SIGNS FROM THE PROPHET SULAYMAN’S LIFE
THE
PROPHET SULAYMAN WAS GIVEN AN UNPRECEDENTED SKILL
Sulayman said, ‘My Lord, forgive me and give me a kingdom
the like of which will never be granted to anyone after me.Truly
You are the Ever-Giving.’
(Surah Sad: 35)
Allah responded to the Prophet Sulayman’s prayers
by giving him great blessings and knowledge. Allah bestowed
upon him a magnificent dominion and powerful authority. In
the verses of the Qur’an telling of the Prophet Sulayman’s
life many details are offered about his wealth, authority
and the way in which he used his knowledge.
THE
PROPHET SULAYMAN WAS TAUGHT HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH BIRDS
Allah taught the Prophet Sulayman the language of birds,
and he used this knowledge to form a division of his army
where only this bird language was spoken. The Prophet Sulayman
communicated with birds and ruled them they way he saw fit.
This situation occurred as a result of Allah’s compassion.
Sulayman was Dawud’s heir. He said, ‘Mankind!
we have been taught the speech of birds and we have been given
everything. This is indeed clear favour.’
(Surat an-Naml: 16)
We can derive important conclusions from this
account.
- Birds have a special way of communicating with
each other on a frequency beyond the range of human hearing.
The Prophet Sulayman was given a special skill which allowed
him to understand this language. This might have happened
through a technological innovation.
- Using this skill (understanding communication
in different frequencies), the Prophet Sulayman gave orders
to the birds, so they might have fulfilled his orders. (Allah
knows what is best.)
- The Prophet Sulayman used birds sometimes
to send news and sometimes to collect intelligence, and this
method was very successful. His knowledge made it easier for
him to communicate with other countries and effectively brought
distant lands within his reach.
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Birds
lack vocal cords. In order to produce sounds, birds
send vibrations into their voice box (syrinx). The more
muscles are connected to this box, the wider variety
of sounds the bird can produce. For example, nightingales
have a great many muscles connected to their voice box,
and so can produce a multitude of different sounds.
Communication is very important for birds, especially
in environments where visibility is limited such as
forests, fields and swamps. Birds communicate with each
other by making sounds that resemble singing, screaming,
tapping or drum-like noises. Each bird species has its
own distinctive songs, and some species have more than
a dozen. Others can imitate the songs of other species
or even those of people. |
- The below verse might be drawing our attention
to technological advances that will be used in the endtimes.
Perhaps it is actually speaking not of birds, but rather of
unmanned aircraft in use today.
...And He creates other things
you do not know.
(Surat an-Nahl: 8)
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- The Prophet Sulayman also placed transmitters
on the birds to receive intelligence about his enemies. This
way he obtained both audio and visual records, which he used
in many different ways in ruling his nation.
- The Prophet Sulayman also had great control
over jinns and devils. In the verse 12 of the Surah Saba ,
Allah said, “And some of the jinn
worked in front of him by his Lord’s permission. ...”
Verse 82 of the Surat al-Anbiya also says, “And
some of the shaytans dived for him and did other things apart
from that. And We were watching over them.” If
we think about this aspect, the birds might symbolize an army
of jinns.
| THE
LANGUAGE WHICH BIRDS USE TO COMMUNICATE Birds
have their own language, and they use their voices in
a very specialized manner. Birds communicate by using
frequencies such as the UV-A wavelength. We cannot perceive
these sounds as their frequencies are beyond the range
of our hearing. Birds are able to recognize their offspring,
parents and mates through the distinctive voices of
each. They use this language to tell other birds to
flock together and warn each other about various threats.
They are able to very quickly change their communication
frequencies to convey information.
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- Another possibility is that the birds mentioned
in this verse are led by jinns. The Prophet Sulayman might
have commanded birds and made them perform all sorts of tasks
through using jinns.
- Allah made the Qur’an, the holy book
of mankind until Doomsday. Thus, incidents similar to those
related in the Prophet Sulayman’s account might occur
in the endtimes. These verses might signal to us that during
the endtimes, Allah might place sheytans and jinns at humanity’s
beck and call. This story might also be meant to tell us that
humanity will use and benefit greatly from advanced technology
in the endtimes. (Allah knows what is best.)
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Ultrasonic
and transonic sounds are beyond the range of the human
ear. Many birds, insects, rodents, rats, dogs, cats
and raccoons can hear these very high frequencies and
thus communicate with each other. However, people are
unable to hear these sounds and so cannot understand
the communication taking place among other creatures.
