The Islamic Solomon

The Christian and Jewish Solomon considered he turned away from God. The Islamic Solomon never turned from God. In the Qu'ran, his names translates at Sulayman, Suleiman, Sulaimaan, etc. It translates to man of peace. It refers to him as the son of David.He is considered a prophet and a great ruler imparted by God with tremendous wisdom, favor, and special powers. It states he ruled people and hosts of Jinn. He understood the language of birds and ants, and was able to see a hidden glory of the world that other human beings could not. The accounts of Solomon and the Bible differ on a number of aspects. The Muslim faith forbids involvement with magic, being the work of devils. Yet there seems to be much magic in the Islamic Solomon. Although Solomon was the Prophet and Messenger of God, he was accused by some of his opponents to be practicing magic. Those who claimed this could not distinguish between magic and miracles. Almost all messengers of God were granted miracles as a proof of their authenticity. To name only a few: Moses was granted the staff by which he could divide the sea and make water gush from rocks. Abraham was flung in the middle of a huge raging fire, which Allah made cool and peaceful to him. Jesus Christ could heal the blind and the leper and bring back the dead to life.

The Hebrew Bible states Solomon declined to idolatry in his old age, the Qu'ran states he remembered God forever. His name is listed with his father, David, and other prophets to show his ranking in mankind. In reference to Solomon, the Islamic view states:Solomon's Knowledge

Solomon inherited David's prophethood and dominion. This was not a material inheritance, as prophets do not bequeath their property. It is given away to the poor and needy, not to their relatives. Prophet Muhammad said: 'The prophets' property will not be inherited, and whatever we leave is to be used for charity."

Solomon Becomes King

After his father's death, Solomon became king. He begged Allah for a kingdom such as none after him would have, and Allah granted his wish. Besides wisdom, Allah had blessed Solomon with many abilities. He could command the winds and understand and talk to birds and animals. Allah directed him to teach both men and jinns to mine the earth and extract its minerals to make tools and weapons. He also favored him with a mine of copper, which was a rare metal in those days. (A recent Nova special shows the discovery of these copper mines)

Solomon Admiration of Horses

During his time horses were the common mode of transportation. They were very essential for defense, to carry soldiers and cart provisions and weapons of war. The animals were well cared for and well trained. One day Solomon was reviewing a parade of his stable. The fitness, beauty and posture of the horses fascinated him so much that he kept on stroking and admiring them. The sun was nearly setting, and the time for the middle prayer was passing by. When he realized this, he exclaimed: "I surely love the finer things of life than the service of my Lord! Return them to me." ( He owned more horses than anyone which was forbidden by Jewish law for kings.)

Solomon Hears the Ant's Warning

One day Solomon gathered his army, which had different battalions of men, jinns, birds, and animals. He marched them to the country of Askalon.While they were passing through a valley, an ant saw the approaching army and cried out to warn the other ants: "Run to your homes! Otherwise, unaware, Solomon and his army might crush you!" Solomon, hearing the cry of the ant, smiled. He was glad that the ant knew him to be a prophet who would not intentionally harm Allah's creation. He thanked Allah for saving the ants' lives. (I wonder what its voice sounded like?)

Solomon's Travels

In Jerusalem, on a huge rock, Solomon built a beautiful temple to draw the people to worship Allah. Today this building is known as 'The Dome of the Rock." From there, a large band of followers joined Solomon on pilgrimage to the Holy Mosque in Mecca. After they had completed their hajj, they traveled to Yemen and arrived in the city of Sana. Solomon was impressed by their clever method of channeling water all over their cities. He was keen to build similar water systems in his own country but did not have enough springs. (He did do extensive irrigation during his reign on both accords.)

Solomon Rejects the Queen's Gifts

The envoys marveled at the splendor surrounding them. They eagerly presented their queen's precious gifts and told Solomon that the queen wished that he would accept them as an act of friendship. They were shocked by his reaction: he did not even ask to open the covers of the containers! He told them: "Allah has given me plenty of wealth, a large kingdom, and prophethood. I am, therefore, beyond bribery. My only objective is to spread the belief in Tawheed, the Oneness of Allah." He also directed them to take back the gifts to the queen and to tell her that if she did not stop her kind of worship he would uproot her kingdom and drive its people out of the land.(Ethiopia became Jewish, Yemen and other countries embrace the Muslim religion.)

