Tafsir for verse: 27:22
فَمَكَثَ غَيۡرَ بَعِيدٖ فَقَالَ أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمۡ تُحِطۡ بِهِۦ وَجِئۡتُكَ مِن سَبَإِۭ بِنَبَإٖ يَقِينٍ ٢٢ ﴿22
22Then the hoopoe did not take long and said (to Sulaimān), “I have discovered what you did not, and have brought to you a sure information from Saba’ (Sheba).
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Commentary

So it is as if he said: By Allah, he will certainly establish his excuse, or I will certainly do one of two things with him. So he remained, meaning: it was arranged that he remained after swearing by threatening for a time close to the time of the threat. He came out of fear of the awe of Sulayman, blessings and peace be upon him, and in fulfillment of what he must do in service. [‘Asim and Rawh narrated from Ya'qub with a فتح (fath) on the kaf in the majority of past actions, and the group pronounced it with a ضم (dham) as an indication of the severity of the absence from Sulayman, blessings and peace be upon him, to match the understanding of the movement of the word with what the structure of the speech conveyed.] Then he said [after his coming, magnifying the matter and elevating the rank of knowledge, and repelling what he knew he had concealed of his punishment]: I have encompassed, meaning: knowledge, with what you have not encompassed with it, meaning: you, of the vastness of your knowledge and the extension of your kingdom. And encompassing is: knowledge of a thing from all its aspects. In this struggle, there is a reminder that the weakest of creation may be given what the strongest cannot reach, so that the knowledge of the scholars may be belittled and they return all knowledge in everything to Allah. And in it is a refutation of the saying of the Rafidah: that the Imam does not remain unaware of anything, nor is there anyone in his time who is more knowledgeable than him. And when he made it ambiguous for the sake of excitement, and took hold of the hearts to recognize him, he followed with praise of the news, clarifying some of its ambiguity, shaking the soul to seek its completion. So he said: And I have come to you, meaning: now, from Saba'. It is said that it is the name of a man who became a name for a tribe, and it is said: it is a land in the land of Yemen. The wisdom of the mention of Qunbul with the intention of stopping is an indication of belittling their matter in relation to the Prophet of Allah, Sulayman, blessings and peace be upon him, in that they have no movement with him at all in what they are in of grandeur, honor, and great might. With news, meaning: great news, which is among the most eloquent of words in balance of expression and similarity in script with what it has of impression and charm.

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