Surah Sad (Sad) 38 : 36

Overview (Verses 30 - 40)

A Test for Solomon

The sūrah picks up the thread of the story to show us the favour God granted David as He gave him Solomon for a son. It also speaks of the great favours He bestowed on Solomon, the test he was subjected to, the care God took of him and the blessings showered on him when the test was over: To David We gave Solomon: how excellent a servant of Ours; he would always turn to Us. When, one evening, nobly-bred, swift- footed steeds were brought before him, he kept saying: My love of good things is part of my remembering my Lord!’ until they disappeared from sight. ‘Bring them back to me!’ He then stroked their legs and their necks. We had tried Solomon, and placed a body on his throne. He then turned to Us, and prayed: My Lord! Forgive me my sins, and bestow upon me such power as shall belong to no one after me. You are indeed the bountiful giver’ We made the wind subservient to him, so that it gently sped at his command wherever he wished, and the jinn, including every kind of builder and diver, and others bound together in fetters. This is Our gift; so give or withhold as you please, without account. In the life to come he is to he close to Us and will be well received. (Verses 30-40) The references in the story to nobly-bred steeds and the body placed on his throne have been interpreted in a variety of ways. However, I do not feel comfortable with any such interpretation considering them either unfounded reports from Israelite sources or else lacking any supporting evidence. I cannot visualize the two incidents in any satisfactory way so as to explain them to my reader. Nor can I find any authentic report to rely upon in interpreting them. The only authentic ĥadīth I have found may or may not relate to either event. This ĥadīth, related by al-Bukhari on Abi Hurayrah’s authority, says: “Solomon said: ‘I will consort tonight with 70 women, so that each one of them will give birth to a warrior who fights for God’s cause,’ but he did not add, ‘God willing.’ He consorted with them, but only one of them became pregnant, and then she gave birth to half a person. By Him who holds my soul in His hand, had he said, ‘God willing,’ they would have been warriors fighting for God’s cause.” It is possible that this was the test which Solomon had to go through and to which these verses refer. It is also possible that the body placed on his throne was this half person. This, however, is only a possibility. As for the story about the horses, it is said that Solomon reviewed some of his horses towards the end of the day. This caused him to miss an evening prayer which he used to offer before sunset. Upset, he asked for the horses to be brought back. When they were, he hit their necks and legs as punishment for diverting his attention from worship. In a different report, it is suggested that he rubbed their necks and legs because they were kept for fighting for God’s cause. Neither version, however, has much to support it, and it is thus impossible to ascertain the truth of either one.

Thus anyone who is careful about what he says cannot give any details of these two incidents with any degree of certainty. All he can say is that Solomon underwent some test concerning the way he conducted his kingdom’s affairs, just as God tests prophets to guide them and keep them from error. We also learn that Solomon turned to his Lord in submission and sought His forgiveness.

He then prayed with hope and dedication: “My Lord! Forgive me my sins, and bestow upon me such power as shall belong to no one after me. You are indeed the bountiful giver.” (Verse 35) The proper interpretation of Solomon’s request is that he did not ask for something to show that he was the most favoured person, but that he asked instead for a special thing, to distinguish him from any future king and master. It was to be of a special nature, not repeated for others. It should also be something not normally possessed by kings.

God answered his prayer: “We made the wind subservient to him, so that it gently sped at his command wherever he wished, and the jinn, including every kind of builder and diver, and others bound together in fetters.” (Verses 36-38) That God made the wind subservient to one of His servants, is nothing extraordinary because the wind is undoubtedly subservient to His will: it runs by His command in accordance with His laws. If at any time God facilitates one of His servants to express His will, in this case allowing the wind to run with ease wherever Solomon wished, it is nothing strange for God Almighty. Similar things occur in a variety of ways. God also said to the Prophet Muĥammad in the Qur’ān: “If the hypocrites, those who are sick at heart and those who spread lies in the city do not desist, We will rouse you against them, and then they will not be your neighbours in this city except for a little while.” (33: 60) What does this mean? It means that unless they change their ways, Our will is going to give you power over them so as to drive them out of Madinah. This will take the form of making you desirous to fight and drive them out. Thus, our will concerning them will be made to take effect through you. This is one way of making God’s will and the Prophet’s will identical, but it is through God’s will that it is done. We, however, see it through what the Prophet wishes and does. In this way we can also understand how the wind was made subservient to Solomon as this was identical with God’s command.

God also made the jinn subservient to him. They built whatever he wished them to build, and they also dived into the earth and the sea to bring him whatever he wished. He further gave him the authority to punish anyone who disobeyed him or who caused corruption and to chain them by their hands and feet, or every two or more together, as he deemed fit or needed.

Solomon was then told that he had full authority over whatever favours God granted him. He could give to anyone or withhold from anyone as he wished: “This is Our gift; so give or withhold as you please, without account.” (Verse 39) This was a further honour granted him by God. Added to all of this, Solomon is told that he has been given closeness to God in this present life and that he will be granted a warm welcome in the life to come: “In the life to come he is to be close to Us and will be well received.” (Verse 40) Thus did God grant Solomon a very high standard of care, blessing and favour.