Back in Sheba (27:29 – 27:37)

Back in Sheba

[27:29] She said, “O my advisers, I have received an honorable letter. [27:30] “It is from Solomon, and it is, ‘In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.‘* [27:31] “Proclaiming: ‘Do not be arrogant; come to me as submitters.'” [27:32] She said, “O my advisers, counsel me in this matter. I am not deciding anything until you advise me.” [27:33] They said, “We possess the power, we possess the fighting skills, and the ultimate command is in your hand. You decide what to do.” [27:34] She said, “The kings corrupt any land they invade, and subjugate its dignified people. This is what they usually do. [27:35] “I am sending a gift to them; let us see what the messengers come back with.” [27:36] When the hoopoe returned to Solomon (he told him the news), and he responded (to Sheba’s people): “Are you giving me money? What GOD has given me is far better than what He has given you. You are the ones to rejoice in such gifts.” [27:37] (To the hoopoe, he said,) “Go back to them (and let them know that) we will come to them with forces they cannot imagine. We will evict them, humiliated and debased.”

*27:30 The ‘Basmalah’ included in this verse compensates for the ‘Basmalah’ that is missing from Sura 9, 19 suras earlier. This restores the total occurrence of ‘Basmalah’ to 114, 19×6. See Appendix 29 for details of a vast and profound miracle attached to this ‘Basmalah.’

Appendix 29

(from: Quran The Final Testament, by Rashad Khalifa, PhD.)

The Missing Basmalah

Every sura in the Quran opens with the statement “In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful,” known as the Basmalah, with the exception of Sura 9. This conspicuous absence of the Basmalah from Sura 9 has been an intriguing feature of the Quran for 14 centuries. Many theories have been advanced to explain this phenomenon.

Now we learn that the missing Basmalah plays a significant role as [1] a significant constituent of the Quran’s mathematical miracle, and [2] a glaring sign from the Most Gracious, Most Merciful, that Sura 9 has been tampered with and must be purified (Appendix 24). Both roles of the missing Basmalah were revealed with the discovery of the Quran’s mathematical code. The following list of factual observations illustrate the miraculous features of the missing Basmalah:

[1] Since the Basmalah consists of 19 Arabic letters, and prefixes all the suras except one, it can be considered the foundation upon which the Quran’s 19-based code is built. But the absence of the Basmalah from Sura 9 causes the number of this crucial opening statement to be 113, a number that does not conform with the Quran’s code. However, we find that this deficiency is compensated for in Sura 27. Two Basmalahs occur in Sura 27, one as an opener and one in Verse 30. This restores the total number of Basmalahs in the Quran to 114, 19×6.

[2] From the missing Basmalah of Sura 9 to the extra Basmalah of Sura 27, there are 19 suras.

[3] The sum of sura numbers from the missing Basmalah (Sura 9) to the extra Basmalah (Sura 27) is 9+10+11+12+ … +25+26+27 = 342, 19×18. This is a mathematical property, any consecutive 19 numbers will add up to a multiple of 19. But the miraculous phenomenon is that this number, 342, equals the number of words from the first Basmalah of Sura 27 to the second Basmalah in 27:30.

[4] The occurrence of the extra Basmalah in 27:30 conforms with the Quran’s code in that the sura number, plus the verse number is a multiple of 19 (27+30 = 57 = 19×3).

[5] The occurrence of the extra Basmalah in Verse 30 compares with the occurrence of the number 19 itself in Verse 30 (Sura 74).

[6] The Quran contains 6234 numbered verses. The absence of the Basmalah from Sura 9, and compensating for it in Verse 30 of Sura 27 gives us two numbered Basmalahs, 1:1 & 27:30, and 112 un-numbered Basmalahs. This causes the total number of verses in the Quran to be 6234+112 = 6346, 19×334.

[7] From the missing Basmalah to the extra Basmalah, the number of verses containing the word “Allah” is 513, 19×27. Note that 27 is the sura number where the extra Basmalah occurs. The data are in Table 1.

Table 1: The Verses Containing the Word “Allah” from the Missing Basmalah to the Extra Basmalah.

Sura Number	Verses w/ “Allah”
——	———
9	100
10	49
11	33
12	34
13	23
14	28
15	2
16	64
17	10
18	14
19	8
20	6
21	5
22	50
23	12
24	50
25	6
26	13
27	6
—	—
342  (19×18)	513 (19×27)

[8] The sum of verse numbers (1+2+3+ … +n), plus the number of verses, from the missing Basmalah to the extra Basmalah is 119624, 19×6296. See Table 2.

