The Bible claimed that Saul, David, and Solomon ruled a grand empire. Although, the Bible's stories are fascinating and comforting but lack historical accuracy.
However, Muhammad went one step further in telling fantastical stories, and he made claims in the Quran that Solomon had "supernatural" powers, through which he controlled jinns, who then made high arches and palaces for Solomon. [Note: The Bible neither claimed any supernatural powers for Solomon nor any control upon jinns made high places]
Quran 34:12-13:
... یَعۡمَلُونَ لَهُۥ مَا یَشَاۤءُ مِن مَّحَـٰرِیبَ وَتَمَـٰثِیلَ وَجِفَانࣲ كَٱلۡجَوَابِ وَقُدُورࣲ رَّاسِیَـٰتٍۚ ٱعۡمَلُوۤا۟ ءَالَ دَاوُۥدَ شُكۡرࣰاۚ وَقَلِیلࣱ مِّنۡ عِبَادِیَ ٱلشَّكُورُ
And We subdued the wind to Solomon: its morning course was a month's journey and its evening course was a month's journey. We gave him a spring flowing with molten brass, and We subdued for him jinn who, by his Lord's permission, worked before him ... They made for him whatever he desired: high ARCHES and (grand) STATUES, basins like reservoirs, and large cooking vessels fixed in their places.
According to the Quran, the Queen of Sheba was brought to one such great palace which had a glass floor:
Quran 27:44:
She was told: "Enter the palace." But when she saw it, she thought it was a pool of water and she bared both her calves (to enter into it). Solomon said: "This is a slippery floor of glass." Thereupon she cried out: "My Lord, I have been inflicting much wrong on myself. Now I submit myself with Solomon to Allah, the Lord of the whole Universe."
However, modern science found:
- No archaeological proofs of any high arches or palaces.
- No archaeological proofs of any springs of molten brass.
- No archaeological proofs of any grand statues, basins like reservoirs or large cooking vessels etc.
No archaeological evidence supports the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Solomon.
Professor Thomas Thompson, one of the world's leading archaeologists and an authority on biblical archaeology, authored a book titled "" after fifteen years of research. In it, he claims that significant biblical figures like Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon, and many others did not exist in reality but were mythical characters.
According to Professor Thompson, there is no doubt that the first ten books of the Bible are myths. These books or myths were written during a time when the supposed events had occurred 500 to 1,500 years earlier. Furthermore, the Bible's events are not corroborated by history, archaeology, anthropology, or sociology. Therefore, we can confidently say today that the Israelites were never enslaved by the Egyptians, nor did they exodus from Egypt. Likewise, the forty-year desert wandering, the conquest of Canaan or the Promised Land, and the construction of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem never happened.
Excavations around Jerusalem and Judea show no signs of habitation from the 10th century BCE, the time when the Bible claims the kingdoms of David and Solomon were at their peak. How could a great kingdom exist without a population? Jerusalem became a large and significant city only around 650 years before Jesus Christ's arrival. Therefore, it is impossible that Saul, David, and Solomon ruled a grand empire from a small village. The Bible's stories are fascinating and comforting but lack historical accuracy.
Professor Thompson states that the biblical narratives were written in the 5th century BCE when Jerusalem and its surroundings were part of the Persian Empire. The creation of the Israeli nation is credited to the Persians. It should be noted that Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed Jerusalem and exiled not only Jews but also Palestinians, Syrians, and Phoenicians to Babylon. The Persians resettled their descendants in Jerusalem around 450 BCE and also built a temple for the Jewish God Yahweh.
In other words, the first temple dedicated to Yahweh in Jerusalem was built about 500 years after the biblical timeline. Before this, the temple of Yahweh was in Samaria. The Persians aimed to diminish Samaria's influence by developing Jerusalem. Additionally, constructing temples for local gods was part of Persia's political strategy.
Jewish and Christian religious leaders have had mixed reactions to Professor Thompson's book. Most rabbis state that the Bible is not a history book but was written to establish a relationship between God and humans. Therefore, one should seek wisdom in the Bible rather than history.
Rabbi Julian Jacob claims that the Bible is a holy divine scripture and its truth does not require historical evidence. Some Christian priests have considered this book an attack on the credibility of the holy scriptures.
In their book "The Bible Unearthed," Tel Aviv University Professor Israel Finkelstein and archaeologist and historian Neil Asher Silberman of Archaeology Magazine support Professor Thompson's stance on the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, the conquest of Canaan, the kingdom of David and Solomon, and the construction of Solomon's Temple. They also admit that it is impossible to validate the biblical narratives through archaeology.
