This alongside all the other articles on the stories of the prophets has been taken from Ṣaḥīḥ Qiṣaṣ al Anbiyāʾ (Authentic Stories of the Prophets) by Salim ibn ʿId al Hilali who revised Ibn Kathir’s (Qiṣas al Anbiyāʾ) Stories of the Prophets by removing weak, fabricated, repeated reports and unreliable Isra’ili reports, he only kept the Quran verses, sound hadiths and reports from the Salaf.
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The Story Of Sulayman Son Of Dawud عليهما السلام
The Vastness Of His Knowledge And The Greatness Of His Kingdom
Between The Hoopoe And The Queen Of Saba
The Standing Steeds
The Building Of Bayt Al Maqdis
The Time Gap Between Ibrahim عليه السلام and Sulayman ibn Dawud عليهما السلام
The Hadith About Sulayman’s Three Requests
The Judgement Of Dawud عليه السلام and Sulayman عليه السلام In The Crops
The Wind, The Jinn, And The Kingdom Given To Sulayman عليه السلام
The Hadith Of The Ifrit And The Meaning Of Sulayman’s Supplication
His Many Wives And The Hadith Of Saying “In Sha Allah”
The Clear Proof That His Kingdom Was Given To Him
The Meaning Of “This Is Our Gift, So Give Or Withhold Without Account”
Mention Of His Death And The Length Of His Kingdom And Life
Mention Of The Ruin Of Bayt al Maqdis
Summary
The Story Of Sulayman Son Of Dawud عليهما السلام
Sulayman عليه السلام inherited his father Dawud عليه السلام in prophethood and kingship, not in wealth. Dawud عليه السلام had other sons, so if inheritance here meant wealth he would not have been singled out. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ explained that the Prophets are not inherited from and that what they leave behind is charity for the poor and needy, not property for their relatives. This shows how light and insignificant the life of this universe was in their eyes, and how they sought the Hereafter rather than worldly gain.
The Vastness Of His Knowledge And The Greatness Of His Kingdom
Allah granted Sulayman عليه السلام special knowledge, teaching him the speech of birds and enabling him to understand what animals express between themselves. He also gave him a complete kingdom, including armies from the jinn, humankind and birds that marched and flew in ordered ranks.
When his forces came to the valley of the ants, one ant warned the others to enter their dwellings so Sulayman and his armies would not crush them unknowingly.
Sulayman عليه السلام understood her words, smiled with joy and asked his Lord to help him be grateful for the blessings given to him and his parents, to do righteous deeds that Allah loves, and to be admitted by His mercy among His righteous slaves. This was a special favour from the Creator of the heavens and the earth.
Between The Hoopoe And The Queen Of Saba
Among Sulayman’s forces was the hoopoe, which had a particular task in finding water hidden beneath the earth when the army travelled through deserts. When Sulayman عليه السلام inspected the birds and did not see the hoopoe in its place, he threatened it with severe punishment or slaughter unless it came with a clear excuse.
The hoopoe was absent only a short time, then returned and informed him of something he had not known: it had found in Saba a woman who ruled over her people, who had been given from everything suitable for kings and possessed a mighty throne, but she and her people prostrated to the sun instead of Allah.
Sulayman عليه السلام sent her a letter beginning with the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, commanding her not to exalt herself over him and to come to him in submission. She gathered her chiefs, read the noble letter, and asked their counsel. They declared their military strength but left the decision to her.
With wise insight she said that when kings enter a town they ruin it and humble its nobles, so she decided first to send a gift and observe his response. Sulayman عليه السلام rejected the gift, declaring that what Allah had given him of prophethood and kingship was better than what they possessed, and warned that he would come against them with armies they could not resist and drive them out humbled and disgraced.
When they came to him in submission, Sulayman عليه السلام wished to show them the power Allah had given him. He asked which of those present could bring him her throne before she arrived.
A strong jinn offered to bring it before he rose from his session, but one who had knowledge from the Book said he would bring it before Sulayman’s glance returned to him, and at once the throne stood fixed in front of him. Sulayman عليه السلام said that this was a favour from his Lord to test whether he would be grateful or ungrateful.
He ordered that the throne be altered to disguise it and then asked her, when she arrived, whether her throne was like that one. She replied that it was as though it was the same, showing sharp perception while also realising that something extraordinary had occurred.
Sulayman عليه السلام then had a great hall prepared, with glass laid over flowing water containing fish and other creatures. When she was told to enter, she thought it was deep water and uncovered her legs.
He informed her that it was a hall paved with glass, which completed her realisation of the truth of his prophethood and the greatness of his Lord’s power. She then confessed, acknowledging that she had wronged herself, and that she had submitted with Sulayman to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.
The Standing Steeds
Allah mentions that He granted Sulayman عليه السلام to Dawud عليه السلام and praises him as an excellent slave who constantly returned to Allah. One day, noble, swift horses were presented to him in the evening. They stood poised on three legs, resting the tip of the fourth, showing their strength and readiness. Sulayman عليه السلام spoke of his love of this good, meaning the horses he prepared for the path of Allah, because they helped him in the remembrance of his Lord, until what was veiled disappeared from his sight.
There are two well known understandings of what followed. According to many of the early generations, he became occupied with these horses until the time of the afternoon prayer passed and the sun set, so he ordered them to be brought back and began to strike their legs and necks, sacrificing them for Allah as a way of turning back to Him and preferring His worship over worldly benefit.
Other scholars understood that the pronoun refers to the horses themselves disappearing from view, not the sun, and that he did not miss the prayer. According to this view, when he ordered them to be brought back he began to wipe their legs and necks, rubbing the sweat from them after making them run, and did not harm them.
Some scholars rejected the idea that he would destroy these animals without sin on their part and preferred the understanding that he wiped them as a sign of honour. Others said that this could have been allowed in their Sharia when sacrifice was linked to turning back to Allah.
It is also related that he had many horses, some said tens of thousands, and that some of them had wings. In the hadith of Aisha رضي الله عنها, the Prophet ﷺ smiled when she mentioned that Sulayman عليه السلام had horses with wings, and this supports those narrations. Some scholars then said that when he turned away from reliance on his horses for the sake of Allah, Allah replaced them with something better, namely the wind that carried him without effort.
The Wind, The Jinn, And The Kingdom Given To Sulayman عليه السلام
After this test, Sulayman عليه السلام turned back to his Lord and made a great supplication, asking for forgiveness and for a kingdom that would not belong to anyone after him. Allah accepted his supplication and subjected to him the wind, which ran at his command, gentle when he wished and strong when he wished.
He had a huge wooden platform that could carry what he needed of buildings, tents, goods, animals, and his armies from mankind and jinn. When he wished to travel, everything would be loaded, the wind would lift the platform between heaven and earth, and then carry it wherever he intended. In one morning the wind would take him from Bayt al Maqdis to a place that would normally be a month’s journey, and in the late afternoon it would bring him back.
Allah also caused a spring of molten metal to flow for him, understood by many to be copper, and He subjected to him workers from the jinn.
They built for him places of worship and lofty halls, carved forms and images that were permitted in their Sharia, and made for him vast basins like reservoirs and huge fixed cooking pots. Whoever among the jinn turned away from his command was punished and chained in fetters.
All of this completed the unique kingdom that Allah had promised him, distinguished by control over the wind and the jinn and the ability to build and travel in ways no one else had. Allah then urged the family of Dawud to act in thanks, reminding them that few of His slaves are truly thankful, and He informed that Sulayman عليه السلام has nearness and a good return with Him in the Hereafter.
The Judgement Of Dawud عليه السلام And Sulayman عليه السلام In The Crops
Allah mentions a case in which He showed Sulayman’s deep understanding while also praising both him and his father Dawud عليهما السلام. Sheep belonging to some people strayed at night into a vineyard belonging to others and ate its plants and trees.
When the case was brought to Dawud عليه السلام, he judged that the owners of the vineyard should take the sheep in compensation. As they left, they passed by Sulayman and informed him of the judgement.
He said that if he were to judge, he would rule that the sheep be handed temporarily to the owners of the vineyard so that they could benefit from their milk and offspring, while the owners of the sheep would repair the vineyard and restore it to its previous state. Once it was restored, the vineyard would return to its owners and the sheep to their owners. When this reached Dawud عليه السلام, he agreed and judged with it.
