WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.809 The story of the Queen of Sheba. 00:00:05.809 --> 00:00:11.179 The intelligence of the Queen of Sheba. 00:00:11.179 --> 00:00:14.779 The evidence within the story of the Queen of Sheba continues. 00:00:14.779 --> 00:00:17.820 To demonstrate the intelligence of this queen. 00:00:17.820 --> 00:00:19.739 And in this episode, 00:00:19.739 --> 00:00:23.010 there is further proof of her sagacity. 00:00:23.010 --> 00:00:26.210 For the Prophet of Allah, Sulayman, peace be upon him, 00:00:26.210 --> 00:00:31.010 wished to test her to determine the extent of her intelligence and discernment, 00:00:31.010 --> 00:00:33.969 given that she had been elevated to rule over men. 00:00:34.130 --> 00:00:35.969 He said to his soldiers, 00:00:35.969 --> 00:00:38.210 "Disguise her throne for her." 00:00:38.210 --> 00:00:43.409 “He said: Disguise her throne for her that we may see whether she will go aright or be of those not rightly guided.” (27:41) 00:00:43.409 --> 00:00:47.020 Meaning, alter the features of her throne. 00:00:47.020 --> 00:00:51.740 This was a great surprise for the Queen of Sheba, 00:00:51.740 --> 00:00:53.579 for her throne was in Yemen, 00:00:53.579 --> 00:00:57.020 and she was far from the kingdom of Sulayman. 00:00:57.020 --> 00:01:00.859 Transporting the throne would require a long time, 00:01:00.939 --> 00:01:04.700 and the throne was also protected by heavy security, 00:01:04.700 --> 00:01:07.579 so that it could not be reached by the hands of men. 00:01:07.579 --> 00:01:10.060 Furthermore, altering the features of her throne 00:01:10.060 --> 00:01:12.780 made it ambiguous to the observer: 00:01:12.780 --> 00:01:15.739 Is it her throne or not? 00:01:15.739 --> 00:01:17.739 When the Queen of Sheba arrived 00:01:17.739 --> 00:01:21.180 to the Prophet of Allah, Sulayman, peace be upon him, 00:01:21.180 --> 00:01:23.579 his soldiers presented the throne to her 00:01:23.579 --> 00:01:25.340 and said to her, 00:01:25.340 --> 00:01:27.569 "Is your throne like this?" 00:01:27.569 --> 00:01:30.049 This was the test he intended, 00:01:30.129 --> 00:01:33.859 the Prophet of Allah, Sulayman, peace be upon him. 00:01:33.859 --> 00:01:38.079 Here, the intelligence of this queen—or lack thereof—would be revealed. 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:42.159 The answer to the question could be either yes or no. 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:44.719 If she denied that it was her throne, 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:48.079 despite it having signs pointing to it, 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:50.239 she would fall into an awkward position. 00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:54.239 And if she confirmed it was her throne despite the discrepancies, 00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:57.140 she would likewise fall into an awkward position. 00:01:57.140 --> 00:01:59.140 But, due to her intelligence, 00:01:59.140 --> 00:02:01.459 she answered with a third response. 00:02:01.459 --> 00:02:04.500 She said, "It is as if it were it." 00:02:04.500 --> 00:02:07.939 Thus, she neither confirmed nor denied it. 00:02:07.939 --> 00:02:14.750 She succeeded in this test prepared for her by the Prophet of Allah, Sulayman, peace be upon him. 00:02:14.750 --> 00:02:18.270 In this is a benefit for those who engage in dialogue with people: 00:02:18.270 --> 00:02:21.949 to be mindful of the third possibility in an answer. 00:02:21.949 --> 00:02:26.750 Because some people want to restrict the answer to two paths: 00:02:26.750 --> 00:02:28.669 yes or no, 00:02:28.750 --> 00:02:30.990 with me or against me. 00:02:30.990 --> 00:02:32.750 But the intelligent interlocutor 00:02:32.750 --> 00:02:35.710 is able to provide a third answer 00:02:35.710 --> 00:02:38.939 that did not occur to the questioner. 00:02:38.939 --> 00:02:41.500 Here, an important question arises: 00:02:41.500 --> 00:02:45.259 How could this intelligent, discerning woman 00:02:45.259 --> 00:02:48.860 fall into violating the sound natural disposition (fitra), 00:02:48.860 --> 00:02:53.180 worshipping the sun, which neither harms nor benefits? 00:02:53.180 --> 00:02:56.460 Where did her intelligence and discernment go? 00:02:56.460 --> 00:03:00.139 Did her intellect not guide her to the corruption of this act, 00:03:00.139 --> 00:03:03.580 to prostrate to the sun instead of Allah? 