
Why Did Prophet Solomon Asked for Help
WHY DID PROPHET SULAIMAN (SOLOMAN)
ASKED FOR HELP
From the teachings of Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani
To listen to this suhbat of Shaykh Nurjan Mirahmadi on Youtube, click here.
اَعُوْذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيْمِ
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيْم
A’udhu Billahi Min’ash Shaitanir Rajeem
Bismillahi’r Rahmani’r Raheem
Mawlana Shaykh Hisham’s teachings are always like an ocean. Every Ayat (verse) of holy Quran, every example of holy Quran and holy hadith has an ocean of depth to it. A reminder of that example is the story of Sayyidina Sulaiman (as) because in today’s world this is an important understanding. All of secret societies are based on what they believe to be the knowledge of Sayyidina Sulaiman (as). The master builder who they claims to be the master builder is Sayyidina Sulaiman (as). Building with the power of malaika (angels), Jinn, and عفريت afreet (devil). The whole pursuit of the dark side of dunya (material world) is in that understanding. They are in pursuit of that reality; they believe that they are holding that reality. Alhamdullelah, that reality is in the hand of Sayyidina Muhammad (saws) and in the hand of awliyaullah (saints) whom prophet (saws) is bestowing from those understandings.
It is important that they teach from every ayat (verse) of holy Quran a tremendous reality that Allah (عز و جل) wants us to use Tafakkur and contemplate. That why is that version of the story is being told. Why that masal (example) has been given to us? That Sayyidina Sulaiman (as) whom Allah (عز و جل) gave him unimaginable mulk, unimaginable power, and unimaginable authority. Holy Quran describes that he asked from his Jinn, and not only jinn but it is said from the company of afreet; that who can bring me the throne.
قَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ أَيُّكُمْ يَأْتِينِي بِعَرْشِهَا قَبْلَ أَن يَأْتُونِي مُسْلِمِينَ ﴿٣٨﴾
Qala ya ayyuha almalao ayyukum yateenee bi’arshiha qabla an yatoonee muslimeen.(An Naml 27:38)
[Solomon] said, “O assembly [of jinn], which of you will bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?” (The Ant 27:38)
Importance of the Throne
They start to describe the throne. One now Allah (عز و جل) is describing the throne, so there must be people with a throne. A throne signifies a tremendous authority. There are people who have thrones in dunya (material world) and there are people who have thrones in akhera (here after). They have thrones, they have kursi (chair), and they have a couch; based on their darajat (levels), Allah (عز و جل) is giving them a level of comfort.
إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ الْيَوْمَ فِي شُغُلٍ فَاكِهُونَ ﴿٥٥﴾ هُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُمْ فِي ظِلَالٍ عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ مُتَّكِئُونَ ﴿٥٦﴾
Inna ashabal jannatil yawma fee shughulin fakihoon. (55)
Hum wa azwajuhum fee zilalin `alal arayiki muttakioon. (Yaseen 36:56)
Indeed the companions of Paradise, that Day, will be amused in [joyful] occupation.
They and their spouses in shade, reclining on adorned couches. (36: 55-56)
مُّتَّكِئِينَ فِيهَا عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ ۖ لَا يَرَوْنَ فِيهَا شَمْسًا وَلَا زَمْهَرِيرًا ﴿١٣﴾
Muttakieena feeha ‘alal araiki la yarawna feeha shamsan wa la zamhareera. (Al Insaan 76:13)
[They will be] reclining therein on adorned couches. They will not see therein any [burning] sun or [freezing] cold. (The Human Being 76:13)
Sayyidina Sulaiman (as)’s example is that who can bring me that throne. One, why is such a powerful Nabi (prophet) is asking help from someone other than Allah (عز و جل)? Because everywhere you go now, they say this is shirk (forbidden), this is not correct; you ask only from Allah (عز و جل). Why ask only from Allah (aj)? Sayyidina Sulaiman (as) who has been given tremendous power and closeness to Allah was asking. Why is he asking first of all from Jinn? Ya ayu hal majlisil jinn…Who can bring me that throne?
قَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ أَيُّكُمْ يَأْتِينِي بِعَرْشِهَا قَبْلَ أَن يَأْتُونِي مُسْلِمِينَ ﴿٣٨﴾
Qala ya ayyuha almalao ayyukum yateenee bi’arshiha
qabla an yatoonee muslimeen.(An Naml 27:38)
[Solomon] said, “O assembly [of jinn], which of you will bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?” (The Ant 27:38)
Then with contemplation and tafkkur, a whole understanding is opening. One, that because at the end of what happened; he says that all of this was a test to show if I am thankful. It means what Allah (عز و جل) gives of ni’mat (blessings). Allah (aj) has many ni’mat and many blessings; they do not all come to you, all to one person. What Allah (عز و جل) wants from us is to be humble. When we are humble, we say Subhanaka ya Rabbi, that Glory be to You, that everything around was such a blessing. Because at the end of this whole story, Sayyidina Sulaiman (as) says that this was a test for me to see if I am thankful for the bounty that Allah (aj) has bestowed upon me.
…ۚ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ مُسْتَقِرًّا عِندَهُ قَالَ هَـٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي لِيَبْلُوَنِي أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ
وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ ﴿٤٠﴾
…falamma raahu mustaqirran ‘indahu qala hadha min fadli rabbee liyabluwanee ashkuru am akfuru wa man shakara fa innama yashkuru linafsihi, wa man kafara fa-inna rabbee ghaniyyun kareem. (Surat An Naml 27:40)
And when [Solomon] saw it placed before him, he said, “This is from the favor of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is grateful – his gratitude is only for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever is ungrateful – then indeed, my Lord is Free of need and Generous.” (The Ant 27:40)
First example he is asking from jinn to bring the throne. And the jinn replies, afreet, not just a jinn. Afreet means that these are the Shayateen (Satans) that were under his control. The afreet replies that it is going to take some time. It means there is now an authority for us to understand in dunya of afreet and Shayateen (Satans), what they do take time.
قَالَ عِفْرِيتٌ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن تَقُومَ مِن مَّقَامِكَ ۖ وَإِنِّي عَلَيْهِ لَقَوِيٌّ أَمِينٌ ﴿٣٩﴾
Qala ‘ifreetun mina aljinni ana ateeka bihi qabla an taqooma min maqamika
wa inni ‘alayhi laqawiyyun ameen. (Surat An Naml 27:39)
A powerful one from among the jinn said, “I will bring it to you before you rise from your place, and indeed, I am for this [task] strong and trustworthy.”
And immediately Allah (aj) gives in that same story, but there was one who had knowledge of the book.
قَالَ الَّذِي عِندَهُ عِلْمٌ مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ ۚ …﴿٤٠﴾
Qala alladhee ‘indahu ‘ilmun minal kitabi ana ateeka bihi
qabla an yartadda ilayka Tarfuka,… (Surat An Naml 27:40)
Said one who had knowledge from the Scripture,
“I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you.” … (The Ant 27:40)
He said I will bring it to you before you blink and it appeared. It means from the presence of
Sayyidina Sulaiman (as), whom Allah (aj) gave a mulk, a bounty that He has not given to any prophet since and before.
وَلِسُلَيْمَانَ الرِّيحَ غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ ۖ وَأَسَلْنَا لَهُ عَيْنَ الْقِطْرِ ۖ
وَمِنَ الْجِنِّ مَن يَعْمَلُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ ۖ … ﴿١٢﴾
Wa li Sulaimana arreeha ghuduwuha shahrun wa rawahuha shahrun wa asalna lahu ‘ayna alqitri, wa mina aljinni man ya’malu bayna yadayhi bi-idhni rabbihi …
(Surat Saba 34:12)
And to Solomon [We subjected] the wind – its morning [journey was that of] a month – and its afternoon [journey was that of] a month, and We made flow for him a spring of [liquid] copper. And among the jinn were those who worked for him by the permission of his Lord. … (Sheba 34:12)
From all of that, there is one with the knowledge of the book. From the Psalms (Zabur) of Sayyidina Dawood (as), not even holy Quran. Imagine the power of holy Quran because, this Allah’s Quran is to teach us. Some people ask why don’t you sit and read holy Quran. We teach holy Quran. They teach holy Quran. They teach it in a way that you should have been contemplating when you are reading it. Otherwise, you are just reading it, reading it, for years and years reading it but, never contemplating. Ahl tafakkur (contemplation) and ahl Dhikr (remembrance) when they read, they are told to stop and now think.
Be Humble and Ask
One, Sayyidina Sulaiman (as) is asking from the afreet, to bring him something. It means that we are always in need to ask. No matter what Allah (aj) gives to you, He is showing that the best of character is to ask. Ask my creation; be humble, even if you have the power yourself. Didn`t he have the power to bring the throne himself? What kind of prophet didn’t have the power to do that? He had the power but, he wanted to show the akhlaq and the best of akhlaq (character) is to be humble.