This resembles the hadith of the two women who disputed over a child after a wolf had taken the son of one of them. Dawud عليه السلام judged for the older one, but Sulayman عليه السلام called for a knife to divide the child, and the younger begged him not to harm the child and to give him to the other, revealing that she was the true mother.
Both Prophets were given judgement and knowledge, yet Allah singled out Sulayman عليه السلام by mentioning that He made him understand this case, while also praising Dawud عليه السلام by reminding us of the mountains and birds that glorified with him and the armour that Allah taught him to make.
The Building Of Bayt Al Maqdis And His Three Requests
Allah tells that He tested Sulayman عليه السلام and placed upon his throne a body, then he turned back in repentance. After this, he ordered the building of Bayt al Maqdis with a strong and complete construction. The first to make that place a masjid was Israil عليه السلام, and Sulayman عليه السلام later renewed and completed it.
This clarifies what is mentioned in the hadith that the Sacred Masjid was the first masjid placed in the earth and that the Masjid of Bayt al Maqdis came forty years after it, even though there is more than one thousand years between Ibrahim عليه السلام and Sulayman عليه السلام. The meaning is that Ibrahim عليه السلام built al Masjid al Haram and that one of his descendants built Bayt al Maqdis after forty years, then Sulayman عليه السلام rebuilt and perfected it.
When Sulayman عليه السلام completed Bayt al Maqdis, he asked his Lord for three matters. He asked for judgement that would accord with Allah’s judgement, and this was granted. He asked for a kingdom that would not belong to anyone after him, and this too was granted.
He also asked that whoever left his house intending nothing but prayer in that masjid would emerge from his sins like the day his mother gave birth to him. The Prophet ﷺ informed us that the first two were given, and that we hope the third was given as well.
The Hadith Of The Ifrit And The Meaning Of Sulayman’s Supplication
To show the uniqueness of Sulayman’s kingdom over the jinn, the Prophet ﷺ told how an ifrit from the jinn came one night to interrupt his prayer.
Allah enabled the Prophet ﷺ to overpower him and seize him. He thought of tying him to one of the pillars of the masjid so that the people could see him in the morning, but he remembered the supplication of his brother Sulayman عليه السلام, asking for a kingdom that would not belong to anyone after him, so he let the ifrit go, humiliated.
In another narration, Iblis came with a flame of fire to throw in the Prophet’s face, and the Prophet ﷺ sought refuge in Allah and cursed him until he withdrew. He again mentioned that if not for Sulayman’s supplication, that enemy would have been tied up and the children of Madinah would have played with him.
In yet another report, the Prophet ﷺ described how in Fajr prayer he seized Iblis and choked him until he felt the coldness of his saliva between his fingers, and that he would have tied him to a pillar of the masjid were it not for remembering the supplication of Sulayman عليه السلام. These narrations show that the ability to fully bind, subdue and display such jinn to people openly is from the special kingdom granted to Sulayman عليه السلام.
His Many Wives And The Hadith Of Saying In Sha Allah
Sulayman عليه السلام was granted great strength with regard to women and had many wives. In authentic narrations, he said that he would go around to a large number of women in a single night, intending that each of them would conceive a son who would grow up to fight in the path of Allah.
His companion told him to say in sha Allah, but he did not say it. He went around to them, yet none of them conceived except one woman, and she gave birth to a child who was only half formed.
The Prophet ﷺ says that if Sulayman عليه السلام had said in sha Allah, they would have all conceived sons who would have fought in the path of Allah, and that he would not have broken his oath and his wish would have been fulfilled. This story teaches the importance of linking one’s resolutions to the will of Allah by saying in sha Allah.
The Clear Proof That His Kingdom Was Given To Him And The Meaning Of This Is Our Gift
From the side of worldly rule and might, Sulayman عليه السلام had what no one before or after him had. His kingdom extended over vast lands, and his troops were from mankind, jinn and birds, arranged in ordered ranks.
He was given knowledge of the speech of birds and understanding of many aspects of the creation, control of the wind that carried him wherever he wished, and jinn who built, dived, and worked for him, while others who disobeyed were chained. This answered his supplication, My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom that will not belong to anyone after me, and the Prophet ﷺ testified that Allah gave him that.
Allah said to him, This is Our gift, so give or withhold without account, meaning that he was given freedom in what he bestowed and what he withheld of the wealth and rule Allah had placed in his hand, and he would not be taken to account for that choice. This is the description of a Prophet who is also a king.
As for the slave messenger, his way is to give only by Allah’s permission and command. Our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was offered the choice between being a Prophet king or a slave messenger. After consulting Jibril عليه السلام and being guided to humility, he chose to be a slave messenger.
Allah then made the khilafah and kingship after him among his Ummah until the Day of Resurrection, while granting Sulayman عليه السلام both a unique kingdom in this life and a nearness and good return with Him in the Hereafter.
Mention Of His Death And The Length Of His Kingdom And Life
Allah informs that when He decreed death for Sulayman عليه السلام, nothing showed the jinn that he had died except a creature of the earth that ate his staff. Sulayman عليه السلام was standing, leaning on his staff, overseeing the jinn while they worked.
They continued their labour, thinking he was alive, until the termite gnawed through his staff and he fell to the ground. Only then did it become clear to the jinn that if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in humiliating labour for that long after his death.
Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما related that Sulayman عليه السلام used to see trees appear before him while he prayed. He would ask the tree its name and purpose. If it was suitable for planting, it would be planted, and if it was for medicine, its benefit would be taken. One day he saw a tree and asked it, and it replied that it was al kharrub and that it was for the ruin of this House.
He then asked Allah to conceal his death from the jinn until people knew that the jinn do not know the unseen. He cut that tree and made from it a staff, then stood leaning upon it, and died while still standing. The jinn continued to work for a year until the termite ate through the staff and he fell, and people then knew that the unseen belongs only to Allah. This report is strongest as a statement of Ibn Abbas and clarifies the wisdom behind how Allah caused his death to be discovered.
Mention Of The Ruin Of Bayt Al Maqdis
After the time of Sulayman عليه السلام, Bani Israil were reminded of the favour of Allah upon them when He gave Musa عليه السلام the Book as guidance and warned them that they would cause corruption on earth twice and show great arrogance. When the first promise came, Allah sent against them servants of His with strong might who spread through their homes, entered the masjid that Sulayman عليه السلام had built, and fulfilled Allah’s word by defeating them.
Then Allah returned the turn to Bani Israil, supporting them with wealth, sons, and numbers. But when they returned to corruption, the second promise came, and a new group entered the masjid as they had entered it the first time and destroyed what they overpowered.
Thus the House whose building and honour Sulayman عليه السلام had sought became a place that was later ruined because of the sins and corruption of those who came after him.
Allah warns that if they return to corruption, He will return to punishment, and that Jahannam is a prison for the disbelievers. This closes the story of Sulayman عليه السلام by connecting his great kingdom, his masjid, and his supplication to the later history of Bani Israil, showing how guidance and honour remain only with obedience to Allah.
Full Article
The Story Of Sulayman Son Of Dawud عليهما السلام
Allah the Exalted said:
وَوَرِثَ سُلَيْمَانُ دَاوُودَ وَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ عُلِّمْنَا مَنْطِقَ الطَّيْرِ وَأُوتِينَا مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْمُبِينُ
“Sulayman inherited Dawud and he said: O people, we have been taught the speech of the birds and we have been given from everything. Truly this is the clear favour.” (al Naml 16)
That is, he inherited him in prophethood and in kingship, and what is meant is not that he inherited his wealth. Dawud عليه السلام had other sons besides Sulayman, so it would not be that he alone was singled out with the wealth and they were left out.
The truthful one who is believed informed that the Prophets do not have their wealth inherited from them as others have their wealth inherited; rather, their wealth after them is charity for the poor and the needy, and their relatives are not singled out with it.
That is because the life of this world was lighter and more insignificant in their eyes than for them to seek it in that way, just as it is light and insignificant in the sight of the One who sent them, chose them and gave them excellence.
