16 Preface وَوَرِثَ سُلَيمانُ داوودَ ۖ وَقالَ يا أَيُّهَا النّاسُ عُلِّمنا مَنطِقَ الطَّيرِ وَأوتينا مِن كُلِّ شَيءٍ ۖ إِنَّ هٰذا لَهُوَ الفَضلُ المُبينُYusuf AliAnd Solomon was David?s heir.1 He said: “O ye people! We have been taught the speech2 of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from God.)"3The point is that Solomon not only inherited his father’s kingdom but his spiritual insight and the prophetic office, which do not necessarily go from father to son.Speech of Birds. The spoken word in human speech is different from the means of communication which birds and animals have between each other. But no man can doubt that they have means of communication with each other, if he only observes the orderly flight of migratory birds or the regulated behaviour of ants, bees, and other creatures who live in communities. The wisdom of Solomon and others like him (he speaks of “we”) consisted in understanding these things-in the animal world and in the lower fringes of human intelligence.A little of all things: Solomon was a king of power and authority; outside his kingdom he had influence among many neighbouring peoples: he had knowledge of birds, and beasts and plants: he was just and wise, and understood men: and above all, he had spiritual insight, which brought him near to God. Thus he had something of all kinds of desirable gifts. And with true gratitude he referred them to God, the Giver of all gifts.