36 Preface فَلَمّا جاءَ سُلَيمانَ قالَ أَتُمِدّونَنِ بِمالٍ فَما آتانِيَ اللَّهُ خَيرٌ مِمّا آتاكُم بَل أَنتُم بِهَدِيَّتِكُم تَفرَحونَYusuf AliNow when (the embassy) came to Solomon, he said: “Will ye give me abundance in wealth? But that which God has given me is better than that which He has given you! Nay it is ye who rejoice in your gift!1Poor Bilqis! she thought she had arranged with womanly tact to conciliate Solomon, and at the same time pacify her warlike subjects! But the effect of the embassy with presents was the very opposite. Solomon took it as an insult that she should send her presents instead of her submission to the true Religion! He flung back the presents at her, as much as to say, “Let these baubles delight your own hearts! God has blessed me with plenty of worldly goods, and something infinitely better, viz.: His Light and Guidance! Why do you say nothing about that? Will you only understand the argument of armies and violence?” Or perhaps his speech was only meant for the Sabæan crowd. For when she actually came, he treated her kindly, and she accepted the religion of Unity.