The Story of the Queen of Sheba
“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)
Allah created humankind in two genders:
male and female.
He, the Exalted, said:
“Thinketh man that he is to be left aimless?” (75:36)
"Was he not a drop of emitted semen?
Then he became a clinging clot, and Allah created his form and proportioned him."
“And made of him a pair, the male and female.” (75:39)
And He, the Glorious, said:
“And that He createth the two spouses, the male and the female,” (53:45)
“From a drop (of seed) when it is poured forth;” (53:46)
And He, Exalted on High, endowed each gender with characteristics
that distinguish it from the other.
These inherent qualities have left their imprint upon
the life of each type of human being,
the male and the female,
just as they have shaped the way of thinking
in each of them.
For the male thinks in a manner distinct
from the female,
and his perspective on matters differs from hers.
This is part of the majesty of the Creator,
Who created the two pairs, the male and the female.
The male was created from all the varieties of earth's clay,
so the qualities of the earth influenced him;
while the female was created from the male's rib,
so the qualities of the rib influenced her.
It is truly regrettable today
that there are Muslims
who treat the female
exactly as they treat the male,
paying no heed to the innate biological and psychological differences
between male and female.
Consequently, such a person wrongs the woman,
whether consciously or unconsciously,
and may burden her with what she cannot bear,
loading upon her what exceeds her endurance,
simply because he failed to distinguish
between male and female.
As for those who demand
the equality of woman with man
in an absolute, identical sense,
their injustice toward the woman
is even greater than that of the first group,
and far more harmful to her.
The first merely treated her
like a man,
but the second has effaced
her distinct identity entirely,
turning her into an anomaly
that is neither male nor female.
And the most tragic thing that a woman loses
from her identity
in this call for absolute equality
between her and the man
is her femininity,
which is the very essence that distinguishes her
from the man.
Once femininity is lost,
everything is lost;
there remains no spirit within her,
no grace,
no beauty, and no radiance.
This call for identical equality between woman
and man
is the call of the blind who
fail to perceive the truth,
blindly imitating the West without
reason or discernment.
In the story of the Queen of Sheba,
this reality is clearly manifested to us—
the very truth explicitly stated
in the words of the Exalted:
"And the male is not like the female."
It is plainly manifested to us
in the contrasting ways
the chieftains—
who were men—
reacted to the letter of the Prophet of Allah, Solomon, peace be upon him,
and the way
the Queen—being
a woman—reacted to the very same letter.
We have already explored
in a previous episode
how the Queen of Sheba dealt
with that correspondence and how she reasoned.
In this episode,
we will examine how
the men dealt with the letter.
The Queen of Sheba asked
the elite of her people
to advise her on how
to handle the demand of
the Prophet of Allah, Solomon, peace be upon him.
They said to her:
"We are men of great strength
and mighty in war,
but the command is yours,
so consider what you will command."
The men inclined toward
the use of brute force in responding
to the letter of Allah's Prophet, Solomon,
and toward refusing
the demand of the Prophet of Allah, Solomon, peace be upon him,
which called upon them to enter
under his authority and divine law,
and to surrender to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
Al-Sa'di,
may Allah have mercy on him, said:
“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)
"'And mighty in war'—
meaning:
if you reject his demand
and refuse to submit to his obedience,
we possess the strength to fight."
It was as though they leaned toward
this course of action,
which, had it been executed, would have brought
their utter destruction.
This is the logic of raw power
that men typically resort to,
unlike women,
who tend to employ
the logic of diplomacy, shrewdness, strategy,
and subtle maneuvering to achieve
their objectives.
This became vividly evident
in the response of the Queen of Sheba to her people.
But before we examine
the reply of the Queen of Sheba,
let us consider the nature of the men
whom this woman ruled.
The nature
of these men is revealed
through their response to the Queen,
when they said:
"We are men of great strength
and mighty in war."
This signifies
that they were a people of warfare and formidable military might
across the land.
Yet their hesitation to follow through
on their own inclination to fight, as shown by their words:
"but the command is yours, so consider
what you will command,"
reveals a deficiency in their capacity
for wisdom and sound judgment.
For this reason, they deferred the decision
to the woman who governed them,
believing that she was
more prudent and far wiser than they were.
