WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.960 The story of the Queen of Sheba. 00:00:05.960 --> 00:00:13.189 The arrival of the letter to the Queen of Sheba. 00:00:13.189 --> 00:00:18.230 The hoopoe executed what Solomon, the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him), commanded of him, 00:00:18.230 --> 00:00:20.629 delivering the letter to Yemen, 00:00:20.629 --> 00:00:23.780 and casting it down to the Queen of Sheba. 00:00:23.780 --> 00:00:26.260 When the Queen of Sheba read it, 00:00:26.260 --> 00:00:28.019 she was deeply moved by it, 00:00:28.019 --> 00:00:31.780 so she gathered the prominent nobles of her people and said to them: 00:00:31.859 --> 00:00:37.340 “(The Queen of Sheba) said (when she received the letter): O chieftains! Lo! there hath been thrown unto me a noble letter.” (27:29) 00:00:37.340 --> 00:00:43.579 “Lo! it is from Solomon, and lo! it is: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful;” (27:30) 00:00:43.579 --> 00:00:47.920 "Do not be arrogant toward me, but come to me in total submission." 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:53.200 By examining the way the Queen of Sheba handled the letter, 00:00:53.200 --> 00:00:56.159 we realize the profound prudence of this woman, 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:59.000 her responsiveness to the logic of a strong man, 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:00.960 and her surrender to him, 00:01:01.000 --> 00:01:03.399 even if she outwardly concealed it at first, 00:01:03.399 --> 00:01:08.159 as well as how she gradually persuaded her people to surrender to him. 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:11.319 So how did she handle the letter? 00:01:11.319 --> 00:01:16.760 First, she summoned the nobles of her people to present the letter to them. 00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:19.519 They are the ones she meant by her words: 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:21.560 "O eminent nobles..." 00:01:21.560 --> 00:01:26.319 The secret behind singling them out for consultation over the rest of her people— 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:28.799 that is, over the rest of the populace— 00:01:28.840 --> 00:01:31.799 is that they were the leaders and nobles of the people. 00:01:31.799 --> 00:01:34.400 And typically, this class of people 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:36.480 possesses the most wisdom 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:40.000 and holds the greatest influence over the rest of the populace. 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:43.439 They were followed leaders among their people; 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:47.840 if they reached a consensus on a matter, the people would not oppose them. 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:49.599 Had the Queen of Sheba 00:01:49.599 --> 00:01:53.040 adopted a decision without them and they opposed it, 00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:56.159 the people around her would not have obeyed her. 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:58.280 Thus, she preferred to begin with them, 00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:01.780 because the rest of the people naturally follow them. 00:02:01.780 --> 00:02:05.659 This is a wisdom absent today in every society 00:02:05.659 --> 00:02:09.180 that adopts what they call democratic thought, 00:02:09.180 --> 00:02:12.379 because democracy, in reality, equates the opinion of an ignorant person 00:02:12.379 --> 00:02:14.419 who understands nothing 00:02:14.419 --> 00:02:17.500 with the opinion of a scholar firmly grounded in knowledge, 00:02:17.500 --> 00:02:20.219 wise in his actions. 00:02:20.219 --> 00:02:22.860 In democratic thought, each of them 00:02:22.860 --> 00:02:25.020 represents a single vote, 00:02:25.060 --> 00:02:29.340 giving no weight to the knowledge of the scholar nor the ignorance of the unlearned. 00:02:29.340 --> 00:02:31.460 In this lies a humiliation of knowledge 00:02:31.460 --> 00:02:35.310 and an indirect deterrence from seeking it. 00:02:35.310 --> 00:02:40.389 Yet, the ruling elites are historically the most prone to oppose and fight the call of the Prophets, 00:02:40.389 --> 00:02:44.430 as Allah has informed us about them in the Noble Qur'an. 00:02:44.430 --> 00:02:48.430 For instance, Noah, the Prophet of Allah, was opposed by the nobles of his people, 00:02:48.430 --> 00:02:50.550 as the Almighty said: 00:02:50.789 --> 00:02:53.270 "The prominent nobles of his people said..." 00:02:53.270 --> 00:02:56.870 “The chieftains of his people said: Lo! we see thee surely in plain error.” (7:60) 00:02:56.870 --> 00:02:59.270 And Hud, the Prophet of Allah, 00:02:59.270 --> 00:03:01.620 was opposed by the nobles of his people; 00:03:01.620 --> 00:03:03.580 the Almighty said: 00:03:03.580 --> 00:03:06.900 "The prominent nobles among his people who disbelieved said..." 00:03:06.900 --> 00:03:09.819 “The chieftains of his people, who were disbelieving, said: Lo! we surely see thee in foolishness, and lo! we deem thee of the liars.” (7:66) 00:03:09.819 --> 00:03:14.340 “The chieftains of his people, who were disbelieving, said: Lo! we surely see thee in foolishness, and lo! we deem thee of the liars.” (7:66) 00:03:14.340 --> 00:03:16.219 And Salih, the Prophet of Allah, 00:03:16.219 --> 00:03:18.539 was opposed by the nobles of his people. 