Que Dieu me pardonne et me guide pour tout ce que j’aurais pu mal interpréter dans cette étude et ailleurs. Qu’Il puisse nous guider vers une meilleure compréhension de Sa révélation afin que nous puissions nous purifier et accroître notre savoir.

Anointment of Solomon by Tsadok the priest at the Gihon spring

The correct meaning of the word “jasadan” in 38:34 — and the verses that follow regarding Solomon and the trial that he underwent and threatened his throne — has long been debated in Islam. Sunnis and Shiites, who rely on hadiths and traditions, remain divided and unsure as to its exact meaning.

We will once again show how the automatic and exclusive recourse to hadiths and traditions can become an obstacle to properly understanding the Quran. We will see, in this specific case, how Sunni scholars tend to favor theses that lack justification, whereas the correct meaning of verse 38:34 is perfectly clear from a biblical point of view (we will also realize how profoundly significant it is in the Old Testament in the conclusion) — especially since one of the major roles of the Quran according to 10:37 is to “confirm” al-kitāb (the Bible).

Let us first read verse 38:34 and its immediate context:

Table of Contents

1. Verses 38:31-35

2. The Traditional Sunni Interpretation

2.1 A jinn / demon named “Sakhr” is placed on the throne (the main narrative)

2.1.1 Classical source: Tafsīr of al-Ṭabarī

2.1.2 Classical source: Tafsīr of Ibn Kathīr: a jinn appearing as a “body”

2.1.3 Linguistic interpretation: “a body”, “a form”, “a lifeless being”

2.1.4 Al-Bayḍāwī: a form/entity is placed on the throne as a trial

3. The Correct Quranic Meanings of the word “jasadan” and its Biblical Context

3.1 The different meanings of the word “jasad” (جَسَد) in the Quran

3.2 The biblical context of 38:34

Conclusion

1. Verses 38:31-35

إِذْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ بِٱلْعَشِىِّ ٱلصَّٰفِنَٰتُ ٱلْجِيَادُ

(38:31) When there were displayed before him, in the later part of the afternoon (bi’l-ʿashiyy), well-trained, swift horses,

فَقَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ ٱلْخَيْرِ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبِّى حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتْ بِٱلْحِجَابِ

(38:32) He said: “Truly I favored worldly goods more than the remembrance of my Lord” — until [the sun] was hidden behind the veil [of the night].

رُدُّوهَا عَلَىَّ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًۢا بِٱلسُّوقِ وَٱلْأَعْنَاقِ

(38:33) “Bring them back to me!” He then began stroking their legs and necks.

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا سُلَيْمَٰنَ وَأَلْقَيْنَا عَلَىٰ كُرْسِيِّهِۦ جَسَدًا ثُمَّ أَنَابَ

(38:34) Consequently, We certainly tried Solomon and placed a jasadan (key term to be defined) upon his throne; then he repented.

قَالَ رَبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَهَبْ لِى مُلْكًا لَّا يَنۢبَغِى لِأَحَدٍ مِّنۢ بَعْدِىٓ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ

(38:35) He said: “My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom that none after me will equal. Indeed, You are the Bestower.”

We discover that Solomon had missed the prayer of the later part of the afternoon (the second part of the afternoon, “al-ʿashiyy”, is mentioned in 38:31) because he had allowed himself to be distracted by his horses from the “remembrance” (dhikr) of God (“the remembrance of my Lord”). The “remembrance of God” is abundantly documented in the Quran as being very often synonymous with the ritual prayer (ṣalāt) — see, for example, 5:91, 20:14, 24:37, 29:45, 62:9-10, 87:15, etc. The sun finally set, and Solomon and his horses disappeared behind the veil (ḥijāb), that is, the veil of the night after sunset.

God controls all things, and, as a severe warning because Solomon had placed the pleasures of this worldly life above glorifying Him by performing the obligatory ritual prayer, Allah subjected him to a severe trial by temporarily placing a “jasadan” (the key term we will define in this article) upon his throne — the very throne that his father, King David, had promised him.

