To be continued...
At all times in history, God has sent messengers to warn their own societies.
They have taught their societies of the wisdom of God, preached the true religion and warned people of the Day of Judgment.
One of these holy individuals is Prophet Suleyman, peace be upon him.
God bestowed a great kingdom, incomparable wealth, a mighty army supported by genes and birds and superior knowledge upon him.
The Qur'an contains a great many stories regarding Prophet Suleyman, and there are most important advice and lessons in each one of these.
In addition, there is another striking aspect to these stories.
They contain signs of the end times.
Prophet Dawud, peace be upon him, was one of the prophets sent by God to the children of Israel.
God revealed the Book of Psalms to Prophet Dawud, who possessed superior knowledge and faith, and later he gave him glad tidings of another gift.
We gave to Dawud Suleyman.
What an excellent servant!
He truly turned to his Lord.
Prophet Suleyman came to the children of Israel as a prophet, and, just like the other prophets, he called on the children of Israel to believe in God, and to abide by the proper moral values revealed by him.
He, Suleyman said,
My Lord, forgive me, and give me a kingdom the like of which will never be granted to anyone after me.
Truly, you are the ever-giving.
God accepted his prayer and bestowed upon him great blessings, superior wisdom, and more possessions than anyone else could attain, and a glorious kingdom.
His kingdom, based on the city of Jerusalem, became the most powerful state of the time.
Prophet Suleyman had a mighty army, the likes of which had never been seen.
It was composed of cinns, birds, and men, and was supported by a strong intelligence network.
God has revealed the following about this army.
His army was very disciplined, for the three groups that formed it worked together very harmoniously, and without the slightest problem.
Prophet Suleyman possessed great wealth, and magnificent power.
But his true aim was to use the blessings given by God in his path.
Because he possessed superior moral values, and was a role model for all mankind.
What an excellent servant!
He truly turned to his Lord.
One of the most important attributes of Prophet Suleyman revealed in the Qur'an
is without a doubt his deep faith and superior moral values.
God tested him with events, both good and bad.
However, when he encountered any difficulty, anxiety, or blessing, he immediately turned towards God.
He made every decision with his name in mind, and always took refuge in his generous mercy.
God has revealed the moral values of Prophet Suleyman in these terms in the Qur'an.
Suleyman said,
This is part of my Lord's favor, to test me to see if I will give thanks or show ingratitude.
Whoever gives thanks only does so to his own gain.
Whoever is ungrateful, my Lord is rich beyond need, generous.
It is revealed in the Qur'an that Prophet Suleyman had a great love of animals.
For instance, he devoted a certain amount of time to horses.
The true reason for this love was the admiration he felt for God's flawless creative artistry.
In other words, in watching his horses, he was remembering God due to the perfection of his creation.
Prophet Suleyman loved his possessions and the splendor of his wealth again because they made him remember God.
God has revealed this superior attribute in the Qur'an.
Suleyman said,
Truly do I love the love of good because of the remembrance of my Lord.
In short, while possessing power that had been granted to no one else,
Prophet Suleyman always felt a deep and sincere respect for God.
And he used all his means to serve his religion.
God endowed Prophet Suleyman with superior knowledge and blessings.
And these are clearly revealed in the Qur'an.
Prophet Suleyman was known for his strong sense of justice.
He judged with truth, like his father, Prophet Dawud, and solved all disputes most justly.
His attitude following the loss of the hoopoe bird was one of the finest examples of this.
It is revealed in the Qur'an that there was a bird called the hoopoe in Prophet Suleyman's army
and that one day, when inspecting his army, the Prophet was unable to see the hoopoe.
Still, he inflicted no sudden penalty.
First, he listened to it carefully and asked it to produce clear proof.
The Qur'an states,
He, Suleyman, inspected the birds and said,
How is it that I do not see the hoopoe?
Or is it absent without leave?
I will certainly punish it most severely
or slaughter it if it does not bring me clear authority.
O people, we have been taught the speech of birds
and have been given everything.
This is indeed a clear favor.
By God's permission, Prophet Suleyman learned to speak the language of birds.
He formed an army squadron composed of birds and commanded them as he wished.
This information is both noteworthy and thought-provoking
because modern science has indeed revealed
that birds have their own unique way of speaking to one another.
This communication takes place on a wavelength inaccessible to the human ear.
