There was once a king named Sulayman (alayhis salam), and he was the son of the good king Dawud (alayhis salam). Sulayman was given more amazing things than any king who ever lived, before or since.
Guess what Allah gave him. Allah let Sulayman command the wind. Yes, the wind! In just one morning, the wind could carry him as far as most people could travel in a whole month. And Allah taught Sulayman to understand the animals, all the birds and the little creatures, and to know what they were saying.
Sulayman had a huge, wonderful army, with people, and birds flying above, and even jinn who worked for him. They would all march together in neat rows. You would think a king with all of that might feel very big and very proud. But Sulayman was not proud at all. The more Allah gave him, the more he loved Allah, and the more thankful he became.
One day, Sulayman was leading his enormous army across the land. And they came to a valley. It was the valley of the ants. Now, one tiny little ant looked up and saw the great army coming. And she called out to all her ant friends, quick, everyone, hurry into your homes, so that Sulayman and his soldiers do not step on you by accident.
Because Allah had taught him the speech of the animals, Sulayman heard that tiny ant. Just imagine. The most powerful king in the whole world, with the biggest army, heard one little ant, smaller than your fingernail. And he smiled. He was so pleased. He stopped so that no ant would be hurt.
Then Sulayman said a lovely prayer. He did not say, look how great I am. Instead he said, my Lord, help me to be truly grateful for everything You have given me and my parents, and help me to do good that pleases You. Isn't that a beautiful thing for a king to say?
Another day, Sulayman was counting all his birds, and he noticed one little bird was missing. It was the hoopoe, a bird with a fancy crown of feathers on its head. When the hoopoe came back, it had news. Far away, said the bird, there is a queen and her people, and they bow down to the sun instead of to Allah.
Sulayman wanted to gently teach them about Allah. So he wrote them a kind letter. He did not send his big army to frighten them. He wrote, in the name of Allah, the Most Kind. He wanted to help them find the right path, softly.
One day, Sulayman was even shown a great throne carried to him from very far away, in the blink of an eye, faster than you could clap your hands. And when he saw it, did he say, look what I can do? No. He said, this is from the kindness of my Lord. Everything I have is a gift from Allah.
So the greatest king who ever lived spent all his days saying thank you to Allah, and being gentle even to the tiniest ant. That is what made him so good. And Allah, who cared for kings and ants and hoopoe birds, cares for you too, little one. He hears you, even when you whisper. Now close your eyes, safe and sound, and let Allah watch over you.