2. The Traditional Sunni Interpretation

In the majority of cases, Sunni exegetes refer to the words of men — that is, to hadiths and traditions other than Allah and His verses (which are explicitly condemned in 45:6) — in order to explain the Quran, even though the Quran describes itself as “clear” (مُبِين = Mubeen, 12:1, 26:2, 27:1, 28:2, 36:69, etc.) and “fully detailed” (6:114, 7:52, 10:37, 16:89, 41:3, 41:44, etc.).

In this particular case, no hadith explains the meaning of the word “jasadan” in 38:34. Therefore, Sunnis rely mainly on tafsīrs (commentaries and exegeses of the Quran), some of which slightly predate the most recognized hadith collections (the oldest complete tafsīr available is that of Muqātil ibn Sulaymān, dated to the mid-8th century and which predates Bukhārī’s hadith collections by approximately one century) and are therefore considered credible sources by Sunni scholars.

Below are summaries and excerpts of some of the most famous and most frequently cited tafsīrs on 38:34 that influence the traditional Sunni interpretation:

2.1 A jinn / demon named “Sakhr” is placed on the throne (the main narrative)

2.1.1 Classical source: The Tafsīr of al-Ṭabarī

Al-Ṭabarī reports narratives according to which a jinn named Sakhr (or other name variants) took Solomon’s place on his throne, appearing in the form of a “body” (“jasad”) in order to test him.

Excerpts from al-Ṭabarī’s commentary (Tafsīr) on 38:34:

“Allah The Most High said: “And We certainly tried Sulaymān (Solomon)”, that is: We put him to the test. “And We placed upon his throne a body”, that is: a devil (shayṭān) who had assumed a human form. The commentators have mentioned that his name was Sakhr. Others said his name was Asaf. Still others said his name was Asir, and some said he was called Habqīq.”

“The exegetes (ahl al-ta’wīl) have said things similar to what we have mentioned above regarding the interpretation of these verses. For example:

Reported from ʿAlī (via Abū Ṣāliḥ, Muʿāwiyah, ʿAlī) on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās concerning the verse “and We placed upon his throne a body”: Ibn ʿAbbās said: “It is Sakhr the jinn who presented himself as a body (a human) on his throne.” Ibn ʿAbbās also said: “The body was the demon to whom Solomon had entrusted his ring; the demon then threw it into the sea. The kingdom of Solomon resided in his ring. The name of the jinn was Sakhr.”

2.1.2 Classical source: Tafsīr of Ibn Kathīr: a jinn appearing as a “body” 

Ibn Kathīr repeats the reports transmitted by the early authorities (Ibn ʿAbbās, Qatādah, etc.): 

– A jinn appears in the form of a body and is placed on the throne during Solomon’s trial. 

– Solomon temporarily loses his power until he repents.

Excerpts from Ibn Kathīr’s commentary on 38:34: 

“Allah The Most High said: “And We certainly tried Solomon”, meaning: We tested him by removing his kingdom for a time, “and We cast upon his throne a body”. Ibn ʿAbbās, Mujāhid, Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, al-Ḥasan, Qatādah and others said: “It is a devil (shayṭān).” “Then he repented”, meaning he returned to his kingdom; his authority and his splendor [were restored]. 

“Ibn Jarīr said: “The name of this demon was Sakhr. This is what Ibn ʿAbbās and Qatādah affirmed. It has also been said: Asaf, according to Mujāhid. And it has been said: Asir, also according to Mujāhid. And it has been said: Habqīq, according to as-Suddī. They have narrated this story in both detailed and concise forms.”

2.1.3 Linguistic interpretations: e.g., ‘a body,’ ‘a form,’ ‘a lifeless being’

Some exegetes and modern translations (e.g., Abul A’la Maududi, Sahih International, Pickthall, Yusuf Ali) avoid the more legendary narratives: “jasadan” is, more simply, “a body”, “a form”, “an image” or “a lifeless being” placed as a trial on the throne.

2.1.4 Al-Bayḍāwī: a form/entity is placed on the throne as a trial 

Al-Bayḍāwī summarizes that “jasadan” is “a form”, “a being” — perhaps “a demon” presenting itself as “a body”. The Quranic text deliberately remains concise and focuses on the trial.

