Allah the Almighty says:{He inspected the birds, and said: "What is the matter that I see
not the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? "I will surely punish
him with a severe torment, or slaughter him, unless he brings me a
clear reason." But the hoopoe stayed not long: he (came up and) said:
"I have grasped (the knowledge of a thing) which you have not
grasped and I have come to you from Saba' (Sheba) with true news."
"I found a woman ruling over them: she has been given all things that
could be possessed by any ruler of the earth, and she has a great
throne. I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of
Allah, and Shaitan (Satan) has made their deeds fair-seeming to them,
and has barred them from (Allah's) Way: so they have no guidance."
[As Shaitan (Satan) has barred them from Allah's Way] so they do not
worship (prostrate themselves before) Allah, Who brings to light what
is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal
and what you reveal. Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be
worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne! [Sulaiman
(Solomon)] said: "We shall see whether you speak the truth or you are
(one) of the liars."Go you with this letter of mine, and deliver it to
them, then draw back from them, and see what (answer) they return."
She said: "O chiefs! Verily! Here is delivered to me a noble letter.
"Verily it is from Sulaiman (Solomon), and verily, it (reads): In the
Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful: "Be you not
exalted against me, but come to me as Muslims (true believers who
submit to Allah with full submission). She said: "O chiefs! Advise me in
(this) case of mine. I decide no case till you are present with me (and
give me your opinions)." They said: "We have great strength, and great
ability for war, but it is for you to command: so think over what you
will command." She said: "Verily kings, when they enter a town
(country), they despoil it and make the most honorable amongst its
people the lowest. And thus they do. "But verily! I am going to send
him a present, and see with what (answer) the Messengers return." So
when (the messengers with the present) came to Sulaiman (Solomon),
he said: "Will you help me in wealth? What Allah has given me is better
than that which He has given you! Nay, you rejoice in your gift!" [Then
Sulaiman (Solomon) said to the chief of her messengers who brought
the present]: "Go back to them. We verily shall come to them with
hosts that they cannot resist, and we shall drive them out from there in
disgrace, and they will be abased." He said: "O chiefs! Which of you can
bring me her throne before they come to me surrendering themselves
in obedience?" A`Ifrit (strong one) from the jinn said: I will bring it to
you before you rise from your place (council). And verily, I am indeed
strong, and trustworthy for such work." One with whom was
knowledge of the Scripture said: "I will bring it to you within the
twinkling of an eye!" Then when he [Sulaiman (Solomon)] saw it
placed before him, he said: "This is by the Grace of my Lord -to test me
whether I am grateful or ungrateful! And whoever is grateful, truly, his
gratitude is for (the good of) his own self, and whoever is ungrateful,
(he is ungrateful only for the loss of his own self. Certainly my Lord is
Rich (Free of all needs), Bountiful." He said: "Disguise her throne for
her that we may see whether she will be guided (to recognize her
throne), or she will be one of those not guided." So when she came, it
was said (to her): "Is your throne like this?" She said: "(It is) as
though it were the very same." And [Sulaiman (Solomon)] said:
"Knowledge was bestowed on us before her, and we were submitted to
Allah (in Islam as Muslims before her)." And that which she used to
worship besides Allah has prevented her (from Islam), for she was ofa
disbelieving people. It was said to her: "Enter As-Sarh" (a glass surface
with water underneath it or a palace): but when she saw it, she
thought it was a pool, and she (tucked up her clothes) uncovering
her legs. (Sulaiman (Solomon)) said: "Verily, it is a Sarh (a glass
surface with water underneath it or a palace)." She said: "My
Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit [in Islam,
together with Sulaiman (Solomon)] to Allah, the Lord of the
`Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists)}. (An-Naml. 20-44)
Allah the Almighty narrates what had happened between Sulaiman and the
hoopoe. All kinds of birds had pioneers or chosen ones who were charged with
certain tasks and who periodically attend themselves before Sulaiman, as a habit
of the troops with their kings. Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) and
others mentioned that the mission of the hoopoe was to search for water in
deserts and barren areas. Indeed, the hoopoe has the ability -as granted by
Allah the Almighty -to see and identify the locations of underground waters.
