May 29: Prophets Sulaiman, Zackariya, & Yahya

Prophet Solomon
- Aya: “And Solomon was David’s heir, and said: ‘O people! We have been taught the speech of the birds, and we have been given from everything: indeed this is a manifest bounty’”(27:16)
- Solomon inherited David in Prophethood and kingdom. He didn’t inherit the wealth because the wealth of Prophets is not inherited.
- Solomon understood the language of all kinds of birds and ants and spoke to them in their language.

Solomon’s wisdom:
- Aya: “And remember David and Solomon, when they gave judgment concerning the tillage, when the sheep of the people had strayed there, and We did witness their judgment. And We inspired Solomon the right understanding of it, and We gave each of them wisdom and knowledge” (21:78-79)
- The story of the two neighbors, one had a flock of sheep and the other had a farm. One day the man who owned the sheep forgot to close the gate and the sheep went to the farm during the night and ate all the crops. The two men came to Prophet David for his judgment (this was obviously before Prophet David died). He ruled that the owner of the sheep should compensate the owner of the farm with an equal value to the lost crops. When Prophet Solomon heard this he interjected with his opinion. He said: “Were it I to be the judge, I would have decided to surrender the sheep to the owner of the farm, so they could benefit from the sheep until the owner of the sheep fixes the farm and returns it to its previous state”
- When Prophet David heard this, he canceled his previous ruling and ordered the new one.
- Another incident…
- This story is narrated in Bukhari and Muslim. Two women shepherds were tending to their flocks while they left their two newborn sons behind. When they came back they found that the wolf had attacked and eaten one of the boys. Both of them claimed that the boy who was still alive was hers. They went to Prophet David and he ruled that the boy belonged to the eldest of them. When they passed by Solomon, he said: ‘Bring me a knife and I will cut this boy into two pieces, a half for each of you.’ The younger woman said: ‘No, may Allah bestow His Mercy on you, this is her son.’ So Solomon changed the verdict in the favor of the younger woman.
- Allah gave both David and Solomon knowledge and wisdom.

Solomon is tested:
- Aya: “And we granted to David, Solomon, how excellent a slave, indeed he was penitent. When in the evening he was presented with horses of the highest breeding; and he said: ‘It seems I have preferred the enjoyment of the good things more than the remembrance of my Lord, until it (the sun) set behind the veil. Bring them back to me.’ And he began to stroke them on their necks and legs.”
- Solomon was presented one evening with horses of fine breeding, and he became distracted in admiring them that the time for asr prayer passed and the sun set.
- He asked for the horses to be brought back to him and he stroked over their legs and necks… this either means that he passed hand over the horses to honor them for jihad. Other scholars say that this means that Solomon slaughtered all the horses.
- Another test happened to Prophet Solomon…
- Aya: “Certainly We tried Solomon, and We cast upon his throne a mere body, and he repented”
- Hadith: “Once Solomon said: ‘I would sleep tonight with seventy women, who will all bear a child who will fight in the way of Allah.’ His companion said: ‘InshaAllah’. But he did not say so. So only one woman got pregnant and she gave birth to a child who only had half a body (deformed).” The Prophet (pbuh) said: “If he had said that (InshaAllah), all would have been born and fought in the way of Allah” (Bukhari)
- Prophet Solomon was tested here, he forgot to say “InshaAllah”. This is a reminder for us all to always say “inshaAllah”.
- Aya: “ He said: ‘My Lord! Forgive me and grant me a kingdom that will not be given to anyone after me, surely. You are the Giver.’ So We subjected the wind to his power which blew gently by his order wherever he desired. And the satans, every kind of builder and diver, and others fettered in chains. ‘These are Our Bounties, whether you bestow them or withhold them, no account will be asked.’ And he enjoyed nearness with Us, and a fair return.” (38: 35-40)
- Solomon asked for a kingdom to be his miracle. A kingdom that is different than any other. No other person was ever given a kingdom like the kingdom of Solomon.
- Allah subjected to him the wind, it blew gently to his order wherever he willed.
- He controlled wind for a distance of a month.
- Allah made the devils servants to Prophet Solomon. Some would dive in the oceans and some would build for him.
- Allah also taught him the language of birds and ants.
- Allah also made a fountain of brass to flow for him.
- The jinn also were his servants, they would build for him rooms, images, basins, cooking, etc.
- Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had the choice of being a kind Prophet or a slave prophet and he preferred to be a slave prophet.
- Aya: “And to Solomon We subjected the wing, its going was month’s journey, and its return was a month’s journey. And we made a fountain of molten brass to flow for him, and of the jinn there were those who roked for him by the Command of his Lord, and if any of them swerved away from Our Command, We made them taste the chastisement of the Blazing Fire. They made for him whatever he desired: arches, images, basis as large as wells, and fixed cauldrons: ‘Work thanks, O family of David, only few of My slaves are grateful”
- Notice that Allah says here “work thanks”, because thanking Allah is not just through our tongues but also through our actions.
- Hadith: “The Prophet once started the prayer. Then we heard him saying: ‘I seek refuge in Allah from you I curse you with the curse of Allah.’ He said that three times. And then spread out his hand as though he was trying to hold something. When he finished his prayer, we said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! We heard you saying something in your prayer which we had never heard you saying before, and we also saw you stretching out your hands.’ The Prophet replied: ‘The enemy of Allah, Iblis, came to me with a blazing fire, so that he may throw is in my face. So I said: I seek refuge in Allah from you three times, then I said: I curse you with the curse of Allah three times, but he did not go back. Then I wanted to capture him, but had it nor been for the prayer of our brother Solomon, he would have been fastened (to one of the pillars in the masjid), and the children of Al-Madinah would have played with him”
- The Prophet (pbuh) didn’t want to share one of the special miracles that Prophet Solomon had because he wanted his brother Solomon to be unique.

