In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Allaah [The Exalted] stated that the Hoopoe said to Prophet Sulaymaan [peace be upon him]:

أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمۡ تُحِطۡ بِهِۦ وَجِئۡتُكَ مِن سَبَإِۭ بِنَبَإٍ۬ يَقِينٍ
إِنِّى وَجَدتُّ ٱمۡرَأَةً۬ تَمۡلِڪُهُمۡ وَأُوتِيَتۡ مِن ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ وَلَهَا عَرۡشٌ عَظِيمٌ۬
وَجَدتُّهَا وَقَوۡمَهَا يَسۡجُدُونَ لِلشَّمۡسِ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ أَعۡمَـٰلَهُمۡ فَصَدَّهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ فَهُمۡ لَا يَهۡتَدُونَ

 أَلَّا يَسۡجُدُواْ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى يُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡخَبۡءَ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا تُخۡفُونَ وَمَا تُعۡلِنُونَ
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَرۡشِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ

[ أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمۡ تُحِطۡ بِهِۦ – I have grasped (the knowledge of a thing) which you have not grasped]- Meaning, I have knowledge of something that you do not have, even though you possess vast knowledge and your elevated station in affairs of knowledge. [وَجِئۡتُكَ مِن سَبَإِۭ – and I have come to you from Saba’ (Sheba)]- Meaning, a well-known tribe in Yemen, [بِنَبَإٍ۬ يَقِينٍ – with true news]-Meaning, news based on certainty.

Then the hoopoe explained the news and said: [ إِنِّى وَجَدتُّ ٱمۡرَأَةً۬ تَمۡلِڪُهُمۡ- I found a woman ruling over them]- Meaning, ruling over Saba, and she is a woman: [وَأُوتِيَتۡ مِن ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ – and she has been given all things]- Meaning, the things given to kings, such as wealth, weapons, armies, fortresses, citadels etc. [وَلَهَا عَرۡشٌ عَظِيمٌ۬ – and she has a great throne]- Meaning, a throne on which she sits – huge and magnificent throne. The great size of the throne shows greatness of the kingdom, the strength of authority and the numerous men who were consultees.

[وَجَدتُّهَا وَقَوۡمَهَا يَسۡجُدُونَ لِلشَّمۡسِ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ – I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah] – Meaning, they were polytheists who worshipped the sun. [وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ أَعۡمَـٰلَهُمۡ – and Shaitan (Satan) has made their deeds fair-seeming to them]- Meaning, so they thought that what they were upon is truth. [فَصَدَّهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ فَهُمۡ لَا يَهۡتَدُونَ – and has barred them from (Allah’s) Way, so they have no guidance]- Meaning, because the one who thinks that what he is upon is truth, then there is not expectation that he will be guided until he changes his creed.

Then it said: [أَلَّا يَسۡجُدُواْ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى يُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡخَبۡءَ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ – For what reason would they not prostrate before (i.e. worship) Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth]- Meaning, Allaah knows what is hidden and concealed in all regions of the heavens and o f the earth – the smallest creatures, the seeds and all that is hidden in the hearts. He brings to light what is hidden on earth and in heaven by sending rain and make plants to grow, and He will bring to light what is hidden in the earth when (He commands the angel to blow) the trumpet and the dead exit from the earth, so that they are recompensed for their deeds. [وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا تُخۡفُونَ وَمَا تُعۡلِنُونَ – and knows what you conceal and what you reveal]. [ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ – Allah, none has the right to be worshipped but He]- Meaning, worship, turning repentantly, humility and love (as an act of worship) is not to be devoted to anyone besides Allaah – the one and only true object of worship, because He alone possesses perfect attributes [free from all weakness, deficiencies, co-equals, shortcoming] and because He grants all blessings which necessitates that He alone is to be worshipped. [رَبُّ ٱلۡعَرۡشِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ – the Lord of the Supreme Throne!] – Meaning, which is the roof of above all the creation and encompasses the earth and heavens. The King, who possesses this mighty authority and might [without any co-equal, weakness, likeness, shortcoming, deficiencies] is the one to whom (humankind and jinn) must humble themselves, prostrate and bow in His presence. So, the hoopoe was saved from punishment when he related this great news, and Sulayman was amazed regarding why this was hidden from him. [An Excerpt from ‘Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan’. Slightly paraphrased]