Queen Bilkis leadership in Islam

The queen of Sheba was a legendary ruler of a kingdom in southwestern Arabia, who visited King Solomon in Jerusalem with a caravan of riches. She is mentioned in the Qur’an, the Hebrew Bible and other religious and historical sources. She is also known as Bilqis in Arabic and Makeda in Ethiopian traditions. She was impressed by Solomon’s wisdom and wealth, and she was interested in learning from Solomon’s wisdom. She also brought him gifts of gold, jewels, and spices, which shows her wealth and generosity. She worshipped the sun instead of Allah, but later converted to monotheism after seeing Solomon’s miracles and palace.

 Some legends say that she married Solomon or bore him a son, while others say that she returned to her own land. She is regarded as a symbol of wisdom, beauty, and faith by different cultures and religions.

According to National Geographic, there is no archaeological evidence to confirm her identity or location. Some scholars place her kingdom in Ethiopia, while others place it in Yemen. She is also associated with the founding of Ethiopia’s royal dynasty, which claimed descent from her son with Solomon.

 The leadership of Queen Bilqis, also known as the Queen of Sheba, is a matter of debate among Islamic scholars and jurists. Some argue that her leadership was an exception and not a norm, and that she was not a true head of state but rather a ruler of a small tribe. Others contend that her leadership was legitimate and exemplary, and that she was a wise and just ruler who embraced monotheism and followed Prophet Solomon. Some also cite her as an evidence for the permissibility of women leadership in Islam, along with other examples of women leaders in Islamic history and contemporary Muslim countries. Therefore, there is no definitive or unanimous answer to your question. It may depend on your perspective and understanding of Islam and its sources.

Bilqis was a woman who ruled over her people with justice and wisdom. She was not arrogant or proud of her wealth and power. She was humble and curious to learn from others. She was impressed by the signs of Allah that she saw in Solomon’s kingdom and recognized his prophethood. She willingly gave up her throne and her idols to follow the true religion of Allah. She was a woman of faith and courage.

Maulana Maududi and Sayid Qutub were two influential Islamist thinkers who had different views on the Queen of Sheba. According to a paper by Aabid Majeed Sheikh, Maududi considered the Queen of Sheba as an example of a woman who was unfit to rule and who had to submit to Solomon's authority and religion. He cited a hadith that said "Never will succeed such a nation as makes a woman their ruler" and argued that the Queen of Sheba's conversion to Islam was a sign of her weakness and inferiority (Sheikh 2018, p. 9). 

On the other hand, Qutub praised the Queen of Sheba for her intelligence, wisdom, and courage. He saw her as a seeker of truth who was willing to challenge Solomon's power and test his prophethood. He also admired her for consulting her advisers and choosing peace over war. He interpreted her submission to God as a sign of her dignity and honor (Sheikh 2018, p. 10).

Maulana Maududi was a prominent Islamic scholar and founder of Jamaat-e-Islami, a political party in Pakistan. He wrote extensively on various aspects of Islam, including the role and status of women. According to some sources, he had a conservative and patriarchal view of women's leadership, and argued that it was against the Islamic principles and the natural order of things. Here are some of his views on this topic:

- In his book Purdah and the Status of Women in Islam, he wrote that women are not fit for public life and should remain in their homes, except for certain necessities. He said that women's participation in politics, education, and social work would lead to moral corruption and social chaos. He also said that women's leadership would be a sign of humiliation and disgrace for men, and a deviation from the divine guidance.

- In his commentary on the Qur'an, Tafhim al-Qur'an, he interpreted verse 4:34, which says that men are the protectors and maintainers of women, to mean that men have authority over women and can discipline them if they disobey. He also interpreted verse 33:33, which instructs the wives of the Prophet to stay in their houses, to mean that this is the ideal situation for all Muslim women.

- In his book The Islamic Law and Constitution, he wrote that the head of the Islamic state must be a male Muslim who fulfills certain conditions. He said that women are not eligible for this position because they lack the qualities of leadership, such as courage, wisdom, and justice. He also said that women are emotionally unstable and easily influenced by others.

However, not all Muslims agree with Maulana Maududi's views on women's leadership. Some argue that he was influenced by his cultural and historical context, and that he ignored or misinterpreted the evidence from the Qur'an and the Sunnah that support women's rights and roles in society. Some also point out that there have been examples of women leaders in Islamic history, such as Khadija, Aisha, Fatima, and others.