What is the true story of Asif ibn Barkhiya, the scribe of Solomon, peace be upon him, which acquits him of claims of sorcery?

A Muslim should be keen on knowing what brings him closer to Allah, such as duties and recommended acts, and what distances him from Allah, such as forbidden and disliked acts. He should also be aware of authentic religious news and stories, while being cautious of fabricated and false ones.

Regarding the story of Asif ibn Barkhiya, no Marfu' hadith (a narration attributed to the Prophet) has been reported concerning it. However, there is a statement by Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated by Al-Nasa'i and Al-Hakim, which indicates that Asif was the scribe of Sulayman (peace be upon him) and knew the Greatest Name of Allah. He would write down what Sulayman commanded him and bury it under his throne. After Sulayman's death, the devils extracted these writings and added magic and disbelief to them, claiming that Sulayman had been working with them, which led the ignorant to accuse him of disbelief. Allah Almighty then revealed His saying: "And they followed what the devils recited during the reign of Solomon. And Solomon did not disbelieve, but the devils disbelieved" (Quran 2:102), thereby exonerating Sulayman (peace be upon him). Al-Hakim authenticated this narration from Ibn Abbas.