The True Tales

Her Throne & Glass Palace

Said one who had knowledge from the Scripture, "I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you."

This was Asif, the scribe of Solomon, he was a believer among the humans.

What he said meant, 'lift your gaze and look as far as you can, and before you get tired and blink, you will find it before you.'

Then he got up, performed ablution and prayed to Allah.

And when [Solomon] saw it placed before him, he said, "This is from the favor of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is grateful -  his gratitude is only for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever is ungrateful -  then indeed, my Lord is Free of need and Generous".

When Solomon brought the throne of Bilqis, before she and her people arrived, he issued orders that some of its features should be altered, so that he could test her and see whether she recognized it and how composed she would be when she saw it. Would she hasten to say either that it was her throne or that it was not!

So He said, "Disguise for her, her throne; we will see whether she will be guided [to truth] or will be of those who is not guided."

So when she arrived, it was said [to her], "Is your throne like this?"

Her throne, which had been altered and disguised, with some things added and others taken away, was shown to her. She was wise and steadfast, intelligent and strong-willed. She did not hasten to say that this was her throne, because it was far away from her. Neither did she hasten to say that it was not her throne, when she saw that some things had been altered and changed.

She said, "[It is] as though it was it."

This is the ultimate in intelligence and strong resolve.

[Solomon said], "And we were given knowledge before her, and we have been Muslims [in submission to Allah ].And that which she was worshipping other than Allah had averted her [from submission to Him]. Indeed, she was from a disbelieving people."

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Solomon had commanded the Shayatin to build for her a huge palace of glass beneath which water was flowing. Anyone who did not know the nature of the building would think that it was water, but in fact there was a layer of glass between a person walking and the water.

She was told, "Enter the palace." But when she saw it, she thought it was a body of water and uncovered her shins [to wade through].

He (Solomon) said, "Indeed, it is a palace [whose floor is] made smooth with glass."

What is meant here is that Solomon built a huge, lofty palace of glass for this queen, in order to show her the greatness of his authority and power. When she saw for herself what Allah had given him and how majestic his position was, she submitted to the command of Allah and acknowledged that he was a noble Prophet.

So she submitted to Allah & She said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, and I submit with Solomon to Allah, Lord of the worlds."

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This is the last part of this Story. insha'Allah next week would be some other story based on either the Quran or Sahih Al Bukhari.

{ Note : If anyone has any suggestions as to how I should present these stories do let me know }