هَٰذَا مِن فَضۡلِ رَبِّي لِيَبۡلُوَنِيٓ ءَأَشۡكُرُ أَمۡ أَكۡفُرُ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشۡكُرُ لِنَفۡسِهِۦ
Quranic context: Allah gave Sulayman (peace be upon him) a kingdom the like of which no one after him would receive: wind, jinn, birds and humans all under his command — and his response was gratitude, not arrogance.
Context:- "And for Sulayman the wind: its morning journey was a month and its evening journey a month, and We caused to flow for him a spring of molten copper." (Saba 12)
- "And of the jinn there were those who worked before him by the permission of his Lord." (Saba 12)
- When the throne of Bilqis appeared before him in an instant he said: "This is from the bounty of my Lord to test me — will I be grateful or ungrateful?" (An-Naml 40)
- The family of Dawud works righteous deeds — gratitude through action not words alone
Lesson:Blessing is a trial — "will I be grateful or ungrateful?" Sulayman with his legendary kingdom did not say "I", but turned to Allah and asked about his own position: am I grateful?
Question: How did Sulayman express his understanding of the meaning of blessing when he saw the throne of Bilqis?
Answer: He said "this is from the bounty of my Lord" attributing the gift to Allah, then "to test me — will I be grateful or ungrateful?" understanding that blessing is a trial not a reward, and that his response to it is the true test.