The Theological and Educational Benefits of the Story of the Prophet of God Sulaiman, peace be upon him (Khutbah)

The Doctrinal and Educational Benefits from the Story of the Prophet of God, Solomon, peace be upon him Indeed, all praise is due to Allah; we praise Him and seek His help. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide, and whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger, may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him. As for what follows: Fear Allah, O servants of Allah, and believe. "In Allah and His messengers, and if you believe and fear Allah, then for you is a great reward" [Al Imran 179]. Know that among the messengers of Allah whom Allah narrated in His Book and in the Sunnah of our Prophet, may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him, is the Prophet of God, Solomon, son of the Prophet of God, David, peace be upon them both. Allah mentioned him in the Quran seventeen times, in seven surahs: Al-Baqarah, An-Nisa, Al-An'am, Al-Anbiya, An-Naml, Saba, and Sad. He is from the progeny of Ibrahim, and Ibrahim is from the progeny of Nuh. Allah the Most High said: "And We granted him Ishaq and Ya'qub, each of whom We guided. And Nuh, We guided before, and from his descendants Dawud and Sulayman and Ayyub and Yusuf and Musa and Harun. Thus do We reward the doers of good" [Al-An'am 84]. He is a gift from Allah to his father Dawud. So among the greatest of gifts is that Allah grants you righteous progeny. Allah the Most High said: "And We granted to Dawud Sulayman. What an excellent servant! Indeed, he was ever returning [to Allah]" [Sad 30]. Sulayman inherited from his father prophethood, kingship, wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. Allah, Glorified and Exalted, said: "And Sulayman inherited Dawud" [An-Naml 16]. He called it inheritance figuratively, due to his saying, may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him: "We, the prophets, are not inherited." It was narrated by Imam Ahmad, and its authenticity was verified by the verifiers of the Musnad. Allah praised His prophet Sulayman for what He gave him of vast kingship and the subjugation of the wind, and of mankind and jinn and birds, and for what Allah prepared for him in the Hereafter of nearness and Paradise. He, Blessed and Exalted, said: "He said, 'My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower.' So We subjected to him the wind, and it would travel by his command smoothly wherever he would direct. And the devils—all builders and divers—and others bound in chains. This is Our bounty, so bestow [it] or withhold [it] without account. And indeed, for him is nearness with Us and a good place of return" [Sad 35-40]. Ibn Kathir said: "That is: this is what We have given you of complete kingship and full authority, as you asked Us. So give to whom you wish and deprive whom you wish; there is no account upon you. That is: whatever you do is permissible for you; judge as you wish, for it is correct." End of quote. Then the Lord of the Worlds praised him, saying: "And We granted to Dawud Sulayman. What an excellent servant! Indeed, he was ever returning [to Allah]" [Sad 30], meaning: one who returns to Allah through repentance, or to glorification, to which he returns. Allah narrated some of what He gave him of understanding and knowledge and wisdom, and He, the Most High, said: "And [mention] Dawud and Sulayman when they judged concerning the field when the sheep of the people had strayed therein, and We were witness to their judgment. And We gave Sulayman understanding, and to each of them We granted judgment and knowledge" [Al-Anbiya 78-79]. Two men came to Dawud for judgment; one of them had an orchard and the other had sheep. The sheep entered the orchard at night and ruined it and ate the fruits. So Dawud, peace be upon him, judged in favor of the owner of the orchard, giving him the sheep as compensation for his orchard. They went out and Sulayman, peace be upon