Quran Universe
27:36

فَلَمَّا جَآءَ سُلَيۡمَٰنَ قَالَ أَتُمِدُّونَنِ بِمَالٖ فَمَآ ءَاتَىٰنِۦَ ٱللَّهُ خَيۡرٞ مِّمَّآ ءَاتَىٰكُمۚ بَلۡ أَنتُم بِهَدِيَّتِكُمۡ تَفۡرَحُونَ

Falamma jaa sulaymana qala atumiddoonani bimalin fama ataniya Allahu khayrun mimma atakum bal antum bihadiyyatikum tafrahoona

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.

Word by word
  1. فَلَمَّاSo when
  2. جَآءَcame
  3. سُلَيۡمَٰنَ(to) Sulaiman
  4. قَالَhe said
  5. أَتُمِدُّونَنِWill you provide me
  6. بِمَالٖwith wealth
  7. فَمَآBut what
  8. ءَاتَىٰنِۦَAllah has given me
  9. ٱللَّهُAllah has given me
  10. خَيۡرٞ(is) better
  11. مِّمَّآthan what
  12. ءَاتَىٰكُمۚHe has given you
  13. بَلۡNay
  14. أَنتُمyou
  15. بِهَدِيَّتِكُمۡin your gift
  16. تَفۡرَحُونَrejoice
An-Naml · 27:36Makkah

What Allah gave me is better than your gift.

Sulayman refuses to be bought

The offer
a huge giftgold, jewels, pearls
to buy
silenceleave our shirk alone
refused
Allah's giftbetter than this
Who is impressed by gifts
Sulaymandid not even look
you rejoice in ityou are moved by gifts

Scholars said she sent a huge gift of gold, jewels and pearls. Ibn Kathir says Sulayman did not even look at it. He asked if they were trying to flatter him with wealth so he would leave them with their shirk, and said what Allah gave him was better.

Someone offers you a bonus to look the other way. A friend's family offers money so you will drop a complaint. When you are content with what Allah gave you, you cannot be bought.

If the offer is big enough, it is fine to bend a little.

What Allah has given me is enough, so no gift should buy my silence about what is right.

Try this

Name one thing someone could offer you to compromise. Decide now that it is not for sale.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

So, when (the messengers with the gift) came to Sulayman, he said: "Will you help me in wealth? What Allah has given me is better than that which He has given you! Nay, you rejoice in your gift! (36)"Go back to them. We verily, shall come to them with armies that they cannot resist, and we shall drive them out from there in disgrace, and they will be abased. (37)

The Gift and the Response of Sulayman

More than one of the scholars of Tafsir among the Salaf and others stated that she sent him a huge gift of gold, jewels, pearls and other things. It is apparent that Sulayman, peace be upon him, did not even look at what they brought at all and did not pay any attention to it, but he turned away and said, rebuking them:

 أَتُمِدُّونَنِ بِمَالٍ 

("Will you help me in wealth?") meaning, 'are you trying to flatter me with wealth so that I will leave you alone with your Shirk and your kingdom?'

فَمَا آتَانِيَ اللَّهُ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا آتَاكُمْ 

(What Allah has given me is better than that which He has given you!) means, 'what Allah has given to me of power, wealth and troops, is better than that which you have.'

بَلْ أَنْتُمْ بِهَدِيَّتِكُمْ تَفْرَحُونَ 

(Nay, you rejoice in your gift!) means, 'you are the ones who are influenced by gifts and presents; we will accept nothing from you except Islam or the sword.'

ارْجِعْ إِلَيْهِمْ

(Go back to them) means, with their gift,

فَلَنَأْتِيَنَّهُمْ بِجُنُودٍ لَا قِبَلَ لَهُمْ بِهَا

(We verily, shall come to them with armies that they cannot resist,) they have no power to match them or resist them.

 وَلَنُخْرِجَنَّهُمْ مِنْهَا أَذِلَّةً

(and we shall drive them out from there in disgrace,) 'we shall drive them out in disgrace from their land.'

وَهُمْ صَاغِرُونَ

(and they will be abased.) means, humiliated and expelled.

When her messengers came back to her with her undelivered gift, and told her what Sulayman said, she and her people paid heed and obeyed him. She came to him with her troops in submission and humility, honoring Sulayman and intending to follow him in Islam. When Sulayman, peace be upon him, realized that they were coming to him, he rejoiced greatly.