But these verses tell us that Allah gave the Prophet
Sulayman the knowledge and technology to interpret these
sounds. |
THE
PROPHET SULAYMAN COMMUNICATES WITH A FEMALE ANT
They finally arrived in an ant valley. A female ant said:
“Ants! enter your dwellings so that Sulayman and his
troops do not crush you unwittingly.” (Surah an-Naml:
18)
This verse can be interpreted in the following
ways:
- The female ant understood that those coming
into the valley were the Prophet Sulayman’s army. Such
a recognition is highly aware. The ants in this valley talk
to each other and are fully conscious of what is happening
around them. Therefore these ants might be a completely different
society. This conscious act makes us think that they could
actually be jinns. (Allah knows what is best.)
- Moreover, here we are talking not about
just any ant. These are the ants that live in the Ant Valley.
This makes it more likely that they are in fact jinns.
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Everything in the heavens
and every creature on the earth prostrates to Allah,
as do the angels. They are not puffed up with pride.
They fear their Lord above them and do everything they
are ordered to do. (Surat an-Nahl:
49-50)
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(Sulayman) smiled, laughing at its words, and said, “My
Lord, keep me thankful for the blessing You have bestowed
on me and on my parents, and keep me acting rightly, pleasing
You, and admit me, by Your mercy, among Your slaves who are
salihun.” (Surat an-Naml: 19)
- The Prophet Sulayman was able to hear
the speech of ants, and this point to the existence of advanced
computer technology.
- Today, California’s Silicon Valley
is known as the capital of the technological world. It is
very curious that the account of the Prophet Sulayman speaks
of the Ant Valley. Allah might be pointing to an advanced
technology that will appear in the endtimes.
- Moreover, ants and other insects are
used extensively in high technology. Robot projects developed
through close study of these creatures have served to advance
a number of fields, including technology and the defense industry.
The verse might be pointing to this fact as well.
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In
1950, California’s Silicon Valley was founded
by Stanford University on a 4,000-square-kilometer area,
spurred by the desire of a group of American scholars
to pool their knowledge and experience and move into
international markets. Some 8,000 companies specializing
in communication technology, information and high-tech
fields gathered in this area. Currently, about 300,000
scientists who are experts in their fields, engineers
and researchers are employed in Silicon Valley as part
of a mission to develop high-tech products. A large
chunk of the world’s technological developments
get their start in Silicon Valley. |
GOOD NEWS FOR THE ENDTIMES
This dominion over the world that occurred during
the lives of the Prophets Sulayman and Dhu’l-Qarnayn
is good news indeed for all the Muslims of the world. These
stories contain significant signs for the endtimes. Truly,
Muslims who carefully preserve Allah’s limits, work
hard to spread Islamic morality worldwide and refuse to shrink
in the face of hardships will prevail in all eras of history.
Allah will always be behind them with His help and support.
The Prophets Sulayman and Dhu’l-Qarnayn , due to their
above-mentioned abilities (and of course many other blessings
of Allah), exercised a strong dominion in the world. This
same dominion will certainly happen during the endtimes.
The great dominion of Islamic morality, as we earlier emphasized,
was defined through some similar incidents during the dominion
of the Prophets Sulayman and Dhu’l-Qarnayn . Some of
these are as follows:
Mahdi (the rightly guided) will rule the world
like the Prophet Dhu’l-Qarnayn and the Prophet Sulayman.
(El Kavlul Muhtasar Fi Alamatil Mahdiy-il Muntazar, p. 29)
The Earth has four kings. Two of them
are from believers, the Prophet Dhu’l-Qarnayn and the
Prophet Sulayman. The other two are from the nonbelievers
Nemrut and Buhtunnasr. The fifth king to rule the world will
be from the people of the House (ahli bayt). In other words,
Mahdi will be the ruler.
(Mektubat-i Rabbani, 2/1163)
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN MAHDI’S
TIME AND THE TIMES OF THE PROPHETS SULAYMAN AND DHU’L-QARNAYN
Mahdi is the rebirth of noble ethics of the Prophets
Sulayman and Dhu’l-Qarnayn in the endtimes, but on a
different and larger scale. Spiritual, rational, social and
mental manifestations of the Prophets Sulayman and Dhu’l-Qarnayn
’s noble ethics will reappear in the endtimes.
The eras of Mahdi and the Prophets Sulayman and
Dhu’l-Qarnayn are times when noble Islamic morality
is practiced widely on earth. Allah praises all three of these
eras. The Qur’an also discusses the periods of Buhtunasr,
Nemrut and Pharaoh, which are times of wickedness and unbelief.
