Part of The story of the Queen of Sheba (series completed)
· Lesson 15 of 15
The story of the Queen of Sheba | Episode (15) | She said, “Lord, I have wronged myself.”
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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The story of the Queen of Sheba: She said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself."
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After the Queen of Sheba saw the manifestations of the grandeur of the kingdom of the Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him),
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and his bringing of her throne all the way from Yemen,
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she became certain that she was in the presence of a great king and a sent Prophet,
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and not before a mere earthly tyrant.
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So when the soldiers said to her,
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she did not hesitate for a moment to enter it.
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The *sarh* is the magnificent palace
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in which she was to meet the Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him).
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When she drew near to the entrance of the palace,
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she saw what appeared to be a body of water between herself and the assembly of the Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him).
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She was told to enter the palace.
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“It was said unto her: Enter the hall. And when she saw it she deemed it a pool and bared her legs. (Solomon) said: Lo! it is a hall, made smooth, of glass. She said: My Lord! Lo! I have wronged myself, and I surrender with Solomon unto Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.” (27:44)
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So how did she act?
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This situation in which the Queen of Sheba found herself
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would cause embarrassment to anyone facing it.
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For the venue was the king's palace,
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which is customarily the finest and most luxurious place in any kingdom,
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so imagine when this palace belonged to the kingdom of the Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him),
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to whom Allah had granted a kingdom like no other in all the worlds!
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Furthermore, the guest was the queen of a great realm with an ancient civilization,
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and this queen possessed a magnificent throne upon which she sat.
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Such a dignitary would expect to be received in the finest and most splendid manner,
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and to be accommodated in the most beautiful and exquisite setting.
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Yet the situation presented a pool of water directly in the queen's path,
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which could not be crossed to reach the palace's council chamber
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except by wading through it.
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The initial interpretation of the situation was that wading through the water was inevitable
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in order to reach the meeting place of the Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him),
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the ruler of this mighty kingdom.
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What, then, were the Queen of Sheba's feelings in this situation,
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and how did she conduct herself?
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Allah Almighty said:
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She was told: Enter the palace.
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“It was said unto her: Enter the hall. And when she saw it she deemed it a pool and bared her legs. (Solomon) said: Lo! it is a hall, made smooth, of glass. She said: My Lord! Lo! I have wronged myself, and I surrender with Solomon unto Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.” (27:44)
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She acted promptly when she saw the water,
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uncovering her shins.
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But why did she uncover her shins?
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Because it was difficult to wade through water while wearing her ample, concealing garments,
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which were royal robes,
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and no ordinary attire.
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This conduct of the Queen of Sheba indicates several lessons to us:
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Among them is that the attire of majesty worn by someone of such high standing
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involved no nudity;
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rather, it was ample clothing that fully covered the body,
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often featuring a long train trailing behind the queen
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to signify grandeur and prestige.
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As for exposing one's body before people,
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it is never the attire of rational, cultured, and civilized people,
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whether male or female;
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rather, it stems from a lack of modesty and poor character.
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So do not unclothe yourself, my noble sister.
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Another lesson is the quick-wittedness of this clever and discerning queen,
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who lifted her garments to wade through the water,
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knowing it would be improper to wade in her clothes
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and then drip water everywhere
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she sat in the palace of the Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him),
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because feet dry much faster after wading than wet garments do.
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Another lesson is that this concealing attire worn by the Queen of Sheba
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was not grounded in religious devotion,
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but was merely royal custom in which the Queen of Sheba lived.
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For that reason, she cast it aside quickly
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and uncovered her shins before men and in a public gathering.
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This is unlike a woman who covers her body out of religious devotion to Allah;
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she would wade through water in her clothes,
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even if the water were impure,
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and would not uncover her shins before men,
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adhering strictly to the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
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narrated by Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both),
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who said:
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The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
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"Whoever trails their garment out of pride,
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Allah will not look at them on the Day of Resurrection."
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Umm Salamah asked:
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"O Messenger of Allah,
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what should women do with their trailing hems?"
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He replied: "They should let them down by a handspan."
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She said:
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"In that case, their feet will be uncovered."
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He said:
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"Then let them lower them by a forearm's length,
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and do not exceed that."
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Narrated by al-Nasa'i.
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Here is Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her),
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discussing with the Prophet (peace be upon him)
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the length of the garment's train,
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out of her keen concern that women cover their feet,
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since it was firmly established for her that a woman's foot is part of the awrah
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that is not permissible to expose before non-mahram men.
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Thus, she said to the Prophet (peace be upon him)
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that lowering the dress, abaya, or jilbab by a handspan past the ankles
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was insufficient to fully conceal the feet.