Prophet Suleyman might have been given a knowledge
to understand these conversations,
which might have been made possible by technological means.
It appears from the verses that Prophet Suleyman achieved important results
by using birds to both carry messages and gather information.
This knowledge facilitated communication with other countries
and reaching distant areas.
This verse may be drawing our attention to a superior technology,
similar to that which will be used in the end times.
In fact, these birds may not even refer to birds as we know them,
but perhaps to unmanned aircrafts.
Prophet Suleyman also established control over the djinns and the demons.
God reveals this in Surah Sabah.
And some of the djinns worked in front of him by his lord's permission.
When considered from this point of view,
it may have been an army made up of djinns that looked like birds.
Or these birds may have been controlled by djinns,
who Prophet Suleyman could use to make the birds do what he wanted them to do.
God knows the truth.
Then, when they reached the valley of the ants,
an ant said,
Ants, enter your dwellings so that Suleyman and his troops do not crush you unwittingly.
He, Suleyman, smiled, laughing at his words, and said,
My lord, keep me thankful for the blessing you have bestowed on me and my parents.
Keep me acting rightly, pleasing you,
and admit me by your mercy among your servants who are righteous.
Interesting information emerges when these verses are considered.
The female ant knew that Prophet Suleyman and his army were entering the valley.
This is an extremely conscious recognition.
These ants could speak to one another and were aware of what was happening around them.
This suggests that these creatures may have been djinns.
God knows the truth.
Prophet Suleyman's ability to hear the ants talking among themselves
may indicate a development that will occur in computer technology in the end times.
For the valley of the ants suggests a special place and special ants.
The modern term, Silicon Valley, refers to the center of the world of technology.
Thus, it is very significant that the verse mentions the valley of the ants.
And today, using ants and other insects as models,
robots are being developed to serve humanity in such varied areas
as the defense industry and various technological fields.
These verses may be signaling such developments.
And to Suleyman, we gave the fiercely blowing wind,
speeding at his command toward the land that we had blessed.
And we had full knowledge of everything.
God allowed Prophet Suleyman to control the wind and use it as a tool.
This may be a reference to the use of wind energy in Prophet Suleyman's time.
The term, fiercely blowing wind, in the verse is also of the greatest interest.
This phrase may be drawing our attention to a technology
that will be developed in the end times.
Aircraft technology.
And we made a fount of molten copper flow out for him.
There was another great blessing given to Prophet Suleyman.
Molten copper.
Copper is one of the best conductors of electricity and heat
and plays a significant role in producing electricity.
At this point, the verse may be indicating a most important fact.
The advanced technology in the time of Prophet Suleyman
developed by using electricity.
The verse contains a most unambiguous term.
Flow out.
This may point to the great amounts of electricity produced
and its widespread use in Prophet Suleyman's time.
God knows the truth.
Moreover, in the verse, the term Ayna al-Qitri is employed.
Many Quranic commentators have interpreted these words as referring to petroleum.
Today, petroleum is the most basic raw material of technology.
In his time, Prophet Suleyman may have used it in technological operations.
God knows the truth.
God has revealed that he placed certain demons and cins under Prophet Suleyman's command.
And he used them on artistic works, in construction activities, and many other areas.
God reveals this thus in the Quran.
And some of the demons dived for him, Suleyman, and did other things apart from that.
And we were watching over them.
In the same way that this verse contains important information about that time,
it may also hold some indications regarding the end times.
The verses refer to entities diving in the sea.
This verse may inform us of the importance of processing both underground and marine riches.
But in order to do so, highly advanced technology is needed.
At this point, some entities worked for Prophet Suleyman,
and they may have given him technical support and provided human workforce.
In the end times, through which we are living now, technology is advancing at great speed.
Thanks to God's mercy of technology,
undersea research is also making rapid progress,
and the riches there are being discovered.
Therefore, it is possible that the meaning of the verse points in this direction.
God knows the truth.
And the truth.
Various events that took place between Prophet Suleyman and the Queen of Saba
are related in the Quran.
in a perversion inherited from their ancestors.
They worshipped the sun.
The bird known as Hupo in Prophet Suleiman's army
informed him that the Sabayins were going along with Satan
and ascribing partners to God
and failing to keep the true path.
Hupo said,
I found both her and her people
prostrating to the sun instead of God.
Satan has made their actions seem good to them
and de-barred them from the way
so they are not guided.
After hearing the Hupo's information,
Prophet Suleiman did not make a sudden decision.
He ordered an investigation to ascertain its truth.
This is a proof that he was a provident and just ruler.
When the facts about the Sabayins were certain,
Prophet Suleiman sent a letter to the Queen of Saba.
Take this letter of mine and deliver it to them.
Then withdraw from them a little
and see how they respond.
God reveals the content of this letter in the Quran.
Do not rise up against me,
but come to me in submission.
The letters in decisive, decisive and clear style
show that it was from a powerful ruler
and have affected the Queen and her council.
Prophet Suleiman used his letter
to explain God's religion and to warn them.
He did not want to subjugate them to himself.
Rather, he wanted to lead them toward God
so that they might become Muslims.
This shows that he was more interested
in their belief system
than in conquering Sabah.
The Queen of Sabah immediately sought her advisor's advice.
O council, give me your opinion about this matter.
It is not my habit to make a final decision
until I have heard what you have to say.
Their reply is revealed thus in the Quran.
They said,
We possess strength and great military force.
But the matter is in your hands,
so consider what you command.
Realizing that she could not defeat Prophet Suleiman militarily,
the Queen of Sabah decided to submit to his call.
She said,
When kings enter a city,
they lay waste to it
and make its mightiest inhabitants the most abased.
That is what they too will do.
Then the Queen of Sabah visited Prophet Suleiman.
And she witnessed his great majesty.
Greatly influenced by this,
the Queen immediately believed
and became a Muslim.
She was told,
Enter the courtyard.
But when she saw it,
she supposed it to be a pool
and bared her legs.
He, Suleiman, said,
It is a courtyard paved with glass.
She said,
My lord,
I have wronged myself,
but I have submitted with Suleiman
to the lord of all the worlds.
There are a number of striking elements in this account.
For instance,
the floor is described as
paved with glass.
These words may indicate
a particular technology of that time.
The floor may have been
a giant television screen
placed in the palace's entrance.
So, when she saw the screen,
she thought that she was looking at water.
These verses may be alluding
to a different kind of technology
which will be used in the end times.
Simulation, for example.
Today, simulation goggles
let people think
that they are in a different place
than where they are.
Simulation goggles
Prophet Suleiman's deep understanding of art,
which we see in these verses,
is a very good example for Muslims.
He used this understanding
to express his great love for God
and his wonder at the marvels of his creation.
in the end times.
Believing artists
have produced beautiful works of art
throughout history.
With God's permission,
the power of Muslim art
will greatly increase in the end times.
In these verses,
God may be indicating
that water will be used
in the end times
to produce decorative materials
with advanced technology.
These products,
using water's aesthetic
and clean appearance,
may be used in beautiful things
to recreate the splendor
of Prophet Suleiman's time.
Other verses
concerning Prophet Suleiman
and the Queen of Saba
may also contain signs
regarding the end times.
He who possessed knowledge
of the book said,
I will bring it to you
before the twinkling
of your eye ceases.
And when he,
Suleiman,
saw it standing firmly
in his presence,
he said,
This is part of my lord's favor
to test me
to see if I will give thanks
or show in gratitude.
In these verses,
the person referred to as
he who possessed knowledge
of the book
says that he can bring
the throne of the Queen
to Prophet Suleiman
before the twinkling
of an eye ceases.
In other words,
very quickly.
This brings to mind
a most astonishing phenomenon
that may be experienced
in the end times.
advanced image transfer technology.
Thanks to the internet,
people can send
many kinds of information
over long distances
in a very short time.
Just like the throne's
transportation
in the twinkling of an eye.
The Qur'an informs us
of another Muslim leader
who ruled the great kingdom,
Zul Karnein.
His life was quite similar
to Prophet Suleiman's.
Like Prophet Suleiman,
Zul Karnein was a ruler
with great economic,
military and political power.
Justice was at the forefront
of his conception of dominion.
He found solutions to problems
using reason and faith.
Furthermore,
as revealed in the Qur'an,
like Prophet Suleiman,
he commanded jeans
and used molten copper.
The dominion exercised
by Prophet Suleiman
and Zul Karnein
is very good news
for all Muslims
because these accounts
may contain
important indications
about the end times.
The golden age will be a time of wealth,
splendor, beauty, happiness
and peace.
