The Ideal Live of Hazrat Sulaiman (A.)

Introduction

Hazrat Sulaiman (A.) was one of the reputed Prophets of Allah. He was the youngest son of Hazrat Dawood (A.). Probably he was born between 970-975 BC. Hazrat Sulaiman (A.), was one of the four emperors who ruled the whole world. His father Hazrat Dawood (A.) died when he attained his maturity. Afterwards, Allah made his substitute and instantly conferred on him Prophethood and the kingdom of the whole world.

Attaining Miraculous Power

As a Prophet, Hazrat Sulaiman (A.) was endowed with a special dignity. Allah empowered him with the competence to understand the languages of beasts and birds, worms and insects, and genie (spirit) and human beings. Allah, the Almighty, pronounces-

"He (Sulaiman) said: "0 ye people! I have been taught the language of birds and on
me has been bestowed (knowledge) everything. This is indeed great manifest (from Allah)". (Sura Naml: 16)

Sulaiman (A.) ruled over a vast empire. To rule properly, precisely he had to travel from place to place in his kingdom. As a means of very swift communication, Allah gave him power to fly through the air. He made the wind subservient to him. Whenever, he needed to go wherever, he ordered the wind and accordingly the wind instantly took him on his huge throne and with his manpower to his described places. Allah the Almighty states ---

Meaning: "I subjected the wind to Sulaiman. In the morning he would cover one month’s distance and another month’s distance in the evening." (Sura: Saba; Ayat: 12) 

Allah also made Hazrat Sulaiman (A.) rule over a group of Genies. They used to dive into the deep sea to fetch pearls for Hazrat Sulaiman (A.). Besides, they were employed in other works. For instance, they used to build high-rise palaces, cups as big as cistern etc. Allah the Almighty declares -

Meaning: "And (I subjected) the evil spirits (Satans), who were all builders and divers. " (Sura: Sad, Ayat: 37) 

To spy on his vast kingdom, Allah gave him a bird namely "Hudhud". The bird brought him the affairs of Queen Bilkis and her kingdom. All of these are indications of his mystic and magical power.  

His Power of Judgement                       

Hazrat Sulaiman’s (A.) knowledge, wisdom, prudence were very keen. He was endowed with the power to judge precisely. He was very intelligent and wise since his childhood. 

Once it so happened that two mother's claimed the ownership of a single child. So 

they came to Hazrat Dawood (A.) for justice. Hazrat Sulaiman (A.) was there and observed the proceeding. Finally, he (Sulaiman) gave the verdict that since the child was one and the claimers were two, the child should be cut into two pieces and be distributed between the two women. Accordingly, he grasped a dagger and was ready to cut the lying baby into two. Just at that moment one of the women went weeping to him and said --

"For Allah’s sake, please don’t cut the child; I am giving away my claim. Let the baby live and please surrender it to the other woman." Hazrat Sulaiman (A.) understood that she was the real mother of the child. So, he gave it to her and punished the other woman as she resorted to a false claim. 

Another event of Hazrat Sulaiman (A.) in his boyhood is -Once there appeared two men before Hazrat Dawood (A.) for justice. One of them was a shepherd and the other was a farmer. The farmer i.e the owner of a corn field, complained against the shepherd, the owner of a flock of goats that on account of the negligence of the shepherd, the flock of goats got into his cultivated field at night and caused damage to the corps. After testifying the truth, Hazrat Dawood (A.) gave verdict that the owner of the flock of goats had to handover all his goats to the owner of the corn field. While leaving the court with the order, on their way home, the complainant and the accused happened to meet Hazrat Sulaiman (A.). After hearing all these, he said that he would judge differently and that would be helpful to both. When Hazrat Sulaiman (A.) expressed this to his father, his father asked him, ‘What would be better than this?’ Then Hazrat Sulaiman (A.) answered, ‘You should give all goats to the owner of the corn field. Let him be benefited with their milk, wool etc. And let the corn field be handed over to the owner of the goats. He will cultivate and produce crops. When the corn field will appear as it was before the damage, he will return it to its owner.’ Hazrat Dawood (A.) agreed with this verdict and ordered to execute it. Allah the Almighty says-

"And I made Sulaiman realize the solution of this matter and in everybody of them I infused wisdom and knowledge." (Sura: Ambia, Ayat: 79) 

Rebuilding  Baitul Muqaddis                         

Before completing the rebuilding of Baitul Muqaddas, Hazrat Sulaiman’s (A.) father Hazrat Dawood (A.) passed away. Before his death, he prayed to Allah, "Oh Allah! Get it built by my son."Allah the almighty accepted his prayer. When Hazrat Sulaiman (A.) ascended on the throne of Jerusalem, he restarted building Baitul Muqaddas. It is said that the building of the mosque took 7 years for 30 thousand
labourers. Actually, the Genies (Jinns) rebuilt the mosque.

Regin and Death

For long 40 years, Hazrat Sulaiman (A.) shouldered the responsibility of Prophethood and reigned all over the world. He rules from 960 BC to 920 BC. His death is a miraculous event. The assigned Genies (Jinns) to rebuild Baitul Muqaddas were disloyal. They worked only because they feared Hazrat Sulaiman (A). The rebuilding process would not be finished before his death, but the mystery was that if the Genies came to know about his death, they would not continue the work, which might result in the incompletion of Baitul Muqaddas. So, in pursuance of the direction of Allah, Hazrat Sulaiman (A.) was prepared to handle the aroused situation and on the eve of his death he got ready and entered his ‘Mehrab’ (a special kind of room) made of transparent glass. As usual, he stood leaning against his stick for prayer. At the perfect moment, his Soul left his body. Leaning against the stick as he was motionless, it seemed from outside that he was in deep meditation. The Genies continued working day after day, thinking him alive. In this way, a year passed away. Meanwhile, the rebuilding of Baitul Muqaddas was finished. According to the will of Allah, Hazrat Sulaiman’s (A) stick was eaten up by the white-ants, and fell down and then the dead body of Hazrat Suliaman (A.) fell down on the ground as well. Only then all could realize that Hazrat Sulaiman (A) expired. He was 53 when he died.
Allah the Merciful says -

"When I caused him (Sulaiman) to die, the white-antsthat ate up his stick revealed his death to the Genies (Jinns)." (Sura: Saba, Ayat: 14)

He was buried at Kubbatus-sakhar in Jerusalem. In installing humanitarian justice whatever Hazrat Sulaiman (A.) has exemplified to us from the essence of knowledge and intellect is undoubtedly imitable.