The Vastness Of His Knowledge And The Greatness Of His Kingdom
Allah said, quoting Sulayman عليه السلام:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ عُلِّمْنَا مَنْطِقَ الطَّيْرِ وَأُوتِينَا مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْمُبِينُ
“O people, we have been taught the speech of the birds and we have been given from everything. Truly this is the clear favour.” (al Naml 16)
Meaning: he knew what the birds communicate between themselves, in their own languages, and he would explain to the people what they meant and intended. Likewise he knew the speech of other animals and all different kinds of created beings. The proof of that is his saying after these verses:
وَأُوتِينَا مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
“and we have been given from everything” (al Naml 16)
that is, from everything a king needs of equipment, tools, forces and armies, and hosts from the jinn and humankind and birds and beasts and wandering devils, and also knowledge, understanding, and the ability to express what is in the minds of created beings, whether they speak or are silent.
Then he said:
إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْمُبِينُ
“Truly this is the clear favour.” (al Naml 16)
that is, from the Creator of all creatures, the Maker of the earth and the heavens.
Allah the Exalted said:
وَحُشِرَ لِسُلَيْمَانَ جُنُودُهُ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ وَالطَّيْرِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَوْا عَلَى وَادِ النَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّمْلُ ادْخُلُوا مَسَاكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَانُ وَجُنُودُهُ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًا مِنْ قَوْلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ
“And his armies of jinn and humankind and birds were mustered for Sulayman, and they were kept in ranks, until when they came to the valley of the ants, an ant said: O ants, enter your dwellings, lest Sulayman and his armies crush you while they are unaware.
So he smiled, laughing at her words, and he said: My Lord, inspire me to thank You for the blessing You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and to do righteous deeds that You are pleased with, and admit me by Your mercy among Your righteous slaves.” (al Naml 17–19)
Allah the Exalted informs about His slave and Prophet, the son of His Prophet, Sulayman son of Dawud عليهم السلام, that he once rode out with all of his armies, from jinn and humankind and birds. The jinn and humans walked along with him, and the birds flew with him, shading him with their wings from heat and from other harm.
Over each of these three groups of troops there were marshals, meaning leaders and captains who restrained the front ranks to wait for the rear, so that no one went ahead of his appointed position or fell behind it.
Allah the Exalted said:
حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَوْا عَلَى وَادِ النَّمْلِ
“until when they came to the valley of the ants” (al Naml 18)
An ant said:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّمْلُ ادْخُلُوا مَسَاكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَانُ وَجُنُودُهُ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
“O ants, enter your dwellings, lest Sulayman and his armies crush you while they are unaware.” (al Naml 18)
She commanded, she warned, and she excused Sulayman and his armies on the basis that they would not be aware.
The point is that Sulayman عليه السلام understood what that ant had addressed her people with, in terms of wise opinion and praiseworthy instruction. He smiled because of that, in a way that showed gladness, happiness and joy at what Allah had made him see, which others had not seen.
It is not as some ignorant people say, that animals used to speak before Sulayman and address people, until Sulayman son of Dawud took an oath from them and bridled them, so that they no longer spoke to people after that.
Only someone who does not know would say this. If that were the case, Sulayman would have had no particular distinction in understanding their speech, since all people would already have understood it.
Also, if he had taken a covenant from them not to speak to anyone other than him while he alone understood them, there would be no benefit in that worthy of attention.
Because of this he said:
رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي
“My Lord, inspire me” (al Naml 19)
meaning: give me and guide me
أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ
“to thank You for the blessing You have bestowed on me and on my parents” (al Naml 19)
and
وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ
“and to do righteous deeds that You are pleased with” (al Naml 19)
and
وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ
“and admit me by Your mercy among Your righteous slaves.” (al Naml 19)
He asked Allah to enable him to be grateful for what He had blessed him with and what He had singled him out with over others, and to make easy for him righteous action. He asked that when He took his soul, He would gather him with His righteous slaves, and Allah answered him.
What is meant by his parents here is his father Dawud عليه السلام and his mother, who was among the devout, righteous women.
Between The Hoopoe And The Queen Of Saba
Allah the Exalted said:
وَتَفَقَّدَ الطَّيْرَ فَقَالَ مَا لِيَ لَا أَرَى الْهُدْهُدَ أَمْ كَانَ مِنَ الْغَائِبِينَ لَأُعَذِّبَنَّهُ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا أَوْ لَأَذْبَحَنَّهُ أَوْ لَيَأْتِيَنِّي بِسُلْطَانٍ مُبِينٍ فَمَكَثَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ فَقَالَ أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ وَجِئْتُكَ مِنْ سَبَإٍ بِنَبَإٍ يَقِينٍ إِنِّي وَجَدتُّ امْرَأَةً تَمْلِكُهُمْ وَأُوتِيَتْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَلَهَا عَرْشٌ عَظِيمٌ وَجَدتُّهَا وَقَوْمَهَا يَسْجُدُونَ لِلشَّمْسِ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فَصَدَّهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ فَهُمْ لَا يَهْتَدُونَ أَلَّا يَسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ الَّذِي يُخْرِجُ الْخَبْءَ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تُخْفُونَ وَمَا تُعْلِنُونَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ قَالَ سَنَنْظُرُ أَصَدَقْتَ أَمْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ اذْهَبْ بِكِتَابِي هَٰذَا فَأَلْقِهِ إِلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَانْظُرْ مَاذَا يَرْجِعُونَ قَالَتْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ إِنِّي أُلْقِيَ إِلَيَّ كِتَابٌ كَرِيمٌ إِنَّهُ مِنْ سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ أَلَّا تَعْلُوا عَلَيَّ وَأْتُونِي مُسْلِمِينَ قَالَتْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ أَفْتُونِي فِي أَمْرِي مَا كُنْتُ قَاطِعَةً أَمْرًا حَتَّى تَشْهَدُونِ قَالُوا نَحْنُ أُولُو قُوَّةٍ وَأُولُو بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ وَالْأَمْرُ إِلَيْكِ فَانْظُرِي مَاذَا تَأْمُرِينَ قَالَتْ إِنَّ الْمُلُوكَ إِذَا دَخَلُوا قَرْيَةً أَفْسَدُوهَا وَجَعَلُوا أَعِزَّةَ أَهْلِهَا أَذِلَّةً وَكَذَلِكَ يَفْعَلُونَ وَإِنِّي مُرْسِلَةٌ إِلَيْهِمْ بِهَدِيَّةٍ فَنَاظِرَةٌ بِمَ يَرْجِعُ الْمُرْسَلُونَ فَلَمَّا جَاءَ سُلَيْمَانَ قَالَ أَتُمِدُّونَنِ بِمَالٍ فَمَا آتَانِيَ اللَّهُ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا آتَاكُمْ بَلْ أَنْتُمْ بِهَدِيَّتِكُمْ تَفْرَحُونَ ارْجِعْ إِلَيْهِمْ فَلَنَأْتِيَنَّهُمْ بِجُنُودٍ لَا قِبَلَ لَهُمْ بِهَا وَلَنُخْرِجَنَّهُمْ مِنْهَا أَذِلَّةً وَهُمْ صَاغِرُونَ
“And he inspected the birds and said: How is it that I do not see the hoopoe, is he among the absent? I will surely punish him with a severe punishment, or I will surely slaughter him, unless he brings me clear authority.
Then he stayed away for not long, and he said: I have encompassed what you have not encompassed, and I have brought you sure news from Saba. I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given from everything and she has a mighty throne.
I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allah, and Satan has made their deeds seem fair to them and turned them away from the path, so they are not guided, so that they do not prostrate to Allah who brings out what is hidden in the heavens and the earth and knows what you hide and what you reveal.
Allah, there is no god but He, the Lord of the mighty Throne. He said: We shall see whether you have told the truth or whether you are among the liars. Go with this letter of mine and cast it to them, then withdraw from them and see what they return.
She said: O chiefs, a noble letter has been cast to me. It is from Sulayman, and it is: In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, Do not exalt yourselves above me, and come to me in submission.
She said: O chiefs, give me your opinion about my affair. I do not decide any matter until you are present. They said: We are possessors of strength and possessors of mighty courage, but the affair is yours, so look what you will command.
She said: Verily when kings enter a town they ruin it and make the most noble of its people the lowest, and that is how they do. But I am sending a gift to them and will see with what the envoys return.
