Did Solomon Slaughter Horses
Q: I have read different translations of the Quran, 38:33, that suggest Prophet Solomon ordered the slaughter of horses because they distracted him from prayers. Is that true?
A: That is a mainstream interpretation, shared by Ibn Kathir and Sheikh al-Shawkani, Imam al-Tabari, quoting Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما, offers the best interpretation that Prophet Solomon, patted the horses out of love and affection. He writes,
“And this saying that we mentioned from Ibn Abbas is most the better interpretation of the verse because a Prophet of Allah, peace be upon him, would not, God willing, punish an animal by cutting its hamstrings, nor destroy property without cause because he was preoccupied from his prayer by looking at them, and it is not their fault that he was occupied by their beauty.” Tafsir al-Tabari
Allah knows best
Suhaib