Many of them even attribute all of this to Solomon and to “Āsaf ibn Barkhiyā.” They draw imaginary pictures of Solomon’s signet-ring, and they may lead a man who has joined their circle to certain spots, show him a shadowy figure, and then say, “This is Solomon son of David.” The same sort of thing has happened to some shaykhs we personally know—men with whom the devils kept company and who produced demonic feats of the very kind performed by magicians and soothsayers.

So exalted is God, Who declared Solomon innocent of their lies! Those who claim that he enslaved the devils through any form of polytheism or sorcery have maligned him, while the others pretend that they are following him. It is about people like these that the Almighty has said:

“They followed what the devils recited during Solomon’s reign. Yet it was not Solomon who disbelieved; rather, the devils disbelieved, teaching people sorcery and what had been sent down to the two angels in Babylon—Hārūt and Mārūt. Neither of them taught anyone without first saying, ‘We are only a trial, so do not disbelieve.’ From them people learned what could separate a man from his wife, though they could harm no one with it except by Allah’s permission. They learned what harmed them and did not benefit them, and they surely knew that whoever bought into it would have no share in the Hereafter. Miserable indeed was the price for which they sold themselves, if only they knew.” ⟦al-Baqara 2:102⟧ (102)

“If only they had believed and been mindful of Allah, a reward from Allah would have been far better for them, if only they knew.” ⟦al-Baqara 2:103⟧