So when he came to Sulayman, he said: Are you supplying me with wealth? What Allah has given me is better than what He has given you. Rather, it is you who rejoice in your gift. Return to them, for we shall surely come to them with armies they will not be able to resist, and we shall surely drive them out from it humbled while they are disgraced.” (al Naml 20–37)
Allah the Exalted mentions what happened between Sulayman and the hoopoe. The birds were in ranks, and each type had leaders who undertook what was required of them and appeared before him in their appointed turns, as is the custom of armies with kings.
According to what Ibn Abbas and others mentioned, the hoopoe had a particular task. When the armies were in the open plain or in deserts and they had difficulty finding water during journeys, the hoopoe would come and look to see whether there was any water in that area. Allah had placed in it a special strength so that it could see water beneath the layers of the earth. When it showed them where the water was, they would dig and bring it out and use it to meet their needs.
One day Sulayman عليه السلام wanted him for that task, so he looked for him and did not find him in the place of his service.
He said:
مَا لِيَ لَا أَرَى الْهُدْهُدَ أَمْ كَانَ مِنَ الْغَائِبِينَ
“How is it that I do not see the hoopoe, is he among the absent?” (al Naml 20)
that is: what is the matter that he is missing from here, or has he gone so that he is out of my sight and I do not see him in my presence?
لَأُعَذِّبَنَّهُ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا
“I will surely punish him with a severe punishment” (al Naml 21)
He threatened him with a type of punishment. The scholars differed about its form, but the point is clear in every case.
أَوْ لَأَذْبَحَنَّهُ أَوْ لَيَأْتِيَنِّي بِسُلْطَانٍ مُبِينٍ
“or I will surely slaughter him, unless he brings me clear authority.” (al Naml 21)
meaning: a proof that will save him from this predicament.
Allah said:
فَمَكَثَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ
“Then he stayed away for not long” (al Naml 22)
that is, the hoopoe was absent for a period that was not long, then he came back.
He said to Sulayman:
أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ
“I have encompassed what you have not encompassed” (al Naml 22)
that is, something you have not known.
وَجِئْتُكَ مِنْ سَبَإٍ بِنَبَإٍ يَقِينٍ
“and I have brought you sure news from Saba.” (al Naml 22)
meaning: certain, truthful news.
إِنِّي وَجَدتُّ امْرَأَةً تَمْلِكُهُمْ
“I found a woman ruling over them” (al Naml 23)
He mentioned what the kings of Saba in the land of Yemen used to have of great rule and of the tubba leaders crowned with diadems. In that time, rule had reached a woman from them, the daughter of their king, who had left no son. So they made her their ruler. She is called Bilqis.
Allah says:
وَأُوتِيَتْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
“and she has been given from everything” (al Naml 23)
meaning: from all that is fitting for kings to be given.
وَلَهَا عَرْشٌ عَظِيمٌ
“and she has a mighty throne” (al Naml 23)
meaning: the seat of her kingship, decorated with kinds of precious jewels and pearls and gold and splendid ornaments.
Then the hoopoe mentioned their disbelief in Allah and their worship of the sun instead of Allah, and that Satan had adorned their deeds for them and turned them away from worshipping Allah alone with no partner, who brings out what is hidden in the heavens and the earth and knows what they conceal and what they reveal, meaning: He knows what is in the inner selves and what is apparent from the sensed and the meaningful.
He said:
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
“Allah, there is no god but He, the Lord of the mighty Throne.” (al Naml 26)
That is, to Him belongs the mighty Throne, which is the greatest of the created things.
At that point Sulayman عليه السلام sent his letter, containing his call to them to obey Allah and His messenger and to return and submit, entering under his authority and rule. For this reason he said to them:
أَلَّا تَعْلُوا عَلَيَّ
“Do not exalt yourselves above me” (al Naml 31)
meaning: do not be arrogant against obeying me and following my commands.
وَأْتُونِي مُسْلِمِينَ
“and come to me in submission.” (al Naml 31)
that is: come to me listening and obeying, without turning back and without bargaining.
When the letter arrived carried by the bird and reached her, and from that people took the practice of written notes, but what comparison is there between the Pleiades and earth? That letter was carried by a bird that listened and obeyed, understanding what it said and what was said to it.
A group of mufasireen and others mentioned that the hoopoe carried the letter and came to her palace and cast it to her when she was in her private room, then stood aside waiting to see what answer she would give to his letter.
She gathered her leaders, ministers and the great ones of her state to consult them.
She said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ إِنِّي أُلْقِيَ إِلَيَّ كِتَابٌ كَرِيمٌ
“O chiefs, a noble letter has been cast to me.” (al Naml 29)
Then she read to them its beginning:
إِنَّهُ مِنْ سُلَيْمَانَ
“It is from Sulayman” (al Naml 30)
then she read:
وَإِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ أَلَّا تَعْلُوا عَلَيَّ وَأْتُونِي مُسْلِمِينَ
“and it is: In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.
Do not exalt yourselves above me, and come to me in submission.” (al Naml 30–31)
Then she consulted them about her affair and what had come upon her, showing good manners with them and addressing them as they listened:
يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ أَفْتُونِي فِي أَمْرِي مَا كُنْتُ قَاطِعَةً أَمْرًا حَتَّى تَشْهَدُونِ
“O chiefs, give me your opinion about my affair. I do not decide any matter until you are present.” (al Naml 32)
She meant: I do not conclude any matter without you being present.
They said:
نَحْنُ أُولُو قُوَّةٍ وَأُولُو بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ
“We are possessors of strength and possessors of mighty courage” (al Naml 33)
meaning: we have strength and power for combat and fighting and meeting champions. If you wish us to do that we are able for it.
وَالْأَمْرُ إِلَيْكِ فَانْظُرِي مَاذَا تَأْمُرِينَ
“but the affair is yours, so look what you will command.” (al Naml 33)
They offered her full listening and obedience and informed her of what power they had and then entrusted the decision to her so that she might see what was most upright for her and for them.
Her view was more complete and sounder than theirs. She knew that the owner of this letter could not be overpowered or resisted or opposed or tricked.
She said:
إِنَّ الْمُلُوكَ إِذَا دَخَلُوا قَرْيَةً أَفْسَدُوهَا وَجَعَلُوا أَعِزَّةَ أَهْلِهَا أَذِلَّةً وَكَذَلِكَ يَفْعَلُونَ
“Verily when kings enter a town they ruin it and make the most noble of its people the lowest, and that is how they do.” (al Naml 34)
She was saying with her wise opinion that if this king were to prevail over this kingdom, the matter would finally be taken from between them and given only to her, and the sharpness, severity and overwhelming force would fall upon her.
وَإِنِّي مُرْسِلَةٌ إِلَيْهِمْ بِهَدِيَّةٍ فَنَاظِرَةٌ بِمَ يَرْجِعُ الْمُرْسَلُونَ
“But I am sending a gift to them and will see with what the envoys return.” (al Naml 35)
She wished to placate him for herself and her people with a gift and presents she would send, but she did not know that Sulayman عليه السلام, in this situation of theirs as disbelievers while he and his armies were fully able over them, would not accept from them any payment or ransom.
Allah said:
فَلَمَّا جَاءَ سُلَيْمَانَ
“So when he came to Sulayman” (al Naml 36)
meaning: when their envoy came with the gift in the presence of the people as they were seated, Sulayman said:
أَتُمِدُّونَنِ بِمَالٍ
“Are you supplying me with wealth?” (al Naml 36)
meaning: do you seek to appease me with wealth?
فَمَا آتَانِيَ اللَّهُ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا آتَاكُمْ
“What Allah has given me is better than what He has given you” (al Naml 36)
meaning: of prophethood and kingship.
بَلْ أَنْتُمْ بِهَدِيَّتِكُمْ تَفْرَحُونَ
“Rather, it is you who rejoice in your gift.” (al Naml 36)
He said to their envoy while people were listening:
ارْجِعْ إِلَيْهِمْ فَلَنَأْتِيَنَّهُمْ بِجُنُودٍ لَا قِبَلَ لَهُمْ بِهَا
“Return to them, for we shall surely come to them with armies they will not be able to resist” (al Naml 37)
meaning: we shall send against them armies that they will not have the power to push back or fight or oppose.
