Quranic theme
story with the Queen of Sheba
23 verses
The encounter between Prophet Solomon and the Queen of Sheba begins not with an advancing army, but with the unexpected scouting report of a single bird. Returning to Solomon after an absence, a hoopoe brings "firm news" of a distant territory where a woman governs an entire people (27:22-23). This intelligence briefing sets off an extraordinary diplomatic exchange, contrasting immense earthly wealth with the demand for absolute spiritual submission.
How did Solomon learn about Sheba?
The hoopoe details a kingdom of remarkable abundance, led by a female ruler who has been given "a share of everything" and sits upon a "magnificent throne" (27:23). Yet the scout focuses primarily on the nation's spiritual blindness. It reports that the Queen and her subjects prostrate to the sun rather than to God, observing that Satan has made these deeds seem alluring and diverted them so thoroughly that "they cannot find the right path" (27:24). The bird itself poses the theological question: why do they not worship the God who brings forth what is hidden across the heavens and the earth, who knows both what people conceal and what they declare? (27:25). The hoopoe deliberately weighs the Queen's material wealth against divine authority, declaring God as the solitary "Lord of the mighty throne" (27:26).
What did Solomon's letter say?
Rather than mobilizing forces on the bird's word alone, Solomon requires proof. He tells the hoopoe, "We shall see whether you are telling the truth or lying," dispatching the scout with a written message to deliver directly to the Sheban leadership (27:27-28). He instructs the bird to drop the letter, step back, and watch what answer they send in return. When the Queen receives the correspondence, she immediately summons her inner circle, announcing the arrival of a "gracious letter" (27:29). She reads the text aloud to her court. It originates from Solomon and carries a specific opening: "In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy" (27:30). The directive that follows is exceptionally brief. He instructs the Shebans not to put themselves above him, and to come to him in submission to God (27:31).
How did the Queen and her advisors react?
Faced with a sudden ultimatum from a formidable foreign prophet, the Queen does not act unilaterally. She turns to her assembly, demonstrating a highly collaborative approach to governance. "Counsellors, give me your counsel in the matter I now face," she tells them, affirming that she only ever makes binding decisions in their presence (27:32). Her advisors respond by emphasizing their capacity for violence. They remind the Queen that they possess "great force and power in war" (27:33), signaling an immediate readiness to launch a military defense of their sun-worshipping nation. Yet despite their martial posturing, the generals defer completely to her authority, stating that she is in command and urging her to consider what orders she will issue next (27:33).
The assembly in Sheba pauses on the brink of conflict. The military commanders have laid their vast power in war at the feet of their ruler, leaving the fate of the nation entirely to her judgment. Across the distance, Solomon's letter demands a very different kind of surrender—an unyielding instruction to lower their defenses, abandon their false worship, and step forward in submission to God (27:31).
Verses
All 23 verses, in mushaf order.
فَمَكَثَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ فَقَالَ أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِۦ وَجِئْتُكَ مِن سَبَإٍۭ بِنَبَإٍ يَقِينٍ
But the hoopoe did not stay away long: he came and said, ‘I have learned something you did not know: I come to you from Sheba with firm news.
إِنِّى وَجَدتُّ ٱمْرَأَةً تَمْلِكُهُمْ وَأُوتِيَتْ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَلَهَا عَرْشٌ عَظِيمٌ
I found a woman ruling over the people, who has been given a share of everything- she has a magnificent throne-
وَجَدتُّهَا وَقَوْمَهَا يَسْجُدُونَ لِلشَّمْسِ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ فَصَدَّهُمْ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ فَهُمْ لَا يَهْتَدُونَ
[but] I found that she and her people worshipped the sun instead of God. Satan has made their deeds seem alluring to them, and diverted them from the right path: they cannot find the right path.
أَلَّا يَسْجُدُوا۟ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى يُخْرِجُ ٱلْخَبْءَ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تُخْفُونَ وَمَا تُعْلِنُونَ
Should they not worship God, who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and earth and knows both what you people conceal and what you declare?
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ ۩
He is God, there is no god but Him, the Lord of the mighty throne.’
۞ قَالَ سَنَنظُرُ أَصَدَقْتَ أَمْ كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ
Solomon said, ‘We shall see whether you are telling the truth or lying.
ٱذْهَب بِّكِتَـٰبِى هَـٰذَا فَأَلْقِهْ إِلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَٱنظُرْ مَاذَا يَرْجِعُونَ
Take this letter of mine and deliver it to them, then withdraw and see what answer they send back.’
قَالَتْ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلَؤُا۟ إِنِّىٓ أُلْقِىَ إِلَىَّ كِتَـٰبٌ كَرِيمٌ
The Queen of Sheba said, ‘Counsellors, a gracious letter has been delivered to me.
إِنَّهُۥ مِن سُلَيْمَـٰنَ وَإِنَّهُۥ بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
It is from Solomon, and it says, “In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy,
أَلَّا تَعْلُوا۟ عَلَىَّ وَأْتُونِى مُسْلِمِينَ
do not put yourselves above me, and come to me in submission to God.”’
