Since my childhood, I have seen an Arabic inscription " هَٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي " on shops and houses. Although, I knew its plain meaning, but never really reflected to find its deeper meaning nor ever tried to find out what is the context of this. Today, I got lucky when I glanced at the 40th verse of Surah An-Naml that added to my knowledge and I am sharing the context of this duly interpreted by scholars keeping in view the context of this part verse of Al Qur'an.
The Context
Surah An-Naml 27:40 comes at a remarkable moment in the story of Prophet Sulaymān عليه السلام. The Queen of Sheba was approaching him, and Sulaymān asked who could bring her throne before she arrived. That is, the same throne about which the hoopoe (hud- hud) had reported, "She has a splendid throne." One powerful jinn offered to bring it before Sulaymān rose from his place, but then “one who had knowledge of the Book” said he could bring it “before your glance returns to you.” When Sulaymān suddenly saw the throne placed before him, his first response was not pride, amazement at his own power, or praise of his court. He said:
هَٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي لِيَبْلُوَنِي أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ
“.......This is from the favour of my Lord, to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful. Whoever is grateful is grateful only for his own benefit, and whoever is ungrateful—surely my Lord is Self-Sufficient, Most Generous.” — 27:40 (Part of the verse)
Interpretation.
The explanation of the complete verse as given by the scholars is quite elaborate and lengthy. Herein under we have only presenting the gist. Those interested in complete explanation, may refer to resource links given at the end of the post.
The central theme: success itself is a test
Most of us easily recognize difficulty as a test: illness, financial problems, bereavement, failure, unemployment, humiliation.
But Sulaymān teaches something subtler: A blessing may be an even greater test than a hardship.
He had extraordinary authority, knowledge, wealth and command over resources. Yet when something astonishing happened before him, he immediately asked:
- أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ “Will I be grateful or ungrateful?”
- He did not ask: “How powerful have I become?”
- He asked: “How will I respond to what Allah has given me?”
- That is the spiritual heart of the verse.
1. Ibn Kathīr's interpretation
Ibn Kathīr explains the surrounding episode by relating the reports concerning the person who possessed “knowledge of the Book,” while emphasizing Sulaymān's response once the throne appeared before him. Sulaymān recognized the event as Allah's favour and a test of gratitude, not simply as an achievement attributable to his own power or servants.
That distinction is crucial. The throne arrived for Sulaymān, but Sulaymān refused to treat the blessing as though it originated from Sulaymān. He traced the blessing back to Allah.
2. Al-Ṭabarī
Al-Ṭabarī records several early reports about the identity and knowledge of the person described as possessing knowledge from the Scripture. The details were discussed by early authorities, but the Qur’an itself keeps that person secondary to the main lesson: the extraordinary event occurs, and Sulaymān immediately attributes it to Allah.
This itself is instructive. We can become fascinated with:
- Who brought the throne? How? What knowledge did he possess?
- But the Qur’an quickly redirects our attention toward something spiritually more important:
- How did Sulaymān react when something extraordinary happened in his favour? His reaction was shukr, not self-glorification.
3. Maududi's emphasis
Maududi reads the passage as part of the demonstration of the extraordinary kingdom Allah had entrusted to Sulaymān. Yet Sulaymān's response shows that those powers never deluded him into believing that they belonged independently to him. His recognition that this was a test from his Lord distinguishes prophetic kingship from arrogant worldly kingship.
This contrast runs throughout the story.
- A worldly ruler may think: “I possess this because I deserve it.”
- Sulaymān thinks: “Allah has entrusted this to me; now I am being examined.”
Why does gratitude benefit us and not Allah?
The verse continues:
وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ “Whoever is grateful is grateful only for his own benefit.”
Allah gains nothing from our gratitude.
The verse concludes: فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ “Indeed, my Lord is Self-Sufficient, Most Generous.”
That is Allah does not need our praise. We need gratitude. Why?
- Because gratitude protects the soul from developing the illusion: “I achieved everything myself.”
- Gratitude transforms: (1) wealth → responsibility (2) knowledge → service (3) authority → accountability (4) success → humility (5) talent → stewardship.
- Without gratitude, those same blessings can create arrogance.
Now bring 27:40 into our own lives
Imagine receiving: a promotion, a successful business, a beautiful house, good health, intelligent children, public recognition, academic qualifications, wealth, influence, or even religious knowledge. Our instinct is often: “I worked hard for this.” That may be partly true. Islam does not deny human effort.