00:03:03.580 --> 00:03:10.539 Such a question might be raised today regarding scholars in various scientific disciplines 00:03:10.539 --> 00:03:13.259 who possess great inventions, 00:03:13.259 --> 00:03:16.860 yet among them are those who worship idols, 00:03:16.860 --> 00:03:21.819 and among them are those who say the three are one and the one is three, 00:03:21.819 --> 00:03:24.699 and one finds no explanation for it. 00:03:24.699 --> 00:03:29.419 Did their intellect not guide them to the worship of Allah, the One, the Irresistible, 00:03:29.419 --> 00:03:32.060 and the falsehood of what they worship? 00:03:32.060 --> 00:03:37.340 The answer comes to us in the Holy Qur'an from the All-Knowing, the All-Aware, glory be to Him, 00:03:37.340 --> 00:03:39.580 to show us where the flaw lies 00:03:39.580 --> 00:03:45.180 that befell the likes of the Queen of Sheba and others, 00:03:45.180 --> 00:03:51.819 and so that people may know that every question that may occur to the human mind or be posed to it 00:03:51.819 --> 00:03:54.539 has an answer in the Book of Allah, 00:03:54.539 --> 00:03:58.159 whether in summary or in detail. 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:02.159 The Almighty said, explaining the answer to this question: 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:06.400 “And (all) that she was wont to worship instead of Allah hindered her, for she came of disbelieving folk.” (27:43) 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:11.039 “And (all) that she was wont to worship instead of Allah hindered her, for she came of disbelieving folk.” (27:43) 00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:13.520 Al-Sa'di, may Allah have mercy on him, said, 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:15.599 "Allah the Almighty said: 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:19.600 “And (all) that she was wont to worship instead of Allah hindered her, for she came of disbelieving folk.” (27:43) 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:21.519 Meaning, from Islam. 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:27.279 Otherwise, she possessed enough intelligence and discernment to distinguish truth from falsehood. 00:04:27.279 --> 00:04:31.920 But false beliefs take away the insight of the heart. 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:35.920 “And (all) that she was wont to worship instead of Allah hindered her, for she came of disbelieving folk.” (27:43) 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:38.319 So she continued in their religion. 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:42.639 And for an individual to stand apart from the people of their religion and the established custom 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:46.399 regarding a matter their intellect sees as their error and misguidance 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:48.720 is among the rarest of things. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:53.939 Therefore, it is not strange that she remained in disbelief." 00:04:53.939 --> 00:04:59.459 In the verse is an indication of the danger of surrendering to customs and traditions 00:04:59.459 --> 00:05:02.660 without subjecting them to the scale of the Sharia, 00:05:02.660 --> 00:05:06.579 because they prevent a person from accepting the truth. 00:05:06.579 --> 00:05:13.100 This is the affliction of the nations who objected to the call of their prophets. 00:05:13.100 --> 00:05:15.259 The Almighty said about them: 00:05:15.339 --> 00:05:22.060 "And when it is said to them, 'Follow what Allah has revealed,' 00:05:22.060 --> 00:05:31.810 they say, 'Rather, we will follow that which we found our fathers doing.'" 00:05:31.810 --> 00:05:44.160 “And when it is said unto them: Follow that which Allah hath revealed, they say: We follow that wherein we found our fathers. What! Even though their fathers were wholly unintelligent and had no guidance?” (2:170) 00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:46.160 And the Almighty said: 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:54.160 "And when it is said to them, 'Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,' 00:05:54.160 --> 00:06:01.040 “And when it is said unto them: Come unto that which Allah hath revealed and unto the messenger, they say: Enough for us is that wherein we found our fathers. What! Even though their fathers had no knowledge whatsoever, and no guidance?” (5:104) 