- Feb 27, 2007
- 1,846
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Quran does not mention "Queen of Sheba" as far as I can ascertain. Nor is there a person called Sheba. There is Land called Sheba. And, Surah 34 of Quran is known as Surah ash-Sheba. Here are the relevant verses in translation:
[27:0] In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
[27:1] T. S. These (letters) constitute proofs of the Quran; a profound scripture.
[27:2] A beacon, and good news, for the believers.
[27:3] Who observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and they are, with regard to the Hereafter, absolutely certain.
[27:4] Those who do not believe in the Hereafter, we adorn their works in their eyes. Thus, they continue to blunder.
[27:5] It is these who incur the worst retribution, and in the Hereafter, they will be the worst losers.
[27:6] Surely, you are receiving the Quran from a Most Wise, Omniscient.
[27:7] Recall that Moses said to his family, "I see a fire; let me bring you news therefrom, or a torch to warm you."
[27:8] When he came to it, he was called: "Blessed is the One (who is speaking from) within the fire, and those around it." Glory be to GOD, Lord of the universe.
[27:9] "O Moses, this is Me, GOD, the Almighty, Most Wise.
[27:10] "Throw down your staff." When he saw it moving like a demon, he turned around and fled. "O Moses, do not be afraid. My messengers shall not fear.
[27:11] "Except those who commit a transgression, then substitute righteousness after sinning; I am Forgiving, Most Merciful.
[27:15] We endowed David and Solomon with knowledge, and they said, "Praise GOD for blessing us more than many of His believing servants."
[27:22] He did not wait for long. (The hoopoe) said, "I have news that you do not have. I brought to you from Sheba, some important information.
[27:23] "I found a woman ruling them, who is blessed with everything, and possesses a tremendous palace.
[27:24] "I found her and her people prostrating before the sun, instead of GOD. The devil has adorned their works in their eyes, and has repulsed them from the path; consequently, they are not guided."
[27:25] They should have been prostrating before GOD, the One who manifests all the mysteries in the heavens and the earth, and the One who knows everything you conceal and everything you declare.
[27:26] GOD: there is no other god beside Him; the Lord with the great dominion.
[27:27] (Solomon) said, "We will see if you told the truth, or if you are a liar.
[27:28] "Take this letter from me, give it to them, then watch for their response."
Back in Sheba
Notice here that Sheba is a place, not a person.
[27:29] She said, "O my advisers, I have received an honorable letter.
[27:30] "It is from Solomon, and it is, `In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.'
[27:31] "Proclaiming: `Do not be arrogant; come to me as submitters.' " (The word "submitters means Muslims to thesetranslators. Abd.)
[27:34] She said, "The kings corrupt any land they invade, and subjugate its dignified people. This is what they usually do.
[27:35] "I am sending a gift to them; let us see what the messengers come back with."
[27:36] When the hoopoe returned to Solomon (he told him the news), and he responded (to Sheba's people): "Are you giving me money? What GOD has given me is far better than what He has given you. You are the ones to rejoice in such gifts."
[27:37] (To the hoopoe, he said,) "Go back to them (and let them know that) we will come to them with forces they cannot imagine. We will evict them, humiliated and debased."
[27:38] He said, "O you elders, which of you can bring me her mansion, before they arrive here as submitters?"
[27:41] He said, "Remodel her mansion for her. Let us see if she will be guided, or continue with the misguided."
[27:43] She had been diverted by worshipping idols instead of GOD; she belonged to disbelieving people.
[27:45] We have sent to Thamoud their brother Saaleh, saying, "You shall worship GOD." But they turned into two feuding factions.
[27:46] He said, "O my people, why do you hasten to commit evil instead of good works? If only you implore GOD for forgiveness, you may attain mercy."
[27:52] Here are their homes utterly ruined, because of their transgression. This should be a lesson for people who know.
[27:53] We save those who believe and lead a righteous life.
[34:12] To Solomon we committed the wind at his disposal, traveling one month coming and one month going. And we caused a spring of oil to gush out for him. Also, the jinns worked for him, by his Lord's leave. Any one of them who disregarded our commands, we subjected him to a severe retribution.
[34:15] Sheba's homeland used to be a marvel, with two gardens on the right and the left. Eat from your Lord's provisions, and be appreciative of Him - good land, and a forgiving Lord.
[34:16] They turned away and, consequently, we poured upon them a disastrous flood, and we substituted their two gardens into two gardens of bad tasting fruits, thorny plants, and a skimpy harvest.
[34:17] We thus requited them for their disbelief. Do we not requite only the disbelievers?
[34:18] We placed between them and the communities that we blessed other oases, and we secured the journey between them: "Travel therein days and nights in complete security."
