An-Naml 15: Vow to that; We gave knowledge to David and Solomon. They said, “All Praise be due to Allah, for that; we are superior to most of Allah’s mu’min servants.”

We have come to verse 15 of Surah An-Naml.

Truly, most people are heedless of the verses of Allah Almighty and interpret the verses wrongly. In verse 15 Allah Almighty says the following. Now I am reading you the wrong one. Together we will see where the mistake is. "Verily, We gave knowledge to David and Solomon." Fine. He does give. "By Allah, who made us superior to many of His believing servants," they said.

I am reading it once more. Now you are asking where the mistake is here, aren't you? It is very simple. Look. "Praise be, We gave knowledge to David and Solomon."

They — David and Solomon, it says now. "We — the One who made us superior to many of His believing servants, praise be to Allah," they said.

Here, do these people not know that these were prophets? They do; then they are unaware of this verse. They do not know what a prophet is either.

Be it David, be it Solomon, Allah Almighty created their souls from the soul of the Prophet. And after creating all the prophets, He made a covenant with them. I will send you as the elders and messengers of your peoples. Do you accept? And they said, we do. Then I too am among the witnesses with you, He says. What did Allah create superior to him? The first created are the prophets — what do we say is the correct version of this? "Verily, We gave knowledge to David and Solomon." Correct. "For our being superior to many of His believing servants, praise be to Allah," they said. What were they saying? Let us read it.

They: "For our being superior to many of His believing servants." It is not that Allah created them superior in this way. Look: "who made us superior to many of His believing servants, praise be to Allah." I would say, (?), I am jealous. You created him superior to many of Your believing servants. What is my fault? You should have created me superior too. Isn't it so? With the verse "had We willed — you cannot will", "had We willed, We would have created you as a single community" — does it not contradict that verse?

Isn't that so, Binali?

"Had We willed, We would have created you as a single community." So He gives the will to man. With will, these — what does it say here now? They: "For our being superior to many of His believing servants."

Let us say Binali is superior to me. What does Binali say? "Through our creation as believers, I was created superior to many of His servants." That is what he says. What does it say? "For our being superior to many." I cannot say it to you. Along with you, I too would be superior. You have many virtues. I do not. Since I do not have them, of course you turn out to be superior to me. So the prophets too, compared to the servants, Allah's servants, or people, were created superior. Superior. These are the first created, the prophets. It is not that Allah chose them and created them superior. From the first created souls.

24 thousand — according to one narration He created 24 thousand prophets. Now, in this case, I am reading again the difference between the two. "To Allah, who made us superior to many of His believing servants," it says. And here: "for our being superior to many of His believing servants" — that is, not "us" but "we": "for our being superior to many of His believing servants, praise be to Allah," they said. Yes. There is a difference between the two. Now, Allah Almighty gave prophethood to David (peace be upon him) too. To whomever Allah gives prophethood, He also gives knowledge. Because Allah does not make His prophets from among the ignorant.

Allah Almighty created these worlds with knowledge. Every mind affirms knowledge. Because the mind was created to know Allah. For this reason, since Allah Almighty created the worlds with knowledge too, He gives His prophets knowledge and makes them more intelligent than people. In this case the prophets invite people to the truth with this intelligence and knowledge. Allah Almighty does not let His prophets be humiliated, through deficient conduct toward people, in people's eyes. The prophets come to people as examples. For this reason Allah, by giving David (peace be upon him) knowledge, made him a man of knowledge. He even gave David (peace be upon him) a strength to shape iron in his hands.

It is said that David (peace be upon him) had nineteen sons. Among them, the heir of his prophethood is Solomon. Solomon used to invite people to the truth. And because he was closer to Allah Almighty than other people — look how beautiful — because he was closer, Allah Almighty rewarded Solomon too with prophethood. David (peace be upon him) and Solomon (peace be upon him) used to pray to Allah Almighty like this. "For our being superior to many of His believing servants, praise be to Allah," they would say. With what? Prophethood had come to them. So these prophets are in a position superior to many people, that is, to many believers.

And in this way, what does it say? Solomon is rewarded with prophethood. Allah Almighty — because he was closer than other people, Allah Almighty rewarded Solomon too with prophethood. David (peace be upon him) and Solomon (peace be upon him) prayed to Allah Almighty like this. "For our being superior to many of His believing servants, praise be to Allah," they would say. In this way they would offer praise, glorification and thanks to Allah Almighty. To Solomon too Allah — Allah gave knowledge to Solomon too. They spoke with many of His creatures, with these animals. At the same time, He placed under Solomon's command winds that in a day would go and come back a month's journey.

With the winds Solomon would go wherever he wanted and come back. He would go a month's journey and come back. One day I wondered how he travels. Spiritually: he sits just like this, as if sitting in an armchair. He sits exactly like this. And goes. Exactly. The wind takes him and carries him. Exactly as if sitting in an armchair. Yes.