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So he permitted her and all women to lower the hem up to a forearm's length to conceal the feet.
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Thus, this believing woman, who is eager to conceal her feet from men,
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will not uncover them on the pretext of a pool of water in her path,
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even if that water happens to be impure,
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because of what is established for her from the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
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explaining the legal ruling on that matter.
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It is narrated from an *umm walad* (freed concubine-mother) of Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf
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that she asked Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him),
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saying, "I am a woman who elongates her train,
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and I walk through filthy places."
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Umm Salamah replied: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
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"What comes after it purifies it."
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And a woman from Banu Abd al-Ashhal narrated:
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I said, "O Messenger of Allah,
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we have a foul-smelling path to the mosque;
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what should we do when it rains?"
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He asked: "Is there not a cleaner path after it?"
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She said, "I replied, 'Yes.'"
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He said: "Then this makes up for that."
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Narrated by Ahmad.
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Thus, the Prophet (peace be upon him) eased the matter for the woman
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and removed hardship regarding her passing over an impure or foul-smelling puddle,
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explaining that the pure ground that follows it cleanses it—
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all to preserve the woman's modesty and covering,
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and so that a woman would not take impure water as an excuse
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to lift her garments and expose her feet or shins.
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Another lesson is that she maintained a favorable opinion of the Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him),
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which is why she did not hesitate to enter the palace,
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despite seeing something unusual in her path;
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rather, she was convinced, after witnessing the grandeur of his realm,
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that she was in a place of honor,
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not a place of humiliation.
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This is how every wise and sensible person should be:
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to think well of someone known for goodness,
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even if some of their actions appear unusual at first glance.
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But what happened after she uncovered her shins?
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As soon as she uncovered her shins to wade through what appeared to her to be water,
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she was told: "It is a palace paved smooth with crystal."
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This was yet another sign of the magnificence of the kingdom of the Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him).
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The reader might wonder:
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Why did the Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him), build
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this smooth crystal palace in such a fashion?
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When we refer back to the books of Tafsir,
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we find in many of them Isra'iliyyat (Judeo-Christian narrations)
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that attempt to answer this question
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in a manner that undermines the dignity of prophethood,
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the noble status of the Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him),
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and the prophetic virtues with which he was characterized.
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Such fabrications are not surprising in Jewish lore concerning their prophets,
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for they alleged far more abhorrent things against them than what was said about the Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him), in this incident.
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Indeed, against the Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him),
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both jinn and humans fabricated things of which he was entirely innocent,
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as Allah Almighty said:
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And they followed what the devils recited during the reign of Solomon.
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“And follow that which the devils falsely related against the kingdom of Solomon. Solomon disbelieved not; but the devils disbelieved, teaching mankind magic and that which was revealed to the two angels in Babel, Harut and Marut. Nor did they (the two angels) teach it to anyone till they had said: We are only a temptation, therefore disbelieve not (in the guidance of Allah). And from these two (angles) people learn that by which they cause division between man and wife; but they injure thereby no-one save by Allah's leave. And they learn that which harmeth them and profiteth them not. And surely they do know that he who trafficketh therein will have no (happy) portion in the Hereafter; and surely evil is the price for which they sell their souls, if they but knew.” (2:102)
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“And follow that which the devils falsely related against the kingdom of Solomon. Solomon disbelieved not; but the devils disbelieved, teaching mankind magic and that which was revealed to the two angels in Babel, Harut and Marut. Nor did they (the two angels) teach it to anyone till they had said: We are only a temptation, therefore disbelieve not (in the guidance of Allah). And from these two (angles) people learn that by which they cause division between man and wife; but they injure thereby no-one save by Allah's leave. And they learn that which harmeth them and profiteth them not. And surely they do know that he who trafficketh therein will have no (happy) portion in the Hereafter; and surely evil is the price for which they sell their souls, if they but knew.” (2:102)
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Al-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
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"This is what Allah has narrated to us regarding the story of the Queen of Sheba
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and what transpired between her and Solomon (peace be upon him).
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As for the fabricated embellishments and Isra'iliyyat stories beyond this,
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they have no relevance to the Tafsir of Allah's Word,
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and they belong to matters whose verification requires established evidence from the infallible Prophet.
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The reports transmitted on this subject are entirely or mostly devoid of such evidence;
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therefore, true resolve
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lies in turning away from them and excluding them from Tafsir.
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And Allah knows best."
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However, there are statements by exegetes that remain free from such Isra'iliyyat,
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among which:
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Al-Maturidi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
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"He intended to show her a sign of his prophethood
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by constructing a palace paved smooth with crystal,
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which appeared like water due to its sheer transparency—
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an achievement beyond normal human design—
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so that she would realize it was guided by Heaven, not mere human contrivance.