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:09.899 “And when it is said unto them: Come unto that which Allah hath revealed and unto the messenger, they say: Enough for us is that wherein we found our fathers. What! Even though their fathers had no knowledge whatsoever, and no guidance?” (5:104) 00:06:09.899 --> 00:06:13.810 And the people of Hud objected to him by saying: 00:06:13.889 --> 00:06:25.250 “They said: Hast come unto us that we should serve Allah alone, and forsake what our fathers worshipped? Then bring upon us that wherewith thou threatenest us if thou art of the truthful!” (7:70) 00:06:25.250 --> 00:06:34.639 'Then bring us what you promise us, if you should be of the truthful.' 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:38.029 And the people of Pharaoh said to Musa: 00:06:38.029 --> 00:06:47.149 “They said: Hast thou come unto us to pervert us from that (faith) in which we found our fathers, and that you two may own the place of greatness in the land? We will not believe you two.” (10:78) 00:06:47.149 --> 00:06:56.269 “They said: Hast thou come unto us to pervert us from that (faith) in which we found our fathers, and that you two may own the place of greatness in the land? We will not believe you two.” (10:78) 00:06:56.269 --> 00:06:59.920 And the Almighty said about the people of Salih: 00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:07.759 “They said: O Salih! Thou hast been among us hitherto as that wherein our hope was placed. Dost thou ask us not to worship what our fathers worshipped? Lo! we verily are in grave doubt concerning that to which thou callest us.” (11:62) 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:14.959 “They said: O Salih! Thou hast been among us hitherto as that wherein our hope was placed. Dost thou ask us not to worship what our fathers worshipped? Lo! we verily are in grave doubt concerning that to which thou callest us.” (11:62) 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:25.569 “They said: O Salih! Thou hast been among us hitherto as that wherein our hope was placed. Dost thou ask us not to worship what our fathers worshipped? Lo! we verily are in grave doubt concerning that to which thou callest us.” (11:62) 00:07:25.569 --> 00:07:28.399 And He said about the people of Shu'ayb: 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:37.759 “They said: O Shu'eyb! Doth thy way of prayer command thee that we should forsake that which our fathers (used to) worship, or that we (should leave off) doing what we will with our own property. Lo! thou art the mild, the guide to right behaviour.” (11:87) 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:43.759 “They said: O Shu'eyb! Doth thy way of prayer command thee that we should forsake that which our fathers (used to) worship, or that we (should leave off) doing what we will with our own property. Lo! thou art the mild, the guide to right behaviour.” (11:87) 00:07:45.420 --> 00:07:50.300 “They said: O Shu'eyb! Doth thy way of prayer command thee that we should forsake that which our fathers (used to) worship, or that we (should leave off) doing what we will with our own property. Lo! thou art the mild, the guide to right behaviour.” (11:87) 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:57.279 And so it is with all the prophets and those who followed their path and trod their way. 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:01.360 When one calls to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and to following His law, 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:06.610 some members of society confront them with such words. 00:08:06.610 --> 00:08:10.689 And there is a call in many societies today, 00:08:10.689 --> 00:08:13.009 sponsored especially by the elite, 00:08:13.009 --> 00:08:17.569 which is the revival of ancient customs and traditions in society. 00:08:17.569 --> 00:08:19.730 They call it "heritage," 00:08:19.730 --> 00:08:26.560 and they take pride in it as the ancient customs and deep-rooted traditions of society, 00:08:26.560 --> 00:08:34.480 even if these customs and traditions trace their origins to the era of the Arab Jahiliyyah before Islam, 00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:39.740 or trace back to a deviant creed or a misguided sect. 00:08:39.740 --> 00:08:44.779 This is a form of turning people away from the path of Allah, intentionally or unintentionally. 