SULAIMAN AS – PART 2

Sulaiman was waiting inside, and invited her to enter. She mistakenly thought that she was going to wade through water, so she lifted her hem, uncovering her legs. At this juncture (and according to some reports, to protect her modesty so that she did not expose her legs to him), Sulaiman AS told her that:

“Indeed, it is a palace [whose floor is] made smooth with glass.” (Al Qur’an 27:44)

At this point, Balqis could no longer deny the magnificence of Allah and the powers that He can grant to a believer. She realized that she and her people had been on the wrong path. Entirely persuaded by what she saw and experienced, she surrendered to Allah.

She said, “My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, and I submit with Sulaiman to Allah, Lord of the worlds.” (Al Qur’an 27:44)

Since she was such a respected figure amongst her subjects, once she submitted to Allah, all of subjects followed suit. Therefore, her whole nation accepted Islam and without any need for bloodshed.

The whole chain of events was triggered by a small bird whose tiny heart ached when it saw a disbelieving nation. One humble bird managed to lead an entire nation to Islam.

Some reports claim that Sulaiman AS married Balqis, although there is no confirmation of this from Muslim reports.

The Heart of A Hoopoe

All the creation of Allah, whether living or inanimate, are in constant worship of Allah. It is only mankind that jinn, creations of Allah that were granted the faculty of choice, that deviates and disobeys. In the story of the hoopoe, a simple bird was shocked that a nation could worship other than Allah. It hurt him so greatly that he reported this matter to Sulaiman AS and then was instrumental in Sulaiman’s AS efforts to invite an entire nation to embrace Islam. As we shall see in the second part of this series, his efforts succeeded, and an action of a single bird cause Balqis and her subjects to worship Allah.

This was a little bird, with limited abilities and mental faculties, yet it was the sincerity of his heart that not only changed a nation, but made him so beloved to Allah that he is mentioned in the Qur’an for all of mankind to learn from until the end of time. What about us, and how much do our heart ache when we see people having been diverted from the path of Allah, and if so, what are we doing about it?

The Humility of a Queen

When Balqis received the letter from the hoopoe, just as any great and wise leader would do, she sought consultation from her advisors to decide on the best course of action. As a ruler, she had the prerogative to decide the affairs of state, but had the humility to seek the advise from those expert in her field before making a decision. This is a mark of any good leader, for such crucial decisions are not ones to be made on personal inclination or emotion, but rather the overall good of its people and after seeking counsel.

Balqis took the diplomatic route in the first instance instead of subjecting her nation to war. When it was clear that any attempts to persuade Sulaiman AS through financial or material means would fail, she realised that her army not could withstand the force of Sulaiman’s (AS) army and that the best option was to surrender.

LESSONS TO BE LEARNT

Her prevailing sense of justice and humility made her quick to recognise Allah’s signs. She was intelligent enough to realise that the transportation of her throne and the structure of the glass palace could not have been man-made and must have come from a higher force. Unlike other great leaders, she was not arrogant, but instead submitted to the signs of Allah without delay. This is a reminder for us, who, despite not having her kind of status, are too arrogant to recognise the signs of Allah and instead demand for more and more proof.

As for Sulaiman AS, his aim was not to subject the kingdom of Sheba towards destruction or oppression, but rather to lead them towards Islam. Even though his forces could have conquered her nation in an instant, he did not choose that option, but instead, practised restraint and appealed to her wisdom and knowledge to achieve his objective. This is the true essence of da’wah which is done through persuasion rather than force.

Click here for -Part 3