As I mentioned in the last post on Sulayman (as), Allah سبحانه وتعالى blessed him with a kingdom unlike that given to anyone before him. Part of the uniqueness of this kingdom was due to those who Allah سبحانه وتعالى subjected to the command of Sulayman (as).
One example of this lies in the remarkable workers Allah سبحانه وتعالى granted Sulayman (as) to construct his kingdom. Unlike anyone before him, Sulayman (as) was given the power to have the Jinn (from among the devils) working under his command. Allah سبحانه وتعالى says in the Quran:
And [We subjected] the wind for Solomon. Its outward journey took a month, and its return journey likewise. We made a fountain of molten brass flow for him, and some of the jinn worked under his control with his Lord’s permission. If one of them deviated from Our command, We let him taste the suffering of the blazing flame. They made him whatever he wanted- palaces, statues, basins as large as water troughs, fixed cauldrons. We said, ‘Work thankfully, family of David, for few of my servants are truly thankful.’ (Surah Saba': 12- 13)
And the jinn––every kind of builder and diver. And others chained in fetters. (Surah Saad: 37- 38)
The natural work of the shayateen (devils) was to cause fitnah in the earth, but Allah سبحانه وتعالى subdued and humiliated them to be under the command of prophet Sulayman (as). Under his control they served him in many different roles including building and construction work. The verses from Surah Saba’ also reveal that another amazing gift given to Sulayman (as) by Allah سبحانه وتعالى was a fountain of molten brass from which he could have objects moulded and constructed.
The Jinn did not only serve as workers under Sulayman (as), but they also formed part of his formidable army. Modern day militaries are divided into different sections such as the air force and infantry and the army of Sulayman (as) was no different. Allah سبحانه وتعالى describes the mighty forces granted to Sulayman (as) in the Quran:
Solomon’s hosts of jinn, men, and birds were marshalled in ordered ranks before him (Surah An-Naml: 17)
What an overwhelming sight the armies of Sulayman (as) must have been for those who beheld them, with their ranks of jinn, men and birds unified together to serve under his command!
Both the workers and soldiers put under the command of Sulayman (as) reflect that the kingdom granted to him by Allah سبحانه وتعالى was not only great in what it encompassed, but also who. The Quran details one episode in the life of Sulayman (as) which serves as an example of how both the man and his forces were acknowledged by others to be supreme in the land. The story narrates the dealings of Sulayman (as) with the people of Sheba and particularly their Queen Bilqis. It can be read in Surah Naml of the Quran.
The last few posts have outlined some of the blessings given to Sulayman (as) by Allah سبحانه وتعالى . In the next and final post on this noble Prophet I will cover his role in reconstructing Masjid Al Aqsa, inshaAllah.
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