The jinn in Solomon's court

The Qur'an reports that Solomon said to his people when the jinn had written for him what he commanded, and it mentions that jinn worked for him whatever he willed of high chambers, images and basins like reservoirs, that among them were divers for him in the sea and workers for whatever else the king desired ¹ Saba' 12.

In the Sheba narrative Solomon hears the voice of a jinn promising him: 'I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you' — the bringing of Bilqis's throne — and Solomon marvelled and said 'this is of my Lord's bounty, to test whether I am grateful or ungrateful' al-Naml 39 al-Naml 40.

Surah Sad records that hosts of jinn, mankind and birds were made to work for Solomon, and that they 'worked for him whatever he willed of high chambers, images and basins like reservoirs' Sad 36 Sad 37.

These verses are among the Qur'an's clearest texts on jinn attending directly to human affairs in an earlier age; this subject page gathers them with the rest of the jinn records and the tafsir works that elaborate them ¹.