The Story of Solomon son of David ﷺ
Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAsākir (1) said: He is Solomon son of David son of Ishā son of ʿUwīd son of Bāghaz son of Salmūn son of Naḥshūn son of ʿAminādāb son of Iram son of Ḥaḍrūn son of Fāriṣ son of Judah son of Jacob son of Isaac son of Abraham—Abū al-Rabīʿ, a Prophet of Allah, the son of a Prophet of Allah.
Some reports state that he entered Damascus.
Ibn Mākūlā (2) said: “Fāriṣ” is spelled with a plain sād, and he recorded a lineage very similar to that cited by Ibn ʿAsākir.
Allah, Exalted is He, says:
“And Solomon inherited David and said, ‘O people, we have been taught the speech of birds and have been given of all things. Indeed, this is manifest favor.’” (al-Naml 27:16)
He inherited him in prophethood and kingship, not in worldly wealth, for David had other sons (3) and it would not be fitting to single Solomon out with money alone. This is further confirmed by the authentic reports found in the Ṣaḥīḥ collections from several Companions in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
“We are not inherited from; whatever we leave behind is charity.” (4)
In another wording, “We, the community of prophets, are not inherited from.” (5)
Thus the Truthful and Trustworthy ﷺ informed us that the property of the prophets is not apportioned as inheritance the way others’ estates are; rather, their possessions become charity after them, distributed to the poor and the needy without preference for their relatives. The life of this world was of little worth to them—just as it is to the One who sent, chose, and honored them.
He also said, “O people, we have been taught the speech of birds,” meaning that Solomon ﷺ understood what birds communicated in their own languages and could convey their purposes and intentions to people.
Al-Ḥāfiẓ Abū Bakr al-Bayhaqī said:
Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ narrated to us; ʿAlī ibn Ḥamshādh narrated to us; Ismāʿīl ibn Qutaybah narrated to us; ʿAlī ibn Qudāmah narrated to us; Abū Jaʿfar narrated to us