Human history is replete with stories of kings who ruled the earth and grew arrogant. However, Prophet Solomon (Sulaiman) in Islam history stands in reverence before a unique model—a king whose authority reached the horizons, and for whom all elements of strength and empowerment were gathered, yet this only increased his humility and servitude to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. He is the Prophet of Allah, Sulaiman, son of Dawood (peace be upon them both), whom divine revelation has drawn a pristine image of, representing the pinnacle of recognizing blessings and attributing them back to the Bestower, Glory be to Him.
This article goes through the Prophet Sulaiman in Islam. Will discuss who is Prophet Sulaiman and his Miracles, also to Whom Sulaiman Was Sent and His Mission, and ends with The Death of Prophet Sulaiman.
Summary
The narrative of Prophet Solomon (Sulaiman) in Islam depicts an inspired king and messenger sent to the Children of Israel (Bani Israel) who epitomized absolute humility and servitude (“Al-Awwab”) despite his unmatched worldly empowerment. Inheriting prophethood, wisdom, and guided judgment from his father Dawood, Sulaiman was granted a miraculous kingdom characterized by the unique subjugation of the wind, control over jinn and demons for heavy labor, a flowing stream of molten copper, and the ability to command organized armies of birds and understand animal speech. His dawah mission successfully spread pure Monotheism (Tawheed) to neighboring nations, including the kingdom of Sheba. Ultimately, Sulaiman’s unique death while standing erect refutes the claims that jinn possess knowledge of the unseen, leaving a legacy as the ultimate model of a righteous, grateful ruler.
Who is the Prophet Solomon (Sulaiman) in Islam?
He is Sulaiman, son of Dawood (peace be upon them both), an inspired Prophet and King. His character was defined by true servitude to Allah during times of immense worldly empowerment, as Allah Almighty described him with a magnificent attribute, “Al-Awwab” (the repeatedly penitent), in the Holy Quran. “Al-Awwab” means the one who constantly returns to Allah in absolute repentance and devotion.
“And We blessed David with Solomon—what an excellent servant ˹he was˺! Indeed, he ˹constantly˺ turned ˹to Allah”
Dr. Mustafa Khattab, Quran. The Letter “Saad” (38:30)
Solomon’s inheritance from his father Dawood was not a material inheritance of wealth or property. Prophets do not bequeath material possessions; rather, whatever they leave behind is given away as charity, as established in the authentic Sunnah.
It is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“The prophets’ property will not be inherited, and whatever we leave is to be used for charity.”
Instead, Solomon’s inheritance from his father was strictly the inheritance of Prophethood, divine knowledge, and wisdom, as explicitly mentioned in the Holy Quran. Allah blessed him with sound, guided judgment and understanding since his youth, as demonstrated in his famous verdict regarding the case of the damaged crop while his father was still alive.
“Indeed, We granted knowledge to David and Solomon. And they said ˹in acknowledgment˺, “All praise is for Allah Who has privileged us over many of His faithful servants.”
“We guided ˹young˺ Solomon to a fairer settlement, and granted each of them wisdom and knowledge.”
Prophet Sulaiman’s Status and Historical Context
In Islamic law, Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) occupies a lofty status as one of the prophets and messengers for whom Allah combined both Prophethood and a magnificent kingdom. The name of Prophet Sulaiman is mentioned 17 times in the Holy Quran across 7 different chapters. Chronologically, Sulaiman (peace be upon him) came after his father, Prophet Dawood (peace be upon him), and before the Prophets Zechariah, Yahya, Isa, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). Historically, he is classified among the Prophets of the Children of Israel during the period that followed the era of Musa (peace be upon him).
The Miracles of Prophet Solomon (Sulaiman) (peace be upon him) in Islam.
Allah Almighty answered Sulaiman’s supplication when he said: “My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower.
“He prayed, “My Lord! Forgive me, and grant me an authority that will never be matched by anyone after me. You are indeed the Giver ˹of all bounties˺.”
“ Consequently, his kingdom was a stunning miracle that transcended the boundaries of human capabilities, manifested as follows:
Subjugation of the Wind
It blew swiftly and smoothly by Sulaiman command, shortening vast distances.