Sayyidina Sulaiman (as) asked which of you jinn can bring me what I am asking. So this is one power. Then Allah (aj) says, no no the one who had knowledge of the book brought it within a blink of an eye. It means in a speed almost faster than the speed of a thought. There is a speed in which the jinns are operating. There is a speed of light and there is a faster speed of thought. He said I will bring it at the speed of thought and it appeared. The appearance, because he is a prophet (as), he can’t steal her throne (throne of Sheba). This is now the technology we are using; he replicated the throne and brought it in to his holy presence. You can’t be a prophet and steal somebody’s property. So the understanding is that what he brought was a replication. He replicated it like a fax machine. This technology now they are trying to bring it to dunya (material world); to fax the solid matter. The jinn said it takes time, hold on and they replicated. But the one with the knowledge of the book brought it in a blink of an eye, before he returned his gaze; that which he wished for appeared before him.
The Two Powers Existing in Dunya
These are two powers that Allah (aj) is showing exist within this earth; the power of the afreet and the power of the ones with knowledge of the book. The knowledge of the book now is knowledge of the holy Quran. That is not even comparable to that knowledge. Knowledge of holy Quran is Allah’s uncreated words that contains all the books and contains all the knowledges. What power is in a servant whom Allah (aj) is giving knowledge of the book. Not only that he reads the book but, he studies the book and he teaches the book. They are the rabbaniyun (lordly). The souls of the rabbaniyun, Allah (aj) gave according to their darajats (levels) and their understanding. They are the walking kitab (book) and the walking holy Quran. Allah (aj) describes them in Surat Ar Rahman `Allama ‘l-qur’an. Khalaqa ‘l-insaan.
عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ ﴿٢﴾ خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ ﴿٣﴾
`Allama ‘l-qur’an. Khalaqa ‘l-insaan. (Ar Rahman 55:1-2)
It is He Who has taught the Qur’an. He has created Man. (The Beneficent 55:1-2)
These souls are the ones who I have thought them the book, then you see their form. At some point in time, they master the form in which Allah (aj) wants them to master and they reach a reality that is qadeem and ancient. Allah (aj) said I thought you these realities, these realities are upon your soul.
Then in dunya (material world) Shaytan (Satan) tells everybody, don’t go to the one who has knowledge of the book, that is shirk. But the use of the afreet is ok. All of them are bot parast (Idol worshiper) because they use the phone. Every technology you use, no matter how much the scientist try to explain to you. The phone is zero one, zero one, it breaks down your code to binary code of 0 and 1. This binary code goes to through the air and matches on to your phone and you pick up text, video, and sound.
No it’s afreet. It is Shayateen (Satans) attached to that device. That is like your genie; what you want, he immediately fetches it and brings it back for you. What they use and they are willingly use of all technology is afreet. The power of afreet in dunya is that everybody sustain themselves by that afreet. Your fax machine, your CD player, every technology you are using, there must be afreet attached to it. When you press send, he’s going and getting what you want. He is going to convey your sound to the person on the other end and he is going to bring back the information that you wanted. He is of service to you. He is serving you, serving you, and then sends you a pornographic image. You are like where that comes from? It is because he is working for Shaytan. He serves you, serves you; he comes 99 steps with you and then flip you at the end. Make you send horrible text messages. Make you look at the pictures you shouldn’t be looking at. Making you do all sorts of things on the internet by serving you. You want to search something, I will get it for; and boom put it right on your screen. You want to fax something; I will deliver it myself and bring it back. So much so, that afreet’s world is called iPhone. “I” ‘Ananiya (openly). Anna rabbi al’ala. Pher’awn (Pharaoh) said, I am the Lord most high.
فَقَالَ أَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الْأَعْلَىٰ ﴿٢٤﴾
Faqala ana rabbukumu al’ala. (Surat An Nazi’at)
And said, “I am your most exalted lord.” (Those who drag forth 79:24)
The “I” in iPhone
In tariqas (Sufi paths) and ahli haqayiq (people of the truth), they never use the word “I”. A sign for us is that this phone is called iPhone. They make it look like a kitab (book).That you are praying; O holy phone, let me call. It says, it says Samina wa ata’na (I Heard and I obey). I heard you and I am making the call. Everything we do from it. Even when you make your phone call is like you are making takbirat in prayer, when we say Allahu Akbar (holding hands at our ears). Everything you are doing, you are imitating all of these things. So Shayateen (Satans) have people worshiping them.