Sulaiman's hoopoe used to search for underground water and then to lead his
troops thereto; they dig the land to get the water out and use it in fulfilling their
needs.
One day, Sulaiman (Peace be upon him) wanted the hoopoe, he missed him
and did not find him in his appointed position so, he said: {What is the matter
that I see not the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees?} i.e. he is not
here, or I can not see him. {I will surely punish him with a severe
torment} Sulaiman (Peace be upon him) threatened that he would punish him
with some kind of penalty; {or slaughter him, unless he brings me a clear
reason} i.e. a clear excuse that may save him from my punishment. Allah the
Almighty says: {But the hoopoe stayed not long} i.e. his absence was not so
long, then {he (came up and) said} to Sulaiman (Peace be upon him) {I
have grasped (the knowledge of a thing) which you have not grasped}
i.e. I got to know that which you did not; {and I have come to you from
Saba' (Sheba) with true news}. That {I found a woman ruling over
them: she has been given all things that could be possessed by any
ruler on earth, and she has a great throne}, he is describing the status of
the kings and rulers of Sheba in the Yemen: they had a mighty and glorious
kingdom along with strong and competent troops. During that period, their king
died and left no heirs but a daughter whom they raised as their queen.
Ath-Tha`labi and others mentioned that after her father's death, the people
appointed a man under whose rule corruption and mischief prevailed. She
proposed to him in marriage and he married her. At their first night together she
gave him wine till he got drunk and then she beheaded him and hanged his head
on her door. Thereupon, the people raised her over the throne as their queen.
She was Bilqis Bint As-Sairah. Her father was called Al-Hudhad, or Shurahil Ibn
Dhi Jadan Ibn As-Sairah Ibn Al-Harith Ibn Qais Ibn Saifi Ibn Saba' Ibn Yashjub
Ibn Ya `rub Ibn Qahtan. Her father was one of the noblest kings. He refused to
get married to Yemeni women. It is said that he got married to a woman from
the Jinn whose name was Raihanah Bint As-Sakan who gave birth to that woman
whose name is Balqamah, to be known later as Bilqis.
Ath-Tha`labi transmitted on the authority of Sa`id Ibn Bashir on the
authority of Qatadah after An-Nadr Ibn Anas after Bashir Ibn Nahik, after Abu
Hurairah that Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) said: "One of Bilqis 's
parents was from among the jinn." (This is a strange Hadith in whose Chain of
Transmission there is some kind of Weakness).
Ath- Tha`labi said: I was told by Abu `Abdullah Ibn Qabhunah on the
authority of Abu Bakr Ibn Jarjah after Abu Bakrah as saying: Once, Bilqis was
mentioned before Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) who said: "Such
people as ruled by a lady will never be successful." (That sub-Narrator, Isma`il
Ibn Muslim is Meccan and he is regarded by the Scholars of Hadith as Weak, i.e.
not an authentic narrator).
It is mentioned in Sahih Al-Bukhari from the narration of `Auf on the
authority of Al-Hasan, after Abu Bakra that: When Allah's Messenger (Peace be
upon him) was informed that the Persians had crowned the daughter of Khusrau
as their ruler, he said, "Such people as ruled by a lady will never be successful."
(Sahih Al-Bukhari)
And, his saying: {She has been given all things} that could be possessed
by any ruler of the earth, {and she has a great throne} i.e. the chair she sits
on was ornamented and studded with various jewels, pearls, gold and other
magnificent things. Then, he mentioned their disbelief in Allah the Almighty and
their worship of the sun instead of Allah and the deceivement of Satan to them
by making their deeds look fair-seeming in their eyes, and barring them from
Allah's Way, {So they do not worship (prostrate themselves before)
Allah, Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth,
and knows what you conceal and what you reveal} i.e. He knows all
secrets and revealed matters whether material or immaterial. {Allah, La ilaha
illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the
Supreme Throne!} i.e. the Greatest Throne which none from among His
creatures ever has.
Thereupon, Sulaiman sent the hoopoe with a letter calling them to obey
Allah and His Messenger, to repent and submit themselves to his kingship and
power. He sent them: {Be you not exalted against me} i. e. do not let your
pride prevent you from obeying me, {but come to me as Muslims} i.e. true
believers who submit to Allah with full submission. The hoopoe dropped the
letter near her and waited to see what she was going to do. However, she
gathered the nobles, princes and ministers to have mutual consultation, {She
said: "O chiefs! Verily! Here is delivered to me a noble letter}, then she
first read its title {Verily it is from Sulaiman (Solomon)}, then she read the
rest thereof {and verily, it (reads): In the Name of Allah, the Most
Gracious, the Most Merciful: Be you not exalted against me, but come
to me as Muslims (true believers who submit to Allah with full
submission)}. Then she sought their advice in a very polite manner {She
said: 0 chiefs! Advise me in (this) case of mine. I decide no case till you
are present with me} i.e. that you give me your opinions, {They said: We
have great strength, and great ability for war}, i.e. we can afford war and
all it needs of strength, materials, etc. so if you want this choice, we are well
prepared thereto {but it is for you to command: so think over what you
will command}, hence, they showed full obedience to her and after showing
and displaying their abilities before her they left the matter in her hands to see
what should be done. Verily, her opinion was wiser and better than theirs as she
knew that the sender of the letter was not to be resisted, fooled, or even
deceived. {She said: Verily kings, when they enter a town (country),
they despoil it and make the most honorable amongst its people the
lowest. And thus they do}, i.e. she explains to them that if that king
overpowers this kingdom of theirs, she would be the one who receives the
severest of punishment and degradation. {But verily! I am going to send
him a present, and see with what (answer) the Messengers return} she
wanted to bribe Sulaiman with presents and gifts knowing that Sulaiman (Peace
be upon him) would not accept from them but Islam, as she and her people
were disbelievers while he and his troops are far stronger than them all. For this
{When (the messengers with the present) came to Sulaiman
(Solomon), he said: Will you help me in wealth? What Allah has given
me is better than that which He has given you! Nay, you rejoice in your
gift!} Then Sulaiman (Solomon) said to the chief of her messengers who
brought the present {Go back to them. We verily shall come to them with
hosts that they cannot resist, and we shall drive them out from there in
disgrace, and they will be abased} i.e. go back with your gifts for what I
have been granted by Allah is far better than these properties, riches and
presents with which you rejoice and be filled with arrogance and pride over your
own people. {We verily shall come to them with hosts that they cannot
resist} i.e. troops that are irresistible and cannot be defeated or encountered,
and moreover we shall drive them out from their land, properties and wealth {in
disgrace, and they will be abased} i.e. dragging shame, abasement and
destruction.
When they heard the news, they rushed declaring their full submission and
perfect obedience and willingness to accompany their queen in her leaving for
meeting Sulaiman (Peace be upon him). When he (Peace be upon him) heard of
their coming and their intention to present themselves before his hand, he said
to those (Jinn) from among his present hosts if they would bring him her throne
before she manage to come: {A`Ifrit (strong one) from the jinn said: I will
bring it to you before you rise from your place (council). And verily, I
am indeed strong, and trustworthy for such work) i.e. before you finish
your ruling council. It was said that he used to run the affairs of the
Banu Israel from the beginning of the day till the noon. {Verily, I am
indeed strong, and trustworthy for such work} i.e. I am strong enough to
bring the throne to you, and at the same time I am to be entrusted with what it
contains of the precious jewels and pearls. But {One with whom was
knowledge of the Scripture said} i.e. Asif Ibn Barkhiya who was Sulaiman's
maternal cousin, said it was one of the believers from among the Jinn who knew
the Greatest Name of Allah the Almighty. It is also said that he was one from
among the scholars of the Banu Israel. Moreover, it was said to be Sulaiman
himself, which is very strange and odd opinion and which As-Suhaili described to
be out of context. A fourth opinion held that it was Gabriel (Peace be upon him).
