The speech of birds
Heir of David, he is given knowledge of the speech of birds.
وَوَرِثَ سُلَيْمَـٰنُ دَاوُۥدَ وَقَالَ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ عُلِّمْنَا مَنطِقَ ٱلطَّيْرِ …Solomon
سليمان
Solomon
Son of David, given a kingdom like no other: the wind at his command, the speech of birds, the jinn in his service. His exchange with the Queen of Sheba and the ant of the valley appear in the surah of the Ants.
His story, step by step
Each step links to the passage of the Quran that recalls it.
The wind, and the jinn
The wind is subjected to him — a month's journey in the morning, a month's in the evening — and jinn work under his command.
وَلِسُلَيْمَـٰنَ ٱلرِّيحَ غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ …
The ant
Crossing the valley of the ants, he hears one of them warn the others. He smiles, and thanks Allah.
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَتَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ وَادِ ٱلنَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّمْلُ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ مَسَـٰكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَـٰنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ ١٨
The hoopoe, and Sheba
The hoopoe returns from a distant kingdom: “I found a woman ruling over them; she has been given of everything, and she has a mighty throne.”
إِنِّى وَجَدتُّ ٱمْرَأَةً تَمْلِكُهُمْ وَأُوتِيَتْ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَلَهَا عَرْشٌ عَظِيمٌ ٢٣
The throne
Before the queen arrives, her throne is brought in the blink of an eye. She comes to submit to Allah, with Solomon.
قَالَ ٱلَّذِى عِندَهُۥ عِلْمٌ مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أَنَا۠ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِۦ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ …
His death
He dies leaning on his staff. The jinn keep working, and only realize it when a creature of the earth gnaws through the staff.
فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ ٱلْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَوْتِهِۦٓ إِلَّا دَآبَّةُ ٱلْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُۥ …
His account in the Quran
by Mishary Al Afasi