وَلَنُخْرِجَنَّهُمْ مِنْهَا أَذِلَّةً وَهُمْ صَاغِرُونَ
“and we shall surely drive them out from it humbled while they are disgraced.” (al Naml 37)
meaning: we shall drive them from their land, their possessions, their commerce and their state in humiliation, carrying degradation and destruction.
When that reached them from the Prophet of Allah, they had no way out except listening and obeying, so they hastened to answer him at once and came altogether with the queen, hearing and obeying and submitting.
When Sulayman heard of their coming and their heading towards him, he said to those at his side from the jinn who were under his command, as Allah relates:
قَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ أَيُّكُمْ يَأْتِينِي بِعَرْشِهَا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَأْتُونِي مُسْلِمِينَ قَالَ عِفْرِيتٌ مِنَ الْجِنِّ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَقُومَ مِنْ مَقَامِكَ وَإِنِّي عَلَيْهِ لَقَوِيٌّ أَمِينٌ قَالَ الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمٌ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ مُسْتَقِرًّا عِنْدَهُ قَالَ هَٰذَا مِنْ فَضْلِ رَبِّي لِيَبْلُوَنِي أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ وَمَنْ شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ قَالَ نَكِّرُوا لَهَا عَرْشَهَا نَنْظُرْ أَتَهْتَدِي أَمْ تَكُونُ مِنَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَهْتَدُونَ فَلَمَّا جَاءَتْ قِيلَ أَهَكَذَا عَرْشُكِ قَالَتْ كَأَنَّهُ هُوَ وَأُوتِينَا الْعِلْمَ مِنْ قَبْلِهَا وَكُنَّا مُسْلِمِينَ وَصَدَّهَا مَا كَانَتْ تَعْبُدُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنَّهَا كَانَتْ مِنْ قَوْمٍ كَافِرِينَ قِيلَ لَهَا ادْخُلِي الصَّرْحَ فَلَمَّا رَأَتْهُ حَسِبَتْهُ لُجَّةً وَكَشَفَتْ عَنْ سَاقَيْهَا قَالَ إِنَّهُ صَرْحٌ مُمَرَّدٌ مِنْ قَوَارِيرَ قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَأَسْلَمْتُ مَعَ سُلَيْمَانَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“He said: O chiefs, which of you will bring me her throne before they come to me in submission? A powerful jinn said: I will bring it to you before you rise from your place, and I am indeed strong and trustworthy concerning it. One who had knowledge of the Book said: I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you.
Then when he saw it settled in his presence he said: This is from the favour of my Lord, to test me whether I will give thanks or be ungrateful. Whoever gives thanks, he only gives thanks for himself, and whoever is ungrateful, then surely my Lord is Rich, Generous.
He said: Disguise her throne for her, we shall see whether she is guided or is of those who are not guided. So when she came, it was said: Is your throne like this? She said: It is as though it is it. And we were given knowledge before her and we were Muslims.
And that which she used to worship besides Allah had prevented her, for she was of a disbelieving people. It was said to her: Enter the hall. So when she saw it she thought it was a deep water and she uncovered her legs. He said: It is a hall paved smooth with glass. She said: My Lord, I have wronged myself and I have submitted with Sulayman to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.” (al Naml 38–44)
Allah mentions that when Sulayman asked the jinn to bring him the throne of Bilqis, the seat of her rule upon which she sat when judging, before her arrival,
a powerful jinn said:
أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَقُومَ مِنْ مَقَامِكَ
“I will bring it to you before you rise from your place” (al Naml 39)
meaning: before your session of judgement ends. According to what is said, he used to sit from the beginning of the day until near midday, devoting himself to the important affairs of the Children of Israel and their concerns.
وَإِنِّي عَلَيْهِ لَقَوِيٌّ أَمِينٌ
“and I am indeed strong and trustworthy concerning it.” (al Naml 39)
meaning: I have the power to bring it to you and I am trustworthy regarding what it contains of precious jewels.
Another said:
الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمٌ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ
“the one who had knowledge of the Book said: I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you” (al Naml 40)
The well known view is that he was Asif ibn Barkhiya.
It has been said that it means before you send a messenger to the furthest place your eye can reach on earth and he returns to you.
It has been said: before what you see of the furthest people reaches you. It has been said: before your eye grows tired when you keep looking. And it has been said: before your eye returns to you if you look with it to its furthest limit and then close it. This last is the closest of what has been said.
فَلَمَّا رَآهُ مُسْتَقِرًّا عِنْدَهُ
“Then when he saw it settled in his presence” (al Naml 40)
meaning: when he saw the throne of Bilqis settled in front of him in that very short time, transported from the lands of Yemen to Bayt al Maqdis in the blink of an eye,
قَالَ هَٰذَا مِنْ فَضْلِ رَبِّي
“he said: This is from the favour of my Lord” (al Naml 40)
لِيَبْلُوَنِي أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ
“to test me whether I will give thanks or be ungrateful” (al Naml 40)
meaning: this is from the favour of Allah upon me and upon His slaves, by which He tests them as to whether they will show gratitude or otherwise.
وَمَنْ شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ
“Whoever gives thanks, he only gives thanks for himself.” (al Naml 40)
that is, its benefit returns to him.
وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ
“and whoever is ungrateful, then surely my Lord is Rich, Generous.” (al Naml 40)
meaning: He has no need of the thanks of those who give thanks and He is not harmed by the disbelief of those who disbelieve.
Then Sulayman commanded that the ornaments of this throne be altered, so that it would be disguised for her and her intelligence and understanding could be tested. For this reason he said:
نَكِّرُوا لَهَا عَرْشَهَا نَنْظُرْ أَتَهْتَدِي أَمْ تَكُونُ مِنَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَهْتَدُونَ
“Disguise her throne for her, we shall see whether she is guided or is of those who are not guided.” (al Naml 41)
فَلَمَّا جَاءَتْ قِيلَ أَهَكَذَا عَرْشُكِ
“So when she came, it was said: Is your throne like this?” (al Naml 42)
قَالَتْ كَأَنَّهُ هُوَ
“She said: It is as though it is it.” (al Naml 42)
This shows her sharpness and great understanding. She thought it unlikely that it could be her throne, because she had left it behind her in the land of Yemen and did not know that anyone had the power to accomplish such an astonishing and strange feat.
Allah the Exalted said, informing about Sulayman and his people:
وَأُوتِينَا الْعِلْمَ مِنْ قَبْلِهَا وَكُنَّا مُسْلِمِينَ
“and we were given knowledge before her and we were Muslims.” (al Naml 42)
وَصَدَّهَا مَا كَانَتْ تَعْبُدُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ
“And that which she used to worship besides Allah had prevented her” (al Naml 43)
meaning: her worship of the sun, to which she and her people used to prostrate instead of Allah, following the religion of their fathers and forefathers, not because of any proof that had led them to that or compelled them to it.
Sulayman had ordered that a hall be built of glass, and that water be made to flow beneath its passage and that a roof be made of glass, and that fish and other creatures of the water be put in it. She was ordered to enter the hall while Sulayman sat upon his throne inside it.
فَلَمَّا رَأَتْهُ حَسِبَتْهُ لُجَّةً
“So when she saw it she thought it was a deep water” (al Naml 44)
وَكَشَفَتْ عَنْ سَاقَيْهَا
“and she uncovered her legs” (al Naml 44)
He said:
إِنَّهُ صَرْحٌ مُمَرَّدٌ مِنْ قَوَارِيرَ
“It is a hall paved smooth with glass.” (al Naml 44)
She said:
رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَأَسْلَمْتُ مَعَ سُلَيْمَانَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“My Lord, I have wronged myself and I have submitted with Sulayman to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.” (al Naml 44)
The Standing Steeds
Allah the Exalted said in Surat Sad:
وَوَهَبْنَا لِدَاوُودَ سُلَيْمَانَ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ إِذْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْعَشِيِّ الصَّافِنَاتُ الْجِيَادُ فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَنْ ذِكْرِ رَبِّي حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ رُدُّوهَا عَلَيَّ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًا بِالسُّوقِ وَالْأَعْنَاقِ وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا سُلَيْمَانَ وَأَلْقَيْنَا عَلَىٰ كُرْسِيِّهِ جَسَدًا ثُمَّ أَنَابَ قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لَا يَنْبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ فَسَخَّرْنَا لَهُ الرِّيحَ تَجْرِي بِأَمْرِهِ رُخَاءً حَيْثُ أَصَابَ وَالشَّيَاطِينَ كُلَّ بَنَّاءٍ وَغَوَّاصٍ وَآخَرِينَ مُقَرَّنِينَ فِي الْأَصْفَادِ هَٰذَا عَطَاؤُنَا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِكْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِنْدَنَا لَزُلْفَىٰ وَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ
“And We granted to Dawud Sulayman. What an excellent slave, truly he was oft returning. When in the evening the standing swift horses were presented before him, and he said: Truly I love the love of good because of the remembrance of my Lord, until it disappeared behind the veil.
