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Contents of "GENERAL KNOWLEDGE FROM THE QUR'AN"

THE STORY OF THE PROPHET SULAYMAN (AS)

The Prophecy of the Prophet Sulayman (as)

We have revealed to you as We revealed to Nuh and the Prophets who came after him. And We revealed to Ibrahim and Isma'il and Ishaq and Ya'qub and the Tribes, and 'Isa and Ayyub and Yunus and Harun and Sulayman. And We gave Dawud the Zabur. (Surat an-Nisa', 163)

We gave him Ishaq and Ya'qub, each of whom We guided. And before him We had guided Nuh. And among his descendants were Dawud and Sulayman, and Ayyub, Yusuf, Musa and Harun. That is how We recompense the good-doers. (Surat al-An'am, 84)

We gave Dawud Sulayman.What an excellent servant! He truly turned to his Lord. (Surah Sâd, 30)

Sulayman was Dawud's heir. He said, 'Mankind! We have been taught the speech of birds and we have been given everything. This is indeed clear favour.' (Surat an-Naml, 16)

Superior Qualities Given to
the Prophet Sulayman (as): Knowledge

We gave knowledge to Dawud and Sulayman who said, 'Praise be to Allah Who has favoured us over many of His servants who are believers.' Sulayman was Dawud's heir. He said, 'Mankind! We have been taught the speech of birds and we have been given everything. This is indeed clear favour.' (Surat an-Naml, 15-16)

And Dawud and Sulayman when they gave judgement about the field, when the people's sheep strayed into it at night. We were Witness to their judgement. We gave Sulayman understanding of it. We gave each of them judgement and knowledge. We subjected the mountains to Dawud, glorifying, and the birds as well. This is something We are well able to do. (Surat al-Anbiya', 78-79)

Knowledge of the Speech of Birds

Sulayman was Dawud's heir. He said, 'Mankind! We have been taught the speech of birds and we have been given everything. This is indeed clear favour.' Sulayman's troops, made up of jinn and men and birds, were assembled for him, paraded in tight ranks. (Surat an-Naml, 16-17)

The Wind Under His Command

And We gave Sulayman power over the wind – a month's journey in the morning and a month in the afternoon. And We caused the fount of copper to gush forth for him. And some of the jinn worked in front of him by his Lord's permission. And if a single one of them deviates at all from Our command, We let him taste the punishment of the Searing Blaze. (Surah Saba', 12)

And to Sulayman We gave the fiercely blowing wind, speeding at his command towards the land which We had blessed. And We had full knowledge of everything. (Surat al-Anbiya', 81)

Jinn Under His Command

And some of the satans dived for him and did other things apart from that. And We were watching over them. (Surat al-Anbiya', 82)

And the satans, every builder and diver, and others of them, yoked together in chains. (Surah Sâd, 37-38)

And We gave Sulayman power over the wind – a month's journey in the morning and a month in the afternoon. And We caused the fount of copper to gush forth for him. And some of the jinn worked in front of him by his Lord's permission. And if a single one of them deviates at all from Our command, We let him taste the punishment of the Searing Blaze. They made for him anything he wished: high arches and statues, huge dishes like cisterns, great built-in cooking vats. 'Work, family of Dawud, in thankfulness!' But very few of My servants are thankful. Then when We decreed that he should die, nothing divulged his death to them except the worm which ate his staff; so that when he fell down it was made clear to the jinn that if they had truly had knowledge of the Unseen they need not have stayed there suffering humiliating punishment. (Surah Saba', 12-14)

Wealth and Kingdom Given to Him

When swift horses, champing at the bit, were displayed before him in the afternoon, he said, "Truly do I love the love of good, with a view to the glory of my Lord"… (Surah Sâd, 31-32)

He said, 'My Lord, forgive me and give me a kingdom the like of which will never be granted to anyone after me. Truly You are the Ever-Giving.' (Surah Sâd, 35)

'This is Our gift: so bestow it or withhold it without reckoning.' (Surah Sâd, 39)

The Prophet Sulayman's (as) Troops
and the Valley of the Ants

Sulayman's troops, made up of jinn and men and birds, were assembled for him, paraded in tight ranks. Then, when they reached the Valley of the Ants, an ant said, 'Ants! Enter your dwellings so that Sulayman and his troops do not crush you unwittingly.' He smiled, laughing at its words, and said, 'My Lord, keep me thankful for the blessing You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and keep me acting rightly, pleasing You, and admit me, by Your mercy, among Your servants who are righteous.' (Surat an-Naml, 17-19)

