Prophet Sulaiman and Queen Bilqis

Allah blessed Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) with a kingdom unlike any other. The winds carried him where he wished, the jinn worked for him by the permission of Allah, and even the birds served in his great army. He understood the language of the birds and gave thanks to Allah for every blessing, never letting pride enter his heart. His rule was a sign of Allah's power and generosity.

One day, as Sulaiman reviewed his birds, he noticed that the hoopoe was missing. He wondered where it had gone, for every member of his army had a duty to fulfill. Soon the hoopoe returned with astonishing news from a distant land. It told Sulaiman of a people called Saba, ruled by a wise and wealthy queen named Bilqis, who sat upon a magnificent throne. But the hoopoe also brought sad news: the people of Saba worshipped the sun instead of Allah, and Satan had made their false ways seem beautiful to them.

The News From Saba

When Sulaiman heard this, he did not rush to judgment. He decided to send the queen a letter carried by the hoopoe, inviting her and her people to the worship of Allah. The letter was short but powerful. It began in the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, and it asked the queen not to be proud, but to come to him in submission to Allah. It was not a letter of war, but a letter of invitation and mercy.

When Bilqis received the letter, she gathered her chiefs and advisers and asked for their counsel. She was a wise ruler who did not make decisions alone. Some of her advisers spoke of their great strength and their readiness for war, but Bilqis was thoughtful. She knew that kings, when they enter a land with war, ruin it and humiliate its people. Instead of answering with threats, she decided to send Sulaiman precious gifts and wait to see what his messengers would bring back.

A Letter and a Wise Queen

When the messengers of Bilqis arrived with their gifts, Sulaiman turned them away gently but firmly. He told them that what Allah had given him was far better than any gift of gold or jewels, and he sent the messengers back to their queen with a warning that he would come to her land with an army they could not resist if she refused the truth. Bilqis understood then that this was no ordinary king. She decided to travel to Sulaiman herself and see him with her own eyes.

Before she arrived, Sulaiman asked his assembly who could bring him the queen's throne before her messengers returned. A strong one among the jinn offered to bring it before Sulaiman rose from his seat, but one who had knowledge of the Scripture said he would bring it in the blink of an eye. And so it was: the throne appeared before Sulaiman in an instant. He ordered that it be slightly changed, so he could see whether the queen would recognize it or not.

The Glass Palace

When Bilqis arrived and was shown the throne, she was asked if her own throne looked like this one. With her wisdom she answered carefully, saying it seemed as though it were the very same. Then Sulaiman invited her into his palace, whose floor was made of smooth glass. Seeing it, Bilqis thought it was a pool of water and lifted her garment, fearing to wet her feet. Sulaiman smiled and told her that it was only a palace paved with glass, and in that moment she understood the greatness of Allah's blessings upon him.

Bilqis bowed her heart to the truth and said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, and I submit with Sulaiman to Allah, Lord of the worlds." She gave up the worship of the sun and entered Islam, and her people followed her. Sulaiman had not conquered her with an army, but with wisdom, patience, and the beauty of the truth.

Lesson of the Story

The story of Prophet Sulaiman and Queen Bilqis teaches us that wisdom is more powerful than force. Sulaiman could have marched to war, but he chose invitation and kindness, and a whole nation found the truth.

It also teaches us the beauty of an open heart. Bilqis was a great queen, yet when she saw the truth clearly, she humbly accepted it. True greatness is to follow the truth wherever it leads.