Bring them back to me. And he began to wipe their legs and necks. And We certainly tested Sulayman and placed upon his throne a body, then he turned in repentance. He said: My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me.
Truly You are the Bestower. So We subjected to him the wind, which ran gently at his command to wherever he wished, and the devils, every builder and diver, and others bound together in chains. This is Our gift, so bestow or withhold without account. And surely for him with Us is nearness and a good return.” (Sad 30–40)
Allah mentions that He granted Dawud عليه السلام Sulayman and then praised Sulayman, saying:
نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ
“What an excellent slave, truly he was oft returning.” (Sad 30)
meaning: he used to return to obedience to Allah.
Then He mentioned what had happened with him concerning the standing steeds. These are horses that stand still on three legs, placing the edge of the hoof of the fourth on the ground. Al jiyad means well trained, swift horses.
فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَنْ ذِكْرِ رَبِّي
“He said: Truly I love the love of good because of the remembrance of my Lord” (Sad 32)
until
حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ
“until it disappeared behind the veil” (Sad 32)
meaning: the sun, according to one of the two sayings, and it is what will be mentioned. It has been said that the pronoun refers back to the horses, as will also be mentioned.
رُدُّوهَا عَلَيَّ
“Bring them back to me.” (Sad 33)
فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًا بِالسُّوقِ وَالْأَعْنَاقِ
“and he began to wipe their legs and necks.” (Sad 33)
It has been said that he cut their hamstrings and necks with the sword. It has also been said that he wiped the sweat from their legs and necks after he had made them run and race in front of him, according to the other saying.
Most of the early generations held the first view. They said that he became occupied with presenting those horses until the time of the afternoon prayer passed and the sun set. This was related from Ali ibn Abi Talib and others.
The certain thing is that he did not deliberately leave the prayer without excuse, unless it is said that this was allowed in their law, so that he delayed the prayer because of the necessities of fighting and presenting the horses for that purpose.
Some of our scholars have claimed that when the Prophet ﷺ delayed the afternoon prayer on the day of the Trench, this was also legislated at that time, then abrogated by the prayer of fear. This was said by al Shafi i and others.
Makhlul and al Awza i said that the ruling is still valid until today, that it is permitted to delay it because of the excuse of severe fighting, as we explained in Surat al Nisa in the section on the prayer of fear.
Others said that the delay of the Prophet ﷺ on the day of the Trench was through forgetfulness, and on this basis the action of Sulayman عليه السلام is interpreted likewise, and Allah knows best.
Those who said that the pronoun in
حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ
“until it disappeared behind the veil” (Sad 32)
returns to the horses, and that he did not miss the time of prayer, and who interpreted
فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًا بِالسُّوقِ وَالْأَعْنَاقِ
“and he began to wipe their legs and necks” (Sad 33)
as meaning that he wiped the sweat from their legs and necks, this is the saying preferred by Ibn Jarir, who also transmitted from Ibn Abbas this meaning of wiping the sweat. (In his Tafsir 23/100.)
Ibn Jarir supported that by saying that it is not fitting that he would punish animals by hamstringing them, destroying property without any sin on their part.
What he said is open to question, since it may have been allowed in their law. Some of our scholars have gone so far as to say that if the Muslims fear that the unbelievers will capture some animals such as sheep and the like, then it is permitted to slaughter and destroy them so that the unbelievers do not gain strength through them. On this was interpreted the action of Ja far ibn Abi Talib on the day when he hamstrung his horse at Mu ta.
It has been said that there were many horses, said to be ten thousand, said to be twenty thousand, and said to include twenty horses that had wings.
Some scholars said: when he left the horses which were “good” in the path of Allah, Allah replaced them for him with something better than them, namely the wind which moved at his command, travelling a month in the morning and a month in the evening, as will be mentioned.
Imam Ahmad narrated from Abu Qatada and Abu al Dahma, who used to travel often to the House, that they came to a man from the desert dwellers. The desert Arab said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took hold of my hand and began to teach me of what Allah had taught him.
He said: “You never leave anything for the sake of fearing Allah the Mighty and Majestic but that Allah will give you something better than it in place of it.” (Authentic, reported by Ahmad 5/78 and 5/363 and by Waki in al Zuhd 356 and al Nasa i in al Sunan al Kubra as in Tuhfat al Ashraf 11/199 with a sound chain.)
The Building Of Bayt Al Maqdis
Allah the Exalted said:
وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا سُلَيْمَانَ وَأَلْقَيْنَا عَلَىٰ كُرْسِيِّهِ جَسَدًا ثُمَّ أَنَابَ
“And We certainly tested Sulayman and placed upon his throne a body, then he turned in repentance.” (Sad 34)
Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim and others among the commentators mentioned here many traditions from a group of the early scholars. Most or all of them are taken from Isra ili narrations, and many of them contain very strong objection. I have drawn attention to that in my book of Tafsir, but here I will be brief and limit myself to the recitation.
What is summed up from what they mentioned is that Sulayman عليه السلام was absent from his throne for forty days and then returned to it.
When he returned, he commanded that Bayt al Maqdis be built, so it was built with a sound and perfect construction.
We already mentioned that he renewed its building, and that the first who made it a masjid was Isra il عليه السلام, as we mentioned that when Abu Dharr said: I asked: “Messenger of Allah, which masjid was placed first?” He said: “The Sacred Masjid.” I said: “Then which?” He said: “The Masjid of Bayt al Maqdis.” I said: “How long between them?” He said: “Forty years.”
The Time Gap Between Ibrahim عليه السلام and Sulayman ibn Dawud عليهما السلام
It is well known that between Ibrahim عليه السلام, who built al Masjid al Haram, and between Sulayman ibn Dawud عليهما السلام, there is more than one thousand years, so how could it be only forty years. His request for a kingdom that would not be for anyone after him came after he completed Bayt al Maqdis.
The Hadith About Sulayman’s Three Requests
Imam Ahmad, al Nasai, Ibn Majah, Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban, and al Hakim narrated from Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al As رضي الله عنهما that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When Sulayman built Bayt al Maqdis, he asked his Lord, Mighty and Majestic, for three matters.
He was given two, and we hope the third will also be given to him. He asked for judgement that matches His judgement, so it was given to him.
He asked for a kingdom that would not be for anyone after him, so it was given to him. He asked that any man who leaves his house intending nothing except prayer in this masjid, will come out from his sins like the day his mother gave birth to him. So we hope Allah has given him that too.” (Authentic. Ahmad 2/176, al Nasai in al Mujtaba 2/34 and in al Kubra 1 number 772, Ibn Majah 1408, Ibn Khuzaymah 1334, Ibn Hibban 1633, al Hakim 1/30, and others, with an authentic chain. Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban, al Hakim, al Mundhiri, and our Shaykh al Albani graded it authentic.)
The Judgement Of Dawud عليه السلام and Sulayman عليه السلام In The Crops
As for the judgement that matches the judgement of Allah, Allah praised him and his father in His saying.
وَدَاوُدَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ إِذْ يَحْكُمَانِ فِي الْحَرْثِ إِذْ نَفَشَتْ فِيهِ غَنَمُ الْقَوْمِ وَكُنَّا لِحُكْمِهِمْ شَاهِدِينَ فَفَهَّمْنَاهَا سُلَيْمَانَ وَكُلًّا آتَيْنَا حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا وَسَخَّرْنَا مَعَ دَاوُدَ الْجِبَالَ يُسَبِّحْنَ وَالطَّيْرَ وَكُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ
And Dawud and Sulayman, when they judged about the crops, when the sheep of a people entered it at night, and We were witness to their judgement.
