The Legend true story of the Queen of Sheba In The Quran

Though her origin is contested, the Queen of Sheba — also known as Makeda — is at the core of Ethiopian mythology. Her encounter with Israel's King Solomon 3,000 years ago is legendary.

When did the Queen of Sheba live?

She is believed to have lived more than three thousand years ago.

What is the Queen of Sheba renowned for? 

In a massive desire to quench her thirst for knowledge, this legendary queen supposedly paid a visit to Israel's wise King Solomon in Jerusalem. Written accounts of the encounter suggest that she bore the king a son, who would become the first Ethiopian king in the Solomonic dynasty.

How do we know about her existence? 

The encounter in Jerusalem is documented in various texts, among them the Jewish Bible, the Qur'an — where the queen is called Bilqis — and an ancient Ethiopian document called Kebre-Negast, where she is named Makeda. She is also alluded to in the New Testament as the "Queen of the South".

What is the Kebre Negast? 

The Kebre Negast was first compiled as far back as the fourteenth century in Ethiopia. Its sources include various legends, the Old and New Testaments, as well as Egyptian, Arabian and Ethiopian sources. The Kebre Negast gives the most detailed account of the queen's meeting with King Solomon. The story goes that having convinced Makeda of his wisdom, Solomon spent the night with her. This union results in the birth of King Menelik I, the founder of the Solomonic dynasty in Ethiopia, which ruled until the deposition of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974.

But where did the Queen of Sheba come from? 

The Queen of Sheba's origins remain a subject of debate. Ethiopians claim her as their own, but so do Yemenites who believe that tha name 'Sheba' is a reference to the Yemenite kingdom of Saba. Ethiopians believe her palace to have been in the northern Ethiopian town of Aksum, where ruins can still be visited.

Who is inspired by the Queen of Sheba?  

The encounter of a queen and king, driven by a hunger for knowledge, to this day remains a source of inspiration to many. People around the world express their appreciation in different ways: be it in paintings, poetry, sculpture or other means. Because the queen's story is all about love, unity, and friendship, it continues to receive attention today.  

What is Sheba in the Bible?  

The region of Sheba in the Bible has been identified as the Kingdom of Saba (also sometimes referred to as Sheba) in southern Arabia but also with Ethiopia in East Africa. In the biblical tale, the queen brings Solomon lavish gifts and praises his wisdom and kingdom before returning to her country.

Surah An-Naml [27:16]

وَوَرِثَ سُلَيْمَانُ دَاوُودَ وَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ عُلِّمْنَا مَنطِقَ الطَّيْرِ وَأُوتِينَا مِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْمُبِينُ

Translation

And Solomon inherited David. He said, "O people, we have been taught the language of birds, and we have been given from all things. Indeed, this is evident bounty." 

Conclusion

There are other later sources which also feature the mysterious queen and argue for or against her historicity. The Christian canticles of the Middle Ages, drawing on the New Testament references to a “Queen of the South” as the Queen of Sheba (Matthew 12:42 and Luke 11:31), represented her as a mystical figure.

The “queen of Sheba” should be understood to mean the “kingdom of Sheba”, not an actual person (Bava Batra 15b). Other traditions seem to indicate there was such a queen but who she was and where she came from remains a mystery.

There is no reason to question the claim that a diplomatic mission may have been sent from Saba to Jerusalem during the reign of Solomon and that the emissary would have been a woman. The queen could have been the daughter of one of the Sabean kings or perhaps ruled on her own after the death of her husband.

There is, as noted, no record of a queen of Saba but neither is there any indication of a queen of Sheba named Makeda in Ethiopia or any record of a queen name Bilqis outside of the Quran. Historically, the Queen of Sheba remains a mystery but her legend has endured for millennia and she continues to inspire literature and art in her honor in the present day.