Who Was the Father of Sulaiman (Solomon), Peace Be Upon Him?
من هو والد سليمان عليه السلام؟
Dawud (David) PBUH.
(And David was succeeded by Solomon, who said, “O people! We have been taught the language of birds, and been given everything ˹we need˺. This is indeed a great privilege.”) An-Naml 27:16
(And We blessed David with Solomon,what an excellent servant ˹he was˺! Indeed, he ˹constantly˺ turned ˹to Allah˺.) Sad 38:30
داوود عليه السلام
وَوَرِثَ سُلَيْمَانُ دَاوُودَ وَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ عُلِّمْنَا مَنطِقَ الطَّيْرِ وَأُوتِينَا مِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَهُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْمُبِينُ (النمل 27: 16)
وَوَهَبْنَا لِدَاوُودَ سُلَيْمَانَ ۚ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ (ص 38: 30)
1. Inheriting Prophethood and Kingship, Not Wealth | وراثة النبوة والملك لا المال
Surah An-Naml 27:16 states plainly that Sulaiman “inherited” from Dawud. Ibn Kathir explains this inheritance as kingship and prophethood, not wealth: had it been wealth, Sulaiman would not have been singled out among Dawud’s many children, and the wealth of prophets is not inherited.
تنص سورة النمل 27: 16 صراحة على أن سليمان “ورث” داوود. ويفسر ابن كثير هذا الميراث بأنه وراثة الملك والنبوة لا المال، إذ لو كان مالا لما خُص به سليمان وحده من بين سائر أولاد داوود، فإن الأنبياء لا تورث أموالهم.
2. A Gift Announced Publicly | هبة أُعلنت للناس
Sulaiman does not keep this inheritance to himself; he addresses the people directly, “O people! We have been taught the language of birds” (27:16). This public announcement matters because it frames the language of birds and other gifts not as private curiosities but as evidence Sulaiman offers openly of Allah’s favor upon him, a favor he goes on to describe as a great privilege. His gifts are described in the miracles and powers of Prophet Sulaiman.
لم يحتفظ سليمان بهذا الميراث لنفسه؛ بل خاطب الناس مباشرة: “يا أيها الناس عُلّمنا منطق الطير”. ولهذا الإعلان العلني أهميته لأنه يقدم منطق الطير والهبات الأخرى لا كفضول خاص بل كدليل يعرضه سليمان علنا على فضل الله عليه، فضل يصفه بعد ذلك بأنه فضل مبين.
3. Given From Everything, Not Only Birds’ Speech | أُوتي من كل شيء لا من منطق الطير فقط
The verse does not stop at the language of birds; it adds “and been given everything we need.” Ibn Kathir explains it as everything a king needs, so the speech of birds was only one example singled out for mention, not the full extent of what he received.
لا تتوقف الآية عند منطق الطير؛ بل تضيف “وأوتينا من كل شيء”. ويفسره ابن كثير بأنه كل ما يحتاج إليه الملك، فكان منطق الطير مثالا واحدا خُص بالذكر، لا الحد الكامل لما أُوتيه.
4. Father and Son Both Praised as Servants Who Turned to Allah | داوود وسليمان عبدان أوّابان
Surah Sad praises father and son with the same quality. In 38:17 Allah calls Dawud “Our servant, the possessor of strength” who was “awwab,” constantly turning back to Allah, and in 38:30 He names Sulaiman as His gift to Dawud and praises Sulaiman as “an excellent servant” who was also “awwab.” This description connects directly to the special gifts Allah gave Dawud and to how Dawud was tested in judging between people, showing that Sulaiman’s own favor with Allah mirrored a father whose character had already been singled out for praise.
تثني سورة ص على الأب والابن بالصفة نفسها: ففي الآية 17 يصف الله داوود بأنه “عبدنا داوود ذا الأيد إنه أواب”، وفي الآية 30 يذكر سليمان هبةً لداوود ثم يثني على سليمان بأنه “نعم العبد إنه أواب”. ويرتبط هذا الوصف مباشرة بالهبات الخاصة التي أعطاها الله لداوود وبكيفية اختبار داوود في القضاء بين الناس، مما يظهر أن فضل سليمان عند الله جاء امتدادا لأب كانت شخصيته قد خُصت بالثناء من قبل.
5. One Prophetic Household, Two Distinct Missions | بيت نبوة واحد ورسالتان متمايزتان
Dawud and Sulaiman are named together in both verses, and both are praised for constantly turning back to Allah (38:17, 38:30), while other passages describe Dawud’s wisdom and judgment and the birds, jinn and wind made subject to Sulaiman. The father-son relationship established here is the foundation for reading every later Sulaiman story as a continuation of the same prophetic household, not an unrelated new line of prophecy.
يُذكر داوود وسليمان معا في كلتا الآيتين، ويثني القرآن على كليهما بأنه أوّاب (ص 38: 17، 30)، وتذكر آيات أخرى حكمة داوود وقضاءه، وما سُخّر لسليمان من الطير والجن والريح. وعلاقة الأب بالابن المؤسسة هنا هي الأساس لقراءة كل قصة سليمان لاحقة بوصفها استمرارا لبيت النبوة نفسه، لا خطا جديدا منفصلا للنبوة.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Who was the father of Sulaiman (Solomon), peace be upon him?
Dawud (David), peace be upon him, as stated in Surah An-Naml 27:16 and Surah Sad 38:30.
What did Sulaiman inherit from Dawud?
Kingship and prophethood, according to Ibn Kathir, not wealth, since the wealth of prophets is not inherited.
What unique ability does Sulaiman mention in this verse?
Being taught the language of birds, one example among the broader gifts Allah granted him.
How does Surah Sad describe Dawud?
As Allah’s servant, the possessor of strength, who constantly turned back to Allah (38:17); the praise of an excellent servant in 38:30 refers to Sulaiman.
Were Dawud and Sulaiman given the same signs?
They shared the praise of constantly turning back to Allah, while each was given particular gifts: Dawud wisdom and judgment, and Sulaiman the birds, the jinn and the wind made subject to him.