Then We made Sulayman understand it, and to each We gave judgement and knowledge, and We subjected the mountains with Dawud to glorify, and also the birds, and We were the Doers. (al Anbiya 21:78–79)
Shurayh al Qadi and more than one from the Salaf mentioned that those people had a vineyard, and sheep belonging to other people entered it at night, meaning they grazed in it at night, and they ate its trees completely.
So they took their dispute to Dawud عليه السلام, and he judged that the owners of the vineyard should take its value. When they left and passed by Sulayman, he said, “What did the Prophet of Allah judge for you.”
They said, “He judged such and such.” He said, “But if it were me, I would not judge except that the sheep should be handed to the owners of the vineyard, so they benefit from them in offspring and milk.” (Meaning, for the younger woman. The hadith is reported by al Bukhari 3427 and Muslim 1720, as the author (Ibn Kathir) said, may Allah have mercy on him.)
Until the owners of the sheep repair the vineyard for those people and return it to what it was, then they take back their sheep. When that reached Dawud عليه السلام, he judged with it.
Something close to this is what is confirmed in al Sahihayn from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “While two women had their two sons with them, a wolf came and took the son of one of them.
Then they disputed over the remaining child. The older said, ‘It only took your son.’ The younger said, ‘Rather it only took your son.’
So they took their dispute to Dawud, and he judged it for the older. Then they went out and passed by Sulayman, and he said, ‘Bring me a knife so I can split him into two, and each of you will have half.’ The younger said, ‘Do not do it, may Allah have mercy on you. He is her son.’ So he judged that he belongs to her.”
Perhaps each of the two judgements was allowed in their Sharia, but what Sulayman said was stronger, and because of this Allah praised him for what He inspired him with, then after that He praised his father, saying.
وَكُلًّا آتَيْنَا حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا وَسَخَّرْنَا مَعَ دَاوُدَ الْجِبَالَ يُسَبِّحْنَ وَالطَّيْرَ وَكُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ صَنْعَةَ لَبُوسٍ لَكُمْ لِتُحْصِنَكُمْ مِنْ بَأْسِكُمْ فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ شَاكِرُونَ
And to each We gave judgement and knowledge, and We subjected the mountains with Dawud to glorify, and also the birds, and We were the Doers. And We taught him the making of armour for you, so that it protects you from your battle, so will you be thankful. (al Anbiya 21:79–80)
The Wind, The Jinn, And The Kingdom Given To Sulayman عليه السلام
Then He said.
وَلِسُلَيْمَانَ الرِّيحَ عَاصِفَةً تَجْرِي بِأَمْرِهِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا وَكُنَّا بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَالِمِينَ وَمِنَ الشَّيَاطِينِ مَنْ يَغُوصُونَ لَهُ وَيَعْمَلُونَ عَمَلًا دُونَ ذَلِكَ وَكُنَّا لَهُمْ حَافِظِينَ
And for Sulayman, the wind, blowing strongly, running by his command to the land that We blessed, and We were knowing of everything. And from the shayatin were those who dive for him and do work other than that, and We were guarding them. (al Anbiya 21:81–82)
And He said in Surah Sad.
فَسَخَّرْنَا لَهُ الرِّيحَ تَجْرِي بِأَمْرِهِ رُخَاءً حَيْثُ أَصَابَ وَالشَّيَاطِينَ كُلَّ بَنَّاءٍ وَغَوَّاصٍ وَآخَرِينَ مُقَرَّنِينَ فِي الْأَصْفَادِ هَذَا عَطَاؤُنَا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِكْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِنْدَنَا لَزُلْفَى وَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ
So We subjected for him the wind, running by his command, gentle wherever he intended, and the shayatin, every builder and diver, and others chained together in fetters.
This is Our gift, so give or withhold without account. And indeed for him with Us is closeness and a good return. (Sad 38:36–40)
When he left the horses seeking the Face of Allah, Allah gave him instead the wind, which is faster in travel, stronger, and greater, with no effort on him. “Running by his command, gentle wherever he intended,” meaning wherever he wanted, from any land.
He had a platform that was ridden, made of wood, so that it could carry everything he needed of built houses, palaces, tents, belongings, horses, camels, heavy loads, men from mankind and jinn, and other animals and birds.
When he wanted to travel, or go out, or fight a king, or enemies, from any land of Allah he wished, and when he loaded these mentioned things onto the platform, he commanded the wind, and it entered beneath it and lifted it. When it rose between the sky and the earth, he commanded the gentle wind so it carried him.
If he wanted faster than that, he commanded the strong wind and it carried him as fast as it could, then placed him wherever he wished.
He would set out at the start of the day from Bayt al Maqdis, and the wind would take him in the morning and place him at Istakhr, a month’s journey, then he would remain there until the end of the day, then in the late afternoon it would take him back to Bayt al Maqdis. As Allah said.
وَلِسُلَيْمَانَ الرِّيحَ غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ وَأَسَلْنَا لَهُ عَيْنَ الْقِطْرِ وَمِنَ الْجِنِّ مَنْ يَعْمَلُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ وَمَنْ يَزِغْ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ أَمْرِنَا نُذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ السَّعِيرِ يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُ مَا يَشَاءُ مِنْ مَحَارِيبَ وَتَمَاثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍ كَالْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ رَاسِيَاتٍ اعْمَلُوا آلَ دَاوُدَ شُكْرًا وَقَلِيلٌ مِنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ
And for Sulayman, the wind, its morning travel is a month, and its late afternoon travel is a month, and We caused a spring of molten metal to flow for him, and from the jinn were those who worked before him by the permission of his Lord, and whoever among them turned away from Our command.
We would make him taste from the punishment of the blazing fire. They made for him whatever he wished of places of worship, and statues, and large basins like reservoirs, and pots fixed in place. Work, O family of Dawud, in thanks, and few of My slaves are truly thankful. (Saba 34:12–14)
As for al qitr, Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Ikrimah, Qatadah, and more than one said it is copper. Qatadah said, “It was in Yemen. Allah brought it out for him.” (See Jami al Bayan 22/48, Ibn Kathir’s Tafsir 6/660.)
His saying, “And from the jinn were those who worked before him by the permission of his Lord, and whoever among them turned away from Our command, We would make him taste from the punishment of the blazing fire,”
Meaning Allah subjected for him workers from the jinn who did for him what he wished, they did not slacken, and they did not leave obedience, and whoever left the command among them, He punished him and made an example of him. (Reported by al Tabari 22/48 with an authentic chain from him.)
“They made for him whatever he wished of maharib,” meaning fine places, and the front seats of gatherings. “And statues,” meaning images on walls, and this was allowed in their Sharia and their way. “And large basins like al jawab,”
Ibn Abbas said, “The basin is like a hollow in the earth,” and from him, “like pools.” Mujahid, al Hasan, Qatadah, al Dahhak, and others said the same. On this report, al jawab is the plural of jabiyah, and it is the pool in which water is gathered, as al Asha said.
As for “the pots fixed in place,” Ikrimah said, “Their hearth stones were from them,” meaning they were firm, they did not move from their places. Mujahid and others said the same.
When this was in the context of feeding food and doing good to creation, both mankind and jinn, Allah said, “Work, O family of Dawud, in thanks, and few of My slaves are truly thankful.”
And His saying, “And the shayatin, every builder and diver, and others chained together in fetters,” meaning among them were those he used in building, and among them were those he commanded to dive in water to bring out the jewels, pearls, and other things that are not found except there.
And His saying, “and others chained together in fetters,” meaning they disobeyed, so they were restrained, paired two by two, in fetters, meaning chains. This is all from what Allah prepared and subjected for him, and it is from the completion of the kingdom that would not be for anyone after him, and it was not for anyone before him either.
The Hadith Of The Ifrit And The Meaning Of Sulayman’s Supplication
Muslim narrated from Abu al Darda رضي الله عنه, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood to pray, and we heard him saying, ‘I seek refuge in Allah from you,’ then ‘I curse you with the curse of Allah’ three times, and he stretched out his hand as if he was taking something.
When he finished the prayer, we said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, we heard you say something in the prayer that we did not hear you say before, and we saw you stretch out your hand.’ He said, ‘The enemy of Allah, Iblis, came with a flame of fire to put it in my face.
