✦ The Services of the Jinn for Prophet Sulayman (AS) ✦
Authored by: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha (Hafizahullah)
❖ Question
Did the Jinn serve Prophet Sulayman (AS)?
❖ Answer
Allah ﷻ says:
وَلِسُلَيْمَانَ الرِّيحَ غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ ۖ وَأَسَلْنَا لَهُ عَيْنَ الْقِطْرِ ۖ وَمِنَ الْجِنِّ مَن يَعْمَلُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ ۖ وَمَن يَزِغْ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ أَمْرِنَا نُذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ السَّعِيرِ ﴿١٢﴾
“And for Sulayman (We subjected) the wind: its morning (journey was equal to) a month, and its evening (journey was equal to) a month. And We caused a stream of molten copper to flow for him, and of the jinn there were those who worked before him by the permission of his Lord. And whoever of them deviated from Our command, We made him taste of the punishment of the blazing Fire.”
[Saba: 12]
And Allah ﷻ further says:
فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَوْتِهِ إِلَّا دَابَّةُ الْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُ ۖ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ أَن لَّوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ مَا لَبِثُوا فِي الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ ﴿١٤﴾
“So when We decreed death for him, nothing indicated to them his death except a creature of the earth eating away his staff. But when he fell, it became clear to the jinn that if they had (really) known the unseen, they would not have remained in humiliating torment.”
[Saba: 14]
❖ Explanation
When Allah ﷻ mentioned the favors upon Dawud (AS), He also mentioned the special favors upon his son Sulayman (AS). Among them:
✔ The wind was made subservient to him, carrying his throne swiftly — a morning journey covered a month’s distance, and the evening journey likewise.
Imam Hasan al-Basri رحمه الله said:
Sulayman (AS) would depart on his throne from Damascus, arrive at a place called Istakhr in the morning and take breakfast there, then travel further and reach Kabul by evening. The distance between Damascus and Istakhr was a month’s journey for a swift rider, and the same between Istakhr and Kabul.
✔ The jinn were placed in his service. They worked under his command by Allah’s permission. If any among them disobeyed, he was punished severely.
❖ His Death and the Exposure of the Jinn
Allah ﷻ concealed the death of Sulayman (AS) from the jinn, who were laboring in difficult tasks for him.
• According to Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Hasan, and Qatadah (رحمهم الله), he remained leaning on his staff (after death) for nearly a year.
• The jinn continued their labor, thinking he was alive, until termites (earth creatures) ate through his staff.
• When he fell, it became evident to all — especially the jinn — that they do not know the unseen, though they had falsely claimed so and deluded people into believing it.
[Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim by Ibn Kathir, Surah Saba: 14]❖ Conclusion
◈ The jinn were indeed placed in service of Sulayman (AS) by Allah’s command.
◈ They had no power to resist and were punished if they deviated.
◈ Their ignorance of Sulayman’s death proves that jinn have no knowledge of the unseen.
◈ This Qur’anic event exposed their false claims and Allah clarified the truth to mankind.
والله أعلم بالصواب