Immediately after these evil periods, Allah made Islamic morality
prevail. Similarly, our Lord will offer a time ruled by Islamic
morality in the endtimes. This is called the Golden Age.
This Golden Age will be a grander reflection
of the Prophet Sulayman and Dhu’l-Qarnayn ’s times.
In other words, Mahdi means the prevalence of peace, happiness,
love, brotherhood, graciousness, sacrifice, humane behavior
and the spirit of cooperation.
Here are some examples of the similarities between
the Prophets Sulayman and Dhu’l-Qarnayn ’s times
and the Golden Age.
Mahdi’s Worldwide
Rule
As was stated earlier, the Prophets Sulayman
and Dhu’l-Qarnayn made Islamic morality rule the world.
They ruled wide territories and possessed very powerful armed
forces. This shows a similarity to the endtimes.
During the Golden Age, Islamic morality will
also rule the world. People will convert to Islam in great
numbers, while ideologies that deny Allah will wither away
and Islam will be practiced as it was in the time of our Prophet
Mohammed. Some of the stories describe the Golden Age as follows:
Mahdi will own the entire world. (Kitab-ul
Burhan fi-Alamet-il Mahdiyy-il Ahir Zaman, p. 10)
Mahdi will invade all the places between East
and West. (El Kavlu’l Muhtasar Fi Alamat-il Mahdiyy-il
Muntazar, p. 56)
Mahdi’s Rare
and Noble Knowledge Bestowed Upon the Prophets Sulayman And
Dhu’l-Qarnayn
Earlier we mentioned about the knowledge Allah
bestowed upon the Prophet Sulayman. Through the grace of Allah,
he ruled jinns and devils, spoke with the birds, heard the
communication of ants, and used wind and copper as he wished.
Each one of these skills separates the Prophet Sulayman from
ordinary people. An account in the Qur’an about the
Prophet Dhu’l-Qarnayn says,Our knowledge encompasses
all that happened to him. (Surah Kahf: 91) The Prophet Dhu’l-Qarnayn
was one of the people blessed by knowledge.
Mahdi will also have certain special skills like
those given to these two blessed figures. In his book entitled
Mevzuatu’s ulum (11/246), Taskopruluzade Ahmet Efendi
wrote that Mahdi will possess the science of Cifr. Another
story says about Mahdi:
He is called Mahdi because he is given guidance for a situation
unknown to anyone. (Kitab-ul Burhan Fi Alamet-il Mahdiyy-il
Ahir Zaman, p. 77)
Our Prophet Mohammed said that Mahdi will understand the
language of animals just like the Prophet Sulayman and again
just like him, Mahdi will have dominion over people and jinns.
Mahdi is a person who speaks the language of birds and other
animals. Therefore his justice will manifest itself over all
people and jinns. (Signs of the Endtimes, p. 188)
Their Love for Animals
The Qur’an gives us important information
through its account of the Prophet Sulayman’s love and
affection for animals. Earlier, we had told about his love
for horses and his taking care not to hurt ants.
During the Golden Age, love for animals will
be encouraged. In stories about the Prophet Mohammed, it says
that during the Golden Age, there will be environments in
which every animal can be seen, touched and petted. Some of
these stories are:
... He will say to the sheep to go to the pasture and eat,
the animals will pass through the crops but will not eat even
a single stalk of wheat. Snakes and scorpions will not hurt
anyone, and wild animals will sit at our doors but not harm
anyone. (Signs of the Endtimes, p. 245)
Snakes will get along with children, cows will get along
with lions. (El Kavlu’l Muhtasar, p. 64)
As we can see from these accounts, another similarity between
the Golden Age and Sulayman’s era is dominion over the
animals. The Prophet Sulayman established dominion over various
animals, especially birds. Similarly, in the Golden Age, there
will be such a dominion over even wild animals that they will
not pose any threat to people.
 
Our Word was given before to
Our slaves, the Messengers, that they would certainly
be helped.
It is Our army which will be victorious. (Surat
as-Saffat : 171-173)
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Their
Support for Peace and Preference for Diplomacy
We stressed earlier that the Prophet Sulayman
was very peace loving, tolerant and forgiving in his relations
with neighboring countries. He preferred to solve problems
through diplomacy and used democratic means. The Prophet Sulayman,
during his time, created a very superior culture and strengthened
his dominion through diplomacy, art and culture. Despite his
irresistible, overwhelmingly powerful armies, he never used
his military power. The Prophet Dhu’l-Qarnayn was also
known as the “person who prevents strife and disorder.”
He was a leader who brought peace and calm to people. Therefore
the times of the Prophets Sulayman and Dhu’l-Qarnayn
look strikingly similar to the Golden Age.
