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The Story of the Queen of Sheba

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The hoopoe expresses dismay that a woman rules over men.

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When the hoopoe said to the Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him):

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“But he was not long in coming, and he said: I have found out (a thing) that thou apprehendest not, and I come unto thee from Sheba with sure tidings.” (27:22)

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He clarified to him what the news was,

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saying:

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“Lo! I found a woman ruling over them, and she hath been given (abundance) of all things, and hers is a mighty throne.” (27:23)

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"and she has a magnificent throne."

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Abu Zahrah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

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"The news (*naba'*) refers to an event of immense significance and far-reaching impact,

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which is known with absolute certainty,

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as he learned it through direct sight, observation, and presence.

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The grave and momentous news

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was that he found a woman ruling over them and gifted with all things—

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meaning that her people gave her all the means of governance through submission, obedience, and surrender,

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which made her a queen over them,

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and in this kingdom she possessed a magnificent throne,

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endowed with grandeur and splendour,

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conveying the greatness of her authority."

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This is the meaning of Almighty Allah's words reporting the hoopoe:

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“Lo! I found a woman ruling over them, and she hath been given (abundance) of all things, and hers is a mighty throne.” (27:23)

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"and she has a magnificent throne."

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He emphasized his statement using the particle *la-* and *qad*,

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and stated that she rules over them

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to indicate that their submission to her was like the submission of slaves to their master.

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The verb for "she was given everything" was constructed in the passive voice,

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which signifies that her people surrendered their authority to her

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and placed their necks under her dominion.

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The hoopoe denounced this situation,

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for it contradicts the natural disposition (*fitrah*) upon which human beings were created

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and according to which humanity has lived since the creation of Adam.

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He found it appalling that a woman should rule over men,

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while human beings know by innate instinct

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that a woman is physically fragile by nature.

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As for those men whom she ruled, they said of themselves:

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“They said: We are lords of might and lords of great prowess, but it is for thee to command; so consider what thou wilt command.” (27:33)

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Thus, the hoopoe was fully justified in denouncing what he saw.

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'Abd al-'Aziz al-Tarifi said:

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"The hoopoe condemned what he witnessed among the people of Sheba and their queen,

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noting something that was contrary to custom:

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a woman's rule over men and nations.

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This indicates that the natural disposition of both animals and humans

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is innately fashioned for men to assume kingship,

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rule nations, and govern people."

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Indeed, that which the hoopoe condemned

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was unanimously agreed upon by all the jurists of the Ummah,

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who declared it impermissible for a woman to hold the Supreme Imamate—

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that is, the office of the sovereign ruler in any nation.

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Al-Baghawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

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"They agreed that a woman is not fit to be a supreme ruler (*imam*) nor a judge (*qadi*),

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because the leader needs to go out to establish jihad

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and manage the public affairs of the Muslims,

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while the judge needs to appear publicly to resolve disputes.

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A woman is *'awrah* (requiring privacy and protection) and is not meant for public prominence,

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and due to her inherent weakness, she is incapable of executing most of these duties."

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The textual basis relied upon by the jurists for this ruling

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is the hadith reported by al-Bukhari in his *Sahih*

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on the authority of Abu Bakrah, who said:

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"Allah benefited me with a word I heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

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after I was on the verge of joining the companions of the Battle of the Camel to fight alongside them.

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He said:

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When news reached the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

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that the people of Persia had appointed the daughter of Chosroes as their ruler,

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he said:

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'Never will a people succeed who entrust their command to a woman.'"

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Al-Khattabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

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"This contains the ruling

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that women are not to assume governance (*imarah*) or judicial office (*qada'*) among people."

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Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

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"She is not suitable for the Supreme Imamate nor for governing regions.

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For this reason, neither the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),

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nor any of his Caliphs, nor those after them,

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ever appointed a woman as a judge or ruler of a region,

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as far as has reached us.

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Had that been permissible,

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it would not have been entirely absent throughout all history generally."

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Abu al-Walid al-Baji (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

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"In my view, the practice of the Muslims from the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) suffices as proof;

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we do not know that a woman was ever appointed to this position in any era

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or in any land,

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just as a woman was never appointed to lead the prayer (*imamate*).

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And Allah knows best and is most wise."

