state that Solomon (UWP) subjugated jinns, satans, and evil spirits, and preventing their evil, employed them usefully, and they say: the jinn, the most important intelligent inhabitants of the earth after man, may serve him. Contact may be made with them. Devils too may be compelled to give up their enmity and whether they want to or not be made to serve. Thus, Almighty God subjected them to one of His servants who was obedient to His commands. Through the allusive tongue of the verses, in meaning Almighty God is saying: “O man! I made jinns, devils, and their evil obey one of My servants who obeyed Me. If you too are subjugated to my commands, numerous beings, and even jinns and devils, may be subjugated to you.”

These verses trace the final limits of the calling-up of spirits, and conversing with jinns, like spiritualism, which have been filtered from a blend of art and science and have arisen from man’s extraordinary physical and spiritual sensitivity. The verses specify the most beneficial form of these and open up the way to them. But this does not mean being subjugated to jinns, devils, and evil spirits, who sometimes call themselves the spirits of the dead, and becoming their playthings and a laughing-stock, like nowadays, but means subjugating them through the talisman of the Qur’an and being delivered from their evil.

Other verses about Solomon (Upon whom be peace) which allude to spirits appearing in physical form, and his calling up demons and subjugating them, and other verses besides, such as,

Then We sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before her as man in all respects,(19:17)

indicate both the calling-up of spirits, and spirit beings assuming physical form. But the calling-up of good spirits alluded to here is not in the manner of the so-called civilized, to be disrespectful to spirits in that utterly serious world and attract them to where they are and their games, but – like one group of such saints as Muhyiddin al-‘Arabi, who, most seriously and for a serious purpose, met with spirits when they wanted – to be attracted to them and to form a relation with them, and by going to where they are and drawing close to their world to an extent, to benefit from their spirituality. It is this that the verses allude to, and within the allusion, make it understood that they are encouraging man to achieve it. They trace the furthest limit of occult arts and sciences of this sort, and point to their best form.

And, for example, the verses about David’s (Upon whom be peace) miracles:

It was We that made the hills declare in unison with him Our