Authored by: Dr. Rida Abdullah Pasha ḥafiẓahullāh
❖ Question:
What is the connection between Shayṭān and the supplication of Prophet Sulaymān (علیہ السلام)?
❖ Answer:
It is narrated from Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
**
“Indeed, Shayṭān appeared before me and attacked me violently to disrupt my prayer. But Allah enabled me to overpower him. I caught him by the collar and was determined to tie him to a pillar so that you could all see him in the morning. However, I remembered the statement (supplication) of my brother Sulaymān (علیہ السلام)…”**
He (Sulaymān علیہ السلام) had said:
قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لَّا يَنبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِّن بَعْدِي ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ ﴿٣٥﴾
“My Lord! Forgive me and grant me a kingdom that shall not be appropriate for anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Supreme Bestower.”
[Ṣād: 35]
Then the Prophet ﷺ added:
فرده الله خاسئا
“Then Allah turned him back, humiliated and disgraced.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth no. 1152; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth no. 541]
✿ Key Insights:
① Shayṭān attempted to interrupt the Prophet’s ﷺ prayer, showcasing the intensity of his enmity.
② The Prophet ﷺ subdued him, indicating his divinely granted power.
③ Out of respect for the exclusive kingdom granted to Sulaymān (علیہ السلام), the Prophet ﷺ refrained from binding Shayṭān publicly.
④ The supplication of Sulaymān (علیہ السلام) serves as a reminder of divine favors exclusive to certain prophets.
⑤ The incident highlights both the spiritual status of the Prophet ﷺ and his consciousness of prophetic etiquette.
