Be not haughty with me but come to me in submission [as Muslims].' "

She said, "O eminent ones, advise me in my affair. I would not decide a matter until you witness [for] me."

They said, "We are men of strength and of great military might, but the command is yours, so see what you will command."

She said, "Indeed kings - when they enter a city, they ruin it and render the honored of its people humbled. And thus do they do.

But indeed, I will send to them a gift and see with what [reply] the messengers will return."

So when they came to Solomon, he said, "Do you provide me with wealth? But what Allah has given me is better than what He has given you. Rather, it is you who rejoice in your gift.

Return to them, for we will surely come to them with soldiers that they will be powerless to encounter, and we will surely expel them therefrom in humiliation, and they will be debased."

[Solomon] said, "O assembly [of jinn], which of you will bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?"

A powerful one from among the jinn said, "I will bring it to you before you rise from your place, and indeed, I am for this [task] strong and trustworthy."

Said one who had knowledge from the Scripture, "I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you." And when [Solomon] saw it placed before him, he said, "This is from the favor of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is grateful - his gratitude is only for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever is ungrateful - then indeed, my Lord is Free of need and Generous."

He said, "Disguise for her her throne; we will see whether she will be guided [to truth] or will be of those who is not guided."

So when she arrived, it was said [to her], "Is your throne like this?" She said, "[It is] as though it was it." [Solomon said], "And we were given knowledge before her, and we have been Muslims [in submission to Allah].

And that which she was worshipping other than Allah had averted her [from submission to Him]. Indeed, she was from a disbelieving people."

She was told, "Enter the palace." But when she saw it, she thought it was a body of water and uncovered her shins [to wade through]. He said, "Indeed, it is a palace [whose floor is] made smooth with glass." She said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, and I submit with Solomon to Allah, Lord of the worlds."

And We had certainly sent to Thamud their brother Salih, [saying], "Worship Allah," and at once they were two parties conflicting.

He said, "O my people, why are you impatient for evil instead of good? Why do you not seek forgiveness of Allah that you may receive mercy?"

They said, "We consider you a bad omen, you and those with you." He said, "Your omen is with Allah. Rather, you are a people being tested."

And there were in the city nine family heads causing corruption in the land and not amending [its affairs].

They said, "Take a mutual oath by Allah that we will kill him by night, he and his family. Then we will say to his executor, 'We did not witness the destruction of his family, and indeed, we are truthful.' "

And they planned a plan, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not.

Then look how was the outcome of their plan - that We destroyed them and their people, all.

So those are their houses, desolate because of the wrong they had done. Indeed in that is a sign for people who know.

And We saved those who believed and used to fear Allah.

And [mention] Lot, when he said to his people, "Do you commit immorality while you are seeing?

Do you indeed approach men with desire instead of women? Rather, you are a people behaving ignorantly."

But the answer of his people was not except that they said, "Expel the family of Lot from your city. Indeed, they are people who keep themselves pure."

So We saved him and his family, except for his wife; We destined her to be of those who remained behind.

And We rained upon them a rain [of stones], and evil was the rain of those who were warned.

Say, [O Muhammad], "Praise be to Allah, and peace upon His servants whom He has chosen. Is Allah better or what they associate with Him?"

[More precisely], is He [not best] who created the heavens and the earth and sent down for you rain from the sky, causing to grow thereby gardens of joyful beauty which you could not [otherwise] have grown the trees thereof? Is there a deity with Allah? [No], but they are a people who ascribe equals [to Him].