Queen of Sheba: Mythical figure or historical reality?

WISE NEWS PRESS / ISTANBUL, TÜRKIYE

The story of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba remains one of the most enigmatic narratives shared across the Quran and the Torah, sparking centuries of debate regarding the Queen's true identity and origin.

While the Quran presents the narrative as a divine guidance tool intended to rectify previous distorted accounts, centuries of folklore and traditional commentaries have added layers of mythical attributes to the Queen, often referred to as "Bilqis" in Islamic tradition. These additions often blur the line between historical fact and legendary fiction.

The Queen in the Quran and Torah

Neither the Quran nor the Torah provides a specific name or detailed biography for the Queen. The Quran describes her as a powerful ruler of a kingdom called Sebe (Sheba), possessing a magnificent throne. Similarly, the Torah's accounts in I Kings and II Chronicles refer to her simply as the "Queen of Sheba" who visited Solomon in Jerusalem to test his wisdom.

The primary focus of these sacred texts is not her genealogy but the theological encounter between two powerful rulers, leading to the Queen's eventual acceptance of monotheism.

Mythological claims and "Islamic Mythology"

Despite the lack of biographical data in primary scriptures, later Islamic commentaries (Tafsir) and biographies (Siyar) introduced various mythical claims. Some traditions suggest that the Queen was not entirely human, with certain accounts claiming her mother was a Jinn.

These narratives frequently describe her with inhuman physical traits, such as having legs like those of an animal, or being a member of the Jinn race herself. Scholars like El-Hasan'ül Basri rejected these claims, arguing that such cross-species births are impossible and that these stories are merely "Isra’iliyyat" or unfounded folklore.

Theological purpose over historical detail

From a Quranic perspective, the Queen's biography is secondary to her spiritual journey. The narrative highlights her shift from sun worship to the worship of the one true God after encountering King Solomon.

Cengiz Duman, the author of the analysis, suggests that the story has been turned into a "mythological pile" in traditional books. He advocates for a new vision in understanding Quranic stories by separating them from unverified legends and utilizing modern sciences like archaeology and history to uncover the monotheistic truth behind the lore.

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