Al-Sa'di,
may Allah have mercy on him, said:
"Yet they did not firmly settle
on fighting; rather, they said:
'but the command is yours,'
because they knew her intellect,
her resolve,
and her sincere care for their welfare.
'So consider'—with deep thought and reflection—
'what you will command.'"
If this was
their mindset,
then it is no surprise that they were ruled
by a woman.
That illusory power in which they
took such pride
was merely the power of violent assault and slaughter,
devoid of wisdom
and foresight.
And when power is not governed by a firm,
wise mind, it brings no benefit
to its possessor; rather, it harms him,
because it drags him
into reckless devastation.
Now that we understand the caliber of
the men ruled by
this woman, let us observe
how she countered their viewpoint
and executed her own decision with superior wisdom
and an intellect that surpassed theirs.
The Queen of Sheba began
her response by citing
a historical reality,
drawing upon her deep awareness of the history
of nations before her.
By invoking this reality, she intended
to ground her judgment
in historical knowledge
regarding the fates of empires.
She said to them:
“She said: Lo! kings, when they enter a township, ruin it and make the honour of its people shame. Thus will they do.” (27:34)
"[Indeed, when kings enter] a city, they ruin it
and render the noblest of its people
humiliated."
Yes, this is an undeniable fact:
whenever an invader occupies
a city or a nation,
he executes its noble leaders
and its scholars,
dismantling the established order of their state
so that he may have absolute, unhindered control
over that conquered land,
dominate its subjugated people,
And to seize its resources and wealth.
without any contradiction
The Queen of Sheba said to them,
Indeed, this is
the typical nature of conquering kings
those who occupy the land,
and the servants of Allah.
and their history clearly testifies to this.
For I have not fabricated anything against them.
For that reason,
I will not resort to the logic of force.
To begin with, in confronting
This magnificent kingdom
Sulayman
Instead, I shall resort to another matter.
He reveals to me the reality of this kingdom.
Al-Sa'di said:
May Allah have mercy upon him.
She said to them, seeking to convince them.
Regarding their opinion.
And clarifying the dire consequences of fighting.
Indeed, when kings enter a land, they ruin it.
Enter the village, for they have corrupted it.
They were killed and taken captive.
and the plundering of its wealth.
and the destruction of their homes.
And they made the most honorable of its people [the lowest].
They are humble.
That is, they appointed the leaders and the masters.
The most noble of people are those who are considered the most lowly.
That is to say,
This is an unsound opinion.
Furthermore,
I will not obey him until he has been tested.
And the dispatching of someone to investigate.
regarding his states and reflects upon them.
And at that moment,
We must possess clear insight.
of our affairs
And Ibn 'Ashur stated:
May Allah have mercy upon him.
She expressed her opinion to them, preferring [the other option].
The aspect of peace alongside the aspect of war.
And she was cautious about entering.
Under the authority of Sulayman, by his own choice.
For the end of
War involves the possibility that
Sulayman is victorious.
Thus, it becomes the kingdom of Sheba.
to Him
Under the authority of Sulayman.
The meeting for the Kingdom in
His conduct.
In both of these cases,
A new transfer of ownership occurs.
In her city.
Thus, I came to know it through the analogy of corroborating evidence.
History and experience.
The nature of kings, when they
They act as if they have authority over a kingdom that belongs to someone else.
That they might overturn its system.
in accordance with their best interests.
And the tranquility of their souls.
From the upheaval of the defeated Ummah.
During times of weakness.
Or the indicators of preoccupation.
regarding significant historical events
The first thing they do is
The exclusion of those who were previously in power.
For the danger is anticipated.
On their part
Where their authority was superseded by the new authority.
Then they alter it.
Laws and regulations
which was the path upon which the state proceeded.
As for when they take it
by force, so it is inevitable that
Taking from the spoils of war and captivity.
That is a far more corrupting state of affairs.
Both states have thus been incorporated.
Regarding her statement
When they enter a village
They corrupted it.
And they made the most honorable of its people [the lowest].
Humble
She did not accept their opinion regarding the war.
It is not a matter of desire.
Nor is any weight given to her opinion.
However, she looked toward
The history of the conquering kings.
And what is it that they do?
She based her opinion upon knowledge.
