Stories from the Qur’an • Series 25

A Good Land

The Story of the People of Sheba and the Flood of the Dam According to the Qur’an and Authentic Hadith

Two gardens on the right and the left, safe journeys by night and day, and a simple call: “Eat from the provisions of your Lord and be grateful to Him.” But they turned away — then came the flood of the dam, and they were made into narrations. The story of the people of Sheba from the Qur’an and authentic Hadith only, without Israiliyyat. “A good land, and a forgiving Lord.”

📖 Free PDF 🕌 Verses of the Qur'an 📜 Hadith with Isnad 🛡️ No Israiliyyat

READ ONLINE DOWNLOAD PDF

What You Will Learn

Two gardens — prosperity as a sign and a test (34:15; Sahih Muslim 2742), with a flow chart of 8 events.
“Eat and be grateful” — the rule of gratitude (14:7), and looking at those below us (Sahih Muslim 2963).
They turned away, and the flood of al-‘Arim — the water that gave life became the means of ruin (34:16).
Bitter fruit and sparse lote trees — when evil becomes abundant (34:16–17; Sahih al-Bukhari 3346).
“Lengthen the distance between our journeys” — weary of the blessing of safety (34:18–19), and two blessings often forgotten (Sahih al-Bukhari 6412).
Made into narrations — the dispersal of Sheba (34:19), the assumption of Iblis (34:20–21), a table of Israiliyyat and an archaeological note on the Great Dam of Marib.

لَقَدۡ كَانَ لِسَبَإࣲ فِي مَسۡكَنِهِمۡ ءَايَةࣱۖ جَنَّتَانِ عَن يَمِينࣲ وَشِمَالࣲۖ كُلُواْ مِن رِّزۡقِ رَبِّكُمۡ وَٱشۡكُرُواْ لَهُۥۚ بَلۡدَةࣱ طَيِّبَةࣱ وَرَبٌّ غَفُورࣱ

“There was for [the tribe of] Saba’ in their dwelling place a sign: two [fields of] gardens on the right and on the left. [They were told], ‘Eat from the provisions of your Lord and be grateful to Him. A good land [have you], and a forgiving Lord.’”

Surah Saba’ (34): 15 — Sahih International

🌿 Reflection Each of us lives in a “good land” of our own — a home, a family, health and security. Are we grateful, or are we turning away without realising it?

This eBook Is For

Families, communities & those given plenty

Parents & heads of families

Students of tafsir

Preachers, teachers & counsellors

Read the Full eBook — Free

The story of the people of Sheba — the verses of Surah Saba’ 34:15–21 with the Sahih International translation, a flow chart of the story and a before-and-after comparison, authentic Hadith with linked chains of narration, commentary of trusted scholars, a table of Israiliyyat (including the story of the rats and the soothsayer), and an honest archaeological note on the Great Dam of Marib.

READ ONLINE DOWNLOAD PDF