The Queen's Visit with Solomon

She was amazed. She had never seen such things before. Bilqis realized that she was in the company of a very knowledgeable person who was not only a ruler of a great kingdom but a messenger of Allah, as well. She repented, gave up sun worship, accepted the faith of Allah, and asked her people to do the same.It was finished; Bilqis saw her people's creed fall apart before Solomon. She realized that the sun which her people worshipped was nothing but one of Allah's creatures. The sun eclipsed within her for the first time, and her heart was lit by a never-fading light, the light of Islam.

Jinns and Solomon

Solomon's public work was largely carried out by the jinns. This was a punishment for their sins of making people believe that they were all powerful, knew the unseen, and could foresee the future. As a prophet, it was Solomon's duty to remove such false beliefs from his followers.

Solomon's Death - Qur'anic

Allah the Exalted revealed: And We caused a fount of (molten) brass to flow for him, and there were jinns that worked in front of him by the Leave of his Lord, and whosoever of them turned aside from Our Command, We shall cause him to taste of the torment of the blazing Fire. They worked for him what he desired, (making) high rooms, images, basins as large as reservoirs, and (making) cauldrons fixed (in their places). 'Work you, 0 family of David, with thanks!" But few of My slaves are grateful. Then when we decreed death for him (Solomon), nothing informed them (jinns) of his death except a little worm of the earth, which kept (slowly) gnawing a way at his stick, so when he fell down, the jinns saw clearly that if they had known the unseen, they would not have stayed in the humiliating torment. Surah 34: 12-1

Producing Children

Narrated Abu Huraira: (The Prophet) Solomon said, "Tonight I will sleep with (my) ninety wives, each of whom will get a male child who will fight for Allah's Cause." On that, his companion (Sufyan said that his companion was an angel) said to him, "Say, "If Allah will (Allah willing)." But Solomon forgot (to say it). He slept with all his wives, but none of the women gave birth to a child, except one who gave birth to a halfboy. Abu Huraira added: The Prophet said, "If Solomon had said, "If Allah will" (Allah willing), he would not have been unsuccessful in his action, and would have attained what he had desired." Once Abu Huraira added: Allah apostle said, "If he had accepted." (Sahih Bukhari 8.711)

So there are differences in the tales of Solomon, much of it directed through the religions, which are the only references of his reign as king. This blog has tried to lay out the Islamic Solomon references from the Qu'ran to give you an idea of how the differences show. Solomon married many women from different faiths and traditions. Over the course of time, these stories take on the perception of these religions. Our biases may play on our perceptions of what is more correct. It does mine. These differences play a part in how we perceive and communicate events today. What is correct and what is myth, what is perpetuated through religion and what is the truth? Solomon certainly must have existed to have such a rich historical accounting of him.

resources: answers.com, Wikipedia, http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/Prophet/sulaiman.htm, http://www.islamawareness.net/BlackMagic/magic.html,

Chapter Eleven

Solomon is wrapping up his reflections of the meaning of life with us. This chapter almost has the tone of a grandfather gathering his children to give them a letter of what this life is. He has found all his searches of life, in the grandest of ways, unfulfilling without the philosophy that God is in control of all things. To follow the way of God is what keeps man from destroying all about him. He’s calling us into the life of faith: to reject the life of faithlessness, the life of unbelief, the life of indifference to spiritual things. He’s calling us. He’s exhorting us. He’s saying, “Choose this day whom you will serve” in these final exhortations. In his sadness and disappointments, he wants us to learn from his lesson with the wisdom only Solomon could offer.

1 Cast your bread upon the waters for you shall find it after many days. 2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for you know not what evil shall be upon the earth. Casting your bread upon the waters refers to generosity. It means take risks, don't hoard and be greedy. Do so from morning to night. He is saying that what you sow will someday come back to you. You don't know what will become of your bread. Bread can be a spiritual metaphor given the actions of yeast causing the bread to rise. Give a portion of seven and eight refer an old custom when the master of a feast portioned out several parts to each guest and then sent portions to the poor. There may come a time you are poor and unable to do these things, or need these generosities.