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Or he intended thereby—and Allah knows best—
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to display the sheer majesty of his dominion and authority,
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so she would know that he achieves whatever he wills
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and is fully capable of it,
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and that nothing would benefit her except obeying him, responding positively, and submitting in Islam to Allah."
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Al-Razi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
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"Know that when Allah Almighty recounted her persistence in disbelief despite all prior signs,
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He mentioned that Solomon (peace be upon him) displayed a marvel that served as an invitation for her to embrace Islam,
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which is His saying:
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'She was told: Enter the palace'—and the *sarh* is the palace."
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He also said: "He only did that
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to increase her veneration of his status and her conviction in his prophethood."
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What the Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him), constructed of the palace and other marvels deeply impacted the Queen of Sheba,
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and so she declared her Islam:
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“It was said unto her: Enter the hall. And when she saw it she deemed it a pool and bared her legs. (Solomon) said: Lo! it is a hall, made smooth, of glass. She said: My Lord! Lo! I have wronged myself, and I surrender with Solomon unto Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.” (27:44)
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“It was said unto her: Enter the hall. And when she saw it she deemed it a pool and bared her legs. (Solomon) said: Lo! it is a hall, made smooth, of glass. She said: My Lord! Lo! I have wronged myself, and I surrender with Solomon unto Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.” (27:44)
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She acknowledged her wrongdoing in worshipping and prostrating to the sun,
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and then declared her total submission to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
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These are indeed the proper manners of repentance:
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acknowledging one's error and submitting wholly to the command and decree of Allah.
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And in her words,
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“It was said unto her: Enter the hall. And when she saw it she deemed it a pool and bared her legs. (Solomon) said: Lo! it is a hall, made smooth, of glass. She said: My Lord! Lo! I have wronged myself, and I surrender with Solomon unto Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.” (27:44)
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lies an important lesson for every noble young woman:
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that religious commitment is not meant merely to facilitate marriage,
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nor solely to earn a husband's love and approval;
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rather, it must be purely for Allah, the Exalted and Glorious.
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For whatever is built merely on the love and pleasing of a husband
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quickly unravels whenever a dispute arises with him.
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I have encountered numerous examples
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of young women who exhibited religious practice and adherence to Allah's commands at the beginning of their marital lives
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alongside righteous husbands who were steadfast in Allah's religion and called others to it.
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Yet, as marital life went on
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and occasional marital grievances occurred,
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we saw some of them abandoning the rulings of the Sharia that they once advocated and upheld,
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simply because of a disagreement with the husband—
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particularly regarding Islamic dress outside the home,
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or in front of women and in their gatherings,
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or regarding unnecessary mixing with men in mixed work environments,
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or at family gatherings,
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Or when she frequents public cafes in shopping malls with her female friends,
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doing so merely to spite her husband who disapproves of such behavior.
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She then describes her husband as an extremist who belongs to a rigid era,
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claiming, "We are now living in an open age where such strictness is no longer suitable,"
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and that religious rulings have changed, leaving that strictness behind.
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I have elaborated on this topic in an article entitled:
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"Your Disagreement with Your Husband Should Not Change Your Principles."
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You may refer to it if you wish.
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My dear brother, my dear sister,
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this concludes the story of the Queen of Sheba with the Prophet of Allah, Solomon, peace be upon him.
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It contains a wealth of profound lessons,
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and the very purpose of recounting these stories is to derive lessons from them.
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Al-Tahir Ibn 'Ashur, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
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"The core lesson to be drawn from it
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is to take heed from the case of this queen;
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for neither her elevated status nor the majesty of her dominion—
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alongside her sound innate disposition and sharp intellect—prevented her
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from examining the proofs of truthfulness presented by the caller to monotheism,
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becoming convinced of the invalidity of polytheism,
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and submitting to the oneness of Allah.
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Thus, the persistence of the polytheists in their shirk after Islamic guidance has reached them
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is nothing but the result of the foolishness of their minds, their blindness to the truth,
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their clinging to falsehood, and their stubbornness within it."
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And if there is a final word with which I conclude the episodes of this series
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on the story of the Queen of Sheba with the Prophet of Allah, Solomon, peace be upon him,
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it is that the most vital quality a believing man and woman can embody in their lives
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is total surrender to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
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May Allah make me and you among those who submit to the Lord of the worlds,
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follow His sacred law, yield to His command,
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and refrain from whatever Allah has forbidden.
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We will meet you, if Allah wills, in another story from the stories of women in the Holy Qur'an
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in the coming days, by Allah's leave,
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if Allah grants life to us and to you.
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And our final supplication is that all praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.