Solomon in Islam
 | This article uncritically uses texts from within a religion or faith system without referring to secondary sources that critically analyze them. (December 2012) |
Prophet Sulaimān (سُلَيْمَان) Solomon | |
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 Sulaimān's name in Islamic calligraphy | |
| Born | Jerusalem, Shaam |
| Died | Jerusalem, the Levant |
| Resting place | Al-Ḥaram Ash-Sharīf ("The Noble Sanctuary"), Jerusalem |
| Other names | Shlomoh (Hebrew: שְׁלֹמֹה) Shlemun (Syriac: ܫܠܝܡܘܢ) Solomon (Greek: Σολομών) Greek: Salomon |
| Known for | Being a prophet and king of Israel |
| Title | King of Israel |
| Predecessor | Dawud (David) |
| Parent(s) |
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Sulaimān ibn Dāwūd (Arabic: سُلَيْمَان بْن دَاوُوْد, Solomon son of David) was, according to the Quran, a malik (مَلِك, king) and Nabī (Prophet) of the Israelites. Islamic tradition generally holds that he was the third king of Jewish people, and a wise ruler for the nation.[1]
Islam views Solomon as one of the prophets of God, who was bestowed with many God-given gifts, including the ability to speak to animals and jinn. Supported by a magical ring given by God, he enslaved the devils (shayatin) and demons (div).[2]
Muslims further maintain that he remained faithful to the one and only God throughout his life; and reigned justly over the whole of the Israelites; was blessed with a level of kingship which was given to none after him and before him; and fulfilled all of his commandments, being promised nearness to God in Paradise at the end of his life.[3] Arab historians regarded Solomon as one of the greatest rulers around the world.[4]
Quran and interpretation[]
Judgment on the field[]
In the earliest narrative involving Solomon, the Quran (21:78) briefly alludes to a story that Solomon was in the company of his father, when two men came to ask David to judge between them regarding a ḥarth (حَرْث, field).[5] Later Muslim commentators expanded on the allusion, including Al-Tabari, Baidawi, and Ibn Kathir.[6][7][8] They said that the first of the two men said that he owned a vineyard of which he took great care the whole year through. But one day, when he was absent, the other man's sheep had strayed into the vineyard and devoured the grapes. He asked to be compensated for this damage.[9]: 62 Upon hearing the man's complaint, Solomon suggested that the owner of the sheep take the other man's vineyard to repair and cultivate until the vines returned to their former state, whereupon he should return it to its owner. At the same time, the owner of the vineyard would care for the sheep and benefit from their wool and milk until his land was returned to him, at which point he would return the sheep to their owner. Solomon's level of judgment, which the Quran says,[10] would characterize Solomon throughout his life. Ḥikmah (Wisdom), according to Muslim tradition, would always be associated with Solomon, who would later even be referred to as Sulaimān al-Ḥakīm (سُلَيْمَان ٱلْحَكِيْم, "Solomon the Wise"). This story is adapted in the Kebra Nagast, but as a dispute adjudicated by a son of Solomon's.[7]
Solomon and the demons[]
The Quran narrates that the wind was made subservient to Solomon,[11] and he could control it at his own will, and that the jinn also came under Solomon's control. The jinn helped strengthen Solomon's reign. The devils (shayatin),[12] and demons were forced building for him monuments.[13] God also caused a miraculous ʿayn (عَيْن, 'fount' or 'spring') of molten qiṭr (قِطْر, 'brass' or 'copper') to flow for Solomon, to be used by the demons in their construction.[11]
When David died, Solomon inherited his position as the prophetic king of the Israelites. Solomon once permitted a woman to build a statue of her father. Later, she began to worship the statue and Solomon was rebuked for tolerating idolatry in his kingdom. As a punishment, God enabled one of the enslaved demons to steal Solomon's ring and take over his kingdom (Surah 38:34). He later repents his sin and gains control over the demons again, focusing on building the temple again.[14] He prayed to God to grant him a kingdom which would be unlike any after him.[15] God accepted Solomon's prayer and gave him what he pleased.
