Walisulaymana arreeha AAasifatan tajree bi-amrihi ila al-ardi allatee barakna feeha wakunna bikulli (surah Anbiya: 81)

Tafseer Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi

(21:81) And We had subdued to Solomon the strongly blowing wind which sped at his bidding to the land wherein We had placed Our blessings, *74 for We had the knowledge of everything.

Wa li Sulaimaanar reeha `aasifatan tajree bi amriheee ilal ardil latee baaraknaa feehaa; wa kunnaa bikulli shai`in `aalimeen

*74) This is also explained in XXXIV: 12: "And for Solomon We had subjected the wind which covered a month's journey in the morning and a month's journey in the evening", and in XXXVIII: 36: "So We subjected the wind to him. It blew softly at his bidding whither-soever he wanted it to blow." Thus it is clear that the wind was so subjected to Prophet Solomon that the voyages to places at one month's sea journey could be performed conveniently, because a favourable wind was always blowing for his ships to and from those places.
It is confirmed by the Bible that Prophet Solomon had developedsea trade on a large scale. ( I Kings, 10: 22). On the one side, his trade ships sailed from Ezion-geber, through the Red Sea, towards Yaman and other southern and eastern lands, and on the other, his naval fleet called Thar-shish, sailed on the Mediterranean to the western countries. The great furnace which he had built at Ezion-geber for melting and moulding ores extracted from the copper and iron mines in the `Arabah in Edom, has been confirmed by modem archaeological researches as well. This molten iron and copper was used in building ships besides being put to other uses. The Qur'an refers to this when it says: "....and We made a fountain of molten copper to flow for him (Solomon)...." (XXXIV:12).
As ,regards the subjection of the wind, it may mean that Allah, by His special favour, had so arranged that the wind-and sea voyages in those days depended entirely on wind-was always favourable for Prophet Solomon's fleet. But if we take the literal meaning of v. 81: "it sped at his bidding", there will be no harm, for Allah is able to give such powers to any of His servants He pleases.