27:18
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, one of the ants said: “O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it.”
The following excerpt is taken from “Towards Understanding the Quran” under the commentary of the above verse note 24:
From a rational perspective, it is not implausible that an ant could communicate with members of its own species to warn them of approaching danger and instruct them to retreat into their nests. The question of how Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him) was able to hear or understand this communication may be addressed by considering the extraordinary perceptive abilities attributed to prophets. For an individual capable of receiving and comprehending the subtle and profound message of divine revelation, understanding the comparatively simple communication of an ant would not be considered difficult.
Quran 27: 19
So smiled, amused at her speech, and said, “My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into Your righteous servants.”
The following excerpt is taken from the same book note 25 and 26:
The supplication, “Bestow upon me that I may be thankful,” expresses a request for divine assistance in maintaining gratitude for God’s blessings. The prayer reflects an awareness that the extraordinary abilities granted to Prophet Solomon could lead to heedlessness or pride if not accompanied by constant gratitude. Thus, the supplication seeks God’s help so that these blessings may inspire thankfulness rather than ingratitude or arrogance.
Similarly, the phrase “and admit me by Your mercy among Your righteous servants” conveys the desire to be counted among the righteous in the Hereafter and to enter Paradise with them. While righteous actions contribute to a person’s moral standing, entry into Paradise ultimately depends upon divine mercy rather than deeds alone. This understanding is supported by a prophetic tradition in which the Prophet Muhammad stated that no person enters Paradise solely by virtue of his deeds; when asked whether this applied even to him, he affirmed that he too would enter Paradise only through the mercy of God.
The context of this supplication is also used by commentators to support the interpretation that the Qur’anic reference to an-naml refers to actual ants rather than a human tribe. If the passage were understood as describing a warning given by a human tribe member to others about the approach of a powerful king’s army, the event would not appear sufficiently extraordinary to prompt such a profound prayer. However, the ability to hear and understand the speech of an ant from a distance represents an exceptional gift. Such a remarkable capacity could potentially lead to self-conceit, which explains why Prophet Solomon responded with a prayer seeking humility and gratitude before God.
References:
Maududi, Abul Ala (2010). Tafhim ul Quran. (note 24, 25 and 26).