Allegorical, Solomon's loss to the demons, is a human losing its soul to demonic passion.[16] Attar of Nishapur writes: "If you bind the div (demon), you will set out for the royal pavilion with Solomon" and "You have no command over your self's kingdom, for in your case the div is in the place of Solomon".[17]
Unlike the Talmudic tradition, Solomon was unaware and never participated in idolatry.[18] Further, the Quran rejects that Solomon was a magician: "(...) Solomon did not disbelieve, but the devils disbelieved, teaching men magic and (...)". (2:102)
Solomon and the ant[]
Solomon was even taught the languages of various animals, such as ants. The Quran recounts that, one day, Solomon and his army entered a wādin-naml (وَادِ ٱلْنَّمْل, valley of the ant). On seeing Solomon and his army, a namlah (نَمْلَة, female ant) warned all the others to "... get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it."[19] Immediately understanding what the ant said, Solomon, as always, prayed to God, thanking him for bestowing upon him such gifts[20] and further avoided trampling over the ant colonies.[9]: 63 [21] Solomon's wisdom, however, was yet another of the gifts he received from God, and Muslims maintain that Solomon never forgot his daily prayer, which was more important to him than any of his gifts.
Exegetical literature emphasizes the ant's wisdom and explains the meaning behind Solomon's gift to control the wind. According to Siracü'l-Kulub, the ant asks Solomon if he knows why he is called "Solomon" (Süleyman). Solomon negates and the ant went on to explain: "Although your heart was sound (selim) and you know the circumstances of the next world, you have accepted a few pleassures of this world and have been deceived by its possesion and kingship; therefore you are called Solomon." Afterwards the ant asks Solomon, if he knows why God has subdued the wind for him. Once again, Solomon denies and the ant answers: "He has subdued the wind for a reason: that which you have accepted is nothing. Just as the wind passes, the world's wealth and kingship pass too." Scholars like Fakhr al-Din Razi and al-Qurtubi elevated the ant to the rank of an examplar for humans to follow.[22](p196)
Conquest of Saba'[]
Another important aspect of Solomon's kingship was the size of his army, which consisted of both men and jinn. Solomon would frequently assess his troops and warriors as well as the jinn and all the animals who worked under him. One day, when inspecting his troops, Solomon found the Hud-hud (هُدْهُد, Hoopoe) missing from the assembly.[23] Shortly later, however, the Hud-hud arrived to Solomon's court, saying "I have compassed (territory) which thou hast not compassed, and I have come to thee from Saba' with tidings true."[24] The Hud-hud further told Solomon that the people of Sheba worshiped the Sun, and that the woman who ruled the kingdom was highly intelligent and powerful. Solomon, who listened closely, chose to write a letter to the land of Sheba, through which he would try to convince the people of Sheba to cease in worshiping the Sun, and to come to the worship of God. Solomon ordered the Hud-hud to give the letter to the Queen of Sheba (Bilqis), and then to hide and observe her reaction.[9]: 64 The Hud-hud accepted Solomon's orders, and flew to give the letter to her. The Queen then called her ministers in the court and announced the letter of Solomon stating to the people of Sheba: "In the name of Allah the Compassionate the Merciful, Be you not exalted against me, but come to me as Muslimīn (مُسْلِمِيْن)." She asked for suggestions from her minister and administration stating that "O my people, I know that you all are powerful and brave warriors, and no one on the face of the Earth can defeat our army, but still I want your opinion." The people of the court replied: "You have all the power, and whatever order you deliver, you will find us obedient." Eventually, however, the Queen came to Solomon, announcing her submission to God.[25]
Solomon and the ifrit[]
During Bilqis' travel, Solomon asks his servants to deliver her throne to his court. An ifrit offers his service (Q27:38-40), but Solomon declines. Another man is endowed with this task instead, who prays to God for the throne. Afterwards, the prayer is answered and the throne appears thanks to God's power in Solomon's palace. When Bilqis arrives, Solomon asks if she can recognize her throne. She gives him an evasive answer, because she can not grasp the miracle performed here. Since this miracle was done by God (and not by the ifrit), she surrenders to the faith of Solomon. Solomon declined the ifrit's temptatious offer, because he wants to rely on God only and not on the demonic, this leading to his successful conversation of Bilqis.[26]
Death[]
The Quran relates that Solomon died while he was leaning on his staff. Then a creature (an ant or a worm) gnaw at Solomon's staff, until his body collapsed.