3 If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if the tree falls toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall be. 4 He that observes the wind shall not sow; and he that regards the clouds shall not reap. When clouds are full of rain, they disperse water generously on the fields and the desert. Plentifully pour out your blessings on the land to produce fruit and lushness upon a barren wilderness. It seems an appropriate analogy to me. If you do not sow your fields in concern of the weather, your fields will not reap a harvest. Even if you give your generosity to some undeserving, you will certainly not miss those who are deserving. Don't let those who disappoint you deter you from blessing as many as you can. A tree will eventually fall in the direction it leans. When you die, your afterlife will be a reflection of the direction you have leaned during your lifetime.

5 As you do not know what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones grow in the womb of the woman who is with child, even so you do not know the works of God, who makes all. 6 In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know what shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. Solomon is saying here that we don't necessarily know the true nature of things in the way and thought of God. He states this tenet many times in Ecclesiastes. Sow your seed, bless others with your work and generosity. Do you know how bones grow in the womb? There is much mystery in life we don't know until later, or maybe not in this lifetime. Don't let it deter you from your purpose. You may not know what good will come of what you do, so do it regardless. Don't withhold in life. If your motives are good, they will be rewarded.

7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun. 8 But if a man lives many years, and rejoices in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness for they shall be many. All that is to come is vanity. The light is good and sweet. It is a joy to behold the good in life. Even if most of your life is good, remember the darkness when it is good. We get our equal share of light and darkness in life. In order to be truly happy, you have to embrace both the good and the bad. It is in remembering the tough times that cause our hearts to search for God, when it is good we are not to forget the goodness of God. It is on the focus of the light that we walk upright and do not take the good for granted.

9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth; and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes, but you should know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. How much did we take for granted when we were young? How much did I abuse my self when I had no idea of the consequences that would come. Youth will see the rose only until they encounter the thorns. They come as does our day of judgment. The sooner we are aware of these realities, the better we will make upright decisions and make our path a little lighter down the road. The better for our world and those around us when we prepare for these days.

10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh for childhood and youth are vanity. In the ignorance of our youth, we don't know the consequences of our choices as we try and fulfill the desires of the flesh. These things are vanity. They disappear leaving only with the results of our decisions. Our lusts end in sorrow.

I have a story I recently came upon. When we were 16 or so, my friend found a girl who was 13 and began having sex with her. They seemed to enjoy every minute of it. The full account of that story came when she came to tell me she was foolish by being with him. Whe wanted me to know the pain that haunted her from that decision. He didn't care for her more that what she offered. She continued to tell me of abusive parents who told her she was ugly and no one would ever want her. She was desperately looking for love and approval. She was used and damaged from the whole experience for a long time. She has pretty much recovered, but it is still a haunting memory and she deeply resents my friend for using her youth in that way. My father at one point in my youth, explained to me that I should look at a young girl and relate her to my sisters, before I had a sexual encounter. Picture her in curlers and a bath robe. Oh, I thought he had ruined me...I could never find the sexual forays my friends all had at earlier ages. I could not take advantage of such situations. However, Solomon is doing the same sort of thing for his children here. He is trying to protect us all from our lusts and make the world a better place in the process. There are many other lusts from my youth I wish I had taken the same approach. I pay for them now. As he said many times, hindsight is 20/20.

resources: http://www.fpcjackson.org/resources/sermons/Ecclesiastes/07a.htm, http://www.hallvworthington.com/bibletest/King%20James%20Version/21_011.htm, http://www.studylight.org/com/wen/view.cgi?book=ec&chapter=011, http://www.godrules.net/library/clarke/clarkeecc11.htm, http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/jfb/view.cgi?book=ec&chapter=011

Solomon and Sheba

This account of Sheba and Solomon does not need my interference. http://wysinger.homestead.com/sheba.html

Written by Legrand H. Clegg II

Historian

"I am black but comely,

O ye daughters of Jerusalem,

As the tents of Kedar,

As the curtains of Solomon,

Look not upon me because I am black

Because the sun hath scorched me."

(Song of Solomon)

MAKEDA - QUEEN OF SHEBA (The symbol of Beauty)

Although most of Black history is suppressed, distorted or ignored by an ungrateful modern world, some African traditions are so persistent that all of the power and deception of the Western academic establishment have failed to stamp them out. One such story is that of Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, and King Solomon of Israel.

Black women of antiquity were legendary for their beauty, power and lover affairs. Especially great were the Queens of Ethiopia; Queen of Sheba (960 B.C.), Candace of Meroe and her defeat of Alexander the Great (332 B.C.), Amanirenas, Amanishakhete, Nawidemak, Amanitore (Acts 8:26-40), Shanakdakh, and Malegereabar.

