Message #22981

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Quoting  Mohsin Khan's translation of V.38:34

"And, indeed We did try Sulaiman (Solomon) and We placed on his throne jasadan (a devil, so he lost his kingdom for a while) but he did return (to his throne and kingdom by the Grace of Allah and he did return) to Allah with obedience and in repentance."  

The word in the bracket "a devil" is according to Jalaleyn tafsir a jinn which says that Suleiman was tested by his kingdom temporarily taken away from him.  He had married a woman out of his desire for her and she was an idolater.  The control of his kingdom lay in his ring.  One day before going to the washroom he removed his ring which he left with that wife of his.  A little while later a jinn disguised as Solomon came to the woman and took the ring from her. After taking the ring the jinn got control over Suleiman's kingdom. It was this jinn which sat on the throne which Allah refers to in V.38:34 as "and set upon his throne a (mere) body."  When Suleiman saw the jinn upon his throne, he said to the people that the body on the throne was not him, it was someone else. But the people didn't understand and failed to recognize the real Suleiman. Then Suleiman repented.  He managed to get back the ring after quite a long time, maybe few weeks or months, and that's how his kingdom was restored to him. 

If you compare the above with the Quranic Verse 38:34, the only thing about that Jalaleyn story might be true is the jinn grabbing Suleiman's throne.  Although the circumstances that led to Suleiman's losing his throne could be very different from what's mentioned in this story.  That bit about Suleiman's ring controlling his kingdom may not be true.  The details are known to Allah alone.