Then, when We decreed (Solomon's) death, nothing showed them his death except a little worm of the earth, which kept (slowly) gnawing away at his staff: so when he fell down, the Jinn saw plainly that if they had known the unseen, they would not have tarried in the humiliating Penalty (of their Task).
As he remained upright, propped on his staff, the jinn thought he was still alive and supervising them.
They realized the truth only when God sent a creature to crawl out of the ground and gnaw at Solomon's staff, until his body collapsed. This verse is understood to teach the audience that jinn do not know the unseen (Al-Ghaib), since if they had known the unseen, they would not have stayed in the service of Solomon.[28]
Mahammaddim in the Song of Solomon[]
As inspired by verses of the Quran, some Muslims[which?] believed that Muhammad (Arabic: مُحَمَّد, consonant letters: m-ħ-m-d) is mentioned in the Song of Songs (5:16) as 'Mahammaddim' (Hebrew: מַחֲמַדִּים, consonant letters: m-ħ-m-d-y-m), even though the latter word is translated as "desirable" or "lovely" by Jews.[29]
Solomon and Jamshid[]
Jamshid was the fourth king of the world, according to the Shāhnāma of the poet Firdausī. Similar to Solomon, he had command over all the angels and demons of the world, and was both king and high priest of Hormozd (middle Persian for Ahura Mazda). He was responsible for a great many inventions that made life more secure for his people: the manufacture of armor and weapons, the weaving and dyeing of clothes of linen, silk and wool, the building of houses of brick, the mining of jewels and precious metals, the making of perfumes and wine, the art of medicine, the navigation of the waters of the world in sailing ships. He Jamshid had now become the greatest monarch the world had ever known. He was endowed with the royal farr (Avestan: khvarena), a radiant splendor that burned about him by divine favor.
Due to similarities between both figures, some tradition conflate both figures. For example Solomon was associated with ruling over the southwestern Iran in the works of al-Balkhi. Persepolis was believed the be the seat of Solomon and described as "playground of Solomon" by scholars such as Mas'udi, Muqaddasi and Istakhri. Other Muslim authors opposed this view and that Solomon had ruled in Iran, arguing they just had similar events in their life.[30][31]
See also[]
- Biblical narratives and the Quran
- Harut and Marut
- Legends and the Quran
- Qiṣaṣ al-Anbiyāʾ ("Stories of the Prophets")
- Queen of Sheba
- Sulayman
- Sūrat an-Naml ("Chapter of the Ant")
- The Kingdom of Solomon
References to Solomon in the Quran[]
- Appraisals for Solomon: 2:102, 6:84, 21:81–82, 27:15–16, 27:18–23, 27:36–39, 27:44, 34:12–13, 38:30–31, 38:35–40
- Solomon's preaching: 4:163, 27:25, 27:31, 27:44
- Solomon judged: 21:78–79
- Fitnah to Solomon: 38:32–34
- Solomon and the Queen of Sheba: 27:28–31, 27:34–44
- The Kingdom of Sheba: 27:23, 34:15, 34:18
- Solomon's death: 34:14
References[]
- ^ Glasse, Cyril (1988). Concise Encyclopedia of Islam. p. 374.
- ^ Law and Tradition in Classical Islamic Thought: Studies in Honor of Professor Hossein Modarressi. (2013). Vereinigtes Königreich: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 249
- ^ Quran 38:40
- ^ Walker, J. and Fenton, P. (2012). "Sulaymān b. Dāwūd". In P. Bearman; Th. Bianquis; C.E. Bosworth; E. van Donzel; W.P. Heinrichs (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam (2nd ed.). Brill. doi:10.1163/1573-3912_islam_SIM_7158.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
- ^ Quran 21:78
- ^ Helewa, Sami (2017-11-01). Models of Leadership in the Adab Narratives of Joseph, David, and Solomon: Lament for the Sacred. Lexington Books. ISBN 978-1-4985-5267-7.