The valley of ants:
- Aya: “And for Solomon were assembled his hosts of jinn, men and birds, and they were ranged in order and rank. When they came to the valleys of the ants, an ant said: ‘O you ants! Enter your dwelling places, lest Solomon and his hosts trample you without noticing.’ So he smiled, amused at her speech, and said: ‘My Lord! Inspire me that I may be grateful for Your favors which You bestowed on me and my parents, and that I may do righteous deeds as may please You, and admit me by Your Mercy, among Your righteous slaves” (27:17-19)
- Solomon heard the ant and understood what she said to the other ants. He smiled at hearing what others couldn’t hear.
- When Allah blessed you with a special skill, use it to obey Him and be thankful for it.

Hoopoe and Belqis:
- Allah mentions the story of hoopoe, when it was found absent from the army.
- All sorts of birds in Solomon’s army had their commanders and leaders who would come to him to report to him regularly about everyday matters.
- The duty of hoopoe was to find out the source of water.
- Hoopoe has the ability to discover the water from beneath the earth and take the water out.
- When Solomon ordered it to come to his presence, it was found absent.
- Solomon said: “How is it I do not see the hoopoe bird? Or is he not here? I will punish him severely, or even slaughter him, unless he brings me an acceptable excuse”
- Solomon threatened to discipline it for its absence without any notice, unless it has an excuse.
- The hoopoe soon came back and said: “I have come to know something that you do not know, and I have come from Sheba with sure news for you. There I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given abundance of everything, and she has a magnificent throne”
- The kingdom of Sheba ruled the lands of Yemen.
- The Queen has an abundance of everything that kings and queens typically possess.
- Her throne was adorned by all kinds of precious stones and pearls, and was made of gold.
- The hoopoe then mentioned that those people, though granted such vast bounties of Allah’s Mercy, did not worship Him. They worshipped the sun.
- After what Solomon heard from the hoopoe, he sent a letter to the queen of Sheba inviting her to the way of Allah and His worship, and to merge her kingdom in his kingdom.
- Aya: “Solomon said: ‘We will see whether you have told the truth, or whether you have lied. Go with this letter of mine and deliver it to them, then stand aside and see what answer they return’” (27:27-28)
- When the ltter was delivered to Queen Belqis by the hoopoe, she read it, and then summoned all her ministers and advisors for consultation regarding the contents of that letter.
- She said: “There has been thrown onto me (she didn’t even know who delivered it) an honorable letter (she called it honorable because it was from Solomon the most honorable of his time), it is from Solomon, and it is ‘In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Do not be arrogant, and come to me in submission (to the true religion)’”
- She sought their advice on the matter and said: “O chiefs! Counsel me on this matter, no affair have I decided before but after I had consulted you”
- They said: “If you require an army to fight against him, here we are in your service with all the might of his kingdom. Nontheless, we leave the matter on your discretion and will, and we will obey whatever you may command us to do”
- She said: “Surely, when kings enter a town, they ruin it, and make the noblest of its people abased, and thus do they behave”
- She told them in her opinion that is Solomon conquered their kingdom, they would be humiliated.
- She then said: “I am sending them a gift to see what my emissary brings back”
- She wanted to bribe Solomon and sway their attention away from her and her kingdom by sending a gift and establishing a friendship.
- She didn’t know that Solomon was a Prophet and he would never compromise.
- Aya: “So when her emissary came to Solomon, he said: ‘Are you sending us wealth? What Allah has bestowed on me is better than what he has bestowed on you. It is you who rejoice in your gifts”
- He commanded the emissary to go back and threatened to send a huge army that they would not be able to handle.
- When the emissary came to the queen with this threat, they did not find any option but to surrender themselves to Solomon.
- They went with their queen to meet Solomon.
- When Solomon came to hear the news of their coming, he addressed the jinn in his presence, saying:
- Aya: “’O congregation! Which one of you will bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?’ A cunning jinn said: ‘I will bring it to you before you rise from your council, indeed I have full strength and I am trustworthy.’ One who possessed the knowledge of the scripture said: ‘I will bring it to you in the wink of an eye.’ So when he saw it placed before him, he said: ‘This is from my Lord’s Bounty, to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is ungrateful. Indeed my Lord is All-Sufficient, the Generous’. He said: ‘Disguide her throne for her, and we will see whether she recognizes it or if she is unable to’” (27: 38-41)
- Aya: “So when she came, it was said: ‘Is your throne like this?’ She said: ‘It just seems the same.’ ‘And we were given the knowledge in advance of it, and had submitted to Allah.’ And that which she worshipped other than Allah, had diverted her (from the Right Path), surely, she was from pagan people. It was said to her: ‘Enter the palace.’ And when she saw it, she through it was a pool of water, and uncovered her legs. He said: ‘It is a palace paved with crystal glass.’ She said: ‘My Lord! I have wronged myself, and I now submit myself together with Solomon, to the Will of Allah, the Lord of the worlds’” (27: 42-44)
- Then Solomon ordered the ornaments of that throne to be changed, so that it is disguised for her test whether she could recognize it or not.
- She didn’t think it was her throne because it was changed, and because she didn’t think it would be possible that her throne would be there, as she left it behind in her palace.
- Solomon had a grand palace built of crystal glass, and throughout the passages inside the palace, there were water streams covered with crystal glass.
- In those water streams there were kept fish and other water creatures, looking like an aquarium throughout the palace.

