We surely tried Solomon, and placed another body on his throne. So he turned to God
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Tafseer
'Abdullāh Ibn 'Abbās / Muḥammad al-Fīrūzabādī
تفسير : (and verily we tried solomon) by the loss of his kingdom for 40 days, the number of days in which the idols were worshipped in his house, (and set upon his throne a (mere) body) a devil. (then did he repent) then did he return to his kingdom and to the obedience of his lord and repented from his sin.
Jalāl al-Dīn al-Maḥallī
تفسير : and we certainly tried solomon: we tested him by wresting his kingdom from him, because he had married a woman [solely] out of his desire for her. she used to worship idols in his [own] home without his knowledge. now, [control of] his kingdom lay in his ring. on one occasion, needing to withdraw [to relieve himself], he took it off and left it with this woman of his, whose name was al-amīna, as was his custom; but a jinn, [disguised] in the form of solomon, came to her and seized it from her. and we cast upon his throne a [lifeless] body, which was that [very] jinn, and he was [the one known as] sakhr — or it was some other [jinn]; he sat upon solomon’s throne and so [as was the case with solomon] the birds and other [creatures] devoted themselves to him [in service]. when solomon came out [of his palace], having seen him [the jinn] upon his throne, he said to the people, ‘i am solomon [not him]!’ but they did not recognise him. then he repented — solomon returned to his kingdom, many days later, after he had managed to acquire the ring. he wore it and sat upon his throne [again].