But Prophet Sulaymān teaches us to place another sentence before it:
هَٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي “This is from the favour of my Lord.”
You worked hard—but:
- Who gave you your intelligence? Who gave you health enough to work?
- Who created the opportunity?
- Who placed helpful people in your path?
- Who protected you from thousands of circumstances that could have derailed you?
Although, Human effort is real. But the ability to make the effort is itself a gift.
What about today's “distractors”?
1. Modern life surrounds us with things constantly competing for our attention.
- Social media says: Show people what you possess.
- Advertising says: You need more.
- Professional culture says: Your title determines your worth.
- Consumerism says: Compare yourself with everyone else.
- Celebrity culture says: Be noticed.
- The ego says: Take the credit.
And 27:40 interrupts all of them: هَٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي “This is from the favour of my Lord.” That sentence can become a spiritual shield against distraction.
A simple test for every blessing
Whenever something good enters your life, ask three questions.
1. Where did it ultimately come from?
Say inwardly: هَٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي This is from the favour of my Lord. This prevents arrogance.
2. Why might Allah have given it to me?
Remember: لِيَبْلُوَنِي “to test me.”
- A promotion asks: Will you become arrogant—or more just?
- Money asks: Will you hoard—or help others?
- Knowledge asks: Will you boast—or teach?
- Authority asks: Will you dominate—or serve?
- Social influence asks: Will you seek applause—or speak truth?
- Health asks: Will you waste it—or use it in good works?
- Even religious knowledge asks: Will it make you humble—or make you feel superior to other Muslims?
3. What would gratitude look like in action?
Because shukr is more than saying al-ḥamdu lillāh. That is true gratitude has three dimensions:
- The heart recognizes the Giver.
- The tongue praises the Giver.
- The limbs use the gift in ways pleasing to the Giver.
If Allah gives wealth and we merely say al-ḥamdu lillāh while using it unjustly, gratitude is incomplete.
2. One of the greatest modern distractions: comparison
We constantly see other people's lives. Their houses. their journeys. their careers. their children. their successes. their possessions. This can turn blessings into dissatisfaction.
Instead of thinking: “What has Allah given me?” we begin thinking: “Why haven't I been given what they have?”
27:40 reverses this psychology. Sulaymān was not looking sideways at somebody else's kingdom. He looked upward toward the Giver of his own blessings. That is one of the most practical forms of gratitude today.
The verse also protects successful people from Qarun's mistake
Elsewhere the Qur’an describes Qarun (the richest man of his time, yet ungratful and arrogant) saying: “I was only given it because of knowledge I possess.” — 28:78 - Compare that with Sulaymān:
- Qarun: I have this because of me.
- Sulaymān: This is from the favour of my Lord.
That difference in one sentence represents two completely different spiritual personalities.
- One ends in arrogance.
- The other in gratitude.
How to “superimpose” 27:40 upon everyday life
You can make the verse into a personal mental habit:
- When praised: “This is from the favour of my Lord.”
- When promoted: “This is from the favour of my Lord—and now I am being tested.”
- When your children succeed: “This is from the favour of my Lord.”
- When your business prospers: “Will I be grateful or ungrateful?”
- When you acquire knowledge: “How can I use this for good?”
- When people admire you: “Allah knows the reality of me better than they do.”
And when distractions make you compare your blessings with others: “I will answer for what Allah gave me, not for what He gave someone else.”
The deepest message of 27:40
Perhaps the verse changes the very definition of success.
- We ordinarily think: Success = obtaining the blessing.
- But Sulaymān teaches: Success = responding correctly after receiving the blessing.
The throne appearing before him was not yet the victory. His gratitude was the victory.
So whenever Allah gives us something—wealth, position, health, intelligence, influence, family, opportunity or even free time—the question hidden within the blessing is:
أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ “Will I be grateful, or will I be ungrateful?”
In a world full of distractions, 27:40 teaches us not merely to count our blessings, but to recognize that every blessing carries an assignment: acknowledge Allah, remain humble, and use what He has given us in a way that would please Him.
So et us change the way to be grateful. Instead of taking pride on our success, let us always be grateful to Allah for having considered us worthy of our success and blessed us accordingly. Unless Allah is on our side, nothing can permanently be truly ours.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 27. An Naml "The Ants" already published.
You may also refer to our exclusive reference pages:
- Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
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- Selected Verses from the Qur'an.
You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
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