“So We subjected to him the wind, blowing gently at his command to wherever he pleased.”
Subjugation of the Jinn and Demons
They worked under Sulaiman authority by the permission of Allah in construction, diving, heavy industries, and mining the earth to extract its hidden treasures. Whoever among them deviated from his command would taste the punishment of the Blazing Fire.
The Flow of the Spring of Copper (Molten Brass)
Allah caused liquid copper to flow and stream for Sulaiman like water, allowing his subjects to forge tools and armor.
“And to Solomon ˹We subjected˺ the wind: its morning stride was a month’s journey and so was its evening stride. And We caused a stream of molten copper to flow for him, and ˹We subjected˺ some of the jinn to work under him by his Lord’s Will. And whoever of them deviated from Our command, We made them taste the torment of the blaze.”
Clear Quran,Sheba (34:12)
Understanding the Language of Animals and Birds and Commanding their Armies:
Sulaiman Assembled a grand, awe-inspiring army comprised of distinct battalions of jinn, men, and birds.
“Solomon’s forces of jinn, humans, and birds were rallied for him, perfectly organized.”
Furthermore, he possessed a deep comprehension of the language of animals and insects, such as the ant, whose speech caused him to smile as he turned to Allah Almighty in gratitude for this great blessing.
“ So Solomon smiled in amusement at her words, and prayed, “My Lord! Inspire me to ˹always˺ be thankful for Your favours which You have blessed me and my parents with, and to do good deeds that please you. Admit me, by Your mercy, into ˹the company of˺ Your righteous servants.”
Read more about the identity of Islam!
The People to Whom Sulaiman Was Sent and His Mission
Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) was sent to the Children of Israel (Bani Israel). He came to renew the call to pure Monotheism (Tawheed), uphold the laws of the Torah previously revealed to Musa (peace be upon him), and rule among them with equity, justice, and divine revelation. Sulaiman led the Children of Israel, united them under the banner of faith, and built a magnificent house of worship (Bayt al-Maqdis) in Jerusalem.
It was narrated by Imam An-Nasa’i and authenticated by Al-Albani that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“When Sulaiman, the son of Dawood, finished building Bayt al-Maqdis, he asked Allah for three things: a judgment that coincides with His judgment (and he was granted it), a kingdom that would not belong to anyone after him (and he was granted it), and that no one should come to this mosque intending nothing but to pray in it except that he would emerge from his sins as on the day his mother gave birth to him.” The Prophet ﷺ then said: “As for two of them, he was granted them, and I hope that he was granted the third.”
His mission was not confined to the boundaries of the Children of Israel; rather, it extended through the combined force of statehood and prophethood to neighboring nations to spread Monotheism. This began when Sulaiman inspected the birds one day looking for the Hoopoe (Hudhud) to locate underground water channels. Finding it missing, he threatened it with punishment for its absence. The hoopoe soon returned with monumental news from the kingdom of Sheba (Saba) in Yemen, where it had discovered a queen (Bilqis) ruling over a nation possessing a grand throne, but they were prostrating to the sun instead of Allah. Driven by zeal for Monotheism, Sulaiman sent a decisive letter calling them to Islam, and he firmly rejected the precious diplomatic gifts they had sent to test his motives.
“ It is from Solomon, and it reads: ‘In the Name of Allah—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.”
“Do you offer me wealth? What Allah has granted me is far greater than what He has granted you. No! It is you who rejoice in ˹receiving˺ gifts.”
Read: Does Islam believe in Abraham (PBUH)?
The Death of Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him)
Sulaiman lived amidst unmatched glory and empowerment, with the jinn subjected to his commands to perform heavy labor such as construction and mining. Some jinn used to deceive humanity and mislead them into believing that they possessed knowledge of the unseen. Therefore, Allah willed to make the death of Sulaiman a profound sign that shatters these falsehoods and proves that the knowledge of the unseen belongs to Allah alone.