Ethiopia was also known as Nubia, Kush, Aksum, Abyssinia and Sheba. One thousand years before Christ, Ethiopia was ruled by a line of virgin queens. The one whose story has survived into our time was known as Makeda, "the Queen of Sheba." Her remarkable tradition was recorded in the Kebra Nagast, or the Book of the Glory of the Kings [of Ethiopia], has been held in the highest esteem and honour throughout the length and breadth of Abyssinia for a thousand years at least, and even to-day it is believed by every educated man in that country to contain the true history of the origin of the Solomonic line of kings in Ethiopia, and is regarded as the final authority on the history of the conversion of the Ethiopians from the worship of the sun, moon, and stars to that of the Lord God of Israel.

The Bible tells us that, during his reign, King Solomon of Israel decided to build a magnificent temple. To announce this endeavor, the king sent forth messengers to various foreign countries to invite merchants from abroad to come to Jerusalem with their caravans so that they might engage in trade there.

At this time, Ethiopia was second only to Egypt in power and fame. Hence, King Solomon was enthralled by Ethiopia's beautiful people, rich history, deep spiritual tradition and wealth. He was especially interested in engaging in commerce with one of Queen Makeda's subjects, an important merchant by the name of Tamrin.(1)

Solomon sent for Tamrin who "packed up stores of valuables including ebony, sapphires and red gold, which he took to Jerusalem to sell to the king."(2) It turns out that Tamrin's visit was momentous. Although accustomed to the grandeur and luxury of Egypt and Ethiopia, Tamrin was still impressed by King Solomon and his young nation. During a prolonged stay in Israel, Tamrin observed the magnificent buildings and was intrigued by the Jewish people and their culture. But above all else, he was deeply moved by Solomon's wisdom and compassion for his subjects.

Upon returning to his country, Tamrin poured forth elaborate details about his trip to Queen Makeda. She was so impressed by the exciting story that the great queen decided to visit King Solomon herself.(3)

To understand the significance of state visits in antiquity in contrast to those of today (for example, President Clinton's trips to confer with foreign heads of state), we must completely remove ourselves from the present place and time. In ancient times, royal visits were very significant ceremonial affairs. The visiting regent was expected to favor the host with elaborate gifts and the state visit might well last for weeks or even months.

Even by ancient standards, however, Queen Makeda's visit to King Solomon was extraordinary. In 1 Kings 10:1-2, the Bible tells us:

"1. And when the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions.

"2. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bear spices and very much gold, and precious stones. And when she was come to Solomon she communed with him of all that was in her heart."

1 Kings 10:10 adds: "She gave the king 120 talents of gold, and of spices very great store and precious stones; there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the Queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon."

We should pause to consider the staggering sight of this beautiful Black woman and her vast array of resplendent attendants travelling over the Sahara desert into Israel with more than 797 camels plus donkeys and mules too numerous to count. The value of the gold alone, which she gave to King Solomon, would be $3,690,000 today and was of much greater worth in antiquity.

King Solomon, and undoubtedly the Jewish people, were flabbergasted by this great woman and her people. He took great pains to accommodate her every need. A special apartment was built for her lodging while she remained in his country. She was also provided with the best of food and eleven changes of garments daily.

As so many African leaders before her, this young maiden, though impressed with the beauty of Solomon's temple and his thriving domain, had come to Israel seeking wisdom and the truth about the God of the Jewish people. Responding to her quest for knowledge, Solomon had a throne set up for the queen beside his. "It was covered with silken carpets, adorned with fringes of gold and silver, and studded with diamonds and pearls. From this she listened while he delivered judgments."(4)

Queen Makeda also accompanied Solomon throughout his kingdom. She observed the wise, compassionate and spiritual ruler as he interacted with his subjects in everyday affairs. Speaking of the value of her visit with the King and her administration for him, Queen Makeda stated:

"My Lord, how happy I am. Would that I could

remain here always, if but as the humblest of

your workers, so that I could always hear your

words and obey you.

"How happy I am when I interrogate you! How

happy when you answer me. My whole being is

moved with pleasure; my soul is filled; my

feet no longer stumble; I thrill with delight.

"Your wisdom and goodness," she continued, "are

beyond all measure. They are excellence itself.

