Sūrat al-Anbiyāʾ
Section 13 of 21 · Surah Studies · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Dāwūd, Sulaymān and the Wind
Then Allah (swt) treats of Lūṭ (peace be upon him), his nephew, first, and of the difficulties he had with his people. Then the discussion is of Nūḥ (peace be upon him), who must have called them for nine hundred and fifty years, one of the longest callings there has been.
Then from verse 80, or 78 and thereabouts, come Dāwūd and Sulaymān (peace be upon them). Allah (swt) had given them both prophethood, and they were rulers also. They were the rulers of their time; they were the kings. But then Allah (swt) gave Sulaymān (peace be upon him) more still: the kind of kingdom He gave him was unparalleled, and was given to no one else.
وَلِسُلَيْمَـٰنَ ٱلرِّيحَ عَاصِفَةً تَجْرِى بِأَمْرِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلَّتِى بَـٰرَكْنَا فِيهَا ۚ وَكُنَّا بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَـٰلِمِينَ
“And for Sulaimān, (We subjugated) the violent wind that blew under his command to the land in which We placed Our blessings. And We were the One who knew everything.” (21:81)
Among the things mentioned is wa li-Sulaymāna al-rīḥa ʿāṣifah: he had the wind at his disposal, which would carry him wherever he wished.
وَمِنَ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينِ مَن يَغُوصُونَ لَهُۥ وَيَعْمَلُونَ عَمَلًا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَكُنَّا لَهُمْ حَـٰفِظِينَ
“And from the devils, (We subjugated for him) those who dived in water for him and did jobs other than that. And We were the One who kept watch over them.” (21:82)
And likewise wa mina al-shayāṭīn: he had the shayṭāns working for him as well. The jinn, the shayṭāns, working for him.