In short, classical and modern Sunni exegetes essentially offer two interpretations of the term “jasadan” in 38:34: 

– A narrative interpretation based on early tafsīrs: a jinn or demon (often named “Sakhr”) sat on Solomon’s throne in the form of a “body” (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, etc.). 

– A more linguistic interpretation: a lifeless body, form or image was placed on the throne (al-Bayḍāwī, al-Jalālayn, modern translations).

3. The Correct Quranic Meanings of the word “jasadan” and its Biblical Context

3.1 The different meanings of the word “jasad” (جَسَد) in the Quran

Aside from 38:34, the word “jasad” appears in only three other verses:

وَٱتَّخَذَ قَوْمُ مُوسَىٰ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ مِنْ حُلِيِّهِمْ عِجْلًا جَسَدًا لَّهُۥ خُوَارٌ

 أَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ أَنَّهُۥ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمْ وَلَا يَهْدِيهِمْ سَبِيلًا ٱتَّخَذُوهُ وَكَانُوا۟ ظَٰلِمِينَ

(7:148) And in Moses’ absence, his people fashioned from their ornaments a calf — a jasadan (a lifeless effigy/statue in the form of a body) that gave out a lowing sound. Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them in any path? Yet they took it (as a god), for they were wrongdoers.

أَخْرَجَ لَهُمْ عِجْلًا جَسَدًا لَّهُۥ خُوَارٌ فَقَالُوا۟ هَٰذَآ إِلَٰهُكُمْ وَإِلَٰهُ مُوسَىٰ فَنَسِىَ

(20:88) Then he (al-Sāmirī, i.e. the Samarian) brought forth for them a calf — a jasadan (a lifeless effigie/statue in the form of a body) that gave out a lowing sound. And they said: “This is your god and the god of Moses!” — but he (the Samaritan) had simply forgotten (the true God).

وَمَا جَعَلْنَٰهُمْ جَسَدًا لَّا يَأْكُلُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ خَٰلِدِينَ

(21:8) And We did not make the prophets jasadan (i.e., bodies) that ate no food; nor were they immortal.

Thus, the word “jasadan” (جَسَدًا) appears exactly four times in the entire Quran (7:148, 20:88, 21:8, 38:34). In the above three verses, it designates either a statue, by definition lifeless (the golden calf: 7:148, 20:88) or a living human body (the prophets: 21:8). Most importantly, and contrary to the interpretation that is often predominant in Sunnism, the term never designates a jinn or a demon in the Book of God, which we are about to conclusively demonstrate as well regarding 38:34:

3.2 The biblical context of 38:34

Abiathar the high Priest anoints as king of Israel Adonijah, son of David.

1 Kings 1 (World English Bible)

Adonijah attempts to usurp Solomon’s throne. Solomon ultimately ascends the throne.

