How Did the Ant Know Solomon by Name?

[Reader Questions]

Salam,

Please explain to me if prophet soleyman didnt communicate with animals except birds then how did that ant knows him by name in sourate naml. Also knowing ants have poor vision even some bling how did it recognize him by far distance.

Thanks

[Joseph Islam]

As-salamu alaykum

As I have mentioned before in my writings, the Quran translates dialogues from other languages / speech into Arabic.

"Therefore it is the message which is important, not the language it is delivered in for the Quran itself is a translation from other tongues into Arabic.

For example, one notes of all the dialogue captured in the Quran, of Prophets Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus (pbut), different messengers, angels, Iblis (Satan), Pharaoh, even of an ant (27:18) and a Hoopoe bird (27:22). All this speech has been captured and translated by God Himself for an Arabic audience to grasp the message and its wisdom." [1]

Even the name 'Musa' in Arabic is arguably not how Prophet Moses's people or his mother would have known him. It would have been arguably 'Moshe' [2]. Prophet 'Isa' would have arguably been known as 'Yeshua' (Hebrew) / 'Jeshua' (Aramaic). [3]

Therefore from a Quran's perspective, there is no reason to assume that the ants knew the name 'Solomon' as the Arabic 'Solomon', it is what they 'perceived' in their own communication method which the Quran is capturing. They saw an impending army approaching with a leader at its helm, whether it is from ground vibrations or else, they were informed to dissipate into their dwellings. This may have been a frequent route that the army personnel traversed hence the implied familiarity.

I hope this helps, God willing.

Regards,
Joseph

REFERENCES:

[1] IS ARABIC A HOLY OR SUPERIOR LANGUAGE?
http://quransmessage.com/articles/is%20arabic%20a%20holy%20language%20FM3.htm
[2] WHAT IS A MUSLIM NAME? - A MISNOMER
http://quransmessage.com/articles/muslim%20name%20FM3.htm
[3] Ibid