It seems that Sulayman entered a monastery as a youth after his father (called Hasan, Basila or possibly both) abandoned his mother.
However, shortly after taking his vows he left the monastery to lead a secular life (possibly working as a Katib), got wealthy and married.
[4] Sulayman finally returned to the monastic life and was eventually ordained bishop around the age of eighty, not least due to his great learning which becomes evident from his writing.
[1] Sulayman also mentions the Palestinian monasteries he visited and wrote apologetic treatise of a Chalcedonian creed against various heresis.
The poems deal with various topics the sins of his youth and personal tragedies, the defence of orthodoxy, the persecution and humiliation endured by the Christians during his time.