They write that although excavations around Jerusalem and its vicinity have identified many towns and cities mentioned in the Bible, this does not mean the biblical historical events are true. It has now been proven that these events did not occur as the Bible describes them, nor at the times stated. The truth is that many of the key events in the Bible never actually happened.
Moreover, comparing archaeological discoveries from Israel, the Near East, and around the world with the history of the Israelites clearly shows that the Bible is a magnificent mythical literary masterpiece of religious clergy, but it lacks any real historical foundation.
Brian Dunning, in his blog "Did Jewish Slaves Build the Pyramids of Egypt?" also regards the biblical events as myths. He writes that the Bible's story of Jewish slaves building the pyramids of Egypt is very popular. Hollywood has even made classic films on this subject, but historical and archaeological evidence does not support the Bible's account.
When the pyramids were built, there were no Jews in Egypt. Furthermore, in 1990, excavations near the pyramids discovered the tombs and detailed records of the workers who built these pyramids. These workers were Egyptian farmers. Most of them worked on pyramid construction during the periods when the Nile River floods destroyed their lands. They were paid reasonable wages.
Moreover, their food, accommodation, and medical care were well-organized. Daily, 21 cattle and 23 sheep were slaughtered to feed them. Sick workers continued to receive wages, and deceased workers were buried with full honors. Thus, given these historical and archaeological evidences, the question of Jewish slaves building the pyramids does not arise.
No Archaeological Evidence available that Solomon Built Any Mosque
The situation surrounding al-Haram al-Sharif (which consists of the Dome of the Rock and Masjid al-Aqsa) is particularly intriguing.
Today, Jews claim that al-Haram al-Sharif was built over the ruins of Solomon's Temple and its compound. However, archaeologists found absolutely no traces of any ruins under it.
- Finkelstein & Silberman 2002, p. 128:
"Moreover, for all their reported wealth and power, neither David nor Solomon is mentioned in a single known Egyptian or Mesopotamian text. And the archaeological evidence in Jerusalem for the famous building projects of Solomon is nonexistent ... Nineteenth and early-twentieth century excavations around the Temple Mount did not identify 'even a trace' of the complex." - Lundquist 2008, p. 45:
"The single most important fact regarding the Temple of Solomon is that there are no physical remains of the structure. There is not a single object or artifact that can be indubitably connected with the Temple of Solomon."
Muslims become very happy upon this archaeological finding and boast that present day Israelites (Jews) have no right on al-Haram al-Sharif.
However, this issue becomes even more intriguing when considering that if Muslims deny any evidence of the Jewish Solomon's Temple and its compound beneath the present al-Haram al-Sharif, it also implies that their prophet Solomon did not build a MOSQUE there either. Whether referred to as a temple or a mosque, no archaeological proof exists for either structure beneath al-Haram al-Sharif.
On one hand, Muslims deny the presence of any Jewish Solomon's Temple beneath al-Haram al-Sharif. On the other hand:
- Muslims believe that the current Dome of the Rock stands on the site where Solomon built a mosque during his era
- And they also believe that the current Dome of the Rock was the place where their prophet Muhammad prayed during his ascension journey.
The largest Islamic Fatwa website Q&A gives this brief history (link):
What appears to be the case is that when Ibrahim passed through the land of al-Sham (Greater Syria, including Palestine) and Allah promised him that his progeny would inherit this land, Allah showed him the place where the biggest masjid that his progeny would build would be. So he built a small masjid there, in gratitude to Allah, may He be exalted, and he built it on the rock that was allocated for the purpose of offering sacrifices. This is the rock on which Sulayman built the masjid. But as the people of that time were polytheists, that structure was neglected and disappeared, until Allah guided Sulayman to build al-Masjid al-Aqsa on it. "(Al-Tahrir wa’l-Tanwir 4/15).
This is further supported by the fact that after Muhammad's death, when the second Caliph Umar Ibn Khattab conquered Jerusalem and Muslims entered the city for the first time, they were uncertain about the exact location where their prophet Muhammad had prayed. Umar took it upon himself to identify the spot where the Jewish Temple had once stood — its location and destruction were well-known throughout the region, and the Byzantine Christian rulers of the Levant before the Islamic conquest had been using the Temple Mount as a garbage dump. Umar ordered the construction of two major structures: the Dome of the Rock (where Muhammad prayed) and Masjid al-Aqsa. In modern Arabic usage, Masjid al-Aqsa can refer either to (A) the mosque that Umar built at the southern end of the Temple Mount compound or (B) the entire Temple Mount compound itself, which is referred to in Arabic as Haram as-Sharif, “the Noble Sanctuary.”
