--- title: "Solomon (Sulayman): Wisdom, Power and Gratitude | Islam Is Mercy" description: "The story of Solomon in the Qur'an — the wise prophet-king who understood the speech of birds, listened to an ant, and turned every gift into gratitude." lang: en url: https://islamismercy.com/en/prophets/prophet-solomon/ --- 1. [Home](https://islamismercy.com/en/) 2. [Stories of the Prophets](https://islamismercy.com/en/prophets/) 3. Solomon (Sulayman): Wisdom, Power and Gratitude # Solomon (Sulayman): Wisdom, Power and Gratitude Written by **Islam Is Mercy Editorial Team**· 3 min readAwaiting scholar review ## The short answer Solomon (Sulayman), son of David, is a prophet and king honoured in Islam. The Qur'an describes the remarkable kingdom God gave him — including understanding the speech of birds and command over the wind and the jinn — and how he met every blessing with gratitude. He also invited the Queen of Sheba to faith in the One God. ## On this page 1. Heir to David 2. The baby and the knife 3. The valley of the ants 4. The hoopoe and the Queen of Sheba 5. Clearing Solomon’s name 6. What Solomon teaches Solomon’s name has become a byword for wisdom. Many people know the story of the two mothers and the baby, or the visit of the Queen of Sheba. The [Qur’an](https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/quran/) tells of Solomon (peace be upon him) too — and while it celebrates his wisdom and his extraordinary kingdom, the quality it returns to again and again is something quieter: gratitude. ## Heir to David Solomon inherited the kingdom and prophethood of his father David. The Qur’an describes both of them with the same humble words of thanks: > وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ وَسُلَيْمَٰنَ عِلْمًۭا ۖ وَقَالَا ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى فَضَّلَنَا عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍۢ مِّنْ عِبَادِهِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿١٥﴾ وَوَرِثَ سُلَيْمَٰنُ دَاوُۥدَ ۖ وَقَالَ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ عُلِّمْنَا مَنطِقَ ٱلطَّيْرِ وَأُوتِينَا مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ ٱلْفَضْلُ ٱلْمُبِينُ ﴿١٦﴾ > 15And We had certainly given to David and Solomon knowledge, and they said, "Praise \[is due\] to Allah, who has favored us over many of His believing servants." 16And Solomon inherited David. 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." [Qur'an, An-Naml 27:15-16](https://quran.com/27?startingVerse=15&translations=20)Saheeh International Even as a young man, Solomon showed sharp judgement. The Qur’an tells of a case brought to David and Solomon about sheep that had strayed into a field at night and eaten the crops. God gave Solomon special understanding of the case, while praising both father and son for their judgement and knowledge (Qur’an 21:78-79). ## The baby and the knife The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told another story of Solomon’s wisdom that will sound very familiar to readers of the Bible: > …There were two women with whom there were their two sons. A wolf came and took away the son of one of them. That lady said to her companion, 'The wolf has taken your son.' The other said, 'But it has taken your son.' So both of them sought the judgment of (the Prophet) David who judged that the boy should be given to the older lady. Then both of them went to (the Prophet) Solomon, son of David and informed him of the case. Solomon said, 'Give me a knife so that I may cut the child into two portions and give one half to each of you.' The younger lady said, 'Do not do so; may Allah bless you ! He is her child.' On that, he gave the child to the younger lady.… [Sahih al-Bukhari 6769](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/85#:~:text=the%20son%20of%20one%20of)Grade: Sahih (in Sahih al-Bukhari) The details differ a little from the account in 1 Kings 3, but the heart is the same: Solomon revealed the true mother through her mercy. In the Bible, the young king asks God for “an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad” (1 Kings 3:9, KJV) — a prayer that Muslims, too, would see answered in his life. ## The valley of the ants God gave Solomon a kingdom unlike any other. He was taught the speech of birds, and the wind, the jinn and the birds were made to serve him (Qur’an 27:16-17; 38:36-38). One of the most delightful scenes in the Qur’an shows this mighty king marching with his armies — and stopping for an ant: > حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَتَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ وَادِ ٱلنَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌۭ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّمْلُ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ مَسَٰكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَٰنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ ﴿١٨﴾ فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًۭا مِّن قَوْلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِىٓ أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَىَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَٰلِحًۭا تَرْضَىٰهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِى بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِى عِبَادِكَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ﴿١٩﴾ > 18Until, when they came upon the valley of the ants, an ant said, "O ants, enter your dwellings that you not be crushed by Solomon and his soldiers while they perceive not." 19So \[Solomon\] smiled, amused at her speech, and said, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into \[the ranks of\] Your righteous servants." [Qur'an, An-Naml 27:18-19](https://quran.com/27?startingVerse=18&translations=20)Saheeh International A king with vast armies smiles at the words of a tiny ant, and his response is not pride but a prayer: that God help him to be grateful and to do good. Muslims often memorise this prayer and say it themselves. The story also teaches care for the smallest creatures — the ant trusted that Solomon’s army would not crush them knowingly. ## The hoopoe and the