إِذۡ عُرِضَ عَلَيۡهِ بِٱلۡعَشِيِّ ٱلصَّٰفِنَٰتُ ٱلۡجِيَادُ 31

31        When fast horses of the highest breed were brought before him in the evening,

فَقَالَ إِنِّيٓ أَحۡبَبۡتُ حُبَّ ٱلۡخَيۡرِ عَن ذِكۡرِ رَبِّي حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتۡ بِٱلۡحِجَابِ 32

32        Sulaiman ( peace be upon him ) said: “I preferred the good (these horses) to the remembrance of my Creator (i.e. my Asr prayer)” till the time (of prayer) was over and (the sun) had hidden behind the veil (i.e. night came).

رُدُّوهَا عَلَيَّۖ فَطَفِقَ مَسۡحَۢا بِٱلسُّوقِ وَٱلۡأَعۡنَاقِ 33

33        (He said:) “Bring the horses back to me.” Then he began to pass his hand over their shanks (i.e. lower part of leg) and their necks (i.e. slaughtered the horses to make up for his mistake of missing the remembrance of Allah – Tafsir Ibn Kathir).

وَلَقَدۡ فَتَنَّا سُلَيۡمَٰنَ وَأَلۡقَيۡنَا عَلَىٰ كُرۡسِيِّهِۦ جَسَدٗا ثُمَّ أَنَابَ 34

34        And, indeed, We tested Sulaiman ( peace be upon him ) and We placed on his throne a body and he then turned (to Allah in repentance). (What was this trial? What body was placed on his throne? There are no details in the Quran and Hadith about it).

قَالَ رَبِّ ٱغۡفِرۡ لِي وَهَبۡ لِي مُلۡكٗا لَّا يَنۢبَغِي لِأَحَدٖ مِّنۢ بَعۡدِيٓۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡوَهَّابُ 35

35        Sulaiman ( peace be upon him ) said: “My Creator, forgive me, and bestow upon me a kingdom like which none shall have after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower.”

فَسَخَّرۡنَا لَهُ ٱلرِّيحَ تَجۡرِي بِأَمۡرِهِۦ رُخَآءً حَيۡثُ أَصَابَ 36

36        So, We put wind under his control, it blew gently by his order to take him wherever he willed,

وَٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ كُلَّ بَنَّآءٖ وَغَوَّاصٖ 37

37        And We also put under his control (powerful) jinn (including) every kind of builder and diver.

وَءَاخَرِينَ مُقَرَّنِينَ فِي ٱلۡأَصۡفَادِ 38

38        And also others bound in chains.

هَٰذَا عَطَآؤُنَا فَٱمۡنُنۡ أَوۡ أَمۡسِكۡ بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٖ 39

39        (Allah said to Sulaiman ( peace be upon him )]: “This is Our gift (to you). So you may grant others from it or withhold it. There shall be no accountability for you about it.”

وَإِنَّ لَهُۥ عِندَنَا لَزُلۡفَىٰ وَحُسۡنَ مَ‍َٔابٖ 40

40        And, indeed he has nearness to Us and has an excellent place of (final) return (i.e. Paradise).

وَٱذۡكُرۡ عَبۡدَنَآ أَيُّوبَ إِذۡ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ بِنُصۡبٖ وَعَذَابٍ 41

41        And remember Our slave Ayyub ( peace be upon him ), when he prayed to his Creator (saying): “Indeed, Satan has touched me with distress (by ruining my health) and torment (by ruining my wealth)!”

ٱرۡكُضۡ بِرِجۡلِكَۖ هَٰذَا مُغۡتَسَلُۢ بَارِدٞ وَشَرَابٞ 42

42        (Allah said to him): “Strike your foot on the ground. (He struck it and a fountain of water gushed out, narrated by Ahmad). (Allah said): “This is water for bath (to remove apparent ailments) and cool (and refreshing) to drink (to get rid of inner diseases).”

وَوَهَبۡنَا لَهُۥٓ أَهۡلَهُۥ وَمِثۡلَهُم مَّعَهُمۡ رَحۡمَةٗ مِّنَّا وَذِكۡرَىٰ لِأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ 43

43        And We gave him back his whole family and granted him same number (of children, worldly assets etc.) additionally as a (special) Mercy from Us and a reminder for the sensible people.

وَخُذۡ بِيَدِكَ ضِغۡثٗا فَٱضۡرِب بِّهِۦ وَلَا تَحۡنَثۡۗ إِنَّا وَجَدۡنَٰهُ صَابِرٗاۚ نِّعۡمَ ٱلۡعَبۡدُ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَوَّابٞ 44

44        (Allah also said to Ayyub ( peace be upon him )]: “And hold in your hand a bundle of the branches of grass and strike (your wife gently) with it and don’t break the oath.” Indeed, We found him very patient. What a wonderful slave! Indeed, he always returned (to Us) in repentance!

وَٱذۡكُرۡ عِبَٰدَنَآ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسۡحَٰقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَ أُوْلِي ٱلۡأَيۡدِي وَٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرِ 45

45        And remind people about Our slaves, Ibrahim ( peace be upon him ), Ishaq ( peace be upon him ) and Yaqub ( peace be upon him ) who were very powerful (working for the Cause of Allah) and very distinguished in religious understanding.

إِنَّآ أَخۡلَصۡنَٰهُم بِخَالِصَةٖ ذِكۡرَى ٱلدَّارِ 46

46        Indeed, We did choose them for a specific thing, that is, the remembrance of the Home of the Hereafter (all the time).

وَإِنَّهُمۡ عِندَنَا لَمِنَ ٱلۡمُصۡطَفَيۡنَ ٱلۡأَخۡيَارِ 47

47        And, indeed, they are with Us very chosen and the best! 

وَٱذۡكُرۡ إِسۡمَٰعِيلَ وَٱلۡيَسَعَ وَذَا ٱلۡكِفۡلِۖ وَكُلّٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَخۡيَارِ 48

48        And remind people about Ismail ( peace be upon him ), and (Elisha) and Dhul-Kifl ( peace be upon him ) Isaiah), all are among the best.

هَٰذَا ذِكۡرٞۚ وَإِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ لَحُسۡنَ مَ‍َٔابٖ 49

49        This is a reminder. And for the pious people there is definitely an excellent place of (final) return (i.e. Paradise)

جَنَّٰتِ عَدۡنٖ مُّفَتَّحَةٗ لَّهُمُ ٱلۡأَبۡوَٰبُ 50

50        The Paradise of everlasting gardens and its doors are open for them.