قَالَتْ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلَؤُا۟ أَفْتُونِى فِىٓ أَمْرِى مَا كُنتُ قَاطِعَةً أَمْرًا حَتَّىٰ تَشْهَدُونِ
She said, ‘Counsellors, give me your counsel in the matter I now face: I only ever decide on matters in your presence.’
قَالُوا۟ نَحْنُ أُو۟لُوا۟ قُوَّةٍ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ وَٱلْأَمْرُ إِلَيْكِ فَٱنظُرِى مَاذَا تَأْمُرِينَ
They replied, ‘We possess great force and power in war, but you are in command, so consider what orders to give us.’
قَالَتْ إِنَّ ٱلْمُلُوكَ إِذَا دَخَلُوا۟ قَرْيَةً أَفْسَدُوهَا وَجَعَلُوٓا۟ أَعِزَّةَ أَهْلِهَآ أَذِلَّةً ۖ وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَفْعَلُونَ
She said, ‘Whenever kings go into a city, they ruin it and humiliate its leaders- that is what they do-
وَإِنِّى مُرْسِلَةٌ إِلَيْهِم بِهَدِيَّةٍ فَنَاظِرَةٌۢ بِمَ يَرْجِعُ ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ
but I am going to send them a gift, then see what answer my envoys bring back.’
فَلَمَّا جَآءَ سُلَيْمَـٰنَ قَالَ أَتُمِدُّونَنِ بِمَالٍ فَمَآ ءَاتَىٰنِۦَ ٱللَّهُ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّآ ءَاتَىٰكُم بَلْ أَنتُم بِهَدِيَّتِكُمْ تَفْرَحُونَ
When her envoy came to Solomon, Solomon said, ‘What! Are you offering me wealth? What God has given me is better than what He has given you, though you rejoice in this gift of yours.
ٱرْجِعْ إِلَيْهِمْ فَلَنَأْتِيَنَّهُم بِجُنُودٍ لَّا قِبَلَ لَهُم بِهَا وَلَنُخْرِجَنَّهُم مِّنْهَآ أَذِلَّةً وَهُمْ صَـٰغِرُونَ
Go back to your people: we shall certainly come upon them with irresistible forces, and drive them, disgraced and humbled, from their land.’
قَالَ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلَؤُا۟ أَيُّكُمْ يَأْتِينِى بِعَرْشِهَا قَبْلَ أَن يَأْتُونِى مُسْلِمِينَ
Then he said, ‘Counsellors, which of you can bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?’
قَالَ عِفْرِيتٌ مِّنَ ٱلْجِنِّ أَنَا۠ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِۦ قَبْلَ أَن تَقُومَ مِن مَّقَامِكَ ۖ وَإِنِّى عَلَيْهِ لَقَوِىٌّ أَمِينٌ
A powerful and crafty jinn replied, ‘I will bring it to you before you can even rise from your place. I am strong and trustworthy enough,’
قَالَ ٱلَّذِى عِندَهُۥ عِلْمٌ مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أَنَا۠ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِۦ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ ۚ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهُ مُسْتَقِرًّا عِندَهُۥ قَالَ هَـٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّى لِيَبْلُوَنِىٓ ءَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّى غَنِىٌّ كَرِيمٌ
but one of them who had some knowledge of the Scripture said, ‘I will bring it to you in the twinkling of an eye.’ When Solomon saw it set before him, he said, ‘This is a favour from my Lord, to test whether I am grateful or not: if anyone is grateful, it is for his own good, if anyone is ungrateful, then my Lord is self-sufficient and most generous.’
قَالَ نَكِّرُوا۟ لَهَا عَرْشَهَا نَنظُرْ أَتَهْتَدِىٓ أَمْ تَكُونُ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَهْتَدُونَ
Then he said, ‘Disguise her throne, and we shall see whether or not she recognizes it.’
فَلَمَّا جَآءَتْ قِيلَ أَهَـٰكَذَا عَرْشُكِ ۖ قَالَتْ كَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ ۚ وَأُوتِينَا ٱلْعِلْمَ مِن قَبْلِهَا وَكُنَّا مُسْلِمِينَ
When she arrived, she was asked, ‘Is this your throne?’ She replied, ‘It looks like it.’ [Solomon said], ‘We were given knowledge before her, and we devoted ourselves to God;
وَصَدَّهَا مَا كَانَت تَّعْبُدُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهَا كَانَتْ مِن قَوْمٍ كَـٰفِرِينَ
she was prevented by what she worshipped instead of God, for she came from a disbelieving people.’
قِيلَ لَهَا ٱدْخُلِى ٱلصَّرْحَ ۖ فَلَمَّا رَأَتْهُ حَسِبَتْهُ لُجَّةً وَكَشَفَتْ عَن سَاقَيْهَا ۚ قَالَ إِنَّهُۥ صَرْحٌ مُّمَرَّدٌ مِّن قَوَارِيرَ ۗ قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى وَأَسْلَمْتُ مَعَ سُلَيْمَـٰنَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
Then it was said to her, ‘Enter the hall,’ but when she saw it, she thought it was a deep pool of water, and bared her legs. Solomon explained, ‘It is just a hall paved with glass,’ and she said, ‘My Lord, I have wronged myself: I devote myself, with Solomon, to God, the Lord of the Worlds.’