1 Now King David was old and advanced in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he couldn’t keep warm. 2 Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king. Let her stand before the king, and cherish him; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.” 3 So they sought for a beautiful young lady throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 The young lady was very beautiful; and she cherished the king, and served him; but the king didn’t know her intimately. 5 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” Then he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6 His father had not displeased him at any time in saying, “Why have you done so?” and he was also a very handsome man; and he was born after Absalom. 7 He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest; and they followed Adonijah and helped him. 8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah. 9 Adonijah killed sheep, cattle, and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel; and he called all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants; 10 but he didn’t call Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother. 11 Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Haven’t you heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord doesn’t know it? 12 Now therefore come, please let me give you counsel, that you may save your own life and your son Solomon’s life. 13 Go in to King David, and tell him, ‘Didn’t you, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying, “Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then does Adonijah reign?’ 14 Behold,† while you are still talking there with the king, I will also come in after you and confirm your words.” 15 Bathsheba went in to the king in his room. The king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king. 16 Bathsheba bowed and showed respect to the king. The king said, “What would you like?” 17 She said to him, “My lord, you swore by the LORD‡ your God§ to your servant, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ 18 Now, behold, Adonijah reigns; and you, my lord the king, don’t know it. 19 He has slain cattle and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the army; but he hasn’t called Solomon your servant. 20 You, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21 Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered criminals.” 22 Behold, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. 23 They told the king, saying, “Behold, Nathan the prophet!” When he had come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. 24 Nathan said, “My lord, King, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? 25 For he has gone down today, and has slain cattle, fatlings, and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king’s sons, the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest. Behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 But he hasn’t called me, even me your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon. 27 Was this thing done by my lord the king, and you haven’t shown to your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?” 28 Then King David answered, “Call Bathsheba in to me.” She came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. 29 The king vowed and said, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity, 30 most certainly as I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place;’ I will most certainly do this today.” 31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth and showed respect to the king, and said, “Let my lord King David live forever!” 32 King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” They came before the king. 33 The king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. 34 Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel. Blow the trumpet, and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35 Then come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne; for he shall be king in my place. I have appointed him to be prince over Israel and over Judah.” 36 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, “Amen. May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, say so. 37 As the LORD has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.” 38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon. 39 Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the Tent, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet; and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 40 All the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth shook with their sound. 41 Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they had finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “Why is this noise of the city being in an uproar?” 42 While he yet spoke, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came; and Adonijah said, “Come in; for you are a worthy man, and bring good news.” 43 Jonathan answered Adonijah, “Most certainly our lord King David has made Solomon king. 44 The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they have caused him to ride on the king’s mule. 45 Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon. They have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that you have heard. 46 Also, Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom. 47 Moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne;’ and the king bowed himself on the bed. 48 Also thus said the king, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne today, my eyes even seeing it.’ ” 49 All the guests of Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and each man went his way. 50 Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon; and he arose, and went, and hung onto the horns of the altar. 51 Solomon was told, “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon; for, behold, he is hanging onto the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’ ” 52 Solomon said, “If he shows himself a worthy man, not a hair of his shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” 53 So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”

Conclusion

The Bible documents that King David had at least nineteen sons (1 Chronicles 3:1-9, 2 Samuel 3, 1 Chronicles 3). Adonijah was his fourth son.

At the time of his attempted coup, Adonijah was the eldest surviving son. Indeed, his three older brothers were all dead: in order, Amnon (the firstborn) had been killed, Chileab (or Daniel) had disappeared and was considered dead, and Absalom had been killed by Joab (the commander of David’s army) after rebelling against his father, and despite David’s explicit order to spare his life.

When Solomon ascended the throne around 970 BC, Adonijah was likely in his mid-to-late 30s (c. 35–40). Solomon, born to Bathsheba well after David’s conquest of Jerusalem, was a young man of about 19–20 years old. This age gap is widely accepted among biblical scholars:

– Edwin Thiele (Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings) places Solomon’s accession at age 20.

– Kenneth Kitchen (On the Reliability of the Old Testament, p. 106) estimates Solomon “in his late teens or around 20.”

– Jewish tradition in Seder Olam Rabbah and later sources (cited by Rashi and Radak) consistently states Solomon was 19 or 20 when he began to reign.

The contrast is deliberate in the text: a mature Adonijah (1 Kings 1:5–6) challenges his young inexperienced brother Solomon (described as נַעַר, “young,” in 1 Kings 3:7 and 1 Chron 29:1) whom he knew perfectly well that David had chosen to succeed him: the fact that he did not inform his father of his own coronation while he was still the reigning king despite his great age, and that he deliberately did not invite Solomon, nor Zadok the co-high priest of Israel, nor the prophet Nathan, nor any of Solomon’s allies makes this crystal clear.

In other words, Adonijah was literally carrying out a coup d’état and had garnered powerful support around him, most notably Joab and Abiathar:

– Joab was David’s nephew and had been commander-in-chief of his army for forty years but was secretly despised by David because of shocking blood crimes. By backing Adonijah, Joab was trying to hold on to his power at all costs in view of David’s imminent death, knowing full well that Solomon would strip him of his command and most likely have him executed.

His rational assessment of the situation proved prescient because it is exactly what happened a few days later after David, shortly before dying, advised Solomon to put Joab to death for his horrendous past crimes (1 Kings 2:5-6).

