Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon)
Solomon's Knowledge
Solomon inherited David's prophethood and dominion. This was not a
material inheritance, as prophets do not bequeath their property. It is given
away to the poor and needy, not to their relatives. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:
"The prophets' property will not be inherited, and whatever we leave is to
be used for charity." (Sahih Al-Bukhari).
"And indeed We gave
knowledge to David and Solomon, and they both said: "All the praises and
thanks be to Allah, Who has preferred us above many of His believing
slaves!"
And Solomon inherited (the
knowledge of) David. He said: "O mankind! We have been taught the language
of birds, and on us have been bestowed all things. This, verily, is an evident
grace (from Allah)."
And there were gathered before
Solomon his hosts of jinns and men, and birds, and they were all set in battle
order (marching forwards). (Ch 27:15-17 Quran).
Solomon Becomes King
After his father's death, Solomon became king. He begged Allah for a
kingdom such as none after him would have, and Allah granted his wish. Besides
wisdom, Allah had blessed Solomon with many abilities. He could command the
winds and understand and talk to birds and animals. Allah directed him to teach
both men and jinns to mine the earth and extract its minerals to make tools and
weapons. He also favored him with a mine of copper, which was a rare metal in
those days.
Solomon's Admiration of Horses
During
his time horses were the common mode of transportation. They were very
essential for defense, to carry soldiers and cart provisions and weapons of
war. The animals were well cared for and well trained. One day Solomon was
reviewing a parade of his stable. The fitness, beauty and posture of the horses
fascinated him so much that he kept on stroking and admiring them. The sun was
nearly setting, and the time for the middle prayer was passing by. When he
realized this, he exclaimed: "I surely love the finer things of life than
the service of my Lord! Return them to me."
Allah's Gifts to Solomon - Quranic
Almighty Allah revealed:
"And to David We gave Solomon. How excellent a slave! Verily, he
was ever oft returning in
When there were displayed before
him, in the afternoon, well-trained horses of the highest breed (for jihad in
Allah's cause). And he said: "Alas! I did love the good (these horses)
instead of remembering my Lord (in my 'Asr prayer)" till the time was
over, and the sun had hidden in the veil of the night. Then he said:
"Bring them (horses) back to me." Then he began to pass his hand over
their legs and their necks (till the end of the display).
And indeed We did try Solomon and
We placed on his throne Jasadan (a devil, so he lost his kingdom for a while)
but he did return (to his throne and kingdom by the Grace of Allah and he did
return) to Allah with obedience and in repentance. He said: "My Lord!
Forgive me, and bestow upon me a kingdom such as shall not belong to any other
after me. Verily, You are the Bestower."
So, We subjected to him the wind,
it blew gently to his order whithersoever he willed, and also the devils from
the jinns including every kind of builder and diver, and also other bound in
fetters. (Saying of Allah to Solomon): "This is Our gift, so spend you or
withhold, no account will be asked." And verily, he enjoyed a near access
to Us, and a good final return Paradise. (Ch38:30-40 Quran).
Solomon Hears the Ant's Warning
One day Solomon gathered his army, which had different battalions of
men, jinns, birds, and animals. He marched them to the country of Askalon.
While they were passing through a valley, an ant saw the approaching
army and cried out to warn the other ants: "Run to your homes! Otherwise,
unaware, Solomon and his army might crush you!" Solomon, hearing the cry
of the ant, smiled. He was glad that the ant knew him to be a prophet who would
not intentionally harm Allah's creation. He thanked Allah for saving the ants'
lives.
Solomon Hears the Conversation of Ants - Quranic
Allah the Almighty narrated: And
there were gathered before Solomon his hosts of jinns and men, and birds, and they all were set in battle
order (marching forwards). Till, when they came to a valley of the ants, one of
the ants said: "O ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Solomon and his hosts
crush you, while they perceive not."
So he (Solomon) smiled, amused at
her speech and said: "My Lord! Inspire and bestow upon me the power and
ability that I maybe grateful for Your Favors which You have bestowed on me and
on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and
admit me by Your Mercy among Your righteous slaves." (Ch 27:17-19 Quran).
Solomon's Travels
In Jerusalem, on a huge rock, Solomon built a beautiful temple to draw
the people to worship Allah. Today this building is known as "The Dome of
the Rock." From there, a large band of followers joined Solomon on
pilgrimage to the Holy Mosque in Mecca. After they had completed their hajj,
they traveled to Yemen and arrived in the city of San'a. Solomon was impressed
by their clever method of channeling water all over their cities. He was keen
to build similar water systems
The Hoopoe Brings Information to Solomon
He set out to find the hoopoe bird, which could detect water under the
ground. He sent signals all over the hoopoe to call on him, but it was nowhere
to be found. In anger, he declared that unless the bird had a good reason for
its absence, he would punish it severely.
The hoopoe eventually came to Solomon and explained the reason for its
delay. "I have discovered something of which you are not aware. I have
come from Sheba (Sab'a) with important news." Solomon became curious, and
his anger subsided. The bird continued: "Sab'a is ruled by a queen named
Bilkis (Bilqis), who has plenty of everything, including a splendid throne. But
in spite of all this wealth, Satan has entered her heart and the hearts of her
people. She rules their minds completely. I was shocked to learn that they
worship the sun instead of Allah the Almighty."
