History of the Queen Balqees

Who is Queen Balqees? Her father is Alhdah bin Sharhabil, the King of Sheba. Before his death, he recommended the succession of his governance to Balqees saying:     "I saw men, and knew people of virtue, and I know them from their kings, I swear by, that Balqees have the vision, the knowledge, and the dream...” After the King’s death, Queen Balqees took over and ruled Yemen and followed the Kings of ‘Humier’. Her armies defeated and invaded Babylon, Persia and Iraq and assigned Rulers on them. She went back to Yemen to declare it as the ‘Kingdom of Sheba’.

Balqees Bint Alhdhad bin Sharhabil lived in the City of Sheba and today was known as the City of Marib. She transformed the Kingdom with Courage, Wisdom, and Measure. She restructured the famous Marib Dam, to bring water descending from the East of Sana'a. Had her Palace be designed with three hundred and sixty-windows in such a manner that the sunlight shines everyday from every window throughout the year and called it ‘Palace of Balqees’, which still has repercussions till date. During her reign, she managed to stabilize the Kingdom’s Wealth, Trade & Agriculture, which led the country into prosperity.

Marib City

Marib Dam

Balqees is a Queen, a seasoned and strong politician. Along with her strength and power, is a Woman that carries femininity. She takes care of her over all well being and very meticulous of her appearance. As stories confirm it, Queen Balqees is described to have a super natural beauty and unique. She wore exquisite gowns, dresses and robes in pure silk originated from China and India and threads used were from Africa. Every dress was made to be conservative and modest, delicately embellished with decorative sewing, accessories and fine embroideries. Her majestic Crown of Governance was jeweled and decorated with gold and silver.

Queen Balqees Throne or so called Chair of Balqees was in a form of a sofa or appears to be in a form of a bed made of gold, with four lists of all the existing type of stones of Emerald, Zubrgel, Sapphire and Turquoise Yamani, patterned with strands of silver. The Throne was declared by rock Prophet Solomon, peace be upon him; “This Chair is the Throne of the Great Balqees”.

The historical legend where Queen Balqees met Prophet Solomon is the main contributing factor that changed the course of her life and her people.

The Holy Quran and the Holy Bible, are the main sources for the story of the Queen Balqees meeting with Prophet Solomon. The Holy Bible brands Balqees as ‘The Queen of Sheba’; ‘Queen named after’ or ‘Queen of the South’, where it further says that the Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon and offered him expensive gifts, as also being reflected in the Holy Quran.

The main Arabic sources mentioning the name Balqees is on the book ‘Al Tejan’ by Ibn Hisham and book ‘Al Eklile’ by Hamedani and the Holy Quran.

The story of Queen Balqees where she met and had a union with Prophet Solomon, peace be upon him, in the tenth century BC, is one of the most beautiful stories of the Holy Quran. It is where it unfolded how the Majestic meets the Beauty. Her first meeting with the Prophet of God proves to be one of the most interesting stories and highlights Balqees having a baby boy.

How it all started, the secret on how Prophet Solomon’s battle experience impressed The Queen of Sheba, and other amazing facts, here unfolds…

Balqees, the Queen  

One day, as Prophet Solomon usually sits on his Throne, (novels describes it as: Chair of Gold, designed elaborately with Lions and gold background with a peacock spreading its wings majestically in scarlet, while behind, a gold palm tree with clusters of Rubies) Prophet Solomon stares out in the sky and noticed that something is out of ordinary. The sun shines thru a space where a Hoopoe bird should be in its particular place and from there He had known that one of the birds is missing. This event appears as a mystery to Prophet Solomon and guaranteed to kill the bird because of its absence and said;

Verse:
"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)

Prophet Solomon, peace be upon him, ordered his Falcon to explore and search the Hoopoe. The falcon flew and saw the Hoopoe on his way back and met him half way in the air. They exchanged thoughts and by then, the Hoopoe knew that he is at risk and flies back in to the palace. Prophet Solomon, peace be upon him, said: ‘Where have you been?’

The Hoopoe replied;

Verse:
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) "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.”

The Hoopoe explained to Prophet Solomon what he saw. He mentioned that there is a woman called The Queen of Sheba in the land of Yemen who is beautiful, very wealthy, powerful, has strong influence over her people, owns a Great Throne and worships the Sun.

Prophet Solomon listened to his words and accepted the Hoopoe’s apology under a condition that the he must go to the Queen of Sheba and take with him a letter written by Prophet Solomon, and deliver it to Balqees. The letter is an invitation to Monotheism, to enter the religion of God.

Hoopoe carried the letter as commanded and flew its way passing distances between Jerusalem, Palestine and Sheba. He gave the letter to Balqees that fell on her hands, frightened as it was written by the name of God, the Merciful.

She said:

Verse: "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) "Do not rise up against me, but come to me in full submission” And then she said: ‘If this is the Prophet of God as he claims to be, then we don’t have the strength to face him. We cannot destroy God, instead, I will send him gifts. If he is the King as he claims that lives a life in prosperity and wealth, he will then accept my gifts and from there I will know whether I have the same power against him.’

She immediately arranged messengers to send a Great Jewel. She requested to deliver a message to Prophet Solomon as: ‘Say to him: The Queen will let you know how to pierce this Great Jewel.’

As powerful as Prophet Solomon was, a thread emerged from his mouth and pierced it on the Great Jewel and pulled it from the other side.

Prophet Solomon said;

[Then Prophet Solomon) addressed the chief of her messengers who brought the present:

Verse:
"Go back to them. We verily shall come to them with troops that they cannot facet, and we shall drive them out from there in disgrace, and they will be abased." (37)

The Chief messenger warned Queen Balqees of Prophet Solomon’s irresistible power and warned her to surrender.

She thought long before she made the decision to visit the Prophet and wrote: ‘I am coming to you with King’s Dress; and see everything that invites me to the religion. I am to ask several questions to test your Prophethood and  Wisdom’

Loaded with gifts, she entered Jerusalem with camels carrying special gum, perfumes, gold and precious stones.

Solomon said: ‘I want faster than that.’ Asif'm Berechiah, the one with the knowledge of the Scripture said: "I will bring it to you within the twinkling of an eye!", And so, Balqees Throne emerges with a blink.

Solomon said: "Disguise her throne for her that we may see whether she will be guided to recognize her throne”
Queen Balqees was welcomed by Prophet Solomon with great hospitality and reception specially prepared for her arrival.

She was impressed on everything she saw when she entered the palace. She wondered what made the jinn to be of service for him. His palace was built using the very best in that era.

Verse:
(42-43)) So when she came, he said (to her): "Is your throne like this?"
She said: "It is exactly like it." And [Sulaimân (Solomon) said]: "Knowledge was bestowed on us before her, and we were submitted to Allâh (in Islâm as Muslims before her)."

Then Solomon ordered to arrange for Balqees a home in which the floor was made of crystal, and place it on top the water, and then said to her:

Verse:
(44)"Enter As-Sarh" , " [(a glass surface with water underneath it), but when she saw it, she suppose it to be a pool, she tucked up her dress uncovering her legs, Prophet Solomon said: "Verily, it is Sarh  paved with glass. She said: "My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit (in Islâm, together with Prophet Solomon, to Allâh, the Lord of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists)."

Inspite of being from a land of sun worshippers, the Queen of Sheba was quite affected by the genuine manner of Prophet Solomon’s letter, his rational style, power and most impressive palace. All of this made her to believe and become a Muslim.

A union took place between Prophet Solomon and Queen Balqees that bring them a son.