{I will bring it to you within the twinkling of an eye!} i.e. before you send
a messenger to the farthest place on earth and he comes back to you. It was
also said: before the farthest person you can see reaches you; or before your
sight gets weary of starring at some point and your eye closes; or before you
regain your sight if you look to the farthest place your sight can reach then you
close your eye, (which is the most likely interpretation). {Then when he
[Sulaiman (Solomon)) saw it placed before him} i.e. when he saw the
throne of Bilqis brought and placed before him, in this too short period, from the
Yemen to Jerusalem, {he said: "This is by the Grace of my Lord -to test
me whether I am grateful or ungrateful!} i.e. this is by the Grace of Allah
lam granted and His Grace all people are granted testing them whether they are
grateful or ungrateful. {And whoever is grateful, truly, his gratitude is for
(the good of) his own self} i.e. the benefit of this returns onto himself, {and
whoever is ungrateful, (he is ungrateful only for the loss of his own
self. Certainly my Lord is Rich (Free of all needs), Bountiful} i.e. He is
neither in need of thanking of the thankful, nor is He harmed by disbelief of the
disbelievers.
Then, Sulaiman (Peace be upon him) ordered her throne to be altered and
disguised to test her mentality and understanding, saying {that we may see
whether she will be guided (to recognize her throne), or she will be
one of those not guided. So when she came, it was said (to her): Is
your throne like this? She said: (It is) as though it were the very
same}, this is due to her understanding and clear insight that she set aside the
possibility that it was her own throne for she has just left it far away in the
Yemen, and that she did not know that there is any who can do this marvelous
act of removing it to Jerusalem.
Allah the Almighty says pertaining to Sulaiman (Peace be upon him) and his
people {And (Sulaiman (Solomon)) said: Knowledge was bestowed on
us before her, and we were submitted to Allah (in Islam as Muslims
before her). And that which she used to worship besides Allah has
prevented her (from Islam), for she was of a disbelieving people} i.e.
worshipping the sun to whom she used to prostrate herself and her people
instead of Allah the Almighty in follow of the religion of her fathers and
ancestors with no evidence or proof of this. Sulaiman (Peace be upon him)
previously ordered a Sarh (a glass surface with water underneath in which there
are various sorts of fish and other seacreatures) to be built. Afterwards, Bilqis
was ordered to enter the Sarh while Sulaiman (Peace be upon him) was sitting
on his throne, {But when she saw it, she thought it was a pool, and she
(tucked up her clothes) uncovering her legs. (Sulaiman (Solomon))
said: "Verily, it is a Sarh (a glass surface with water underneath it or a
palace)." She said: "My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I
submit [in Islam, together with Sulaiman (Solomon)). to Allah, the
Lord of the" Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists)}.
It was said: That when Sulaiman (Peace be upon him) wanted to marry her
he asked mankind about a way of removing the hair from her legs, and they
mentioned the razor, but she feared thereof. Then, he (Peace be upon him)
consulted the Jinn who made the bath for him. Thus, he was the first to enter
the bath.
At-Tha`labi and others said: When Sulaiman married her he returned the
kingdom of Yemen to her and he used to visit her there and stay for three days a
month then comes back to Jerusalem on the flying carpet. In addition, he
ordered the Jinn to build him three palaces in the Yemen: Ghamdan, Salhin and
Bitun. And, Allah knows best!
Ibn Ishaq transmitted after some scholars on the authority of Wahb Ibn Munabih
that Sulaiman (Peace be upon him) did not marry her, but he got her married to
the king of Ramadan and let her ruling over the Yemen again, and he (Peace be
upon him) subjected to her the king of the Jinn in Yemen to build her the
aforementioned three palaces. This narration is not authenticated like the
previous one, and Allah knows best!
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