They say no the device is so plugged in our being that we live by it. We need it. The information that it is bestowing upon us, we can’t imagine the luxury of not having it (not having this luxury). That’s why Mawlana says it (the phone) is haram (forbidden) but, make it to be halal (permitted). It means make the phone to make dhikr for you. There are apps you put on the phone and the phone says, say Astaghferullah, SubhanAllah, Alhamdulllelah. Use the phone to read Quran, use it to read Dalail Khairat, use it to read du’as (supplications). But understand the haqayiq (truth), that mankind chose the power of afreet. From the two powers that Sayyidina Sulaiman (as) brought in a teaching in holy Quran.
Why Allah (aj) chose that story? Out of the whole life of the prophet and so many amazing realities, He chooses a story knowing that you are going to be under this. You are going to be under this question in your life. When he asks to bring something, he asked from the jinn. He didn’t ask from the one with knowledge of Kitab (book) first. Why did he ask from the jinn? Why did mankind moved towards relying on afreet and jinn? Why does Shaytan block anyone from going to somebody who has knowledge?
Shaytan is fast to block everybody. Don’t go to holy people, this is shirk. Don’t ask them for du’a, don’t ask them for any blessings, and don’t ask them for anything. But, Allah (aj) is showing that they have one with the holy knowledge of the book who can bring the throne of Sheba (Bilqis). You don’t think he can convey a du’a? When it comes to the knowledge of People of Kitab, and ahlil Quran, and the People of love of sayyidina Muhammad (saws). That one, no it’s a haram, it’s shirk, it’s forbidden. By who? By takfirees and Shayateen (Satans). They don’t go around and say no no what we did choose was the knowledge of afreet. Because everyone is using the afreet. This is ok, this is completely acceptable; so much so that they want the afreet to be plugged in to their body. They have a device that makes them completely monitored and plugged in.
These realities are important for us. Why Allah (aj) gave that example? That to ask is a sign of humility. But who to ask? Don’t ask from the jinn world. Don’t deal with the jinn world. It means Ask from the people of knowledge and Kitab Allah (people of the Knowledge). They can bring that reality faster. And when that reality comes from the knowledge of the book, it comes blessed. It doesn’t come with all sorts of attachments and different packages assigned to it.
The Shirk that Allah (عز و جل) warned us about
This is now the dilemma in dunya (material world). That you see everything in the dark side is based on that. Every pursuit they have is based on that Solaimaniya knowledge. They think they have that knowledge. They think they operate with that knowledge. They say even the black and white floor tiles is a symbol of merging between the seen and the unseen. When you see the pattern of black and white, black and white, black and white. Why black and white? Because the white that manifests and the black that operates within the shadow; they want to bring the two dimensions together. That is the example of the mobile phone.
That you are using from that power but, you don’t know it. Every technology that they are bringing, they are using from these afreets but, they don’t know. Even their smart systems and the guiding systems, afreet is attached to that and they are using it.
They are bringing mankind and afreet to work together. That becomes the big sharik (partner); when mankind attaches himself with his Shayateen and his nafs (ego). Allah (عز و جل) says la sharik (no Partner). No way to be sharik (partner) with Allah (aj). This wasn’t ever about being a partner with Allah (عز و جل). Allah (aj) does not fear that you are going to be any partner because you are so far down in that system. What Allah (aj) is saying is the sharik (partner) that you are making is the sharik (Partner) with the Shayateen (satans). You are allowing them into your life. You are allowing them to grant you an ease. You are relying upon them, so much so that you can’t live without them. Seek the people of the book, seek to read the book, understand the book, and convey the knowledge of the book. Shaytan blocks every aspect of that and make difficulty for everybody to seek the people of the book.
We pray that Allah (aj) grant an opening and understanding. That once we understand the haqayiq (truths) and understand the negative energy, we become free from it. Mawlana shaykh Hisham says turn everything that is negative to positive. It means use it for reading holy Quran, for holy hadith, and for dhikrullah and remembrance. And to know these are the Shayateen. And you are going to dominate the Shaytan; Shaytan is not going to dominate you. Seek the people of the book, ahlil kitab, eat with them, pray with them, and to be from them.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ ﴿١١٩﴾
Ya ayyuhal ladheena amanoo ittaqollaha wa koonoo ma’as sadiqeen.
O you who have believed, fear Allah and be with those who are true.
Subhana rabbika rabil ‘izzati ‘ama yasifoon. Wa salamun ‘alal mursaleen wal hamdulillahi rabbil ‘alameen. Bi hurmati Muhammadil Mustafa wa bi siratil suratil Fatiha.