And I resorted to a method
The latter, in order to save her kingdom.
regarding the consequences of war
With the Prophet of Allah, Sulayman, peace be upon him.
Peace be upon him.
She was not content with war.
And she did not consent to immediate surrender.
For the Prophet of Allah, Sulayman, peace be upon him.
Peace be upon him.
along with her admiration for his strength and his eloquence.
However, it is simply in the nature of things.
The woman who does not change.
Throughout the passage of time.
I resorted to using a stratagem.
To know the extent of a man's sincerity.
Is he someone preoccupied with worldly affairs?
You incline his heart toward you through wealth.
Or a person of faith and conviction.
It cannot be swayed.
with all the wealth of this world
This is the nature of the matter.
Regarding the woman, it is appropriate
That a man should be mindful of it.
A woman might express her admiration for him.
However, she conceals it.
Another reality in and of itself.
It is the identification of the key points.
His weakness lies in his desire for control.
upon him, so he resorts
regarding many matters.
By employing ruses and deceit.
And the plotting.
In order to attain the realization of its intended purpose.
Who is this man?
The one whose eloquence impressed her.
And the strength of his personality.
A woman is never exempt from these responsibilities.
Regarding the utilization of this nature
Regarding her conduct with men
And whoever thinks that he is capable
regarding how to confront the guile of women
By His might, His power, and His strength.
He is severely mistaken.
Therefore, it is essential
Seeking aid from Allah.
That He may protect him from the trial of women.
The husband who
He assumes that his wife
Do not plot against him.
Through the illusion that I have lived.
In it is his wife.
He has fallen into the greatest of deceptions.
And he is unaware.
Indeed, this faculty that governs
The most resolute of men.
Those possessed of great might.
You resort to artifice.
Regarding strength.
She says to her people
And I am sending a messenger to them.
with a gift
Then he shall see what answer he returns with.
The messengers
'Abd al-'Aziz al-Tarifi said:
When the letter from Solomon arrived
to the Queen of Sheba
And I read it.
I sent a letter to him.
It inclines his heart toward it.
To ensure that which he desires of her joining him is attained.
And her submission to Allah.
She wished to test the sincerity of his claim.
Is he a person preoccupied with worldly affairs?
Thus, the gift brings tranquility to the heart.
For the person who is preoccupied with this worldly life
If what he desires comes to him.
His greed was quieted.
In order to achieve his intended purpose.
Or a person of faith.
His objective is the worship of Allah alone.
This is the nature of a woman.
Which does not change it.
Neither time nor place.
Nor the position of authority.
A nature that is established in its manner of interaction.
Standing firm in her interactions with men.
based on emotion
And inclining toward its heart.
By utilizing every
The possible methods.
Even if it were prohibited.
Except for those whose affairs are governed by the religion.
The upright Islamic path
He refined her character.
And preventing her from utilizing her natural disposition.
regarding what Allah has forbidden for her.
A woman is not fit [for this role]
for the sake of sovereignty and leadership.
upon men, regardless of their position.
A woman is a woman.
With her naturally beautiful and sensitive disposition.
And tenderness and emotional sensitivity.
And the woman who is possessive and protective of her husband.
The love for her husband.
Showing compassion toward him.
It occupies her throughout her entire life.
She fills her heart
with love for Him,
so she thinks of nothing but Him,
and does not occupy herself
with anything other than what pleases Him.
It is not fitting for her to be preoccupied
with what corrupts
her true life,
her peace of mind,
and her happiness in this world
and the Hereafter.
Indeed, men who do not understand
the nature of women
do not find fulfillment
in their marital lives.
As for the wicked who know
the vulnerabilities of women,
they have exploited that
to reach them
and enjoy them in ways Allah has forbidden,
only to discard them,
casting them aside
after they have satisfied their desires with them.
Whoever among women wishes to know
this truth
should look at the lives
of secretaries
in the world,
the conditions they live in
with their managers,
and the end to which they have come.
However,
how did the Prophet of Allah,
Sulayman, peace be upon him,
respond to the ruse of the Queen of Sheba
regarding this sent gift?
We shall continue in a
future meeting, if Allah wills.
And all praise is due to Allah,
Lord of the worlds.
The story of the Queen of Sheba
with the Prophet of Allah,
Sulayman, peace be upon him.