The Queen of Sheba

He inspected the birds and said, 'How is it that I do not see the hoopoe? Or is it absent without leave? I will certainly punish it most severely or slaughter it if it does not bring me clear authority.' However, it was not long delayed, and then it said, 'I have comprehended something you have not and bring you accurate intelligence from Sheba. I found a woman ruling over them who has been given everything. She possesses a mighty throne. I found both her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allah. Satan has made their actions seem good to them and debarred them from the Way so they are not guided and do not prostrate to Allah, Who brings out what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you divulge. Allah – there is no god but Him – the Lord of the Mighty Throne.' He said, 'We will soon see if you have told the truth or are a liar. Take this letter of mine and deliver it to them and then withdraw from them a little and see how they respond.' She said, 'Council! A noble letter has been delivered to me. It is from Sulayman and says: "In the name of Allah, All-Merciful, Most Merciful. Do not rise up against me, but come to me in submission."' She said, 'Council! Give me your opinion about this matter. It is not my habit to make a final decision until I have heard what you have to say.' They said, 'We possess strength and we possess great force. But the matter is in your hands so consider what you command.' She said, 'When kings enter a city, they lay waste to it and make its mightiest inhabitants the most abased. That is what they too will do. I will send them a gift and then wait and see what the messengers bring back.' (Surat an-Naml, 20-35)

Messengers of the Queen of Sheba

When it reached Sulayman he said, 'Would you give me wealth when what Allah has given me is better than what He has given you? No, rather it is you who delight in your gift. Return to them. We will come to them with troops they cannot face and we will expel them from it abased and humiliated.' (Surat an-Naml, 36-37)

The Throne of the Queen of Sheba

He said, 'Council! Who among you will bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?' An imp of the jinn said, 'I will bring it to you before you get up from your seat. I am strong and trustworthy enough to do it.' He who possessed knowledge of the Book said, 'I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you.' And when he saw it standing firmly in his presence, he said, 'This is part of my Lord's favour to test me to see if I will give thanks or show ingratitude. Whoever gives thanks only does so to his own gain. Whoever is ungrateful, my Lord is Rich Beyond Need, Generous.' He said, 'Disguise her throne. We shall see whether she is guided or someone who is not guided.' (Surat an-Naml, 38-41)

The Meeting of the Prophet Sulayman (as)
and the Queen of Sheba

So when she came, it was said: Is your throne like this? She said: It is as it were the same, and we were given the knowledge before it, and we were submissive. And what she worshipped besides Allah prevented her, surely she was of an unbelieving people. It was said to her: Enter the palace; but when she saw it she deemed it to be a great expanse of water, and bared her legs. He said: Surely it is a palace made smooth with glass. She said: My Lord! Surely I have been unjust to myself, and I submit with Sulayman to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. (Surat an-Naml, 42-44)

The Trial of the Prophet Sulayman (as)

Behold, there were brought before him, at eventide coursers of the highest breeding, and swift of foot; And he said, "Truly do I love the love of good, with a view to the glory of my Lord," ,"- until (the sun) was hidden in the veil (of night): "Bring them back to me." then began he to pass his hand over (their) legs and their necks. And We did try Solomon: We placed on his throne a body (without life); but he did turn (to Us in true devotion): He said, "O my Lord! Forgive me, and grant me a kingdom which, (it may be), suits not another after me: for Thou art the Grantor of Bounties (without measure). Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed,- As also the evil ones, (including) every kind of builder and diver,- As also others bound together in fetters. "Such are Our Bounties: whether thou bestow them (on others) or withhold them, no account will be asked." And he enjoyed, indeed, a Near Approach to Us, and a beautiful Place of (Final) Return.) (Surah Sâd, 31-40)

The Prophet Sulayman's (as) Death

They made for him anything he wished: high arches and statues, huge dishes like cisterns, great built-in cooking vats. 'Work, family of Dawud, in thankfulness!' But very few of My servants are thankful. Then when We decreed that he should die, nothing divulged his death to them except the worm which ate his staff; so that when he fell down it was made clear to the jinn that if they had truly had knowledge of the Unseen they need not have stayed there suffering humiliating punishment. (Surah Saba', 13-14)