Solomon 's armies, made up of jinns and men and birds, were assembled for him, paraded in tight ranks. (Qur'an, 27:17)
Prophet Solomon (pbuh) had a mighty army, the likes of which had never been seen. It was composed of jinns, birds, and men, and was supported by a strong intelligence network.
This verse mentions armies, not army. The use of the plural form expresses his army's power and superior numbers.
His army was very disciplined, for the three groups that formed it worked together very harmoniously and without the slightest problem.
The support of jinns and demons gave Prophet Solomon (pbuh) a superior advantage over others, for these creatures could easily do what human beings could not. For example, one verse says: "He and his tribe see you from where you do not see them" (Qur'an, 7:27). Thus, the jinns were effective intelligence gatherers.
The words yoked together in chains indicate that Prophet Solomon (pbuh) had great power over the jinns and demons that served him.
![]() |
Those who believe and do mix up their faith with any wrongdoing,they are the ones who are safe;it is they who are guided .(Qur'an,6:82) "I have turned my face to Him Who brought the heavens and Earth into being, a pure natural believer.I am not one of the idoleters."(Qur'an,6:79) |
This verse indicates that Prophet Solomon (pbuh) had power over the religious jinns who submitted to God as well as over the unbelieving jinns. Not only did he render the demons and those whom they possessed, as well as unbelievers, harmless, but he also gave them various duties and made them serve Islam.
In this verse, God may be indicating that evil-intentioned individuals must be prevented from harming those who want to live according to Islam's morality. Making them serve God both prevents any possible damage and serves Islam.
This verse may imply that those individuals who oppress others and commit evil and malicious acts must be strictly controlled and prevented from mixing with others and stirring up strife.
In this verse, God may be hinting about the kind of punishment criminals will face in the End Times. In other words, they will be prevented from endangering society and will be made to benefit humanity.
The phrase yoked together in chains may be alluding to a security system similar to an electronic cuff or shackle that will be used in the End Times. Such chains will prevent criminals from escaping and harming themselves and others.
These verses show that Prophet Solomon (pbuh) inspected his army regularly so that he could notice and correct any problem immediately in order to preserve discipline. As the verse suggests, being absent without permission or notice was a very serious breach of discipline.
This is how Prophet Solomon (pbuh) addressed the messengers who brought him gifts from the Queen of Saba. He stated that he would not accept her gifts under any circumstances, thereby manifesting his determination that she should submit to him.
In addition, we can understand that no other army could defeat his army. As we will see later on, when the rulers of Saba heard of this, they realized that submission was their only option.
Electronic Shackle |
![]() |
Today, the United States and other countries sometimes use an electronic shackling system to punish criminals. These people, placed under house arrest instead of sent to prison, must attach a shackle to their ankle so that they can be monitored at all times. Usually, these criminals can move freely within a range of 80 kilometers (50 miles). If they attempt to go beyond this limit, members of the security forces go on the alert and the police are called immediately. In this way, these criminals can live their lives within certain limits and not commit more crimes. |