Prophet Sulayman (A.S.)
Quran References:
Prophet Sulayman (AS) is mentioned 17 times in the following verses of the Quran:
(Quran, 2:102, 4:163, 6:84, 21:78-79, 21:81-82, 27:15-20, 27:30, 27:36, 34:12, 38:30)
Sulayman’s Inheritance and Gifts from Allah SWT:
Prophet Sulayman inherited his father Dawud’s prophethood and knowledge and he was taught the language of the birds.
After his father’s death, Sulayman (AS) became the king and he begged Allah for a kingdom that nobody would have, and Allah SWT granted his wish.
Allah SWT also blessed Sulayman (AS) with miracles including the ability to command the wind and understand and talk to birds and animals.
Allah then directed him to teach the men and jinns to mine the earth and extract its minerals to make tools and weapons.
Allah SWT gave Sulayman (AS) copper, which was a rare metal to have in those days.
Prophet Sulayman’s Love for Horses:
Horses were the main source of transportation at the time of Sulayman and he was fascinated by them.
The Army and the Ant:
One day, Sulayman (AS) gathered his army which consisted of men, jinns, birds and animals and he marched to the country of Askalon (modern day Israel/Palestine).
When they were passing through, an ant saw the approaching army and cried out to the other ants.
The ant said: Run to your homes, otherwise Sulayman and his army might crush you.
Sulayman (AS) heard the cry and smiled, as he was happy that the ant knew that he was a Prophet and that he would not intentionally harm Allah’s creation.
Prophet Sulayman (AS) then thanked Allah SWT for saving the ants’ lives.
Building and Travels:
Sulayman (AS) built a temple to draw the people to worship Allah on a huge rock in Jerusalem. This is now known as ‘The Dome of the Rock’
From there, a large group of followers joined him to the Holy Mosque in Makkah and they travelled to Yemen and arrived in a city called Sana’a.
He was impressed by their water transport system all over the cities and wanted to replicate this system in his own city.
The Hoopoe and the Queen of Sheba:
Sulayman (AS) set out to find a hoopoe bird that could detect water under the ground.
He sent signals to the bird but could not find it and out of anger, he said that unless the bird had a valid reason, he would punish it.
The bird then came to Sulayman (AS) and told him: I have come from Sheba, and it is ruled by a Queen called Bilqis.
The hoopoe informed Prophet Sulayman (AS) that the Queen had everything but despite all of her wealth, Shaytan had entered her heart and the hearts of the people.
Bilqis and those who followed her, worshipped the Sun.
To clarify this information from the hoopoe, Sulayman (AS) wrote a letter to the Queen and sent it with the bird.
The hoopoe dropped the letter in front of the Queen, and she read it.
The letter said: Verily, it is from Sulayman and 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.
Bilqis’ Response:
The Queen (Bilqis) was very disturbed by this and called for her advisors.
Her advisors wanted to fight Sulayman in a battle, but Bilqis said: Peace and friendship are better and wise, war only brings humiliation, enslaves people and destroys the good things. I have decided to send gifts to Sulayman, selected from our most precious treasure. The courtiers who deliver the gifts will also have an opportunity to learn about Sulayman and his mighty military.
The messengers of Bilqis told Sulayman (AS) that the Queen wanted him to accept the gifts as an act of worship.
However, Sulayman (AS) did not even open the covers of the container which consisted of the gifts, which shocked the messengers of Bilqis.
Sulayman then said: Allah has given me plenty of wealth, a large kingdom and prophethood. I am, therefore, beyond bribery. My only objective is to spread the belief in the Tawhid, the Oneness of Allah.
Sulayman (AS) told them to take the gifts back to Bilqis and warned that if she did not stop disbelief, he would dismantle her kingdom and drive the people out of the land.
Meeting with Bilqis:
When Bilqis found out Sulayman (AS) had returned her gifts, she decided to visit him.
Bilqis, along with her royal officials and servants, left Sheba sending a messenger ahead to inform Sulayman that she was on her way to meet him.
Ifrit and the Throne of Bilqis:
Sulayman (AS) then asked the jinns whether any of them could bring the throne of Bilqis from her palace before she arrived.
A jinn called Ifrit said: I will fetch it for you in the twinkling of an eye.
The throne then stood before Sulayman (AS) in the blink of an eye.
Sulayman was in Palestine and Bilqis’ throne was two thousand miles away, in Sheba.
Bilqis at the Palace of Sulayman:
When Bilqis arrived at his palace, Sulayman (AS) asked her whether her throne looked like the one she had in Sheba.
She looked at it a couple times and eventually noticed the similarities and replied: it is as if it were the very one and resembles mine in every respect.
Sulayman (AS) invited her into the great hall and as she stepped on the floor, she lifted her skirt slightly above her heels as she thought it was water. Prophet Sulayman (AS) then pointed out that the floor was made of solid glass.
Bilqis was amazed by this, and she realised that she was in the company of a man who was very knowledgeable and a Messenger of Allah.
Bilqis’ Acceptance of the Religion of Allah SWT:
Bilqis then repented and gave up the worship of the Sun and accepted the faith of Allah SWT.
After accepting Islam, she asked her people to do the same as she realised that the Sun her people worshipped, was nothing but one of Allah’s creatures.
The Role of the Jinns:
Sulayman’s work was largely carried out by jinns. This was in order punish them for their sins of making people believe they were powerful, for thinking they had knowledge of the unseen and thinking they could foresee the future.
It was Sulayman’s job to remove such false beliefs from his followers.
Sulayman’s Death:
One day, Prophet Sulayman (AS) was sitting holding his staff, watching the jinns at work in a mine.
Eventually, he passed away sitting in this same position, but for a long time, no one was aware of his death as he was sitting upright.
The jinns continued with their work thinking that Sulayman (AS) was watching them.
Many days later, a hungry ant began nibbling at Sulayman’s staff and it continued to do so until it fell out of his hand and his body fell to the ground.
People hurried to him but they realised that he had died a long time before this.
This is when they realised that the jinns did not have knowledge of the unseen and if they did, they would have known what would have happened to Sulayman (AS).
The Quran on Prophet Sulayman (AS):
Allah SWT praises Prophet Sulayman (AS) in the Quran as a devout servant. Allah says: ‘Excellent is the servent. Indeed, he repeatedly turned (to) Allah.’ (Quran, 38:30)
Allah SWT also blessed Sulayman (AS) with many miracles. In Surah An-Naml (Quran, 27:16), Allah mentions the words of Sulayman: ‘We have been taught the language of birds.’
Allah mentions the ability that Sulayman (AS) had to hear ants in the Quran: ‘He smiled and laughed when he heard the ant speak…’ (Quran, 27:19)
Allah SWT also mentions that Sulayman (AS) had control of the wind: ‘We subjected the wind to Solomon.’ (Quran, 34:12)
Despite having these miracles, Sulayman (AS) still showed his humility and gratitude. Allah SWT mentions his Dua in the Quran: ‘My Lord, inspire me to be thankful for Your favour.’ (Quran, 27:19)