Allah took Sulaiman’s soul while he was standing erect, leaning upon his staff (Minsa’ah), supervising the jinn as they worked in continuous, arduous labor. He passed away in this very position. For a long period, the jinn continued their heavy toil, assuming he was alive and watching them, until Allah sent a creature of the earth (a termite) that slowly gnawed away at the base of his staff, causing his noble body to fall to the ground. Only then did the jinn and the people realize his death, and everyone became certain that the jinn have no knowledge of the unseen; for had they known the unseen, they would not have remained in such humiliating punishment and grueling labor all that time.
“When We decreed Solomon’s death, nothing indicated to the ˹subjected˺ jinn that he was dead except the termites eating away his staff. So when he collapsed, the jinn realized that if they had ˹really˺ known the unseen, they would not have remained in ˹such˺ humiliating servitude.”
Read also: Is Islam the message of all Prophets?
Learn more about other Prophets in islam
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Conclusion
To conclude, the biography of Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) serves as an integrated school in the understanding of divine blessings and true servitude. While many humans become tyrannical when they attain the slightest degree of power, he remained entirely humble. In this article, we have explored the following core points:
- Who is the Prophet Sulaiman, in Islam.(Sulaiman, son of Dawood (peace be upon them both), an inspired Prophet and King.)
- Miracles of the Prophet Sulaiman. (his kingdom was a stunning miracle that transcended the boundaries of human capabilities.)
- The people to whom the Prophet Sulaiman was sent. sent to the Children of Israel (Bani Israel).
- The death of Prophet Sulaiman. (Allah took Sulaiman’s soul while he was standing erect)
Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) presented the ultimate model of the righteous king and the devout prophet. He harnessed everything he was granted of material empowerment and miracles to elevate Monotheism (Tawheed), perfectly embodying the words of truth in the Holy Quran:
“Work gratefully, O family of David!” ˹Only˺ a few of My servants are ˹truly˺ grateful.”
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FAQs
Who is the Prophet Solomon (Sulaiman) in Islam?
Prophet Sulaiman, the son of Dawood, was an inspired prophet and king in Islam known for his unmatched worldly empowerment and complete devotion to Allah. The Holy Quran honors him with the attribute “Al-Awwab,” meaning one who constantly returns to Allah in repentance and gratitude. Unlike worldly rulers, his character represented true servitude, humility, and absolute submission to God.
What is the significance of Prophet Sulaiman’s inheritance in Islam?
In Islam, Prophet Sulaiman’s inheritance from his father, Dawood, was strictly spiritual and intellectual rather than material wealth or property. According to authentic Hadith in Sahih Al-Bukhari, prophets do not leave material possessions for their relatives; their remaining wealth goes to charity. Therefore, Sulaiman exclusively inherited prophethood, divine knowledge, judicial wisdom, and guided judgment.
What miracles did Allah grant to Prophet Sulaiman?
Allah granted Prophet Sulaiman extraordinary miracles that transcended human capabilities. These included the absolute subjugation of the wind to travel vast distances rapidly, total authority over jinn and demons for construction and mining, a flowing stream of molten copper, and the unique ability to understand the languages of birds, animals, and insects like ants.
To which people was Prophet Sulaiman sent and what was his mission?
Prophet Sulaiman was sent as a messenger to the Children of Israel (Bani Israel) to uphold the laws of the Torah previously revealed to Musa. His mission was to unite his people under pure Monotheism (Tawheed), rule them with divine justice, and establish Bayt al-Maqdis in Jerusalem. His dawah also extended externally to nations like Sheba.
How did Prophet Sulaiman spread Monotheism (Tawheed) to the Kingdom of Sheba?
After a hoopoe bird discovered that the people of Sheba and their queen, Bilqis, worshipped the sun, Sulaiman sent a decisive letter calling them to Islam. He rejected their diplomatic gifts, demonstrating he sought truth rather than material wealth. Impressed by his miraculous power and paved glass palace, Queen Bilqis renounced sun worship and submitted to Allah.
What is the significance of the process of Prophet Sulaiman’s death in Islam?
Prophet Sulaiman died standing erect while leaning on his staff (Minsa’ah) as he supervised the working jinn. He remained in this position until a termite gnawed through the staff, causing his body to collapse. This process provided the ultimate proof to humanity that the jinn do not possess knowledge of the unseen, as they unwittingly continued their grueling labor.