– Abiathar the priest was one of the two high priests of Israel (co-high priest alongside Zadok, who supported Solomon). One of his major responsibilities as high priest was to anoint and consecrate a new king with the sacred oil of the tabernacle. He must therefore have performed this act for Adonijah, even though the biblical text does not mention it — despite the fact that such an anointing was null and void, having neither divine nor royal approval from David. Adonijah could not legitimately claim the throne of Israel without the backing of at least one of the two high priests.

Abiathar the high priest’s support for Adonijah — an act that constituted treason against David and Solomon, and therefore against God Himself — sealed both his own downfall and the prophesied fall of the house of Eli, of which he was the last descendant (1 Samuel 2:27–36; 3:11–14). Abiathar thought that only one scenario still offered any hope of survival for the house of Eli: the victory of Adonijah. David had indeed clearly favored his co-high priest Zadok — who belonged to the line of Eleazar son of Aaron and had been foretold as early as 1 Samuel 2:35 as the “faithful priest” whom God would raise up — and Zadok was a resolute supporter of Solomon. By comparison, Abiathar was a descendant of Ithamar, Aaron’s youngest son, and the last descendant of Eli who lived at the time of Samuel.

When Solomon prevailed, Abiathar was immediately deposed and banished to Anathoth (1 Kings 2:26–27), thereby fulfilling the word that the LORD had spoken against the house of Eli at Shiloh.

Joab and Abiathar (whose downfall was the fulfilment of a major prophecy) were therefore among the most influential dignitaries in the kingdom of Israel, second only to the dying King David himself and Solomon his chosen heir, and alongside Queen Mother Bathsheba, Zadok the priest (the prophesied “faithful priest” elevated by God who was going to anoint Solomon as king), Nathan (the prophet of the court of David), and Benaiah (commander of the royal guard).

Because of the “right of primogeniture” (bekhorah) clearly laid down in the Torah (Deuteronomy 21:15-17; Genesis 25:29-34; Genesis 49:3-4), Adonijah believed — and rightly so, had his father not revoked that right by choosing Solomon instead — that he was the legitimate successor to the throne of Israel. The Torah does indeed allow a father to revoke it (Genesis 49:3-4; Genesis 48:17-20), which is precisely what David had officially done by promising Bathsheba that Solomon would ascend the throne (1 Kings 1:13, 1:17).

Indeed, the revoking of the right of primogeniture is a critical and recurrent theme in the Bible: Solomon being preferred over Adonijah is one of the most striking examples alongside the stories of Jacob taking the birthright of Esau, Judah (and the Davidic line) being chosen over Reuben, Simeon and Levi, Joseph’s younger son Ephraim being preferred over Manasseh, and David himself being chosen by God as king and prophet through the prophet Samuel over his seven older brothers, and more examples.

Here, then, is the true biblical context of the “jasad” in 38:34: Adonijah temporarily sat on the throne promised to Solomon, usurping power.

Given that the meaning of the word “jasadan” is (1) to imitate a living form or body without being the authentic original creature (as with the golden calf in 7:148 and 20:88 — i.e., a statue), and (2) that a “jasad” can also be a living person who eats food (as with the prophets in 21:8), a coherent Quranic-biblical reading allows us to propose the following translation:

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا سُلَيْمَٰنَ وَأَلْقَيْنَا عَلَىٰ كُرْسِيِّهِۦ جَسَدًا ثُمَّ أَنَابَ

(38:34) Consequently, We certainly tried Solomon and placed upon his throne a rival heir from his own lineage (jasadan); then he repented.

Adonijah was not the authentic person designated by God through David, His prophet, to ascend the throne — he was merely an illegitimate heir or claimant to the throne who had orchestrated a coup d’état. The term “jasadan” may even suggest a physical resemblance between Adonijah and his brother Solomon (and in any case a strong genetic one) just like a statue is meant to imitate a living form. Solomon and Adonijah both came from the same Davidic lineage — the same mold — which is why we translate “jasadan” here as “a rival heir from his own lineage”.

Adonijah, the jasad in 38:34, like the prophets in 21:8, was a real flesh-and-blood human being who posed a clear and present danger not only for Solomon’s throne but for the life of the latter as well as his loved ones. We will emphasize here that a lifeless jinn or demon placed or thrown onto Solomon’s throne, as recounted in many tafsīrs, would have represented no threat whatsoever to Solomon’s throne.