him, met them and asked them about what his father had judged. They informed him. He said: Had I judged, I would have judged in favor of the owner of the orchard with the sheep, so that he would benefit from their meat and wool and milk, and in favor of the owner of the sheep with the orchard, so that he would cultivate it and tend to it until it returned as it was, so that each of them would have his property. So Dawud learned of his son's judgment and ruled accordingly. Allah praised both their judgments and that the son was more correct. He, Glory be to Him, said: "And We gave Sulayman understanding, and to each of them We granted judgment and knowledge" [Al-Anbiya 79]. Allah honored His prophet Sulayman with many blessings and signs, and He combined for him the good of this world and the Hereafter, and He gave him kingship and prophethood and knowledge and understanding and wisdom, and He increased him with other blessings and signs: Among these was: His being taught the language of birds and animals. So He, the Exalted, said: "And Solomon inherited David, and he said: 'O people, we have been taught the language of birds and we have been given from everything. This, then, is a clear favor.'" [al-Naml 16]. And regarding his understanding of the speech of animals, He, the Exalted, said: "Until, when they came upon the valley of the ants, an ant said: 'O ants, enter your dwellings that Solomon and his soldiers may not crush you while they are not aware.' So he smiled, amused by her speech, and said: 'My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to do righteous work of which You approve, and admit me by Your mercy among Your righteous servants.'" [al-Naml 18-19]. So he smiled, amused by her caution and her calling out to the ants and their guidance to their interests, and rejoiced at what Allah had granted him of perceiving their whispering and understanding their intent. And he asked Allah to inspire him to be grateful for His blessings upon him and upon his parents, and to enable him to do every righteous deed, and to admit him to Paradise with His righteous servants. Also: Among his understanding of the language of birds, along with his inspection of his flock, even the animals and birds, is what Allah mentioned in his story, peace be upon him, with the hoopoe: "And he inspected the birds and said: 'What is the matter that I do not see the hoopoe, or was it among those absent?'" [al-Naml 20]. So he inspected his soldiers himself, and he found one of the soldiers from among the birds missing, and that was the hoopoe. So he said: What prevented me from seeing it? "What is the matter that I do not see the hoopoe" [al-Naml 20]. Then he became certain of its absence: "Or was it among those absent?" [al-Naml 20]. So he threatened it with torment or killing, or that it would justify the reason for its absence with a clear proof: "I will surely torment it with a severe torment, or I will surely slaughter it, or it will surely bring me a clear authority." [al-Naml 21]. Then the hoopoe came and did not remain long in its absence, and it came from the direction of Saba' in Yemen with a certain report: "So he remained not a little while, then he said: 'I have encompassed that which you have not encompassed, and I have brought you from Saba' with certain news.'" [al-Naml 22]. And that was that a tribe was ruled by a woman whose kingdom and throne were great: "I have found a woman ruling them, and she has been given from everything, and she has a great throne." [al-Naml 23]. And this woman and her tribe were polytheists, for they were worshippers of the sun: "I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allah, and Satan made their deeds attractive to them, so he turned them away from the path, so they were not guided." [al-Naml 24]. So Solomon said to it: Take this book, that is, the message to the kingdom of Saba', and see what some of them say to one another: "Go with my book this, then cast it to them, then turn away