said to his companions: “Return, for you have been given rain; this ant prayed for rain, and it was answered.” From Abū Hurayrah, that he heard the Messenger of God ﷺ say: “A prophet among the prophets went out with the people to ask God for rain, and behold, there was an ant raising some of its legs toward the sky. The prophet said: Return, for you have been answered on account of this ant.” Al-Suddī said: A drought afflicted the people in the time of Sulaymān, ﷺ, so he commanded the people and they went out, and behold, an ant standing on its two legs, spreading out its hands, saying: “O God, we are creatures of Your creation, and we have no sufficiency without Your bounty.” He said: So God poured rain upon them.
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