فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ ٱلْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَوْتِهِۦٓ إِلَّا دَآبَّةُ ٱلْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُۥ ۖ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ ٱلْجِنُّ أَن لَّوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ٱلْغَيْبَ مَا لَبِثُوا۟ فِى ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلْمُهِينِ 14
Translations
And when We decreed for him [i.e., Solomon] death, nothing indicated to them [i.e., the jinn] his death except a creature of the earth eating his staff. But when he fell, it became clear to the jinn that if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in humiliating punishment.
Transliteration
Falamma qadayna alayhi al-mawta ma dallahum ala mawtihi illa dabbatu al-ardi ta'kulu min minsatih. Falamma kharra tabayyanat al-jinnu an law kanu ya'lamun al-ghayba ma labithoo fi al-adhab al-muheen.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to Prophet Sulayman (Solomon), upon whom Allah decreed death. The jinn did not know of his death until a creature of the earth (traditionally interpreted as a woodworm or termite) ate away at his staff (minsah), causing him to fall. Upon his collapse, the jinn realized they did not possess knowledge of the unseen, for had they truly known the unseen, they would not have remained in the punishment of servitude. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note this demonstrates the distinction between Allah's knowledge of the unseen and the jinn's limited perception, refuting their claims to supernatural knowledge.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the Meccan Surah Saba, which discusses the story of Sulayman and his dominion as a sign of Allah's power. The broader context emphasizes themes of divine authority, the transience of worldly power, and the limitations of creation compared to the Creator's omniscience. This particular verse serves as a warning against false claims of knowledge of the unseen.
Related Hadiths
The story of Sulayman's death is referenced in various tafsir works but the closest related hadith is found in Sahih Bukhari regarding the jinn's limited knowledge: 'The jinn know that if they knew the Unseen, they would not remain in the humiliating Punishment' (related to Surah Saba 34:14). Additionally, Surah Al-Jinn 72:26-28 discusses the jinn's lack of knowledge of the unseen.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that neither power, wealth, nor dominion—even that granted to a prophet like Sulayman—is permanent, and that only Allah possesses complete knowledge of the unseen. For believers, it serves as a humbling reminder to avoid arrogance and false certainty about future matters, recognizing that true wisdom lies in submitting to Allah's will and acknowledging the limits of human knowledge.
Related Ayahs
وَمَا كَانَ لَهُۥ عَلَيْهِم مِّن سُلْطَـٰنٍ إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مِمَّنْ هُوَ مِنْهَا فِى شَكٍّ ۗ وَرَبُّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَفِيظٌ
And he had over them no authority except [it was decreed] that We might make evident who believes in the Hereafter from who is thereof in doubt. And your Lord, over all things, is Guardian.
قُلْ إِن ضَلَلْتُ فَإِنَّمَآ أَضِلُّ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِى ۖ وَإِنِ ٱهْتَدَيْتُ فَبِمَا يُوحِىٓ إِلَىَّ رَبِّىٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ سَمِيعٌ قَرِيبٌ
Say, "If I should err, I would only err against myself. But if I am guided, it is by what my Lord reveals to me. Indeed, He is Hearing and near."
۞ قُلْ مَن يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَإِنَّآ أَوْ إِيَّاكُمْ لَعَلَىٰ هُدًى أَوْ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ
Say, "Who provides for you from the heavens and the earth?" Say, "Allāh. And indeed, we or you are either upon guidance or in clear error."
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَهُ ٱلْحَمْدُ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ
[All] praise is [due] to Allāh, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and to Him belongs [all] praise in the Hereafter. And He is the Wise, the Aware.