from them, and see what they will return." [al-Naml 28]. So the wise Bilqis wanted to test Solomon, so she sent to him with a gift, and she said to her people: If he accepts it, then he is a king, so fight him; and if he does not accept it, then he is a prophet, so follow him. And despite that, she did not trust in her gift: "So I will wait to see what the messengers will return." [al-Naml 35]. And Solomon ordered, before the arrival of the Queen of Saba', the construction of a palace of white glass, then he sent water beneath it and cast into it fish and other things, to increase her awe of his affair and to confirm his prophethood. And when she wanted to wade into the water, she uncovered her legs in order to wade into the water, and this action is the custom of everyone who is clothed and wants to wade into the water to another place. He, the Exalted, said: "It was said to her: 'Enter the palace.' But when she saw it, she thought it was a body of water, and she uncovered her legs. He said: 'It is a palace paved with glass.' She said: 'My Lord, I have wronged myself, and I submit with Solomon to Allah, Lord of the worlds.'" [al-Naml 44]. And among the signs by which Allah honored His Prophet Solomon, peace be upon him, was the subjugation of the wind, which ran by his command to wherever he wished. He, the Exalted, said: "So We subjected to him the wind, running by his command to the smooth [place] wherever he intended" [Sad: 36]. And this wind was gentle, with no turbulence in its blowing. And He, the Most High, said: "And [We subjected] to Solomon the wind, its blowing violent, running by his command to the land which We had blessed, and We, of all things, are Knowing" [Al-Anbiya: 81]. So Allah also subjected for him the violent wind, intense in speed and in its blowing, running by his command and submitting to his judgment. And also: the wind would carry him in the morning until near midday a journey of a month, and would carry him in the evening from after midday to sunset a journey of a month. So it would carry him the distance of two months in a single day. And it was attributed to him with the lam of possession because it was in his obedience and under his command. He, the Exalted, said: "And [We subjected] to Solomon the wind, its morning [journey] a month and its evening [journey] a month" [Saba: 12]. And among them was the subjugation of the devils and the jinn. So among them were those who would dive in the sea to extract pearls and coral, and among them were those who would work in building and other things. He, the Exalted, said: "And among the devils are those who dive for him and do work besides that, and We were over them guardians" [Al-Anbiya: 82]. And He, the Exalted, said: "And among the jinn are those who work before him by the permission of his Lord, and whoever of them turns away from Our command, We will make him taste the punishment of the Blaze. They work for him what he wills of domed structures and statues and basins as [large as] reservoirs and cauldrons fixed in [their places]. 'Work, family of David, in gratitude, and few of My servants are grateful'" [Saba: 12-13]. And among them was the melting of brass. He, the Most High, said: "And We caused to flow for him a spring of copper" [Saba: 14]. So Allah melted for him the brass until it was flowing as if it were a spring of water gushing from the earth. And among them was that when he was occupied in the administration of his kingdoms, when he wished to go on an expedition, he would order the horses to be brought and order them to be run. And that he did not love them for the sake of this world and the share of the self, but rather he loved them for the sake of Allah and seeking to strengthen His religion. And he would order their preparation and their being sent out until they disappeared from his sight. Then he would order the trainers to return those horses. So when they returned, he began to wipe their legs and necks in honor of them, because