Tafseer of The Ant · An-Naml · 27:31
Be not haughty with me but come to me in submission [as Muslims].' "
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
And His word أَلَّا تَعْلُوا عَلَيَّ وَأْتُونِي مُسْلِمِينَ: he says: there has been cast to me a noble letter: "that you do not exalt yourselves above me."
In the word "an" there are two grammatical options: if it is placed in apposition to the letter, then it is in the nominative, because it takes the case of the letter; if the meaning of the words is: "there has been cast to me a noble letter — that you do not exalt yourselves above me" — then it is in the accusative, because the letter is connected to it.
By His word أَلَّا تَعْلُوا عَلَيَّ He means: that you do not behave arrogantly and are not haughty regarding that to which I summon you.
As Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said, concerning His word أَلَّا تَعْلُوا عَلَيَّ: "that you do not oppose what I summon you to — if you oppose, I will fight you." I said to Ibn Zayd: أَلَّا تَعْلُوا عَلَيَّ — arrogance toward me? He said: yes. And Ibn Zayd said: أَلَّا تَعْلُوا عَلَيَّ وَأْتُونِي مُسْلِمِينَ — that is in the letter of Sulaymān to her. And His word وَأْتُونِي مُسْلِمِينَ: he says: come to me, obediently submissive to Allah in His oneness and obedience.
