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Surah 34 · Makkah · 54 āyāt

Phase 04 · Ṭāʾif, al-Isrāʾ and the final Makkan years(c. 5–1 BH) — view in timeline

SabaʾSheba

سبأ

Revealed 58th. The surah opens and closes with praise, and in between it takes two nations that were given everything — the kingdom of Dāwūd and Sulaymān, and the gardens of Sabaʾ — and asks what each did with the gift. One family worked in gratitude; one people turned away and their dam broke. Between the two stories the surah dismantles the Makkan objections to resurrection, denies any intercession except by Allah's permission, and states plainly that the Messenger ﷺ is sent to all of mankind, not to one tribe.

Why it was revealed

Makkah's leaders traded along the Yemen route and knew the ruins of Sabaʾ first-hand; the surah argues from a collapse they could see with their own eyes.

Drawn fromBukhārī 335; Tirmidhī 3222; Al-Qurṭubī on 34:3–8; Ibn Kathīr on 34:15–19; Ibn Kathīr on 34:28; Ibn Kathīr's introduction to Sūrat Sabaʾ

The Prophet ﷺ was asked about Sabaʾ — was it a man, a woman or a land? He said it was a man who had ten sons: six settled in Yemen and four in Shām. This is recorded in the Sunan and graded ḥasan by al-Tirmidhī.

Cited toTirmidhī 3222; Ibn Kathīr's introduction to Sūrat Sabaʾ

In the Prophet's ﷺ life

LossLate Makkan period · Age About 51 · Makkah and the Yemen route

Trading caravans past the ruins of Maʾrib

Quraysh's own winter route to Yemen passed the wreckage of a civilisation that had been the most secure and provisioned in Arabia; the surah uses that evidence against them.

Recalled in āyah 15, 16, 18, 19

لَقَدْ كَانَ لِسَبَإٍ فِى مَسْكَنِهِمْ ءَايَةٌ ۖ جَنَّتَانِ عَن يَمِينٍ وَشِمَالٍ ۖ كُلُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِ رَبِّكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لَهُۥ ۚ بَلْدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ وَرَبٌّ غَفُورٌ

There was for [the tribe of] Saba’ in their dwelling place a sign: two [fields of] gardens on the right and on the left. [They were told], "Eat from the provisions of your Lord and be grateful to Him. A good land [have you], and a forgiving Lord."

Cited toIbn Kathīr on 34:15–19

  • Madd — 2 vowels
  • Madd — 2, 4 or 6 vowels
  • Madd — 6 vowels (lāzim)
  • Madd — 4 or 5 vowels (wājib)
  • Ghunnah — 2 vowels
  • Qalqalah
  • Ikhfāʾ
  • Ikhfāʾ shafawī
  • Idghām shafawī
  • Idghām with ghunnah
  • Idghām without ghunnah
  • Idghām mutajānisayn
  • Idghām mutaqāribayn
  • Iqlāb
  • Hamzat al-waṣl
  • Lām shamsiyyah
  • Silent letter

Tajwīd markup and colour convention: Quran.com API (v4) — text_uthmani_tajweed. Recitation audio: Quran.com / Quran Foundation Audio API (v4).

THEME 01Āyāt 1–9

Praise in both worlds, and the Hour that will surely come

Praise belongs to Allah, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and praise belongs to Him in the Hereafter. Those who disbelieve say the Hour will not come to us. Say: yes, by my Lord, it will surely come to you — the Knower of the unseen, from whom not the weight of an atom escapes, in the heavens or in the earth.

Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 34:3; Ibn Kathīr on 34:1

From the tafsīr

Praise is affirmed for Allah in the first life and the next, so that the believer knows the One he praises in hardship is the same One he will praise in the Garden.

Cited toIbn Kathīr on 34:1

The denial of the Hour is answered not with argument alone but with an oath, then with the attribute of complete knowledge — nothing is lost, so nothing can be beyond recall.

Cited toAl-Saʿdī on 34:3

Key takeaways

Reflect

Name one loss you have not yet been able to say al-ḥamdu lillāh over.

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Question 1 of 2

Where is praise affirmed for Allah in 34:1?

Question 2 of 2

How does the surah answer the denial of the Hour in 34:3?

THEME 02Āyāt 10–14

Dāwūd and Sulaymān: gifts answered with work

We gave Dāwūd bounty from Us — mountains and birds repeating praise with him — and We softened iron for him: make full coats of mail and measure the links. And for Sulaymān the wind, and a spring of molten copper, and jinn working before him. Work, O family of Dāwūd, in gratitude — and few of My servants are grateful.

Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 34:13; Al-Saʿdī on 34:10–11; Ibn Kathīr on 34:13

13

يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُۥ مَا يَشَآءُ مِن مَّحَـٰرِيبَ وَتَمَـٰثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍ كَٱلْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ رَّاسِيَـٰتٍ ۚ ٱعْمَلُوٓا۟ ءَالَ دَاوُۥدَ شُكْرًا ۚ وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِىَ ٱلشَّكُورُ

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They made for him what he willed of elevated chambers, statues, bowls like reservoirs, and stationary kettles. [We said], "Work, O family of David, in gratitude." And few of My servants are grateful.

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From the tafsīr

Gratitude here is commanded as action — 'work in gratitude' — not merely as a feeling or a phrase on the tongue.

Cited toIbn Kathīr on 34:13

The comment 'few of My servants are grateful' is placed immediately after the greatest kingdom given to any prophet, to show that scale of blessing does not produce gratitude by itself.

Cited toAl-Qurṭubī on 34:13

The miracles given to Dāwūd are tied to a craft and a command: he is told to make armour well and measure it properly, so skill itself is worship.

Cited toAl-Saʿdī on 34:10–11

Key takeaways

Reflect

What is one skill you have that you have never thought of as an act of gratitude?

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0 / 2 correct

Answer from memory before scrolling back — retrieval is what makes it stick.

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Question 1 of 2

What kind of gratitude is commanded in 34:13?

Question 2 of 2

Why is 'few of My servants are grateful' placed after Sulaymān's kingdom?

THEME 03Āyāt 15–21

Sabaʾ: a good land, a forgiving Lord, and the dam that broke

There was for Sabaʾ a sign in their dwelling place: two gardens on the right and the left. Eat from the provision of your Lord and be grateful to Him — a good land and a forgiving Lord. But they turned away, so We sent upon them the flood of the dam and exchanged their two gardens for gardens of bitter fruit, tamarisk and a little lote tree. And they said: our Lord, lengthen the distance between our journeys — and they wronged themselves, so We made them narrations and dispersed them entirely.

Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 34:19; Al-Saʿdī on 34:16; Ibn Kathīr on 34:15

15

لَقَدْ كَانَ لِسَبَإٍ فِى مَسْكَنِهِمْ ءَايَةٌ ۖ جَنَّتَانِ عَن يَمِينٍ وَشِمَالٍ ۖ كُلُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِ رَبِّكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لَهُۥ ۚ بَلْدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ وَرَبٌّ غَفُورٌ

Tajwīd markup unavailable for this āyah — text shown uncoloured

There was for [the tribe of] Saba’ in their dwelling place a sign: two [fields of] gardens on the right and on the left. [They were told], "Eat from the provisions of your Lord and be grateful to Him. A good land [have you], and a forgiving Lord."

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From the tafsīr

The summary of their whole state was two words — a good land and a forgiving Lord — provision for the body and forgiveness for the soul; when gratitude stopped, both were withdrawn.

Cited toIbn Kathīr on 34:15

Their request to lengthen the distance between their journeys is understood as boredom with ease; they were dispersed until 'they became scattered like Sabaʾ' entered Arab proverb.

Cited toAl-Qurṭubī on 34:19

The punishment was not fire from the sky but the failure of infrastructure they had built themselves — the ordinary way nations actually collapse.

Cited toAl-Saʿdī on 34:16

Key takeaways

Reflect

Where has ease made you complain rather than thank?

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Check yourself

0 / 2 correct

Answer from memory before scrolling back — retrieval is what makes it stick.

Questions and options are reshuffled and reworded each attempt

Question 1 of 2

What two-part description sums up Sabaʾ's blessing in 34:15?

Question 2 of 2

What did the people of Sabaʾ ask for in 34:19?

THEME 04Āyāt 22–54

No intercession without permission; sent to all mankind

Say: call upon those you claim besides Allah — they possess not an atom's weight in the heavens or the earth. Intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits. And We have not sent you except comprehensively to mankind, as a bringer of good tidings and a warner, but most of the people do not know. And it is not your wealth or your children that bring you nearer to Us in position, but whoever believes and does righteousness. Say: I only advise you of one thing — that you stand for Allah in pairs and individually, then reflect.

Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 34:46; Al-Saʿdī on 34:37; Ibn Kathīr on 34:28

28

وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ إِلَّا كَآفَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

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And We have not sent you except comprehensively to mankind as a bringer of good tidings and a warner. But most of the people do not know.

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37

وَمَآ أَمْوَٰلُكُمْ وَلَآ أَوْلَـٰدُكُم بِٱلَّتِى تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِندَنَا زُلْفَىٰٓ إِلَّا مَنْ ءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًا فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ جَزَآءُ ٱلضِّعْفِ بِمَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَهُمْ فِى ٱلْغُرُفَـٰتِ ءَامِنُونَ

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And it is not your wealth or your children that bring you nearer to Us in position, but it is [by being] one who has believed and done righteousness. For them there will be the double reward for what they did, and they will be in the upper chambers [of Paradise], safe [and secure].

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From the tafsīr

The Prophet ﷺ said he was given five things not given to any prophet before him, among them that a prophet was sent to his people specifically while he was sent to all mankind.

Cited toIbn Kathīr on 34:28

Wealth and children are not denied as blessings; they are denied as measures of nearness — faith and action are the only currency named.

Cited toAl-Saʿdī on 34:37

'That you stand for Allah in pairs and individually' is a command to think outside the pressure of the crowd, whether with one companion or alone.

Cited toAl-Qurṭubī on 34:46

Key takeaways

Reflect

Which belief of yours have you only ever examined inside a crowd?

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Check yourself

0 / 2 correct

Answer from memory before scrolling back — retrieval is what makes it stick.

Questions and options are reshuffled and reworded each attempt

Question 1 of 2

What does 34:46 instruct people to do?

Question 2 of 2

What does 34:28 establish about the Prophet's ﷺ mission?

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VOCABULARY

Roots from this surah

Learn the three-letter root and you unlock every word built from it — across the whole Qur'an, not just this surah.

ش ك ر

āyāt 13, 15, 19

to acknowledge a favour and act upon it

  • شُكْرgratitude
  • شَكُورdeeply grateful
  • شَاكِرone who thanks

ذ ر ر

āyāt 3, 22

the smallest particle — an atom's weight

  • ذَرَّةan atom
  • ذُرِّيَّةoffspring

غ ف ر

āyāt 2, 4, 15

to cover over and forgive

  • غَفُورmost forgiving
  • مَغْفِرَةforgiveness
  • اسْتَغْفَرَhe sought forgiveness

ن ذ ر

āyāt 28, 34, 44

to warn of what is coming

  • نَذِيرa warner
  • إِنْذَارwarning
  • مُنْذِرone who warns

ز ل ف

āyāt 37

nearness of rank

  • زُلْفَىٰnearness
  • أَزْلَفَhe brought near

Carry this with you

  • Allah is praised in this world and the next; praise is not conditional on ease.
  • Nothing of an atom's weight escapes His knowledge, so nothing is beyond recall.
  • Gratitude is commanded as work, not as a feeling.
  • The largest kingdom ever given did not make gratitude common.
  • A good land and a forgiving Lord is the whole of what a people needs.
  • Ingratitude often starts as boredom with ease.
  • Intercession happens only by Allah's permission, never by claim.
  • Wealth and children are blessings, but never measures of rank with Allah.
  • The Messenger ﷺ was sent to all mankind, declared while he was still besieged in one city.
  • Examine the truth alone or in twos — away from the pressure of the crowd.

Where this surah connects

Cross-surah threads

Parts of the Qurʾān explain other parts. Each thread below opens the same subject as it is argued across every other surah you have studied, in revelation order.

The signs you already walk on4 movementsProvision, wealth and the tongue that forgets3 movementsThe four trials2 movementsThe Hour and the accounting1 movement
All threads →

Sources behind Sūrah Sabaʾ

Every line of context, tafsīr and takeaway on this page traces back to one of these references. Ḥadīth numbers open on sunnah.com and āyah references open on quran.com, so you can check the claim rather than take it on trust. The Arabic text itself is fetched live from a verified public corpus.

FINAL ASSESSMENT

Full exam — the whole surah, from memory

Every question from every theme, interleaved and reworded. Interleaving is what turns recognition into recall. Each answer updates your review schedule, your mistakes list and your mastery score for that theme.

Sabaʾ — full exam

1 / 8 · 0 correct

8 questions across 4 themes.

Sabaʾ · Sabaʾ: a good land, a forgiving Lord, and the dam that broke

What two-part description sums up Sabaʾ's blessing in 34:15?

Arabic (Uthmānī script) and the Ṣaḥīḥ International translation are fetched live from the Quran.com API (v4), sourced from the King Fahd Complex muṣḥaf — api.quran.com API docs · Translation: Ṣaḥīḥ International · Integrity & testing protocol