they are among that by which one seeks assistance in jihad, and to examine them for diseases and defects. He, the Exalted, said: "And We gave to David Solomon. Excellent is the servant; indeed, he was [always] turning back [to Allah]. When the choice mares were presented to him in the evening, he said, 'Indeed, I have loved the love of goods over the remembrance of my Lord until it disappeared behind the screen. Return them to me.' And he began to wipe their legs and necks" [Sad: 30-33]. May the prayers and peace of Allah be upon His prophets and messengers, and may He grant us repentance and turning back to Him. Amen. The Second Sermon As for what follows: Indeed, the Prophet of Allah, Solomon, peace be upon him, was tested, and he forgot to say "if Allah wills" regarding a matter he intended. The Messenger of Allah, may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, said: "Solomon, the son of David, peace be upon them both, said: 'I will surely go around tonight with a hundred women, each woman will give birth to a boy who will fight in the cause of Allah.' So the angel said to him: 'Say, if Allah wills.' But he did not say it and forgot. So he went around with them, and none of them gave birth from him except one woman who gave birth half a person. The Prophet, may Allah pray upon him and grant him peace, said: 'If he had said, if Allah wills, he would not have broken his oath and it would have been more hopeful for his need.'" It was narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim, and the wording is al-Bukhari's. He, the Exalted and Most High, said: "And We have certainly tested Solomon and thrown upon his throne a body, then he returned [to Us in repentance]. He said, 'My Lord, forgive me and grant me such sovereignty as should not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower'" [Sad: 34-35]. So the body thrown upon his throne was half a person. So his desire was not fulfilled that a hundred sons would be born to him who would strive in the cause of Allah, because of his forgetting to say: "if Allah wills." He, may Allah pray upon him and grant him peace, said: "Indeed, a jinni from the jinn slipped away yesterday to interrupt my prayer, so Allah enabled me to take him, and I intended to tie him to one of the pillars of the mosque so that you could all look at him, but I remembered the supplication of my brother Solomon: 'My Lord, grant me such sovereignty as should not belong to anyone after me.' So I released him, disgraced." It was narrated by al-Bukhari. And when the Jews rejected the covenant of Allah and followed what the devils recited during the time of Solomon, peace be upon him, and they wanted to attribute everything in the covenant of Solomon to magic and the work of devils, and they wanted to delude people that the path of Solomon, peace be upon him, was from magic and from devils, Allah exonerated His prophet Solomon and informed, glory be to Him, that learning magic is disbelief and practicing it is disbelief. So He, the Exalted, said: "And they followed what the devils recited during the reign of Solomon, and Solomon did not disbelieve, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and what was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut. And they do not teach anyone until they say: 'We are only a trial, so do not disbelieve.' And they learn from them what causes separation between a man and his wife. And they cannot harm anyone thereby except by permission of Allah. And they learn what harms them and does not benefit them. And they certainly know that whoever purchases it will have no share in the Hereafter. And wretched is what they purchased their selves for, if they only knew" [Al-Baqarah 102]. And finally, the prophet of Allah, Solomon, peace be upon him, died, and the jinn did not realize his death until the earthworm ate his staff, so his noble body fell, which indicates to you the limitation of the knowledge of the jinn despite what Allah gave them