Building Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa:
- It was first built by Prophet Jacob.
- The first masjid to be build was the Kaabah (by Prophet Ibrahim), and the second was Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa.
- Prophet Solomon expanded the masjid. We don’t believe that he built it as the Jews do.
- After Solomon finished the building he made dua and asked for 3 things.
- Hadith: “When Solomon completed the building of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, he asked Allah for 3 favors, of which he was given only two, and we hope that the 3rd favor will be for us. Solomon asked for judgment that could correspond to the judgment of Allah (so that whatever he ruled would please Allah), and Allah accepted his prayer. He also asked for a kingdom which nobody could be given after him, and this prayer was also accepted. He also asked Allah that any one who leaves his home only for the purpose of prayer in his mosque, all his sins may be forgiven to become like the day he was born. We hope that Allah may grant it to us” (Ahmad)

The Death of Solomon:
- Aya: “Then when We decreed his death, nothing indicated to them that he was dead, except the worm of the earth which kept gnawing away at his staff, so when he fell down, the jinn realized that if they had known the unseen, they would not have abided in the humiliating chastisement” (34:14)
- After Solomon died, the wood worm kept eating his staff for one year till he fell down.
- Solomon ruled as a king for 20 years, after his death his son succeeded him as king and ruled for 17 years, then the kingdom of Israel disintegrated.



