His saying, exalted is He: “and statues”—that is, they made statues for him: images of copper, brass, antimony, glass, and marble. It is also said that they fashioned images of beasts and birds. And it is said that they made images of angels, prophets, and righteous people in the mosques, so that people would see them and increase in worship. Perhaps this was permitted in their law, just as Jesus used to fashion forms from clay and breathe into them, whereupon they became birds by Allah’s permission. (1)

“And basins”—that is, large bowls, the singular being jafnah—“like reservoirs,” meaning pools in which water is collected; the singular is jābiyah. It is said that a thousand men would sit around a single bowl and eat from it. “And immovable cauldrons”: fixed in place upon stands, which could not be moved from their locations because of their enormous size; they were neither taken down nor left unused. Ladders were used to climb up to them, and they were in Yemen.

“Work, O House of David, in gratitude.” That is, We said: Work, O House of David, in obedience to Allah, in gratitude to Him for His blessings.

“But few of My servants are truly grateful”: that is, those who act in obedience to Me out of gratitude for My blessing.

It is said that what is meant by “the House of David” is David himself. And it is said: David, Solomon, and the members of their household.

Ja‘far ibn Sulayman said: I heard Thabit say: David, the Prophet of Allah, peace be upon him, divided the hours of the night and day among his family, so that not a single hour of the night or day would pass without someone from the House of David standing in prayer. (2)

“Then, when We decreed death for him, nothing indicated his death to them except a creature of the earth eating away at his staff. Then, when he fell down, the jinn realized that, had they known the unseen, they would not have remained in the humiliating punishment.” (14)

“Then, when We decreed death for him”—that is, for Solomon.

The scholars said: Solomon, peace be upon him, would seclude himself in the Holy House for a year or two years, or for a month or two months, or for less or more than that, taking his food and drink inside with him. He entered it on the occasion in which he died. The beginning of this was that no morning would come without a tree growing in the prayer chamber of the Holy House. He would ask it, “What is your name?” It would reply, “My name is such-and-such.” He would then ask, “What purpose are you for?” and it would reply, “For such-and-such.” He would then order it to be cut down. If it had grown to be planted, he would plant it; and if it was for medicine, he would record it. This continued until the carob tree grew. He asked it, “What are you?” It replied, “The carob tree.” He asked, “For what purpose have you grown?” It replied, “For the destruction of your mosque.” Solomon said, “Allah would not destroy it while I am alive. You are the one upon whose