This is the amazing story related to us in the Holy Qur’an of how a nation of people were brought to Islam due the observations of a bird!
Sulaiman, alaihi salaam, was a king, a military leader and a prophet. He had been given by Allah, subhanahu wa Ta’ala, the ability to communicate with and command the birds and animals, and they were among his battalions of human and jinn. He was a strong, decisive leader of the people and animals and a great prophet of Allah which came first and foremost over his kingship and the power and riches bestowed upon him by Allah swt. He had good command over his armies and good knowledge of them so that when one bird, the hudhud (or hoopoe), was missing he was able to notice his absence:
He inspected the birds, and said: “What is the matter that I see not the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? (20)
“I will surely punish him with a severe torment, or slaughter him, unless he brings me a clear reason.” (21)
The hudhud eventually returned telling Sulaiman that he had important information about Saba (Sheba in Yemen), knowledge which Sulaiman did not have. Saba was ruled by a wealthy queen but that the queen and her people worshipped the sun; the hudhud bird brought many fine details about the queen of Saba (the queen of Sheba) and her people. Note that the hudhud bird mentions the greatness of the throne of the queen:
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. (22)
“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. (23)
However, the bird did not judge the queen and her people according to the dunya things that they possessed but rather he judged them according to their kufr – he stated that he found the queen and her people worshipping the sun. Having mentioned the greatness of the throne of the queen, he goes on to praise Allah swt stating that Allah is the Owner of the Supreme Throne and none has the right to be worshipped but Him:
“I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allâh, and Shaitân (Satan) has made their deeds fair-seeming to them, and has barred them from (Allâh’s) Way, so they have no guidance,” (24)
[As Shaitân (Satan) has barred them from Allâh's Way] so they do not worship (prostrate themselves before) Allâh, Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you reveal. (Tafsir At-Tabarî) (25)
Allâh, Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne! (26)
Sulaiman listened to the information given by the hudhud bird and then sent the bird back to Saba with a letter to deliver.
[Sulaimân (Solomon)] said: “We shall see whether you speak the truth or you are (one) of the liars (27)
“Go you with this letter of mine, and deliver it to them, then draw back from them, and see what (answer) they return.” (28)
The letter was simple, beginning in the name of Allah swt and telling the queen she should not consider herself exalted against Sulaiman, that is to say that she was not equal to him and that she should come to Sulaiman in submission. She was not equal in the sense that that Sulaiman was a prophet and had greatness bestowed upon him by Allah swt. The command to come to Sulaiman as muslims has been explained by the mufassireen in two ways. It can mean ‘come as Muslims’ or ‘come in submission’ since the words islam and muslim mean ’submission’.
She said: “O chiefs! Verily! Here is delivered to me a noble letter, (29)
“Verily, It is from Sulaimân (Solomon), and verily, It (reads): In the Name of Allâh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful; (30)
“Be you not exalted against me, but come to me as Muslims (true believers who submit to Allâh with full submission)’ ” (31)
The Queen of Saba was a wise woman who used ’shura’ (consultation) in her dealings. Allah guided her to Islam through her hikmah that she had before Islam, so after reading the letter she told her chiefs, I never make a decision without first consulting you so give me your advice:
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).” (32)
The chiefs saw the letter of Sulaiman as a threat of invasion and they reminded her of their great military might and encouraged her to meet Sulaiman’s threat and go to war but as a wise woman she told those chiefs that whenever there is war, those who are victorious enter the country and it’s towns and bring humiliation and slavery. She realised that if Sulaiman were to win a war against her, her country would be reduced to the lowest, so she decided to send some of her men on a reconnaissance mission, taking with them gifts:
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.” (33)
She said: “Verily! Kings, when they enter a town (country), they despoil it, and make the most honourable amongst its people the lowest. And thus they do. (34)
“But verily! I am going to send him a present, and see with what (answer) the messengers return.” (35)
The messengers of the queen entered the palace of Sulaiman with their gifts and saw the riches upon riches that he already had and the powerful armies present, those armies consisting of humans, animals and birds. Instead of accepting the gifts he rebuffed the messengers telling them that he already had prophethood, wealth and a kingdom and his only interest was to bring the people to Tawhid (believing in and submitting to the Onenss of Allah swt). He sent the emissaries away back to Saba, they delivered the message of Sulaiman and told her about the riches and the armies they had seen and she decided to visit Sulaiman herself.
So when (the messengers with the present) came to Sulaimân (Solomon), he said: “Will you help me in wealth? What Allâh has given me is better than that which He has given you! Nay, you rejoice in your gift!” (36)
[Then Sulaimân (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.” (37)
After the emissaries from Saba had left Sulaiman spoke to his armies, including the jinns among them and asked who could bring to him the throne of the queen. One jinn offered to bring the throne but obviously Sulaiman wanted the throne much quicker than what was offered, so another jinn offered to bring it in the twinkling of an eye:
He said: “O chiefs! Which of you can bring me her throne before they come to me surrendering themselves in obedience?” (38)
An Ifrît (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.” (39)
One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: “I will bring it to you within the twinkling of an eye!” Then when he [Sulaimân (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 ownself, and whoever is ungrateful, (he is ungrateful only for the loss of his ownself). Certainly! my Lord is Rich (Free of all wants), Bountiful.” (40)
The next step was to disguise the throne a little, to keep the main essence of the throne but make some changes to see if the queen would recognise it. When she arrived and was asked if this was like her throne, she looked at it and could see the striking similarities but as far as she knew her own throne was in her palace in Yemen so she cleverly stayed in between the two answers of yes or no saying, “It is as though it were the same.” Sulaiman noted that she was a diplomatic woman.
He said: “Disguise her throne for her that we may see whether she will be guided (to recognise her throne), or she will be one of those not guided.” (41)
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 [Sulaimân (Solomon) said]: “Knowledge was bestowed on us before her, and we were submitted to Allâh (in Islâm as Muslims before her).” (42)
And that which she used to worship besides Allâh has prevented her (from Islâm), for she was of a disbelieving people. (43)
The final test for her and show of Sulaiman’s greatness was when she entered the part of the palace which was floored with glass under which water flowed. Glass was something unknown at that time so when she entered she thought there was only water and she would get wet so she lifted her clothes as she prepared to walk through the water. This was a show of ignorance on her part and she finally realised that she was in the company of one on whom Allah swt had bestowed many great things and she submitted to Allah swt:
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, Sulaimân (Solomon) said: “Verily, it is Sarh [(a glass surface with water underneath it) or a palace].” She said: “My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit (in Islâm, together with Sulaimân (Solomon), to Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists).” (44)
Surat an Naml (chapter 27; verses 20-44
Sources of expalanation Ibn Kathir’s ‘Stories of the Prophets’ and Anwar Al-Awlaki’s ‘Lives of the Prophets’ (Qurtuba productions). Qur’an translation used: ‘The Noble Qur’an in the English Language’ translated by Muhsin Khan/Al-Hilali
