How Did Prophet Solomon Invite the Queen of Sheba to Tawheed?
كيف دعا النبي سليمان ملكة سبأ إلى التوحيد؟
Allah aided Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon) with knowledge and with expertise of construction. Prophet Sulaiman invited the queen of Sheba, and her own throne was brought to him and disguised, to test whether she would recognize it. (Corrected here from the original published wording, which said a throne identical to hers was made; the Quran states that her own throne was brought (27:38-40) and then disguised (27:41).) They also constructed a hall made of smooth glass. It was made so perfectly that when the queen saw it, she thought it was a pool of water. The queen was moved and she immediately realized that such perfection of work can only come with the help of Allah, and she embraced Tawheed. "Solomon said, 'Disguise her throne for her so we may see whether she will recognize it or she will not be able to.' So when she arrived, it was said to her, 'Is your throne like this?' She replied, 'It looks to be the same. We have already received knowledge of Solomon's prophethood before this miracle, and have submitted to Allah'" (Surah An-Naml 27:41-42).
أيد الله النبي سليمان عليه السلام بالعلم وخبرة البناء. دعا سليمان ملكة سبأ، وأُحضر عرشها نفسه إليه ونُكِّر لها لتُختبر في معرفته. (صُحّح هنا عن النص المنشور سابقا الذي ذكر أن عرشا مطابقا لعرشها صُنع؛ والقرآن ينص على أن عرشها نفسه أُحضر (النمل 27: 38-40) ثم نُكِّر لها (النمل 27: 41).) كما بنوا قاعة من زجاج أملس، أتقنوا صنعها حتى ظنتها الملكة بركة ماء عندما رأتها. تأثرت الملكة وأدركت فورا أن هذا الإتقان لا يكون إلا بمعونة الله، فاعتنقت التوحيد. قَالَ نَكِّرُوا لَهَا عَرْشَهَا نَنظُرْ أَتَهْتَدِي أَمْ تَكُونُ مِنَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَهْتَدُونَ فَلَمَّا جَاءَتْ قِيلَ أَهَكَذَا عَرْشُكِ ۖ قَالَتْ كَأَنَّهُ هُوَ ۚ وَأُوتِينَا الْعِلْمَ مِن قَبْلِهَا وَكُنَّا مُسْلِمِينَ (سورة النمل: 41-42).
1. A Da'wah Built on Evidence, Not Argument | دعوة بنيت على الدليل لا الجدل
Rather than debating the Queen of Sheba about Tawheed, Sulaiman built experiences that let her draw the conclusion herself. Recognizing her own transformed throne and mistaking a glass floor for water were demonstrations of a power and precision beyond ordinary human ability, leading her to connect that power directly to the source of Sulaiman's prophethood.
بدلا من مجادلة ملكة سبأ حول التوحيد، هيأ سليمان تجارب تركتها تستنتج بنفسها. فالتعرف على عرشها المُحوَّر وظنها أن أرضية الزجاج ماء كانا دليلين على قدرة ودقة تفوق القدرة البشرية العادية، مما دفعها إلى ربط تلك القدرة مباشرة بمصدر نبوة سليمان.
2. The Hoopoe Bird That Started It All | الهدهد الذي بدأ كل شيء
This encounter began earlier in Surah An-Naml, when Sulaiman's hoopoe bird returned from Sheba reporting that its people worshipped the sun instead of Allah. Sulaiman responded not with an army but with a letter inviting the Queen to Islam, showing that the episode began with invitation and evidence, not with an army, although his later reply to her gift did warn of military force (27:37). That letter opened with In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful (27:30), as explained in who was the first to write Bismillah.
بدأت هذه القصة في وقت سابق من سورة النمل، عندما عاد هدهد سليمان من سبأ ليخبره أن قومها يعبدون الشمس من دون الله. فرد سليمان لا بجيش بل برسالة يدعوها فيها إلى الإسلام، مما يظهر أن القصة بدأت بالدعوة والدليل لا بالجيش، وإن كان رده بعد ذلك على هديتها قد تضمن التحذير بالجنود (النمل 27: 37).
3. A Kingdom Granted Unmatched Power | ملك لم يُعطَ لأحد من بعده
The abilities Sulaiman displayed here fit the wider Quranic account of the extraordinary kingdom Allah granted him, including command over the wind and jinn. His response to seeing her throne brought before him was immediate humility, attributing every capability to Allah's favor rather than his own power, a pattern consistent with how the Quran presents every Prophet's success as ultimately belonging to Allah.
تتفق القدرات التي أظهرها سليمان هنا مع الوصف القرآني الأوسع للملك غير العادي الذي منحه الله إياه، بما في ذلك التحكم في الريح والجن. وكان رد فعله عند رؤية عرشها مستقرا عنده فوريا بالتواضع، إذ نسب كل قدرة إلى فضل الله لا إلى قوته الخاصة، وهو نمط يتسق مع تصوير القرآن لنجاح كل نبي بأنه يعود في النهاية إلى الله.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
How did Sulaiman test the Queen of Sheba?
With a disguised version of her own throne and a glass-floored hall she mistook for a pool of water.
What led to Sulaiman first contacting the Queen of Sheba?
His hoopoe bird reported that her people worshipped the sun instead of Allah, and he sent her a letter inviting her to Islam.
What was the Queen's response after recognizing the miracles?
She acknowledged Sulaiman's prophethood and submitted to Allah.