In simple terms, Umar did not receive any direct 'revelation' about the exact location of the mosque built by Solomon (where Muhammad prayed). Instead, he consulted the locals, who identified the site where the Jews believed Solomon's Temple once stood.
Therefore, logically speaking:
- Either the present Dome of the Rock is standing upon Solomon's Temple, or it is not sacred at all, as Umar constructed it based on an incorrect location identified by the Jews.
Bible vs. Quran: Did Solomon Possess Supernatural Powers?
The Quran attributes several supernatural powers to Solomon:
- Control over the Wind: Quran 34:12
- Control over the Jinn: Quran 34:12-13
- Understanding of Animal Speech: Quran 27:16
- Army Comprising of Jinn, Humans, and Birds: Quran 27:17
- Summoning the Queen of Sheba's Throne: Quran 27:38-40
- Ability to Melt Copper: Quran 34:12
In contrast, the Bible does not ascribe any supernatural powers to Solomon, depicting him instead as an ordinary human. For instance:
- Construction of Solomon's Temple: The Bible describes Solomon using human labor to build his temple, not jinns (1 Kings 6:14-38).
Regarding the Queen of Sheba's visit, the Quran presents a supernatural account:
Quran 27:38-40:
Solomon asks his assembly of jinn who can bring the Queen's throne to him before she arrives. A powerful jinn responds, but one with knowledge from the Scripture brings it within the twinkling of an eye. Solomon then acknowledges this as a test from his Lord.
In contrast, the Bible describes a physical journey by the Queen:
2 Chronicles 9:1:
The Queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame and traveled to Jerusalem with a grand caravan to test his wisdom, bringing spices, gold, and precious stones. She engaged Solomon in conversation about everything on her mind.
However, there is another ancient text called the "Testament of Solomon" which was not included in the Bible but gained notoriety for its fantastical accounts of Solomon's supernatural abilities.
Key points from the "Testament of Solomon" include:
- Solomon's Seal: The text describes Solomon receiving a magical ring from the archangel Michael, granting him the power to command demons.
- Building the Temple: Solomon uses the ring to subjugate demons, forcing them to assist in the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
- Interrogation and Binding of Demons: The text details Solomon interrogating various demons, discovering their activities and methods for countering them, binding them, and making them work under his command.
Muhammad was an illiterate. He did hear stories of the Bible, but that didn't make him a 'Scholar' of the Bible. Therefore, he was unable to differentiate between the genuine Biblical accounts of Solomon and the other fantastical stories associated with Solomon. Consequently, Muhammad included these supernatural tales in the Quran.
Why was Solomon building STATUES, when they are HARAM (forbidden) to build?
According to Islamic doctrine:
- All prophets were Muslims.
- And all prophets refrained from committing any major sins, especially shirk (شرک), which is the act of worshipping any deity other than Allah.
- And building statues is strictly forbidden (haram) in Islam as it is considered a form of shirk.
However, in the Quranic story of Solomon, it is mentioned that Solomon commanded the jinn to create statues.
Quran 34:13:
... یَعۡمَلُونَ لَهُۥ مَا یَشَاۤءُ مِن مَّحَـٰرِیبَ وَتَمَـٰثِیلَ وَجِفَانࣲ كَٱلۡجَوَابِ وَقُدُورࣲ رَّاسِیَـٰتٍۚ ٱعۡمَلُوۤا۟ ءَالَ دَاوُۥدَ شُكۡرࣰاۚ وَقَلِیلࣱ مِّنۡ عِبَادِیَ ٱلشَّكُورُ
They (the Jinns) made for him (Solomon) whatever he desired: high ARCHES and (grand) STATUES, basins like reservoirs, and large cooking vessels fixed in their places.
Therefore, one wonders, why was Solomon building STATUES when they were forbidden to be made?
But then we understand it when we read the following story in the Bible (1 Kings 11:7-8:). These verses describe Solomon's turning away from God (i.e. indulging in SHIRK) and building high places (arches) for other gods, influenced by his foreign wives.
King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2 They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. 4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done. 7 On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place (arch) for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.
In the stories about Solomon that reached Muhammad, he was depicted as constructing towering buildings and statues of deities. Muhammad incorporated these narratives into the Quran. However, as a human, Muhammad overlooked the fact that he had previously declared the building of statues as Haram (forbidden) and a part of the unforgivable sin of SHIRK.
Hassan Radwan