Prophets Zackariya and Yahya:
- Prophet Zackariya was a carpenter.
- He reached old age without having any children. His wife was barren.
- Aya: “This is a mention of the mercy of your Lord to his slave Zackariya, when he called upon his Lord secretly. Saying: ‘My Lord! My bones within me are feeble, and my head has gone grey, and in calling on you my Lord, I have never been unblessed. And now I fear for my near kin after I am done, and my wife is barren, so grant to me an heir from You; who shall be my inheritor (in Prophethood), and the inheritor of the House of Jacob, and make him, my Lord, one with whom you are well pleased’” (19: 1-6)
- He also made the dua:
- Aya: “My Lord! Leave me not without offspring, though You are the best inheritors.” –rabbi la tatharni fardan wa anta khayrul waritheen.
- Notice how Prophet Zackariya made dua to Allah secretly.
- Prophet Zackariya also mentioned how he never invoked Allah for any thing but He accepted his prayer.
- The reason he came to pray for a son was that whenever he entered the chamber of Mary, of whom he was a guardian, he always found fruits of various kinds without any season for them. It then occursed to him that Allah, the Provider, Who can provide fruits without seasons, can grant him a child in his old age and even though his wife is barren.
- Aya: “And she (Mary) was assigned to the care of Zackariyya, and whenever Zackariyya entered her chamber, he found her provided with sustenance. He said: ‘O Mary! Where did you get this from?’ She said: ‘It is from Allah, surely, Allah bestows upon whom He pleases without measure.’ Then Zackariya prayed to his Lord, saying: ‘My Lord! Grant to me from You righteous progeny, surely, You are All-hearing of prayers.” (3: 37-38)
- Allah accepted his prayer.
- Aya: “Then angels called to him while he was standing in prayer in the chamber: ‘Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya, confirming the truth of a Word from Allah, and noble, chaste and righteous Prophet” (3:29)
- Aya: “O Zackariya! We give you glad tidings of a boy whose name is Yahya, no namesake have We given him before (no one else had this name before).’”
- Zackariya was very surprised at the good news, he was 77 years old at that time.
- Aya: “O my Lord! How shall I have a son, seeing that my wife is barren, and I have reached to the extreme old age” (19:8)
- The angel told him…
- Aya: “So shall it be. Your Lord says: ‘That is easy for me, and I have created you before when you were nothing’” (19:9)
- Allah healed his wife for him and granted him a righteous son.
- Zackariya asked Allah for further sin that he may really assure himself, so he prayed to Allah to make some sort of a sign to know that his wife has become pregnant.
- Allah said to him: “Your sign will be that you will not be able to speak for 3 days, except by signals and sign language. However, it will not affect your health or limbs. You will be perfectly healthy in all aspects”.
- Aya: “O Yahya! Take hold of the Book with firmness.’ And we granted him wisdom while he was yet a child”
- Now Allah addresses Yahya (John) and tells us that he granted him knowledge and wisdom in his childhood.
- He was also granted tenderness, especially with his parents.
- Aya: “So peace upon him the day he was born, and on the day he dies, and the day he shall be raised to life” (19:15)
- These are the three major stages of life, when one moves from one kind of world to another, totally different than the previous one.
- We are not sure how Prophet Zackariya died, though there is an opinion that Bani Israel sawed him in half.
- Hadith: “Allah commanded Yahya to fulfill five duties, and to command Bani Israel to carry them out as well. But Yahya held up for a while, so he was told by Jesus (his cousin): ‘You have been commanded to act according to 5 teachings, and to command them to Bani Israel. So would you tell them yourself or shall I convey it to them?’ yahya said: ‘My brother! I fear that if you do it, I may be punished or swallowed by the earth’. Then yahya gathered Bani Israel in the Masjid til the Masjid became full. Then he sat on the elevated place, praised Allah and glorified Him, and said: ‘Allah the Almighty has commanded me 5 things that I do them personally and that I shall command you to carry them out.

First: You should not worship other than Allah without associating with Him any partner. Because its similitude is like the one who bought a slave with the best of his wealth, silver or gold, but the slave started working for others. Tell me who will like his slave to act in this manner and serve other than him. Allah has created you and gave you provision, so worship Him alone, and do not associate any partner with Him.

Second: I command you to pray. Allah turns His Face towards His slave as long as the slave does not distract himself. So once you are in prayer, do not let yourselves become distracted towards other things.

Third: I command you of fasting, because its similitude is like a man who has got a bad of musk among a multitude of people, of whom every one enjoys its fragrance. And the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is purer to Allah than the fragrance of musk.

Fourth: I command you to give out in charity. Because its parable is like the one who was captured by an enemy, and they tied his hand up with his neck, and then wanted to behead him. The man at this point asked his enemy: ‘Is it possible that I pay ransom and free myself?’ After they agreed, he starts paying his ransom with everything, small or big, till he has freed himself.

Fifth: I also command you to remember Allah frequently. The similitude of this is of a man whom his enemy chased him, but he found a fortified castle and entered it. The man is more protected from his enemy (Satan) when he is in Allah’s remembrance’” (Ahmad)

The murder of Yahya:
- Different reasons are given regarding his murder.
- Most popular reason: one of the kinds of that time in Damascus wanted to marry one of his close relative (and it was forbidden in their shariah to do so). Yahya forbade him from marrying her. The woman hid her resentment against Yahya. At some occasion, when the kind desired for her to fulfill his lust, the woman asked him the head of Yahya. The kind at once agreed to her demand, and sent soldiers to kill him and bring his head in a bowl.
- The woman died at once when the head of Yahya was delivered to her.
- There is a difference of opinion regarding where he was killed, some say he was killed in Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa and some say that he was killed in Damascus.