00:08:44.779 --> 00:08:49.019 So the young grow up on such Jahili customs, 00:08:49.019 --> 00:08:51.580 and the old grow gray upon them, 00:08:51.580 --> 00:08:55.679 until it settles in the souls of the people that it is the truth, 00:08:55.840 --> 00:08:59.840 and that opposing or objecting to it is falsehood. 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:05.460 And everyone who rejects it and clarifies the ruling of Allah regarding it is fought. 00:09:05.460 --> 00:09:07.860 In the story of the Queen of Sheba, 00:09:07.860 --> 00:09:12.899 there is a second benefit related to her intelligence and discernment. 00:09:12.899 --> 00:09:18.659 We have already passed by what indicates the intensity of this woman's intelligence and discernment. 00:09:18.659 --> 00:09:20.019 And yet, 00:09:20.019 --> 00:09:23.940 the hoopoe disapproves of this intelligent woman holding 00:09:23.940 --> 00:09:26.899 the position of ruler over men, 00:09:26.899 --> 00:09:32.179 and the Prophet of Allah, Sulayman, peace be upon him, agrees with his disapproval, 00:09:32.179 --> 00:09:36.259 and Allah, the Exalted in His Majesty, approves them in that, 00:09:36.259 --> 00:09:40.500 and makes it a Qur'an recited until the Day of Resurrection, 00:09:40.500 --> 00:09:43.700 so that people may know that the prohibition of a woman holding 00:09:43.700 --> 00:09:46.500 high positions over men 00:09:46.500 --> 00:09:50.100 is not due to a lack of intelligence or discernment, 00:09:50.100 --> 00:09:56.419 but rather the prohibition is for many other matters related to the nature of a woman's creation 00:09:56.419 --> 00:10:00.559 and the natural disposition (fitra) upon which Allah created her. 00:10:00.559 --> 00:10:05.679 And a final benefit related to the intelligence of this queen: 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:10.559 the deficiency of the innate intellect in a woman does not mean stupidity. 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:16.240 For Allah, the Almighty, revealed to His Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:20.480 to inform us of a reality related to the creation of women, 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:23.600 which is known only through revelation from Allah, 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:27.440 and known only by the Creator, the Exalted in His Majesty. 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:32.399 Our truthful, believed Prophet informed us of it on a day of Eid, 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:35.440 and he, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:38.799 "I have not seen anyone more deficient in intellect and religion 00:10:38.799 --> 00:10:43.519 who can lead a cautious, sensible man astray than one of you." 00:10:43.519 --> 00:10:45.899 Narrated by Al-Bukhari. 00:10:45.899 --> 00:10:52.620 The deficiency of a woman's innate intellect is a reality that only an obstinate or arrogant person denies, 00:10:52.620 --> 00:10:56.779 or one who rejects the statement of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 00:10:56.779 --> 00:10:59.539 or distorts its meaning. 00:10:59.539 --> 00:11:04.980 This deficiency is well-perceived by the sound woman herself, 00:11:04.980 --> 00:11:09.220 for she does not act independently in her opinion without consulting a man, 00:11:09.220 --> 00:11:14.419 knowing that her emotion overcomes her in judgment and thinking, 00:11:14.419 --> 00:11:19.970 unlike the man who judges with his intellect before his emotion. 00:11:19.970 --> 00:11:24.049 For the One who diminished her intellect increased her emotion, 00:11:24.049 --> 00:11:28.700 to suit the function for which He created her. 00:11:28.700 --> 00:11:31.980 So the deficiency of a woman's intellect does not mean stupidity, 00:11:31.980 --> 00:11:35.740 and the deficiency of a woman's intellect is not changed by intelligence. 00:11:35.740 --> 00:11:41.740 It exists in the woman by creation, even if times change. 00:11:41.740 --> 00:11:45.659 The Prophet of Allah, Sulayman, showed the Queen of Sheba 00:11:45.659 --> 00:11:50.299 some of what Allah had given him of kingdom, power, and knowledge. 00:11:50.299 --> 00:11:55.220 But the story does not end with this event. 00:11:55.220 --> 00:11:58.980 We will continue in a future meeting, if Allah wills. 00:11:58.980 --> 00:12:02.019 And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. 00:12:03.659 --> 00:12:09.980 The story of the Queen of Sheba with the Prophet of Allah, Sulayman, peace be upon him.