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Scholars did not rely solely on the aforementioned hadith

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in prohibiting women from assuming the office of sovereign ruler;

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rather, there are other proofs they relied upon,

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including the statement of Allah Almighty:

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“And stay in your houses. Bedizen not yourselves with the bedizenment of the Time of Ignorance. Be regular in prayer, and pay the poor-due, and obey Allah and His messenger. Allah's wish is but to remove uncleanness far from you, O Folk of the Household, and cleanse you with a thorough cleansing.” (33:33)

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Remaining in the home

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is Allah's choice for women,

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though He, glorified be He, did not forbid her from going out of her home to fulfill her needs.

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However, the foundational principle is staying in the home

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and not going out without a genuine need.

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Remaining in the home

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secures for her the true meaning

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of psychological stability

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and assists her in fulfilling the role that suits her innate disposition upon which Allah created her—

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namely, raising children

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and producing a righteous generation that benefits the Ummah.

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This is among the greatest avenues of righteous deeds for a woman,

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the rewards of which continue for her during her life and after her death.

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This upbringing cannot be achieved when a woman goes out frequently, becomes preoccupied with people,

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and undertakes the heavy duties of a ruler.

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You see a working woman today,

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how she falls short regarding the rights of her children, husband, and home,

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even though she works in a single career field;

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so how could it be for one who seeks to manage an entire nation?

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Among the proofs that scholars cited

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for prohibiting a woman from holding the office of sovereign ruler

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is the statement of Allah Almighty:

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“Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great.” (4:34)

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Ibn al-'Arabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

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"It is said *qawwam* and *qayyim*,

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which are intensive forms derived from *qama* (to stand/maintain).

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The meaning is that he is her guardian who manages her affairs and rectifies her condition,

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as Ibn 'Abbas stated."

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Thus, Allah made man a guardian (*qayyim*) over woman,

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tending to her affairs and managing her matters.

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Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

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"The Almighty says:

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“Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great.” (4:34)

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meaning the man is the guardian over the woman;

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that is, he is her leader, superior,

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ruler over her, and disciplinarian if she swerves from righteousness;

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“Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great.” (4:34)

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because men are superior to women,

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and a man is better than a woman.

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For this reason, prophethood was restricted exclusively to men,

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as was supreme kingship,

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due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):

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'Never will a people succeed who entrust their command to a woman,'

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narrated by al-Bukhari."

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Thus, a woman does not assume the office of governance,

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because it entails supreme authority over both men and women,

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which contradicts what Allah stipulated in this verse.

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Among the proofs preventing a woman from holding the office of governance

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is that throughout human history up to our present day,

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only a very few women have ever held this position,

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which demonstrates a lack of innate psychological, physical, and intellectual inclination for this role.

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It is inconceivable that she would be suited to assume this office

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when the collective history of mankind fails to substantiate that.

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As for the few examples mentioned in history or in contemporary times,

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they are extremely rare cases

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that cannot be compared to the vast number of men who have held this office throughout human history.

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Rare exceptions carry no normative weight; judgment is placed only upon the overwhelming norm.

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Furthermore, the success of these historical instances of female rule cannot be proven

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without a comprehensive study of the people's conditions in all aspects before and after her rule.

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Even if there appeared to be outward success to people,

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the magnitude of failure that might have been avoided had a man ruled the people remains hidden from us.

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However, what is firmly established in our hearts is the truthfulness of the Prophet (peace be upon him) when he said:

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"Never will a people succeed who entrust their command to a woman."

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For this is part of what was revealed by Allah, the All-Knowing, All-Aware of all human affairs—

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past, present, and future.

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Moreover, the consensus of the scholars of the Ummah prohibiting women from holding the office of supreme rule

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obligates us to follow in their footsteps, as they are the people of knowledge to whom reference is made in times of disagreement.

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As for what the West attempts to disseminate among people through international agreements

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and United Nations charters,

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compelling people to abide by them and making them the supreme authority governing mankind,

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this is falsehood that contradicts divine law.

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It is astonishing that some people believe in words issued by disbelievers and commit to them,

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while abandoning the Revelation sent down from heaven

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upon the best of creation, our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

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This is what the hoopoe condemned regarding the people of Yemen:

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placing a woman in authority over men who claimed to possess strength

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and great military power.

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But was this the only thing the hoopoe condemned in them,

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or was there an even graver crime he denounced?

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We shall continue in our next session, Allah willing.

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Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

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The Story of the Queen of Sheba with the Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him).