Queen of Sheba One day Solomon noticed that the hoopoe bird was missing. It returned with news of a kingdom in Sheba, ruled by a queen, whose people worshipped the sun instead of God (Qur’an 27:20-24). Solomon sent her a letter that opened with the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, inviting her people to come to him in submission to God (Qur’an 27:30-31). When the queen’s throne was brought to Solomon in the blink of an eye, his reaction again was gratitude: > قَالَ ٱلَّذِى عِندَهُۥ عِلْمٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ أَنَا۠ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِۦ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ ۚ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهُ مُسْتَقِرًّا عِندَهُۥ قَالَ هَٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّى لِيَبْلُوَنِىٓ ءَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّى غَنِىٌّۭ كَرِيمٌۭ ﴿٤٠﴾ > Said one who had knowledge from the Scripture, "I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you." And when \[Solomon\] saw it placed before him, he said, "This is from the favor of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is grateful - his gratitude is only for \[the benefit of\] himself. And whoever is ungrateful - then indeed, my Lord is Free of need and Generous." [Qur'an, An-Naml 27:40](https://quran.com/27?startingVerse=40&translations=20)Saheeh International The queen eventually visited Solomon, and the story ends not with a conquest but with a conversion of the heart. She declared that she had wronged herself, and that she submitted with Solomon to God, Lord of the worlds (Qur’an 27:44). ## Clearing Solomon’s name Some ancient accounts link Solomon with magic, and the Bible describes him turning to other gods late in life (1 Kings 11). The Qur’an presents him differently. It firmly states that it was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils who taught people magic (Qur’an 2:102). For Muslims, Solomon was a righteous prophet to the end of his life. The Qur’an even tells how, when Solomon died, the jinn who served him did not realise it until a creature of the earth had eaten away his staff and he fell — commentators explain that he had been leaning on it — showing that the jinn did not know the unseen (Qur’an 34:14). ## What Solomon teaches Solomon had more than almost anyone could dream of: wealth, armies, wisdom and power over nature. Yet the Qur’an presents him as a model of gratitude, praising him as an excellent servant who constantly turned back to God (Qur’an 38:30). His story teaches that blessings are tests, that true greatness bows before God, and that even a king should listen to an ant. To read about his father, see [David (Dawud)](https://islamismercy.com/en/prophets/prophet-david/), or explore [The Prophets in Islam](https://islamismercy.com/en/prophets/prophets-in-islam/). ![Solomon (Sulayman): Wisdom, Power and Gratitude](https://islamismercy.com/_astro/prophet-solomon-info.BCM_eQDX_ZjHhD0.jpg) ## Key takeaways - Muslims honour Solomon as a prophet and king, the son and heir of David. - God gave him a unique kingdom, including understanding the speech of birds. - Solomon's response to every blessing was to thank God and ask to do good. - The Qur'an clears Solomon of the accusation of practising magic. ## Share this article [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=Solomon%20(Sulayman)%3A%20Wisdom%2C%20Power%20and%20Gratitude%20https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fprophets%2Fprophet-solomon%2F)[Telegram](https://t.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fprophets%2Fprophet-solomon%2F&text=Solomon%20(Sulayman)%3A%20Wisdom%2C%20Power%20and%20Gratitude)[X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Solomon%20(Sulayman)%3A%20Wisdom%2C%20Power%20and%20Gratitude&url=https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fprophets%2Fprophet-solomon%2F)[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fprophets%2Fprophet-solomon%2F) ## Sources - [Qur'an, An-Naml 27:15-16](https://quran.com/27?startingVerse=15&translations=20) - [Qur'an, An-Naml 27:18-19](https://quran.com/27?startingVerse=18&translations=20) - [Qur'an, An-Naml 27:40](https://quran.com/27?startingVerse=40&translations=20) - [Sahih al-Bukhari 6769](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/85#:~:text=the%20son%20of%20one%20of) ## Talk to a Muslim Have a question that isn't answered here? Ask a real person — no pressure, no judgement. [Ask your question](https://islamismercy.com/en/talk/) [The Journey](https://islamismercy.com/en/journey/)·Chapter 11 of 26·Kings and prophets [Previous chapter**David (Dawud): The Prophet-King Who Sang God's Praise**](https://islamismercy.com/en/prophets/prophet-david/)[Next chapter**Sheba and the Great Dam: A Queen's Faith and a Land's Ingratitude**](https://islamismercy.com/en/history/sheba-and-the-great-dam/) ## Keep reading [Stories of the Prophets ### David (Dawud): The Prophet-King Who Sang God's Praise The story of David in the Qur'an — the young man who defeated Goliath, the king given the Psalms, the just judge who worked with his own hands. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/prophets/prophet-david/)[Stories of the Prophets ### Who Are the Prophets in Islam? Muslims believe in Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad ﷺ and many other prophets — all sent by the One God with the same core message. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/prophets/prophets-in-islam/)[Compare Faiths ### Islam and Judaism: Common Ground Islam and Judaism share strict belief in one God, descent from Abraham, deep love for Moses, and a daily life shaped by God's law — from prayer to food. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/compare/islam-and-judaism/)[Islam's View On… ### Why Does Islam Put So Much Emphasis on Gratitude? Gratitude (shukr) is at the heart of Islamic faith. Learn what the Qur'an says about thankfulness to God and to people, and how gratitude increases blessings. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/views/gratitude-in-islam/)