[34:19] But they (turned unappreciative and) challenged: "Our Lord, we do not care if You increase the distance of our journeys (without any stations)." They thus wronged their own souls. Consequently, we made them history, and scattered them into small communities throughout the land. This should provide lessons for those who are steadfast, appreciative.
http://www.submission.org/suras/sura34.html#15[27:1] T. S. These (letters) constitute proofs of the Quran; a profound scripture.
[27:2] A beacon, and good news, for the believers.
[27:3] Who observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and they are, with regard to the Hereafter, absolutely certain.
[27:4] Those who do not believe in the Hereafter, we adorn their works in their eyes. Thus, they continue to blunder.
[27:5] It is these who incur the worst retribution, and in the Hereafter, they will be the worst losers.
[27:6] Surely, you are receiving the Quran from a Most Wise, Omniscient.
[27:7] Recall that Moses said to his family, "I see a fire; let me bring you news therefrom, or a torch to warm you."
[27:8] When he came to it, he was called: "Blessed is the One (who is speaking from) within the fire, and those around it." Glory be to GOD, Lord of the universe.
[27:9] "O Moses, this is Me, GOD, the Almighty, Most Wise.
[27:10] "Throw down your staff." When he saw it moving like a demon, he turned around and fled. "O Moses, do not be afraid. My messengers shall not fear.
[27:11] "Except those who commit a transgression, then substitute righteousness after sinning; I am Forgiving, Most Merciful.
[27:15] We endowed David and Solomon with knowledge, and they said, "Praise GOD for blessing us more than many of His believing servants."
[27:22] He did not wait for long. (The hoopoe) said, "I have news that you do not have. I brought to you from Sheba, some important information.
[27:23] "I found a woman ruling them, who is blessed with everything, and possesses a tremendous palace.
[27:24] "I found her and her people prostrating before the sun, instead of GOD. The devil has adorned their works in their eyes, and has repulsed them from the path; consequently, they are not guided."
[27:25] They should have been prostrating before GOD, the One who manifests all the mysteries in the heavens and the earth, and the One who knows everything you conceal and everything you declare.
[27:26] GOD: there is no other god beside Him; the Lord with the great dominion.
[27:27] (Solomon) said, "We will see if you told the truth, or if you are a liar.
[27:28] "Take this letter from me, give it to them, then watch for their response."
Back in Sheba
Notice here that Sheba is a place, not a person.
[27:29] She said, "O my advisers, I have received an honorable letter.
[27:30] "It is from Solomon, and it is, `In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.'
[27:31] "Proclaiming: `Do not be arrogant; come to me as submitters.' " (The word "submitters means Muslims to thesetranslators. Abd.)
[27:34] She said, "The kings corrupt any land they invade, and subjugate its dignified people. This is what they usually do.
[27:35] "I am sending a gift to them; let us see what the messengers come back with."
[27:36] When the hoopoe returned to Solomon (he told him the news), and he responded (to Sheba's people): "Are you giving me money? What GOD has given me is far better than what He has given you. You are the ones to rejoice in such gifts."
[27:37] (To the hoopoe, he said,) "Go back to them (and let them know that) we will come to them with forces they cannot imagine. We will evict them, humiliated and debased."
[27:38] He said, "O you elders, which of you can bring me her mansion, before they arrive here as submitters?"
[27:41] He said, "Remodel her mansion for her. Let us see if she will be guided, or continue with the misguided."
[27:43] She had been diverted by worshipping idols instead of GOD; she belonged to disbelieving people.
[27:45] We have sent to Thamoud their brother Saaleh, saying, "You shall worship GOD." But they turned into two feuding factions.
[27:46] He said, "O my people, why do you hasten to commit evil instead of good works? If only you implore GOD for forgiveness, you may attain mercy."
[27:52] Here are their homes utterly ruined, because of their transgression. This should be a lesson for people who know.
[27:53] We save those who believe and lead a righteous life.
[34:12] To Solomon we committed the wind at his disposal, traveling one month coming and one month going. And we caused a spring of oil to gush out for him. Also, the jinns worked for him, by his Lord's leave. Any one of them who disregarded our commands, we subjected him to a severe retribution.
[34:15] Sheba's homeland used to be a marvel, with two gardens on the right and the left. Eat from your Lord's provisions, and be appreciative of Him - good land, and a forgiving Lord.
[34:16] They turned away and, consequently, we poured upon them a disastrous flood, and we substituted their two gardens into two gardens of bad tasting fruits, thorny plants, and a skimpy harvest.
[34:17] We thus requited them for their disbelief. Do we not requite only the disbelievers?
[34:18] We placed between them and the communities that we blessed other oases, and we secured the journey between them: "Travel therein days and nights in complete security."
[34:19] But they (turned unappreciative and) challenged: "Our Lord, we do not care if You increase the distance of our journeys (without any stations)." They thus wronged their own souls. Consequently, we made them history, and scattered them into small communities throughout the land. This should provide lessons for those who are steadfast, appreciative.