To check the hoopoe's information, Solomon sent a letter to the queen
with the bird. He instructed the bird to remain hidden and to watch everything.
The Queen of Sheba Sends Gifts
The hoopoe dropped the letter in front of the queen and flew away to
hide. She excitedly opened and read it:
"Verily! It is from Solomon,
and verily! It reads: 'In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, and Most
Merciful; be you not exalted against me, but come to me as Muslims (true
believers who submit with full submission).'" ( Ch 27:30-31 Quran).
The queen was very disturbed and hurriedly summoned her advisors. They
reacted as to a challenge, for they felt that there was someone challenging
them, hinting at war and defeat, and asking them to submit to his conditions.
They told her that they could only offer advice, but it was her right to
command action. She sensed that they wanted to meet Solomon's invasion threat
with a battle. However, she told them: "Peace and friendship are better
and wiser; war only brings humiliation, enslaves people and destroys the good
things. I have decided to send gifts to Solomon, selected from our most
precious treasure. The courtiers who will deliver the gifts will also have an
opportunity to learn about Solomon and his military mighty."
Solomon's Rejects the Queen's Gifts
Solomon's reconnaissance team brought him the news of the arrival of
Bilkis' messengers with a gift. He immediately realized that the queen had sent
her men on a probing mission thus, he gave orders to rally the army. The envoys
of Bilqis, entering amidst the well-equipped army, realized that their wealth
was nothing in comparison to that of the kingdom of Solomon's palace floors,
which were made of sandalwood and inlaid with gold.
They noticed Solomon surveying his army, and they were surprised at the
number and variety of soldiers, which included lions, tigers, and birds. The
messengers stood in amazement, realizing
The envoys marveled at the splendor surrounding them. They eagerly
presented their queen's precious gifts and told Solomon that the queen wished
that he would accept them as an act of friendship. They were shocked by his
reaction: he did not even ask to open the covers of the containers! He told
them: "Allah hagiven me plenty of wealth, a large kingdom, and
prophethood. I am, therefore, beyond bribery. My only objective is to spread
the belief in Tawheed, the Oneness of Allah."
He also directed them to take back the gifts to the queen and to tell
her that if she did not stop her kind of worship he would uproot her kingdom
and drive its people out of the land.
The Queen Decides to Visit Solomon
The queen's envoys returned with the gifts and delivered the message.
They also told her of the wonderful things they had seen. Instead of taking
offense, she decided to visit Solomon. Accompanied by her royal officials and
servants, she left Sheba, sending a messenger ahead to inform Solomon that she
was on her way to meet him.
Solomon asked the jinns in his employ whether anyone among them could
bring her throne to he palace before she arrived. One of them said; "I
will bring it to you before this sitting is over." Solomon did not react
to this offer; it appeared that he was waiting for a faster means. The jinns
competed with each other to please him. One of them named Ifrit said: "I
will fetch it for you in the twinkling of an eye!"
No sooner
had this one - who had the knowledge of the Book - finished his phrase than the
throne stood before Solomon. The mission had, indeed, been completed in the
blinking of an eye. Solomon's seat was in Palestine, and the throne of Bilqis
had been in Yemen, two thousand miles away. This was a great miracle performed
by one of those sitting with Solomon.
The Queen's Visit with Solomon
When Bilqis arrived at Solomon's palace, she was welcomed with pomp and
ceremony. Then, pointing to the altered throne, Solomon asked her whether her
throne looked like that one. She looked at it again and again. In her mind she
was convinced that her throne could not possibly be the one she was looking at,
as hers was in her palace; et, she detected a striking similarity and replied:
"It is as if it were the very one, and resembles mine in every
respect." Solomon judged that she was intelligent and diplomatic.
He then invited her into the great hall, the floor of which was laid in
glass and shimmering. Thinking it was water, as she stepped on the floor, she
lifted her skirt slightly above her heels, for fear of wetting it. Solomon
pointed out to her that it was made of solid glass.
She was amazed. She had never seen such things before. Bilqis realized
that she was in the company of a very knowledgeable person who was not only a
ruler of a great kingdom but a messenger of Allah, as well. She repented, gave
up sun worship, accepted the faith of Allah, and asked her people to do the
same.
It was finished; Bilqis saw her people's creed fall apart before
Solomon. She realized that the sun which her people worshipped was nothing but
one of Allah's creatures.
The sun eclipsed within her for the first time, and her heart was lit by
a never fading light, the light of Islam.
Solomon is Informed About the Queen of Sheba - Quranic
Almighty Allah told us this story
in the Quran:
"
He inspected the birds, and said: "What is the
matter that I see not a hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will surely
punish him with a severe torment, or slaughter him, unless he brings me a clear
reason."
But the hoopoe stayed not long,
he came up and said: "I have grasped (the knowledge of a thing) which you
have not grasped and I have come to you from Sheba with true news. I found a
woman ruling over them, and she has been given all things that could be
possessed by any ruler of the earth, and she has a great throne. I found her and
her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah, and Satan has made their deeds
fair seeming to them, and has barred them from Allah's Way, so they have no
guidance."