Life on earth
will be like paradise
because the Qur'an's morality
will prevail throughout the world.
Doubtless,
this is a grace
and good tidings from God.
He announces in the Qur'an
that
God has promised
those of you
who believe
and do right actions
that He will make them
successors in the land
as He made those
before them successors,
will firmly establish
for them their religion
with which He is pleased
and give them,
in place of their fear,
security.
The Hadiths characterize
the end times
as a treacherous period
in which the number of wars
and conflicts
will increase
and the world
will be in general chaos
because of the moral degeneration
arising from people's rebellion
against religious morality.
In this period,
natural disasters
will be everywhere.
Poverty will reach
a previously unknown level.
Crime rates will soar
and murder and massacre
will follow each other.
But this is only
the first stage
of the end times.
In the second stage,
God will use the Mahdi
to rescue people
from this chaos.
And the golden age
indicated in the verse
will begin.
The golden age
will be a time
when wars
and conflicts
will end.
All irreligious ideologies
that caused
so much misery
will be buried
in the dark recesses
of history
and the world
will enjoy
a period of justice
and abundant blessings.
Islamic morality
will spread
throughout the world
and people
will stream
toward religion.
Some of the hadiths
describe this dominance
of Islamic morality
such as
when our Prophet
may God bless him
and grant him peace
speaks of the similarities
between this period
and the reigns
of Prophet Suleiman
and Zul Karna'in.
Some of these
are as follows.
The Mahdi
will rule earth
just like
Zul Karna'in
and Prophet Suleiman.
There have been
four kings on earth.
Two were believers
and two were unbelievers.
The believers
were Zul Karna'in
and Prophet Suleiman
and the unbelievers
were Nimrod
and Nebuchadnezzar.
There will be
a fifth king
from the people
of my house.
The term Mahdiism
connotes the establishment
of these two leaders
superior morality
on a new,
different
and broader
foundation
in the end time.
The sovereignty
of Islamic moral values
is the most important
common feature
of all three ages.
And there are others.
By God's permission
Prophet Suleiman
ruled over jinns
and demons,
spoke to birds,
heard and understood
ants talking
among themselves.
Of Zul Karna'in
the Qur'an says
We had encompassed
that he had
knowledge comprising
essence near him
or all that he had
in knowledge.
Like these two
blessed believers,
the Mahdi also
will have special knowledge.
One hadith
reveals the following.
He is called
the Mahdi
because he has
given guidance
for a situation
unknown to anyone.
Our Prophet,
may God bless him
and grant him peace,
also says
that the Mahdi,
like Prophet Suleiman,
will know
the language
of animals
and have power
over human beings
and jinns.
The Mahdi
speaks the language
of birds
and other animals.
Therefore,
his justice
will manifest itself
over all people
and jinns.
Prophet Suleiman
used the jinns
and demons
under his command
to construct
high arches,
statues,
huge dishes
and vats.
Zul Karneyn
also used
a very effective
construction technique
to build
the barricade.
The hadith
also allude
to the great importance
of construction
in the Golden Age.
One of these hadiths
is as follows.
The Mahdi
works in the construction
of Constantinople
and other places.
Prophet Suleiman
used all his wealth
and majesty
for the benefit
of Muslims.
The Mahdi, too,
will use the world's wealth
to make God's religion
supreme
and establish peace
and high moral standards
throughout his realm.
In his time,
a tolerant dominion
will prevail.
There will be
a Mahdi
among the people.
God will send him
to make people rich.
People will have comfort
and good fortune,
animals will have
plenty to eat,
and the soil
will bring forth plants.
the Mahdi
of Muslims.
The Mahdi
is a holy person
whom every Muslim
must take
as a role model,
just like
the other prophet.
All mankind
must take
his moral values
and the attitudes
he adopted
towards events
as role models
and must be devout,
just,
modest,
rational,
patient,
and determined
like him.
Because this path
will lead believers
to great successes
and victories,
not just in this world,
but in the hereafter, too.
Furthermore,
the signs in the stories
about Prophet Suleiman
are taking place
in our day,
one after the other.
This is clear proof
that a blessed age
is approaching.
God reveals
the importance
of the accounts
regarding the prophets
in the Quran.
There is instruction
in their stories
for people of intelligence.
This is not a narration
which has been invented,
but confirmation
of all that came before,
a clarification
of everything,
and a guidance
and a mercy
for people who believe.