In the Golden Age, people will become Muslims out of their
own will, and Islamic morality will prevail the world over
without any wars. The stories about this age say:
No one will be woken up from their sleep, no
one will have a bleeding nose.
(El Kavlu’s Muhtasar Fi Alamatil Mahdiyy-il Muntazar,
p. 42)
Mahdi will follow the way of the Prophet, he
will not wake up a sleeping person, he will not shed blood.
(Signs of the Endtimes, p. 163)
As these stories tell it, Mahdi will bring Islamic morality
and peace to the entire world and shun war and violence. Mahdi
will work to begin a cultural transformation and lead people
towards the moral code of Islam. During that time, with Allah’s
permission, the below suras will become evident:
When Allah’s help and victory have arrived and you
have seen people entering Allah’s deen in droves, then
glorify your Lord’s praise and ask His forgiveness.He
is the Ever-Returning.
(Surat an-Nasr: 1-3)
Their resolution
to urge people to religious morality and their quick action
The Prophet Sulayman’s quick, rational
decisions are an important example for all believers. The
letters he wrote to the inhabitants of Saba urging them to
start believing in God showed his power of communication.
His bringing the queen of Saba’s throne by using a knowledgeable
person proved his power for quick decision-making. The Prophet
Dhu’l-Qarnayn ’s decision to build a strong wall
– so strong that it would last until Doomsday –
against the attacks of the Yajuj and Majuj tribes show his
power and rationality. The Golden Age will witness very similar
events.
During the Golden Age, people will turn their
faces to Islam and there will be wide-ranging, sweeping activities
toward this end. All societies, one after another, will adopt
Islamic morality, and nay-saying ideologies will be wiped
away through quick and lasting action. All cruel systems will
be buried in the sands of time. In the words of renowned Islamic
theologian Muhyiddin Arabi:
Allah will give so much power to Mahdi, he will remove cruelty
from the world overnight , religion will be established, Islam
will be revived, Mahdi will restore lost value to it, it will
come to life after its apparent demise … Ignorant people,
misers and cowards alike will be very knowledgeable, generous
and brave. … They will practice religion as in the time
of Prophet Mohammed…. (Muhyiddin Arabi el-Endulusu,
Futuhat-ul Mekkiye, Bab 66, Signs of the Endtimes, p. 186)
Importance Placed
on Construction Projects
We knowthat the Prophet Sulayman focused
on construction projects. He built towers, statues, bowls
and cauldrons by using the jinis and devils who did his bidding.
Everybody who saw his splendid palace, especially the queen
of Sabac, greatly admired this building. The technology employed
during the construction of the wall built by the Prophet Dhu’l-Qarnayn
was so advanced that it cannot be destroyed save if Allah
wills it so.
In the accounts of Prophet Mohammed, we are told
that construction works will be important during the Golden
Age. During this age, peace, tranquility and a very developed
civilization will be brought to cities. One of these stories
is as follows:
Mahdi works in the construction of Konstantiniyye and other
places. (El Kavlu’l Muhtasar Fi Alamatil Mahdiyy-il
Muntazar, p. 40)
Their Using Wealth and
Splendor for Islam’s Benefit and Allah’s Blessing
The Prophet Sulayman used his wealth in the best
way to explain Allah’s religion and spread Islamic morality
to the world. In the countries he invaded, he first called
on people to believe in Allah and salvation. The letter which
he sent to Saba inviting her people to Islam is powerful testimony
of that. The Prophet Dhu’l-Qarnayn also had strong dominion,
as is seen in this sura: He said, ‘The
power my Lord has granted me is better than that. Just give
me a strong helping hand and I will build a solid barrier
between you and them. (Surah Kahf: 95). He used his
great power to prevent disorder on earth.
During the Golden Age, people will enjoy great
wealth, prosperity and peace. Mahdi will use all his wealth
to spread Allah’s religion to the world, and he will
follow noble morality and the dictates of peace in the countries
he invades. His unparalleled practices will soften people’s
hearts and lead them to Islamic morality, and within a very
short time, this morality will rule the world. Some of the
accounts concerning this time are as follows:
There will be a Mahdi among people, Allah will
send him to make people rich. People will have comfort and
good fortune, animals will have plenty to eat, and the soil
will bring forth plants…(Kitab-ul Burhan fi Alamat-il
Mahdiyy-il, Endtimes, p. 15)
…..Before allegiance, people will
flock to it and everyone who goes there will enjoy the divine
plenty. (El Kavlu’l Muhtasar Fi Alamet’I Mahdiyy’il
Muntazar, p. 25)
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