Al-La (this word has two
interpretations) [As Satan has barred them from Allah's Way} so that they do
not worship (prostrate before) Allah, or so that they may worship (prostrate
before) Allah, Who brings light to what is hidden in the heavens and the earth,
and knows what you conceal and what you reveal. Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none
has the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne!
(Solomon)
said: "We shall see whether you speak the truth or you are one of the
liars. Go with this letter of mine, and deliver it to them, then draw back from
them, and see what answer they return."
She said: "O chiefs! Verily! Here is a delivered to me a noble
letter. Verily! It is from Solomon
and verily! It (reads): 'In the
Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful; Be you not exalted
against me, but come to me as Muslims (true believers who submit to Allah with
full submission)."
She said: "O chiefs! Advise
me in this case of mine. I decide no case till you are present with me."
They said: "We have great
strength, and great ability for war, but it is for you to command; so think
over what you will command."
She said: "Verily! Kings,
when they enter a town (country), they despoil it, and make the most honorable
amongst its people low. And thus they do. But verily! I am going to send him a
present, and see with what answer the messengers return."
So when (the messengers with the
present) came to Solomon, he said: "Will you help me in wealth? What Allah
has given me is better than that which He has given you! Nay, you rejoice in
your gift!" (Then Solomon said to the chief of her messengers who brought
the present): "Go back to them. We verily shall come to them with hosts
that they cannot resist, and we shall drive them out from there is disgrace,
and they will be abased."
He said: "O chiefs! Which of
you can bring me her throne before they come to me surrendering themselves in
obedience?"
An Ifrit (strong) from the jinns
said: "I will bring it to you before you rise from your place (council).
And verily, I am indeed strong, and trustworthy for such work."
One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: "I will bring it
to you within the twinkling
of an eye!" then when
Solomon saw it placed before him, he said: "This is by the Grace of my
Lord, to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful! And whoever is grateful,
truly, his gratitude is for the good of his ownself, and whoever is ungrateful,
he is ungrateful only for the loss of his ownself. Certainly! My Lord is Rich
(Free of all wants), Bountiful!"
He said: "Disguise her
throne for her that we may see whether she will be guided (to recognize her
throne), or she will be one of those not guided."
So when she came, it was said to her: "Is your throne like
this?"
She said: "It is as though it was the very same."
And Solomon said: "Knowledge
was bestowed on us before her, and we were submitted to Allah (in Islam as
Muslims before her)."
And that which she used to
worship besides Allah has prevented her from Islam, for she was of a
disbelieving people.
It was
said to her: "Enter As-Sarh" (a glass surface with water underneath
it) or a palace, but when she saw it, she thought it was a pool, and she tucked
up her clothes, uncovering her legs. Solomon said: "Verily, it is Sarh
paved smooth with slab of glass."
She said: "My Lord! Verily,
I have wronged myself, and I submit (in Islam), together with Solomon, to
Allah, the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinns, and all that exists)." (Ch
27:20-44 Quran)
Jinns and Solomon
Solomon's public work was largely carried out by the jinns. This was a
punishment for their sins of making people believe that they were all-powerful,
knew the unseen, and could foresee the future. As a prophet, it was Solomon's
duty to remove such false beliefs from his followers.
Solomon's Death
Solomon lived amidst glory, and all creatures were subjected to him.
Then Allah the Exalted ordained for him to die. His life and death were full of
wonders and miracles; thus, his death harmonized with his life and glory. His
death, like his life, was unique. The people had to learn that the future is
known neither by the jinns, nor by the prophets, but by Allah alone. Solomon's
effort in this direction did not end with his life, for even his death became
an example. He was sitting holding his staff, overseeing the jinns at work in a
mine. He died sitting in this position. For a long time no one was aware of his
death, for he was seen sitting erect. The jinns continued with their sand toil,
thinking that Solomon was watching over them.
Many days later, a hungry ant began nibbling Solomon's staff. It
continued to do so, eating the lower part of the staff, until it fell out of
Solomon's hand, and his great body fell to the ground. People hurried to him,
realizing that he had died a long time ago and that the jinns did not perceive
the unseen, for had the jinns known the unseen, they would not have kept
working, thinking that Solomon was alive.
Solomon's Death - Quranic
Allah the Exalted revealed:
"And We caused a fount of
molten brass to flow for him, and there were jinns that worked in front of him
by the Leave of his Lord, and whosoever of them turned aside from Our Command,
We shall cause him to taste of the torment of the blazing Fire.
They worked for him what he
desired, (making) high rooms, images, basins as large as reservoirs, and
(making) cauldrons fixed (in their places). "Work you, O family of David,
with thanks!" But few of My slaves are grateful.
Then when we decreed death for
him (Solomon), nothing informed them (jinns) of his death except a little worm
of the earth, which kept slowly gnawing away at his stick, so when he fell
down, the jinns saw clearly that if they had known the unseen, they would not
have stayed in the humiliating torment. (Ch 34:12-14 Quran).
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