Surah Sad Tafseer

(Allah said to Suleiman):"This is Our Gift, so spend you or withhold, no account will be asked of you."

means, `this that We have given to you of kingship and perfect power, as you asked for, you may give to whomsoever you wish and deny to whomsoever you wish, and you will not be brought to account. Whatever you do is permissible for you, so however you judge, it will be right.'

It was reported in the Two Sahihs that when the Messenger of Allah was given the choice between being a servant and a Messenger -- who does what he is commanded to do and distributes things among the people as Allah commands him to do -- or being a Prophet and a king, who can give to whomever he wishes and withhold from whomever he wishes without being held accountable for anything, he chose the former. He consulted with Jibril, peace be upon him, who said, "Be humble." So he chose the former because it has a greater value before Allah and brings a higher status in the Hereafter, even though the second option, Prophethood combined with kingship, is also a great thing both in this world and in the Hereafter, when Allah tells us what He gave to Suleiman, peace be upon him, in this world, He tells us that he will have a great share with Allah on the Day of Resurrection.

He says:

وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِندَنَا لَزُلْفَى وَحُسْنَ مَأبٍ