- ^ a b Hubbard, David Allan (1956). The literary sources of the Kebra Nagast (Thesis thesis). University of St Andrews. hdl:10023/544.
- ^ Wheeler, Brannon (2002-06-01). Prophets in the Quran: An Introduction to the Quran and Muslim Exegesis. A&C Black. ISBN 978-1-4411-0405-2.
- ^ a b c Azzam, L. "David and Solomon". Lives of the Prophets. Suhail Academy. pp. 62–64.
- ^ Quran 21:79
- ^ a b Quran 34:12
- ^ Lebling, Robert (2010). Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar. I.B. Tauris. ISBN 978-0-857-73063-3.
- ^ Quran 34:13
- ^ Shalev-Eyni, Sarit. "Solomon, his demons and jongleurs: The meeting of Islamic, Judaic and Christian culture." Al-Masaq 18.2 (2006): 145-160.
- ^ Quran 38:35
- ^ Moiseeva Anna Vladimirovna PROPHET SULAIMāN V KLASSISCHE PERSISCHE POESIE: SEMANTIK UND STRUKTUR DES BILDES . Orientalistik. Afrikanistik. 2020. Nr. 3. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/prorok-sulaym-n-v-klassicheskoy-persidskoy-poezii-semantika-i-struktura-obraza (abgerufen am 14.10.2021).
- ^ Hamori, Andras. On the Art of Medieval Arabic Literature. USA: Princeton University Press, 2015. p. 158
- ^ Shalev-Eyni, Sarit. "Solomon, his demons and jongleurs: The meeting of Islamic, Judaic and Christian culture." Al-Masaq 18.2 (2006): 155.
- ^ Quran 27:18
- ^ Quran 27:19
- ^ Deen, Mawil Y. Izzi (1990). "Islamic Environmental Ethics, Law, and Society" (PDF). In Engel JR; JG Engel (eds.). Ethics of Environment and Development. Bellhaven Press, London. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-14.
- ^ Peacock, A.C.S. (2019). Islam, Literature and Society in Mongol Anatolia. Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781108582124. ISBN 9781108582124. S2CID 211657444.
- ^ "Qur'an, 27: 15 – 19".
- ^ Quran 27:22
- ^ "Qur'an, 27: 15 – 44".
- ^ Die Dschinn, Teufel und Engel im Koran [microform] by Eichler, Paul Arno, 1889-Publication date 1928 Topics Koran Publisher Leipzig : Klein Collection microfilm; additional_collections Digitizing sponsor Internet Archive Contributor Internet Archive Language German Microfilm Addeddate 2007-02-13 00:12:26 Foldoutcount 0 Identifier MN40251ucmf_1 Identifier-ark ark:/13960/t4zg6hn3v Openlibrary_edition OL14024173M Openlibrary_work OL10715783W Page 9 Ppi 400
- ^ Quran 34:14
- ^ Islam: A Worldwide Encyclopedia [4 Volumes]. (2017). USA: ABC-CLIO. p. 1477
- ^ Richard S. Hess; Gordon J. Wenham (1998). "Teaching the Old Testament in the Context of Islam". Make the Old Testament Live: From Curriculum to Classroom. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. pp. 138–139. ISBN 978-0-8028-4427-9. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
- ^ Eva Orthmann, Anna Kollatz The Ceremonial of Audience: Transcultural Approaches Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 11.11.2019 isbn 978-3-847-00887-3 p. 155
- ^ M. Cook, N. Haider, I. Rabb, A. Sayeed Law and Tradition in Classical Islamic Thought: Studies in Honor of Professor Hossein Modarressi Springer, 06.01.2013 isbn 978-1-137-07895-7 p. 256
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