Above all, the idea that the “jasad” was a demon or jinn is purely speculative and completely lacking any Quranic or biblical foundation. We have seen that the word “jasadan” (جَسَدًا) appears only four times in the entire Quran, designating either (1) a statue (the golden calf) which is by definition lifeless (7:148, 20:88), or (2) a perfectly living human body (as are the prophets in 21:8 and Adonijah in 38:34). Contrary to the interpretation that often predominates in Sunnism, the term “jasadan” (جَسَدًا) simply never refers to a jinn or a demon in the Book of Allah.

(38:34) Consequently, We certainly tried Solomon and placed a jasadan upon his throne (Adonijah = a rival heir from his own lineage):

Solomon was utterly taken by surprise by this sudden coup d’état. Nathan wisely warned Bathsheba in 1 Kings 1:12 that, had Adonijah succeeded, he would have had both her and Solomon put to death, because he knew he was usurping his father’s decision and authority, and sparing the life of Solomon would have had him remain a permanent threat.

The Quran always chooses its words with divine precision. Imagine the terror Solomon experienced when he discovered that a “jasadan” — a flesh-and-blood rival heir from his own lineage, and moreover his elder brother! — had taken his place on the throne with the blessing of Abiathar the high priest and the support of Joab, the historic all-powerful commander of David’s army that king David himself feared to dismiss due to his military power!

There is always a profound reason behind everything, and the Quran informs us above all that the severe trial Solomon underwent was in reality due to the fact that he had preferred the temporary enjoyments of this fleeting life over the remembrance of Allah — namely, the obligatory ritual prayer. Let us recall that 38:31-32 relates how Solomon missed the late afternoon prayer because he was distracted by his passion and love of horses (which later symbolized his military might — 1 Kings 4:26; 10:26; 10:28-29; 2 Chronicles 9:25) and was thus giving preference to this worldly life. He realized this after this exacting trial and finally repented (38:34).

The severe trial Solomon endured for missing a single ṣalāt must also serve as a warning for us: Do we sometimes miss our prayers? And if so, are we blinded or distracted in those occasions by worldly pleasures or even futile things? And what about those who do not pray at all?! How can we be surprised when problems or calamities befall us in such cases? May Allah protect us from ever trying to hide behind the fact that, by His immense mercy, He overlooks many of our sins (16:61; 35:45, etc.).

Furthermore, let us note that Solomon’s prayer after his repentance (38:35) is strikingly similar to the prayer found in 1 Kings 1:47:

(38:35) He said: “My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom that none after me will equal. Indeed, You are the Bestower.”

1 Kings 1:47 And moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord King David, saying: “May God make the name of Solomon greater than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne!” And the king bowed himself upon the bed.

Allah answered both prayers concerning Solomon’s kingdom, and both the Bible and the Quran acknowledge the unparalleled greatness of his kingdom in human history (1 Kings 10:23-27; Quran 27:30-44).

The following table summarizes the main facts of the debate:

Comparative Table: Two Readings of the “Jasad” in 38:34

To conclude, the debate surrounding the word “jasadan” illustrates once again that Sunnis and Shiites are sometimes distanced from the core message of divine revelation due to reliance on extra-Quranic sources which they regularly place above the Word of Allah (the Quran) — a Quran that is not only fully detailed (7:52; 6:114; 10:37 and more) but which role is also to confirm earlier Scriptures (al-Kitāb, cf. 10:37), which it perfectly does in 38:34 by confirming the authenticity of Adonijah’s failed coup d’état — a man infamous for having attempted to usurp Solomon’s throne.

I sincerely advise every person of Sunni background who has never made the connection with Adonijah’s coup d’état to re-examine contradictory Sunni traditions and, instead, give absolute precedence to the message of al-Kitāb (the Bible) as long as it does not contradict the Quran, which is directly confirmed here — the perfectly preserved message of Allah which always prevails whenever there is a disagreement with the Bible.

Article published on 11/29/2025.