Queen of Sheba



Queen of Sheba appears in a number of different Abrahamic religious literatures and has become something of a mythical figure as a result. In Islamic tradition, she is mentioned in the Quranic verse 27:23-24 “I found [there] a woman ruling them, and she has been given of all things, and she has a great throne. I found that she and her people bow to the sun instead of God. Satan has made their deeds seem right to them and has turned them away from the right path, so they cannot find their way.” When she was discovered by a follower of King Solomon as worshiping the sun alongside her followers, she was invited to submit to Allah. Seeking advice from her advisors, she ultimately sends a gift to the King but he rejects it, saying that Allah gives far superior gifts. The Queen of Sheba then made plans to visit the King and when she arrives she informs him that she and her followers intend to submit to Allah. He reminds her that when she submits to Allah she can worship Allah and Allah alone, no other false gods. One story goes as follows “She was told, "Enter the palace." But when she saw it, she thought it was a body of water and uncovered her shins [to wade through]. He said, "Indeed, it is a palace [whose floor is] made smooth with glass." She said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, and I submit with Solomon to Allah, Lord of the worlds." (Quran 27:44). The stories of the Queen of Sheba, who is referred to as Bilqis, have been embellished over time but regardless of the truth of her story, she remains an important character in Islamic narratives.