of extraordinary powers: "And when We decreed his death, nothing indicated to them his death except an earthworm eating his staff. So when he fell, it became clear to the jinn that if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in the humiliating punishment" [Saba 14]. Abdullah: Indeed, the story of the prophet of Allah, Solomon, peace be upon him, is a wonderful model of Quranic narratives in psychological, creedal, educational, administrative, social, and combat performance, for its extraordinary effect on souls, with what it contains of various situations that call for amazement, reflection, and enjoyment. And whenever you read it, Abdullah, and reread it, you extract from it many benefits. So let us fill our times with reading the Book of our Lord and reflecting on the stories of His prophets, and let us increase in sending prayers and peace upon our prophet, may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him, in our time generally and on the day and night of Friday specifically, for indeed our prayers are presented to him, and whoever sends upon him one prayer, Allah sends upon him ten, and whoever Allah sends prayers upon, He suffices him in what concerns him of the matters of his worldly life and his Hereafter, and forgives him his sin.

الفوائد العقدية والتربوية من قصة نبي الله سليمان عليه السلام إِنَّ الحمدَ للهِ، نَحمَدُه ونستعينُه، مَن يَهدِه اللهُ فلا مُضِلَّ له، ومَن يُضلل فلا هاديَ له، وأشهدُ أن لا إلهَ إلا اللهُ وحدَه لا شريكَ له، وأنَّ مُحمَّداً عبدُه ورسولُه صلى الله عليه وسلم. أما بعد: فاتقو ا اللهَ عبادَ اللهِ، وآمنوا ﴿ باللهِ ورُسُلِهِ وإِنْ تؤمنوا وتتقوا فلكمْ أجرٌ عظيمٌ ﴾ [آل عمران 179]، ألا وإِنَّ مِنْ رسلِ اللهِ الذينَ قصَّهُمُ اللهُ في كتابِهِ وفي سنَّةِ نبيِّنا صلَّى اللهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ: نبيُّ اللهِ سليمانُ بنُ نبيِّ اللهِ داودَ عليهما السلامُ، فقدْ ذكَرَهُ اللهُ في القرآنِ سبعةَ عَشَرَ مرَّةً، في سبعِ سُورٍ: البقرةِ والنساءِ والأنعامِ والأنبياءِ والنملِ وسبأٍ وص. وهوَ مِن ذريَّةِ إبراهيمَ وإبراهيمُ مِن ذريَّةِ نوحٍ، قالَ تعالى : ﴿ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ كُلاًّ هَدَيْنَا وَنُوحًا هَدَيْنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِ دَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُوسُفَ وَمُوسَى وَهَارُونَ وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِين ﴾ [الأنعام 84]. وهوَ هبةٌ مِن اللهِ لأبيهِ داودَ، فَمِن أعظمِ الهباتِ أَ نْ يمنحَكَ اللهُ ذريةً صالحةً، قالَ تعالى: ﴿ وَوَهَبْنَا لِدَاوُودَ سُلَيْمَانَ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّاب ﴾ [ص30]. وورثَ سليمانُ مِنْ أبيهِ النبوَّةَ والْمُلكَ والْحِكمةَ والفهمَ والعِلمَ، قالَ جلَّ وعلا: ﴿ وَوَرِثَ سُلَيْمَانُ دَاوُودَ ﴾ [النمل 16]، وسَمَّاهُ وِرَاثةً مَجَازاً لقولِهِ صلَّى اللهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ: ( إِنّا مَعْشرَ الأنبياءِ لا نُورَثُ ) أخرجَهُ الإمامُ أحمدُ وصحَّحَهُ مُحقِّقو المسندِ. وقدْ أثنَى اللهُ علَى نبيِّهِ سليمانَ بما أعطاهُ مِن الْمُلكِ الضخمِ وتسخيرِ الريحِ والإنسِ والْجِنِّ والطيرِ، وما أعدَّ اللهُ لهُ في الآخرةِ مِن الزُّلْفَى والْجَنَّةِ، قالَ تباركَ وتعالَى: ﴿ قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لاَّ يَنبَغِي لأَحَدٍ مِّنْ بَعْدِي إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّاب * فَسَخَّرْنَا لَهُ الرِّيحَ تَجْرِي بِأَمْرِهِ رُخَاء حَيْثُ أَصَاب * وَالشَّيَاطِينَ كُلَّ بَنَّاء وَغَوَّاص * وَآخَرِينَ مُقَرَّنِينَ فِي الأَصْفَاد * هَذَا عَطَاؤُنَا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِكْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَاب * وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِندَنَا لَزُلْفَى وَحُسْنَ مَآب ﴾ [ص35-40]، قالَ ابنُ كثيرٍ: ( أَيْ: هذا الذي أعطينَاكَ مِن الْمُلكِ التامِّ والسلطانِ الكاملِ كما سَأَلْتَنَا، فأعطِ مَن شئتَ، واحرمْ مَن شئتَ لا حِسابَ عليكَ؛ أَيْ: مهما فعلتَ فهو جِائزٌ لكَ، احكمْ بما شئتَ فهو صوابٌ) انتهَى. ثمَّ مَدَحَهُ رَبُّ العالَمِينَ فقالَ: ﴿ وَوَهَبْنَا لِدَاوُودَ سُلَيْمَانَ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّاب ﴾ [ص30]، أيْ: رجَّاعٌ إلى الله بالتوبةِ أو إلى التسبيحِ مَرْجِعٌ له. وحكَى اللهُ بعضَ ما آتاهُ مِن الفهمِ والعِلْمِ والْحِكمةِ، فقال تعالى: ﴿ وَدَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ إِذْ يَحْكُمَانِ فِي الْحَرْثِ إِذْ نَفَشَتْ فِيهِ غَنَمُ الْقَوْمِ وَكُنَّا لِحُكْمِهِمْ شَاهِدِين * فَفَهَّمْنَاهَا سُلَيْمَانَ وَكُلاًّ آتَيْنَا حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا ﴾ [الأنبياء 78-79]، فقدْ تحاكمَ إلى داودَ رَجُلانِ أحدُهما لهُ بستانٌ والآخرُ لهُ غَنمٌ، فدَخَلَتِ الغَنَمُ إلى البُستانِ ليلاً فأفسدتْهُ وأكَلَتِ الثمارَ، فَحَكَمَ داودُ عليهِ السلامُ لصاحبِ البُستانِ بأخذِ الغَنَمِ تعويضاً عن بُستانِهِ، فَخَرَجَا وقابلَهُما سليمانُ عليهِ السلامُ وسألَهُما عمَّا حَكَمَ بهِ أبوهُ، فأخبراهُ، فقالَ: لوْ قضيتُ لَحَكَمْتُ لصاحبِ البُستانِ بالغَنَمِ ليستفيدَ مِن لَحْمِها وصُوفِها ولَبنِها، ولصاحبِ الغَنَمِ بالبُستانِ يَحرُثُهُ ويَعتنِي بهِ حتَّى يعودَ كما كانَ لِكُلٍّ منهُما مالُهُ، فَعَلِمَ داودُ بِحُكْمِ ابنِهِ وحَكَمَ بهِ، فأثنَى اللهُ علَى حُكْمَيْهِما وأنَّ الابنَ كانَ أصوبَ، فقالَ سبحانَهُ: ﴿ فَفَهَّمْنَاهَا سُلَيْمَانَ وَكُلاًّ آتَيْنَا حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا ﴾ [الأنبياء 79]. وقد أكرم الله نبيَّه سليمان بِنِعَمٍ وآياتٍ كثيرةٍ، وجَمَعَ له بين خيريِ الدُّنيا والآخرةِ، وآتاه الْمُلك والنُّبوَّة والعِلْمَ والفَهْمَ والحِكمة، وزاده بِنِعَمٍ وآياتٍ أُخرى: فمنها : تفهيمُه لغةَ الطيرِ والحَيَوانِ، فقال سبحانه: ﴿ وَوَرِثَ سُلَيْمَانُ دَاوُودَ وَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ عُلِّمْنَا مَنطِقَ الطَّيْرِ وَأُوتِينَا مِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْمُبِين ﴾ [النمل 16]، وعَن فَهْمهِ لكلامِ الحيواناتِ، قالَ سبحانه: ﴿ حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَوْا عَلَى وَادِي النَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ يَاأَيُّهَا النَّمْلُ ادْخُلُوا مَسَاكِنَكُمْ لاَ يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَانُ وَجُنُودُهُ وَهُمْ لاَ يَشْعُرُون * فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًا مِّن قَوْلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِين ﴾ [النمل 18-19]، فتبسَّمَ ضاحِكًا مِن حَذَرِها وصياحِها في النِّمالِ واهتدائِها إلى مَصالِحِها وسُرورًا بما خصَّهُ اللهُ مِن إدراكِ هَمْسِها وفهمِ غَرَضِها، وسألَ اللهَ أنْ يُلْهِمَهُ شُكْرَ نِعَمِهِ عليهِ وعلَى والدَيْهِ، وأنْ يُوَفِّقَهُ لِكُلِّ عَمَلٍ صالِحٍ، وأنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ مَعَ عبادِهِ الصالِحينَ. وأيضًا: مِن فَهْمِهِ لِلُغَةِ الطَّيْرِ معَ تفقُّدِهِ لِرَعِيَّتِهِ حتَّى الْحَيَوانَاتِ والطُّيُورِ، ما ذكَرَ اللهُ فِي قِصَّتِهِ عليهِ السلامُ معَ الهُدْهُدِ: ﴿ وَتَفَقَّدَ الطَّيْرَ فَقَالَ مَا لِيَ لاَ أَرَى الْهُدْهُدَ أَمْ كَانَ مِنَ الْغَائِبِين ﴾ [النمل 20]، فهو يتفقَّدُ جُنودَه بنفسهِ، فَفَقَدَ أحدَ الْجُنودِ مِن الطيرِ وهو: الْهُدْهُد، فقال: ما الذي حال بيني وبين رُؤيته، ﴿ مَا لِيَ لاَ أَرَى الْهُدْهُدَ ﴾ [النمل 20]، ثمَّ تأكَّد مِن غيابه، ﴿ أَمْ كَانَ مِنَ الْغَائِبِين ﴾ [النمل 20]، فتوعَّده بالتعذيب أو القتلِ أو أنْ يُبرِّرَ سَبَبَ غيابهِ بِحُجَّةٍ بيِّنة، ﴿ لأُعَذِّبَنَّهُ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا أَوْ لأَذْبَحَنَّهُ أَوْ لَيَأْتِيَنِّي بِسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِين ﴾ [النمل 21]، ثمَّ جاءَ الْهُدهدُ ولَم يَطِلْ في غِيابهِ، وأتى مِن قِبَلِ سَبَأٍ باليَمَنِ بِخَبَرٍ أَكيدٍ، ﴿ فَمَكَثَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ فَقَالَ أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ وَجِئْتُكَ مِن سَبَإٍ بِنَبَإٍ يَقِين ﴾ [النمل 22]، وهو أنَّ القبيلةَ تَحكمُهم امرأةٌ مَملكَتُها وكُرْسِيُّ عَرشِها عظيمانِ، ﴿ إِنِّي وَجَدتُّ امْرَأَةً تَمْلِكُهُمْ وَأُوتِيَتْ مِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَلَهَا عَرْشٌ عَظِيم ﴾ [النمل 23]، وهذه المرأةُ وقبيلتُها مُشركون، فهم عَبَدَةٌ للشمسِ، ﴿ وَجَدتُّهَا وَقَوْمَهَا يَسْجُدُونَ لِلشَّمْسِ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فَصَدَّهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ فَهُمْ لاَ يَهْتَدُون ﴾ [النمل 24]، فقالَ لَهُ سليمانُ: خُذْ هذا الكتابَ أَيْ الخطابَ إلَى مملكةِ سَبأٍ وانظرْ ماذا يقولُ بعضُهُمْ لبعضٍ، ﴿ اذْهَب بِّكِتَابِي هَذَا فَأَلْقِهْ إِلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا يَرْجِعُون ﴾ [النمل 28]، فأرادت بلقيسُ الذكيةُ أن تَمْتَحِن سليمانَ فأرسلت إليهِ بهديةٍ، وقالت لقومها: إنْ قَبِلَها فهو مَلِكٌ فقاتلُوه وإن لم يَقبلها فهو نبيٌّ فاتبعوه، ومع ذلكَ فلم تثقْ بهديتها: {فَنَاظِرَةٌ بِمَ يَرْجِعُ الْمُرْسَلُون} [النمل 35]، وأمرَ سليمانُ قبلَ قُدومِ ملكةِ سبأٍ ببناءِ قصرٍ مِن زُجاجٍ أبيضَ، ثمَّ أرسلَ الْماءَ تحتَهُ وألقَى فيهِ السمكَ وغيرَهُ، ليزيدَها استعظامًا لأمرِهِ وتحقُّقًا لنبوَّتِهِ، ولَمَّا أرادتْ أَ نْ تَخوضَ الْماءَ كشفتْ عن ساقَيْها لكيْ تَخوضَ الْماءَ، وهذا الفعلُ هوَ عادةُ كلِّ مَن كانَ لابساً وأرادَ أنْ يَخُوضَ الْماءَ إلَى مكانٍ آخَرَ، قالَ سبحانَهُ: ﴿ قِيلَ لَهَا ادْخُلِي الصَّرْحَ فَلَمَّا رَأَتْهُ حَسِبَتْهُ لُجَّةً وَكَشَفَتْ عَن سَاقَيْهَا قَالَ إِنَّهُ صَرْحٌ مُّمَرَّدٌ مِّن قَوَارِيرَ قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَأَسْلَمْتُ مَعَ سُلَيْمَانَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِين ﴾ [النمل 44]. ومِن الآياتِ التي أكرم الله بها نبيَّه سليمانَ عليه السلامُ: تسخيرُ الرِّيحِ تَجري بأمرهِ إلى حيثُ يُريدُ، قال سبحانه: ﴿ فَسَخَّرْنَا لَهُ الرِّيحَ تَجْرِي بِأَمْرِهِ رُخَاء حَيْثُ أَصَاب ﴾ [ص 36]، وكانت هذه الرِّيحُ لَيِّنةً لا زعزعةَ في هُبُوبها، وقال تعالى: ﴿ وَلِسُلَيْمَانَ الرِّيحَ عَاصِفَةً تَجْرِي بِأَمْرِهِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا وَكُنَّا بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَالِمِين ﴾ [الأنبياء 81]، فسخَّرَ اللهُ لَهُ أيضًا الرِّيحَ العاصفةَ الشديدةَ السُّرعةِ والْهُبُوبِ، تَجْرِي بأمرِهِ وتَخضعُ لِحُكْمِهِ، وأيضًا: تقطعُ بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي الغُدُوِّ إلَى قُرْبِ الزوالِ مَسِيرَةَ شَهْرٍ، وتقطعُ بهِ في الرَّوَاحِ مِن بعدِ الزوالِ إلى الغُروبِ مَسِيرَةَ شَهْرٍ، فَهِيَ تقطعُ بهِ مَسَافَةَ شَهْرَيْنِ في يَوْمٍ واحِدٍ، وأُضِيفَتْ إليهِ بلامِ التَّمْلِيكِ لأنَّها في طَاعَتِهِ وتَحتَ أَمرِهِ، قالَ سبحانه: ﴿ وَلِسُلَيْمَانَ الرِّيحَ غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ ﴾ [سبأ 12]. ومنها : تسخير الشياطينِ والْجِنِّ، فكان منهم مَن يَغُوصُ في البحرِ ليستخرجَ الدُّرَ واللؤلؤَ، ومنهم مَن يعملُ للبناءِ وغير ذلك، قال سبحانه: ﴿ وَمِنَ الشَّيَاطِينِ مَن يَغُوصُونَ لَهُ وَيَعْمَلُونَ عَمَلاً دُونَ ذَلِكَ وَكُنَّا لَهُمْ حَافِظِين ﴾ [الأنبياء 82]، وقال سبحانه: ﴿ وَمِنَ الْجِنِّ مَن يَعْمَلُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ وَمَن يَزِغْ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ أَمْرِنَا نُذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ السَّعِير * يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُ مَا يَشَاء مِن مَّحَارِيبَ وَتَمَاثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍ كَالْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ رَّاسِيَاتٍ اعْمَلُوا آلَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرًا وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُور ﴾ [سبأ 12-13]. ومنها : إذابةُ النحاسِ، قال تعالى: ﴿ وَأَسَلْنَا لَهُ عَيْنَ الْقِطْرِ ﴾ [سبأ 12]، فأذابَ اللهُ له النحاسَ حتى كان يَجري كأنه عَيْنُ ماءٍ مُتدفقةٌ مِن الأرضِ. ومنها : أنَّهُ فِي اشتغالِهِ في تدبيرِ ممالكِهِ إذَا أرادَ الغزوَ أمرَ بإحضارِ الخيلِ وأمرَ بإجرائِها، وأنَّهُ لا يُحبُّها لأجلِ الدنيا ونصيبِ النفسِ، وإنما يُحبُّها لأمرِ اللهِ وطلبِ تقويةِ دينِهِ، ويأمُرُ بإعدادِها وتسييرِها حتَّى تغيبَ عن بصرِهِ، ثمَّ يأمُرُ الرائضينَ بأنْ يردُّوا تلكَ الْخيلَ، فلمّا عادتْ طَفِقَ يَمْسحُ سُوقَها وأعناقَها تشريفًا لها لأنَّها ممّا يُستعانُ بِهِ في الجهادِ، وفحصًا لها عن الأمراضِ والعُيوبِ، قالَ سبحانَهُ: ﴿ وَوَهَبْنَا لِدَاوُودَ سُلَيْمَانَ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّاب * إِذْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْعَشِيِّ الصَّافِنَاتُ الْجِيَاد * فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبِّي حَتَّى تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَاب * رُدُّوهَا عَلَيَّ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًا بِالسُّوقِ وَالأَعْنَاق ﴾ [30-33]، فصلواتُ اللهِ وسلامُهُ علَى أنبيائِهِ ورُسُلِهِ، ورزقَنَا التوبةَ والإنابةَ إليهِ، آمين. الخطبة الثانية أما بعد: فلقدْ فُتِنَ نبيُّ اللهِ سليمانُ عليهِ السلامُ فنسِيَ أَ نْ يقولَ إِ نْ شاءَ اللهُ علَى أمرٍ أرادَهُ، قالَ رسولُ اللهِ صلَّى اللهُ عليهِ وسلَّم: «قَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ عليهما السلام: لأَطُوفَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ بِمِائَةِ امْرَأَةٍ، ‌تَلِدُ ‌كُلُّ ‌امْرَأَةٍ غُلامًا يُقَاتِلُ في سَبِيلِ اللهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَلَكُ: قُلْ إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ، فَلَمْ يَقُلْ ونَسِيَ، فَأَطَافَ بِهِنَّ وَلَمْ تَلِدْ مِنْهُنَّ إِلاَّ امْرَأَةٌ نِصْفَ إِنْسَانٍ، قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: لَوْ قَالَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ لَمْ يَحْنَثْ وَكَانَ أَرْجَى لِحَاجَتِهِ» أخرجه البخاري ومسلم واللفظ للبخاري، قال سبحانه وتعالى: ﴿ وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا سُلَيْمَانَ وَأَلْقَيْنَا عَلَى كُرْسِيِّهِ جَسَدًا ثُمَّ أَنَاب - قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لاَّ يَنبَغِي لأَحَدٍ مِّنْ بَعْدِي إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّاب ﴾ [ص34-35]، فالْجَسَدُ الْمُلْقى على كُرْسِيِّه هو نِصْفُ إنسانٍ، فلم تتحقَّق رغبتُه في أن يَلِد لَه مائةُ ولَدٍ يُجاهدون في سبيلِ اللهِ، لنسيانه قولَ: إنْ شاءَ اللهِ، قال صلى الله عليه وسلم: «إِنَّ عِفْرِيتًا مِنَ الْجِنِّ تَفَلَّتَ الْبَارِحَةَ لِيَقْطَعَ عَلَيَّ صَلاتِي، فَأَمْكَنَنِي اللهُ مِنْهُ فَأَخَذْتُهُ، فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَرْبُطَهُ عَلَى سَارِيَةٍ مِنْ سَوَارِي الْمَسْجِدِ حَتَّى تَنْظُرُوا إِلَيْهِ كُلُّكُمْ، فَذَكَرْتُ ‌دَعْوَةَ ‌أَخِي سُلَيْمَانَ: رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لَا يَنْبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِي، فَرَدَدْتُهُ خَاسِئًا» أخرجَهُ البخاريُّ. ولَمّا نبذَ اليهودُ عهدَ اللهِ واتبعُوا ما تتلُو الشياطينُ أيامَ سليمانَ عليهِ السلامُ، وأرادُوا أَ نْ ينسبُوا كلَّ شيءٍ في عهدِ سليمانَ علَى أنَّهُ سحرٌ وعَمَلُ شياطينَ، وأرادُوا أَ نْ يُوهمُوا الناسَ أَ نَّ منهجَ سليمانَ عليهِ السلامُ هوَ من السحرِ ومن الشياطينِ، فبرَّأَ اللهُ نبيَّهُ سليمانَ وأخبرَ سبحانَهُ أَ نَّ تعلُّمَ السحرِ كُفرٌ وعملَهُ كفرٌ، فقال سبحانه: ﴿ وَاتَّبَعُواْ مَا تَتْلُواْ الشَّيَاطِينُ عَلَى مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَلَـكِنَّ الشَّيْاطِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّى يَقُولاَ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلاَ تَكْفُرْ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِ وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلاَ يَنفَعُهُمْ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُواْ لَمَنِ اشْتَرَاهُ مَا لَهُ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلاَقٍ وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْاْ بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُون ﴾ [البقرة 102]. وأخيراً يموت نبيُّ الله سليمانُ عليهِ السلامُ ولم تُدْرِكِ الْجِنُّ مَوْتَهُ إلاَّ بعدَ أنْ أَكَلَتِ الأَرْضَةُ عَصَاهُ فسَقَطَ جَسَدُه الشريفُ، مما يَدُلُّكَ على محدوديةِ عِلْمِ الْجِنِّ رَغْمَ ما أعطاهُم اللهُ مِن قُدُراتٍ خارقةٍ، ﴿ فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَى مَوْتِهِ إِلاَّ دَابَّةُ الأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ أَن لَّوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ مَا لَبِثُوا فِي الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِين ﴾ [سبأ 14]. عبد الله: إِ نَّ قصةَ نبيِّ اللهِ سليمانَ عليهِ السلامُ نموذجٌ رائعٌ للقَصَصِ القرآنيِّ في الأداءِ النفسيِّ والعَقَدِيِّ والتربويِّ والإداريِّ والاجتماعيِّ والقِتَاليِّ، لِما لَها من أثرٍ عجيبٍ في النُّفوسِ، بما فِيها من مواقفَ متعدِّدةٍ تدعُو إلى الدَّهْشَةِ والاعتبارِ والاستمتاعِ، وكلَّما قرأتَها عبدَ اللهِ وأعدتَ قراءتَها استخرجتَ مِنها العديدَ من الفوائدِ، ألا فَلْنَعْمُرْ أوقاتَنَا بقراءةِ كتابِ ربِّنا وتَدَبُّرِ قَصَص أنبيائهِ، ولنُكْثِر مِن الصلاةِ والسلامِ على نبيِّنا صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وسلَّمَ في دَهْرِنا عامَّةً وفي يومِ وليلةِ الْجُمُعَةِ خاصَّة، فإنَّ صَلاتَنا مَعْرُوضَةٌ عَلَيهِ، ومَنْ صَلَّى عَلَيهِ صلاةً صَلَّى اللهُ عليهِ عَشْرَاً، ومَنْ صلَّى اللهُ عليهِ كَفَاهُ مَا أَهَمَّهُ مِن أَمْرِ دُنياهُ وأُخراهُ، وغَفَرَ لهُ ذَنْبَهُ. .