The hadith states that Sayyiduna Sulaiman (peace be upon him) had conjugal relations with one hundred wives in one night.
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 2819)
This is against reason because it is not possible for a person to have conjugal relations with such a large number and then in just one night. Furthermore, the difference in the number in the narrations also indicates that there is confusion in the narration. Some mention one hundred wives
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 2819)
, some mention 90 wives
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 6639)
, some mention 70 wives
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1654)
and some mention 60 wives
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 7469)
.First Point:
If it is against reason to visit one hundred wives in one night, then this objection can also be raised against the Holy Quran. Here, as an example, Sayyiduna Sulaiman’s extraordinary matter is pointed out that the Quran states that the wind was subservient to Sayyiduna Sulaiman and it would cover a distance of one month’s journey in the morning and a distance of one month’s journey in the evening, meaning it would travel the distance of two months in one day.
Reference: (Saba: 12)
The Holy Quran mentions the story of Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him) understanding the language of birds and animals.
Reference: (An-Naml: 17, 18)
The third example is that by the command of Prophet Solomon, a person brought the throne of Bilqis in a very short time, like the blink of an eye.
Reference: (An-Naml: 38 to 40)
The fourth example is Prophet Solomon asking about the hoopoe bird, its appearance, explaining the reason for its delay, and Prophet Solomon's command to go again to the people of Sheba.
Reference: (An-Naml: 20 to 35)
The fifth example is Prophet Solomon having the temple of Solomon built by the jinn.
Reference: (Saba: 12 to 14)
These examples are only in relation to Sayyiduna Sulaiman (peace be upon him), which are beyond the understanding of every rational person except for sound intellect. If the Quran is studied according to the intellect of these ignorant and less understanding individuals, then these objections will also be raised against the Quran. But if the Quran and Sunnah are studied with sound intellect, both are accepted by reason. In the light of the Quranic statements, Allah Almighty can bestow upon His servant Sulaiman such qualities that his kingdom extends over humans as well as other creatures, he is familiar with the languages of jinn, animals, and birds, and people who can present the entire kingdom in the blink of an eye are under his command. Allah Almighty can also grant Sayyiduna Sulaiman such power and strength that he can visit one hundred wives in one night with good intentions.
Second point:
In the hadiths, the number of wives is mentioned differently; for example, some hadiths mention one hundred wives
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 2819)
and some hadiths mention ninety wives
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 6639)
some mention seventy wives
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1654)
and some mention sixty wives
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 7469)
The reason for the difference in numbers in the narrations is that the total number, including free women and slaves, was less than one hundred and more than ninety, of which sixty were free women. Therefore, where the words sixty are used, it refers to those free women, and where seventy is mentioned, it is an exaggeration of those sixty women. The rest were slaves, and altogether they were between ninety and one hundred. Hence, to express fractions, some narrations use the words one hundred and some use ninety because this is a style of Arabic speech where, when the main purpose is to indicate abundance rather than an exact number, the fraction is expressed in a broken manner.
Reference: (Fath al-Bari)
