فَمَكَثَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ فَقَالَ أَحَطْتُ بِمَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ وَجِئْتُكَ مِنْ سَبَإٍ بِنَبَإٍ يَقِينٍ ﴿۲۲﴾ إِنِّي وَجَدْتُ امْرَأَةً تَمْلِكُهُمْ وَأُوتِيَتْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَلَهَا عَرْشٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿۲۳﴾ وَجَدْتُهَا وَقَوْمَهَا يَسْجُدُونَ لِلشَّمْسِ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فَصَدَّهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ فَهُمْ لَا يَهْتَدُونَ ﴿۲۴﴾

﴾22﴿ Famakasa ghaira ba'eedin faqaala ahattu bimaa lam tuhit bihee wa ji'tuka min Sabaim binaba iny-yaqeen
﴾23﴿ Innee wajattum ra atan tamlikuhum wa ootiyat min kulli shai'inw wa lahaa 'arshun 'azeem
﴾24﴿ Wajattuhaa wa qawmahaa yasjudoona lishshamsi min doonil laahi wa zaiyana lahumush Shaitaanu a'maalahum fasaddahum 'anis sabeeli fahum laa yahtadoon

﴾22﴿ Then he paused for a moment (and returned), and said, I have encompassed in knowledge that which you have not encompassed, and I have brought to you from the land of Sheba certain news
﴾23﴿ Indeed, I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given everything necessary for a kingdom, and she has a magnificent (precious) throne
﴾24﴿ And I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allah, and Satan has adorned their deeds for them and has kept them away from the (right) path, so they do not find the way (of truth)

[22] That is, the hoopoe was absent for only a short time, then quickly returned and presented its excuse, thus avoiding punishment.
The wisdoms of this verse are:
1. One should not be absent from their duty for a long time without necessity.
2. Sometimes, a lower-ranking individual possesses knowledge or information that a superior may not have.
3. This serves as a test from Allah, the Exalted, for great scholars—so they do not become arrogant about their knowledge.
4. This is clear evidence that Solomon (peace be upon him) did not have knowledge of the unseen, as he accepted the testimony of the hoopoe.
5. In Tafsīr Sirāj al-Munīr, it is stated that this is a refutation of the Shia belief that nothing is hidden from their Imams, and similarly of the Barelvi claim regarding the Prophet (May Allah bless him and give him peace), and of ignorant commoners regarding their spiritual leaders (pīrs).
6. Initially, the report is mentioned in a general form, and then detailed—this adds weight and significance to the news. In the first sentence, "I have grasped that which you have not grasped," there is vagueness, and in the second sentence, "I have come to you from Sheba," there is clarification.
About (Sabaʾ), Ibn Kathīr wrote that the people of Sabaʾ were also called Maʾrib, and the place was located three miles from Ṣanʿāʾ in Yemen.
[23] This is the explanation of the report, and the hoopoe describes astonishing matters—either religiously or customarily—expressing them with amazement.
First, it expresses astonishment at the fact that a woman ruled as queen, which is, customarily, a statement that goes against a sense of honor, and religiously, it is also impermissible.
Second, it is amazed at the abundance of means and resources for kingship, which were essential in that era, and she (the queen) possessed them all—this is what is meant by kulli shayʾ (“everything”).
Third, it is amazed by her throne, because such a throne was not even with Solomon (peace be upon him), as prophets (peace be upon them) do not practice extravagance.
The wisdom in this is that Allah, the Exalted, had kept this great kingdom hidden from Solomon’s (peace be upon him) knowledge for many reasons of wisdom.
This is clear evidence that prophets do not possess knowledge of every thing (kullu shayʾ).
As for the word (ʿarsh) (throne), commentators have described its grandeur in different ways.
One specific report says that it was built as a means for sun worship. It had 360 domes, constructed in such a way that the sun would appear in a different dome each day, and they would prostrate to it.
Because of this, after the phrase wajadtu-hā (“I found her”), the hoopoe continues with wa qawmahā (“and her people”) without using a connecting conjunction (ḥarf ʿaṭf), to convey emotional shock or disapproval.
[24] In this statement, the hoopoe mentions an additional and very astonishing matter—that is, the polytheism of the woman and her people. Their form of polytheism, which involved worship of celestial bodies, is especially vile, and that is why it is mentioned independently.
The hoopoe presents four points in order, each separately:
1. They prostrate to the sun.
2. They do not view this act as wrong, but rather see it as good—due to the whisperings of Satan.
3. As a result, they are kept away from monotheism, knowledge, and righteous deeds.
4. Consequently, they remain deprived of all forms of guidance.
The wisdom in this is:
1. A polytheist commits shirk, and their actions appear good to them.
2. Because of that, they are deprived of hearing the truth.