Sulayman (Solomon)

Sulayman (peace be upon him) inherited from Dawud — not material wealth, but prophethood and knowledge (Surah An-Naml 27:16). He said: 'O people, we have been taught the language of birds, and we have been given from all things. Indeed, this is evident bounty.' Sulayman recognised that every gift he possessed was from Allah. His power was not self-made — it was bestowed, and with it came the obligation of gratitude.

Allah subjected the wind to Sulayman, travelling the distance of a month in the morning and a month in the evening (Surah Saba 34:12). The jinn worked under his command, building structures and diving for pearls (Surah Saba 34:12-13). He understood the speech of ants — hearing one ant warn its colony to enter their homes lest Sulayman's armies unknowingly crush them (Surah An-Naml 27:18). Sulayman smiled and prayed to be grateful.

When Sulayman learned that the people of Sheba worshipped the sun, he sent a letter to their queen, Bilqis, inviting her to submit to Allah (Surah An-Naml 27:31). Rather than invading, he used diplomacy. When she arrived and saw her throne — miraculously transported to his palace — and the palace with its glass floor that she mistook for water, she declared: 'My Lord, I have wronged myself, and I submit with Sulayman to Allah, Lord of the worlds' (Surah An-Naml 27:44).

Despite having the greatest kingdom any human has ever possessed, Sulayman's defining quality was gratitude. He prayed: 'My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favour which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to do righteousness of which You approve' (Surah An-Naml 27:19). When he died, the jinn did not even know until a creature of the earth ate through his staff and his body fell (Surah Saba 34:14), proving that the jinn had no knowledge of the unseen.