00:03:18.539 --> 00:03:43.060 “The chieftains of his people, who were scornful, said unto those whom they despised, unto such of them as believed: Know ye that Salih is one sent from his Lord? They said: Lo! In that wherewith he hath been sent we are believers.” (7:75) 00:03:45.069 --> 00:03:57.169 “Those who were scornful said: Lo! in that which ye believe we are disbelievers.” (7:76) 00:03:57.169 --> 00:04:03.169 And Shu'ayb, the Prophet of Allah, was opposed by the nobles of his people; the Almighty said... 00:04:03.460 --> 00:04:28.839 “The chieftains of his people, who were scornful, said: Surely we will drive thee out, O Shu'eyb, and those who believe with thee, from our township, unless ye return to our religion. He said: Even though we hate it?” (7:88) 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:39.069 10- And the nobles were the very ones who stood against the call of Moses and incited Pharaoh to kill him and those who believed with him; the Almighty said: 00:04:39.430 --> 00:04:55.529 11- "The prominent nobles of Pharaoh's people said, 'Indeed, this is a learned magician who intends to drive you out of your land, so what do you advise?'" 00:04:55.529 --> 00:05:10.490 12- "They said, 'Put him and his brother off and send gatherers to the cities to bring you every learned magician.'" 00:05:12.040 --> 00:05:13.639 13- And the Glorious and Exalted said... 00:05:13.639 --> 00:05:39.050 “The chiefs of Pharaoh's people said: (O King), wilt thou suffer Moses and his people to make mischief in the land, and flout thee and thy gods? He said: We will slay their sons and spare their women, for lo! we are in power over them.” (7:127) 00:05:39.050 --> 00:05:47.139 15- And our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) faced the opposition of the prominent nobles against his call; the Almighty said: 00:05:48.139 --> 00:06:01.240 16- "Sad. By the Qur'an containing reminder! But those who disbelieve are in honor-bound pride and dissension." 00:06:02.370 --> 00:06:12.370 17- "How many a generation have We destroyed before them, and they cried out when it was no longer time for escape." 00:06:13.720 --> 00:06:28.860 “And they marvel that a warner from among themselves hath come unto them, and the disbelievers say: This is a wizard, a charlatan.” (38:4) 00:06:28.860 --> 00:06:41.519 19- "Has he made the gods into one God? Indeed, this is a curious thing." 00:07:02.639 --> 00:07:23.990 20- "This is nothing but a fabrication. Has the message been revealed to him out of all of us? Rather, they are in doubt about My reminder. Rather, they have not yet tasted My punishment." 00:07:23.990 --> 00:07:33.819 21- Thus, the nobles—the elites, leaders, and notables of societies—are the ones who direct the common folk. 00:07:34.819 --> 00:07:45.819 22- Whoever among these elites believes, his people follow him in faith; and whoever opposes and disbelieves, his people follow him in disbelief, except those upon whom Allah bestows mercy. 00:07:45.819 --> 00:07:57.920 23- We find this reality in every era: those who wage war against the call of Islam today are the ruling elites in every society, except those upon whom Allah bestows mercy. 00:07:58.980 --> 00:08:12.980 24- Therefore, the Queen of Sheba's resort to the nobles of her people to engage them in dialogue and seek their counsel regarding the letter of Solomon, the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him), demonstrates profound wisdom in dealing with populations and governing them. 00:08:12.980 --> 00:08:26.139 25- Second, the Queen of Sheba instilled in the nobles of her people the exact impression she wanted established in their minds, thereby paving the way to convince them of her objective. 00:08:26.139 --> 00:08:39.139 26- She said: "Indeed, a noble letter has been delivered to me." Thus, she framed it with this description before they even heard its contents, ensuring that no one after her would challenge her characterization. 00:08:39.139 --> 00:08:53.139 27- This is a masterclass in dialogue and subtle persuasion; she led them to gradually adopt the viewpoint she desired without any friction in the discussion. 00:08:53.139 --> 00:09:09.340 28- In this lies a warning against the mistakes made by some who engage in dialogue or present their ideas to people, starting with phrases that plant resistance in the listener's mind toward the idea or opinion before even hearing it out— 00:09:09.340 --> 00:09:30.429 29- such as saying, "I know you will disagree with me," or "I am about to give you a shocking opinion that most of you might not accept," as opposed to saying, "This is an opinion upon which all reasonable people agree," or "I believe this view will appeal to you." 00:09:30.429 --> 00:09:43.750 30- Third, the Queen of Sheba described the letter as "noble" (karim), a word well understood by the Arabs, for nothing comes from a noble source except abundant good. 00:09:43.750 --> 00:10:05.009 31- She said, "Indeed, a noble letter has been delivered to me," and people naturally incline toward what is noble, fostering fondness and optimism toward this letter. She was pointing to the nobility inherent in its content and message. So what moved her so deeply that she used such a grand description? 