The Majestic Quran

outward and its return journey each covered the distance of a month; and We made a stream of molten brass to flow for him. By the authority of His Lord some jinn worked under his control, and if any one of them deviated from Our command, We punished them with the fiery Blaze. 13 They worked for Solomon , building whatever he wanted: lofty chambers, statues, basins as big as water tanks, and huge fixed cauldrons. We said : “Work, children of David, be thankful. Not many of My servants are thankful.” 14 When We decreed Solomon’s death, the only way they knew he was dead was when the woodworm ate his staff and he tumbled to the ground. The jinn then realised that if they had knowledge of the unseen, they would never have continued with their demeaning, punishing tasks . 9 T S ’ 15 The dam had gardens on both sides, the right and the left, and between them were their houses. A sign for the people of Sheba. “Eat of the provision of your Lord,” they were told , “and be thankful to Him. You have a fertile country and a Forgiving Lord.” 16 They turned away from Our call , so We sent the floodwater of the broken dam against them, and We turned their gardens into gardens that now produced bitter fruit, Tamarisks, and the sparse thorny Lote tree. 17 That’s how We repaid their ingratitude. Would We reward anyone in this way except the ungrateful? S ’ 18 We allowed the growth of towns that were easily visible all the way from Yemen to Greater Syria, they were blessed with fruit trees and water , making travelling between them easy; and We said : “Travel this land in safety by night or by day.” 19 Despite this they said, “Our Lord has made our journeys even longer.” They were unthankful. We made them a legend, destroying them. In that are signs for the patient and thankful. 20 Satan’s assessment of them proved right, they followed him; except for a group of believers 21 over who he had no power. We will distinguish believers in the Hereafter from those who were doubtful. Your Lord is the Protector of everything. T M r 22 Say Messenger : “Call those you claim to be gods beside God. They don’t control an atom’s weight in the Heavens or on Earth; they have no share in them, nor do they have any helper.” 23 No intercession by angels or others