Under your influence I am placing new values on

life. I see light in the darkness; the firefly

in the garden reveals itself in newer beauty. I

discover added lustre in the pearl; a greater

radiance in the morning star, and a softer

harmony in the moonlight. Blessed be the God that

brought me here; blessed be He who permitted your

majestic mind to be revealed to me; blessed be the

One who brought me into your house to hear your voice."(5)

Solomon had a harem of over 700 wives and concubines, yet, he was enamored by the young Black virgin from Ethiopia. Although he held elaborate banquets in her honor and wined, dined and otherwise entertained her during the length of her visit, they both knew that, according to Ethiopian tradition, the Queen must remain chaste. Nevertheless, the Jewish monarch wished to plant his seed in Makeda, so that he might have a son from her regal African lineage.

To this end the shrewd king conspired to conquer the affection of this young queen with whom he had fallen in love. When, after six months in Israel, Queen Makeda announced to King Solomon that she was ready to return to Ethiopia, he invited her to a magnificent farewell dinner at his palace.

The meal lasted for several hours and featured hot, spicy foods that were certain to make all who ate thirsty and sleepy (as King Solomon had planned.) Since the meal ended very late, the king invited Queen Makeda to stay overnight in the palace in his quarters. She agreed as long as they would sleep in separate beds and the king would not seek to take advantage of her. He vowed to honor her chastity, but also requested that she not take anything in the palace. Outraged by such a suggestion, the Queen protested that she was not a thief and then promised as requested.

Not long after the encounter, the Queen, dying of thirst, searched the palace for water. Once she found a large water jar and proceeded to drink, the King startled her by stating:

"You have broken your oath that you would not

take anything by force that is in my palace.

The Queen protested, of course, that surely

the promise did not cover something so

insignificant and plentiful as water, but

Solomon argued that there was nothing in the

world more valuable than water, for without

it nothing could live. Makeda reluctantly

admitted the truth of this and apologized for

her mistake, begging for water for her parched

throat. Solomon, now released from his promise,

assuaged her thirst and his own, immediately

taking the Queen as his lover."(6)

The following day as the Queen and her entourage prepared to leave Israel, the King placed a ring on her hand and stated, "If you have a son, give this to him and send him to me." After returning to the land of Sheba, Queen Makeda did indeed have a son, whom she named Son-of-the-wise-man, and reared as a prince and her heir apparent to the throne.

Upon reaching adulthood, the young man wished to visit his father, so the Queen prepared another entourage, this time headed by Tamrin. She sent a message to Solomon to anoint their son as king of Ethiopia and to mandate that thenceforth only the males descended from their son should rule Sheba.

Solomon and the Jewish people rejoiced when his son arrived in Israel. The king anointed him as the Queen had requested and renamed him Menelik, meaning "how handsome he is."

Though Solomon had many wives, only one had produced a son, Rehoboam, a boy of seven. So the king begged Menelik to remain, but the young prince would not. Solomon therefore called his leaders and nobles and announced that, since he was sending his first born son back to Ethiopia, he wanted all of them to send their firstborn sons "to be his counselors and officers." And they agreed to do so.

Menelik asked his father for a relic of the Ark of the Covenant to take back with him to the land of Sheba. It is said that while Solomon intended to provide his son with a relic, the sons of the counselors, angry at having to leave their homes and go to Sheba with Menelik, actually stole the real Ark and took it to Ethiopia.

Menelik returned to Sheba and, according to tradition, ruled wisely and well. And his famous line has continued down to the 20th century when, even now, the ruler of Ethiopia is the "conquering lion of Judah" descended directly from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

My notes: Haile Selassie, the king whom the Rastafari recognize as king, is a decendant of Solomon and Sheba. Arabic accounts of her say she was from Yemen. The tradition that the Biblical Queen of Sheba was a ruler of Ethiopia who visited King Solomon in Jerusalem, in ancient Israel, is supported by the first century CE. Roman (of Jewish origin) historian Flavius Josephus, who identified Solomon’s visitor as a "Queen of Egypt and Ethiopia".⁽Flavius Josephus, Paul L. Maier Josephus, the Essential Works: A Condensation of "Jewish Antiquities", and "the Jewish War" Kregel Publications,U.S. (31 Mar 1995)ISBN 978-0825432606 p.140)^{. A different accounting of how Solomon summoned Sheba to come see him is here: http://www.viewzone.com/sheba.html. I find it less plausible, but it is interesting and historic none the less. It is an interesting story of epic proportion.}