00:10:05.009 --> 00:10:27.169 32- "Indeed, a noble letter has been delivered to me"—which phrase penetrated her inner self so deeply that she reacted to the letter in this manner? It must have been embedded within the text of the message, and its significance must have been strikingly clear for the Queen to be influenced by it so swiftly. 00:10:27.169 --> 00:10:48.169 33- It must have touched her innermost heart, prompting her to describe it as such; indeed, she revealed her inner feelings when she magnified the sender, saying, "It is from Solomon"—Solomon, O nobles, Solomon!—uttered with subtle pride and admiration. 00:10:48.169 --> 00:11:15.490 34- He was a strong man—strong in his phrasing, strong in his self-assurance, and undoubtedly backed by immense material power. A woman's psyche and emotional nature differ entirely from those of a man; she savors words and expressions, delving into their depths and subtle meanings, rather than letting them pass unheeded. 00:11:15.490 --> 00:11:33.809 35- A word, O nobles, has a profound impact on a woman, even if she is a queen ruling over men—a word that dispels all royal arrogance, bypassing barriers, walls, and guards to enter a woman's heart and move her. 00:11:33.809 --> 00:11:50.809 36- This is something the nobles failed to grasp, preoccupied as they were with luxury, intoxicated by illusory power, and immersed in physical desires, lacking the delicate emotional sensitivity inherent in a woman. 00:11:50.809 --> 00:12:03.100 "It is from Solomon"—she mentioned him as though she had known him for a long time, as though she had lived under his shadow and protection: "It is from Solomon." 00:12:03.100 --> 00:12:10.190 This is a fundamental reality known to every woman: admiration for a strong man. 00:12:11.190 --> 00:12:26.639 4- This approach adopted by the Queen of Sheba with the nobles of her people is the same approach we find in the story of Al-Aziz's wife with Joseph, and in the story of the righteous man's two daughters with Moses. 00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:31.769 For when Al-Aziz's wife was startled by her husband at the door, she said: 00:12:32.769 --> 00:12:33.769 She said: 00:12:40.769 --> 00:12:53.769 She prioritized mentioning imprisonment so it would be stamped in her husband's mind, while postponing the mention of painful punishment to push it out of his thoughts, because she was enamored with Joseph and did not want him harmed. 00:12:54.799 --> 00:13:06.799 As for the story of the righteous man's two daughters, when the young woman witnessed Moses's strength and trustworthiness, she pointed out to her father what was firmly rooted in her innate disposition, 00:13:07.799 --> 00:13:08.799 saying: 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:22.799 She disliked working outside the home and felt relieved seeing a strong man who could spare her that hardship. 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:25.799 And alongside his strength, she mentioned his trustworthiness. 00:13:25.799 --> 00:13:33.799 She was highlighting the qualities that captivate any young woman in a man: strength and trustworthiness. 00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:41.860 And these subtle meanings were fully understood by that great educator who had raised the two daughters, 00:13:41.860 --> 00:13:43.860 so he said to Moses: 00:13:43.860 --> 00:13:48.860 "Indeed, I wish to wed you to one of these two daughters of mine..." 00:13:48.860 --> 00:13:50.179 Fifth, 00:13:50.179 --> 00:13:56.179 although the Queen of Sheba's people had appointed her and placed her in leadership over them, 00:13:56.179 --> 00:13:59.179 her innate feminine nature inclined otherwise. 00:13:59.179 --> 00:14:02.179 At the very first opportunity that carried a subtle hint— 00:14:02.179 --> 00:14:09.179 indeed, an explicit call—for her to step down from the throne to the position for which she was naturally created, 00:14:09.179 --> 00:14:14.179 the Queen of Sheba took the initiative to hint at relinquishing her royal post, 00:14:14.179 --> 00:14:16.179 so that a man might assume leadership— 00:14:16.179 --> 00:14:18.179 and not just any man, 00:14:18.179 --> 00:14:20.179 but Solomon, 00:14:20.179 --> 00:14:23.179 the sender of the noble letter. 00:14:23.179 --> 00:14:30.139 But how did the nobles read the letter of Solomon, the Prophet of Allah? 00:14:30.139 --> 00:14:34.299 We shall continue in our next gathering, if Allah wills. 00:14:34.299 --> 00:14:37.299 And praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. 00:14:38.299 --> 00:14:45.909 The story of the Queen of Sheba with Solomon, the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him).