So I said: I seek refuge in Allah from you, three times. Then I said: I curse you with the complete curse of Allah, and he did not retreat, three times.
Then I wanted to seize him. By Allah, if not for the supplication of our brother Sulayman, he would have been tied up in the morning and the children of the people of Madinah would play with him.’”
Ahmad narrated from Abu Ubayd, the companion of Sulayman, he said, “I saw Ata ibn Yazid al Laythi standing praying, so I went to pass in front of him and he pushed me back.
Then he said, Abu Saeed al Khudri told me that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood and prayed Fajr while he was behind him, and he recited, and the recitation became difficult for him.
When he finished his prayer, he said, ‘If you had seen me and Iblis, I lowered my hand and I kept choking him until I felt the coldness of his saliva between these two fingers of mine, the thumb and the one next to it.
If not for the supplication of my brother Sulayman, he would have been tied to a pillar from the pillars of the masjid in the morning and the children of Madinah would play with him. So whoever among you is able not to let anyone pass between him and the qiblah, then let him do so.’”
Abu Dawud narrated from it, “So whoever among you is able,” to the end.
His Many Wives And The Hadith Of Saying “In Sha Allah”
More than one of the Salaf mentioned that Sulayman had one thousand women, and he was able to have great strength in relations with women.
Abu Ya la narrated from Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Sulayman ibn Dawud said: I will go around tonight to one hundred women, each woman will give birth to a boy who will strike with the sword in the path of Allah, and he did not say, in sha Allah.
So he went around to one hundred women that night, and none gave birth except one woman who gave birth to half a human.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “If he had said, in sha Allah, every woman would have given birth to a boy who would strike with the sword in the path of Allah, Mighty and Majestic.”
Imam Ahmad narrated from Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه, he said the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Sulayman ibn Dawud said: I will go around tonight to one hundred women, each will give birth to a boy who will fight in the path of Allah, and he did not make an exception.
So none gave birth except one woman, with half a human.” He said, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “If he had made an exception, one hundred boys would have been born to him, all of them fighting in the path of Allah, Mighty and Majestic.”
The Clear Proof That His Kingdom Was Given To Him
He had, عليه السلام, from matters of kingship, the wide reach of the state, the many soldiers, and the variety of them, what no one before him had, and Allah will not give it to anyone after him, as Allah said, “And we have been given from everything.” (al Naml 27:16) And He said.
قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لَا يَنْبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ
He said, My Lord, forgive me, and grant me a kingdom that will not be for anyone after me. Indeed You are the Bestower. (Sad 38:35)
Allah gave him that, by the clear wording of the truthful one ﷺ.
The Meaning Of “This Is Our Gift, So Give Or Withhold Without Account”
When Allah mentioned what He blessed him with, and what He gave him of complete, great blessings, He said.
هَذَا عَطَاؤُنَا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِكْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
This is Our gift, so give or withhold without account. (Sad 38:39)
Meaning, give to whoever you wish, and withhold from whoever you wish, there is no account on you, meaning you may deal with wealth how you wish, for Allah has allowed for you what you do in that, and He will not take you to account for that. This is the state of the Prophet king.
As for the slave messenger, his state is that he does not give anyone except by Allah granting him permission for that.
Our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was given a choice between these two ranks, and he chose to be a slave messenger. In some reports, he consulted Jibril, and he pointed to him to be humble, so he chose to be a slave messenger, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him. (Authentic. Ahmad 2/231, Abu Ya la 6105, al Bazzar 2462, Ibn Hibban 6365, with an authentic chain on the conditions of al Shaykhayn.)
Allah made the khilafah and kingship after him in his Ummah until the Day of Judgement, so a group from his Ummah will remain apparent until the Hour is established, so to Allah belongs praise and favour.
Then when Allah mentioned what He granted to His Prophet Sulayman عليه السلام from the good of this life, He pointed to what He prepared for him in the Hereafter of immense reward, beautiful recompense, closeness that brings him near to Him, great success, and honour before Him, on the Day of return and account, when Allah says.
وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِنْدَنَا لَزُلْفَى وَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ
And indeed for him with Us is closeness and a good return. (Sad 38:40)
Mention Of His Death And The Length Of His Kingdom And Life
Allah, Blessed and Exalted, said.
فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَى مَوْتِهِ إِلَّا دَابَّةُ الْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنْسَأَتَهُ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ أَنْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ مَا لَبِثُوا فِي الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ
When We decreed death for him, nothing showed them his death except the creature of the earth eating his staff. Then when he fell, the jinn became clear that if they had known the unseen, they would not have stayed in humiliating punishment. (Saba 34:14)
Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما narrated from the Prophet ﷺ, he said, “When Sulayman, the Prophet of Allah عليه السلام, prayed, he would see a tree that had grown in front of him. He would say to it, ‘What is your name.’
It would say, ‘Such and such.’ He would say, ‘For what are you.’ If it was for planting, it would be planted. If it was for medicine, it would be taken. Then while he was praying one day, he saw a tree in front of him.
He said to it, ‘What is your name.’ It said, ‘Al kharrub.’ He said, ‘For what are you.’ It said, ‘For the ruin of this House.’ So Sulayman said, ‘O Allah, hide my death from the jinn until mankind knows that the jinn do not know the unseen.’
So he made it into a staff, and he leaned on it for a year while the jinn worked, then the termite ate it, so mankind knew that if the jinn had known the unseen, they would not have stayed a year in humiliating punishment.”
He said, “And Ibn Abbas used to recite it like this. So the jinn thanked the termite, and they would bring water to it.” (A white worm, it is a pest of wood.) (Weak as a raised report, authentic as a statement of Ibn Abbas. Reported by al Tabari in Jami al Bayan 22/51, Ibn Abi Hatim in his Tafsir, as in Tafsir al Quran al Azim 6/664, al Bazzar in his Musnad 2355, al Tabarani in al Kabir 12281, al Hakim 4/402, al Diya in al Ahadith al Mukhtarah 10/291–308, from the route of Ibrahim ibn Tahman. I say, Ata became confused at the end, and Ibrahim heard from him after the confusion.
Al Bazzar also reported it 2356 from the route of Sufyan ibn Uyaynah from Ata as a statement of Ibn Abbas. Ibn Uyaynah heard from him before the confusion, so this is stronger, and it is a statement of Ibn Abbas. It was also reported by Ibn al Mubarak in al Zuhd 1072, al Hakim 1/198, and Ibn Asakir in Tarikh Dimashq 22/296–297 from the route of Salamah ibn Kuhayl from Saeed ibn Jubayr from Ibn Abbas as a statement, and its chain is hasan. In summary, what is authentic and closest is that this report is a statement of Ibn Abbas.)
Mention Of The Ruin Of Bayt al Maqdis
And His saying, Most High.
وَآتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلْنَاهُ هُدًى لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَلَّا تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْ دُونِي وَكِيلًا ذُرِّيَّةَ مَنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوحٍ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ أُولَاهُمَا بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَنَا أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَفْعُولًا ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَا لَكُمُ الْكَرَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَمْدَدْنَاكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرًا إِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِ لِيَسُوءُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا مَا عَلَوْا تَتْبِيرًا عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يَرْحَمَكُمْ وَإِنْ عُدْتُمْ عُدْنَا وَجَعَلْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ حَصِيرًا
And We gave Musa the Book, and We made it guidance for Bani Israil, that you do not take besides Me a disposer of affairs. O descendants of those We carried with Nuh, indeed he was a thankful slave. And We decreed to Bani Israil in the Book: you will surely cause corruption in the land twice, and you will surely rise to great arrogance.
So when the promise of the first of them came, We sent against you slaves of Ours, owners of severe might, and they entered through the homes, and it was a promise fulfilled.
Then We returned to you the turn over them, and We supported you with wealth and sons, and We made you greater in number. If you do good, you do good for yourselves, and if you do evil, it is against yourselves.
Then when the promise of the last came, it was so that they would disgrace your faces, and so that they would enter al Masjid as they entered it the first time, and so that they would destroy what they overtook, completely. Perhaps your Lord will have mercy on you, but if you return, We return, and We made Jahannam a prison for the disbelievers. (al Isra 17:2–8)