Table 2: Suras & Verses From the Missing Basmalah to the Extra Basmalah

Sura	Verses	Sum of Verse #
—-	——	————–
9	127	8128
10	109	5995
11	123	7626
12	111	6216
13	43	946
14	52	1378
15	99	4950
16	128	8256
17	111	6216
18	110	6105
19	98	4851
20	135	9180
21	112	6328
22	78	3081
23	118	7021
24	64	2080
25	77	3003
26	227	25878
27	29	435
—	—-	——
342	1951	117673
342 + 1951 + 117673 =119624 = 19 x 6296

[9] This item also proves that Sura 9 consists of 127 verses, not 129 (see Appendix 24). The sum of digits of 127 is 1+2+7=10. By finding all the verses whose digits add up to 10, from the missing Basmalah of Sura 9 to the extra Basmalah of Sura 27, then adding the number of these verses to the total number of verses from the missing Basmalah to the extra Basmalah, we get 2128, or 19×112 (Table 3).

[10] Sura 9 is an odd-numbered sura whose number of verses (127) is also odd. From the missing Basmalah to the extra Basmalah, there are 7 suras that possess this property; they are odd-numbered suras whose numbers of verses are also odd. As detailed in Table 4, these are Suras 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 25, and 27. By adding the digits that make up the sura numbers and the numbers of verses, the grand total is 114, 19×6.

Table 3: The Verse Whose Digits Add Up to 10, from the Missing Basmalah to the Extra Basmalah

Sura No	No. of Verses	No. of Occurences
—-	——.	———-
9	127	12
10	109	10
11	123	11
12	111	10
13	43	3
14	52	4
15	99	9
16	128	12
17	111	10
18	110	10
19	98	9
20	135	12
21	112	10
22	78	7
23	118	11
24	64	6
25	77	7
26	227	22
27	29	2
—	—-	—
342	1951	177
(19×18) & 1951+177=2128=19×112

Table 4: The Odd-numbered Suras Whose Number of Verses are also Odd

Sura No.	Sum of Digits	No of Verses	Sum of Digits
—-	——	——	——
9	9	127	10
11	2	123	6
13	4	43	7
15	6	99	18
17	8	111	3
25	7	77	14
27	9	29	11
	—		—
	45		69
45+69 = 114 = 19×6

[11] The next two features authenticate both the missing Basmalah and the number of verses in Sura 9 (where two false verses had been injected). If we take the same suras listed in Table 4, odd-numbered suras whose numbers of verses are also odd, and write down the number of every sura, followed by its number of verses, the resulting long number (30 digits) is a multiple of 19 (Figure 1).

[12] Let us continue to work with the suras listed in Table 4. They are the odd-numbered suras whose verses are also odd-numbered, from the missing Basmalah to the extra Basmalah. If we write down the number of every sura, followed by the last digit in every verse in that sura, we end up with a long number, 1988 digits, which is divisible by 19 (Figure 2).

9 127 11 123 13 43 15 99 17 111 25 77 27 29 Every sura number is followed by the number of verses in that sura. This long number equals 19 x 48037427533385052195322409091. [Figure 1]

9 1234567890123… … 27 1234567890 … 789 The sura number is followed by the last digit in every verse number. [Figure 2]

http://www.masjidtucson.org/quran/appendices/appendix29.html

[2:188] You shall not take each others’ money illicitly, nor shall you bribe the officials to deprive others of some of their rights illicitly, while you know.

Questioning God’s Wisdom

[2:247] Their prophet said to them, “GOD has appointed Taloot (Saul) to be your king.” They said, “How can he have kingship over us when we are more worthy of kingship than he; he is not even rich?” He said, “GOD has chosen him over you, and has blessed him with an abundance in knowledge and in body.” GOD grants His kingship to whomever He wills. GOD is Bounteous, Omniscient.

[49:17] They act as if they are doing you a favor by embracing Submission! Say, “You are not doing me any favors by embracing Submission. GOD is the One who is doing you a great favor by guiding you to the faith, if you are sincere.”

[6:35] If their rejection gets to be too much for you, you should know that even if you dug a tunnel through the earth, or climbed a ladder into the sky, and produced a miracle for them (they still would not believe). Had GOD willed, He could have guided them, unanimously. Therefore, do not behave like the ignorant ones.

The Rich Believer is Better than the Poor Believer

[16:75] GOD cites the example of a slave who is owned, and is totally powerless, compared to one whom we blessed with good provisions, from which he gives to charity secretly and publicly. Are they equal? Praise be to GOD, most of them do not know. [16:76] And GOD cites the example of two men: one is dumb, lacks the ability to do anything, is totally dependent on his master—whichever way he directs him, he cannot produce anything good. Is he equal to one who rules with justice, and is guided in the right path?

People want freedom without the responsibility that goes along with it

1 Samuel 8 New International Version (NIV)

Israel Asks for a King

8 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders.[a] 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.

4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead[b] us, such as all the other nations have.”

6 But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”

10 Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle[c] and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”

19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”

21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord.22 The Lord answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.”

Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”

1 Kings 3 New International Version (NIV)

Solomon Asks for Wisdom

3 Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the Lord. 3 Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

6 Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

7 “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice,12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15 Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.

He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.

A Wise Ruling

16 Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One of them said, “Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. 18 The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.

19 “During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. 20 So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. 21 The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.”

22 The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.”

But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king.

23 The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’”

24 Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king.25 He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”

26 The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”

But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”

27 Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”

28 When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.

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