27:32 An-Naml (The Ant)

قالت: يا أيها الأشراف أشيروا عليَّ في هذا الأمر، ما كنت لأفصل في أمر إلا بمحضركم ومشورتكم.

فمن حزمها وعقلها أن جمعت كبار دولتها ورجال مملكتها وقالت: يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلأُ أَفْتُونِي فِي أَمْرِي . أي: أخبروني ماذا نجيبه به؟ وهل ندخل تحت طاعته وننقاد؟ أم ماذا نفعل؟ مَا كُنْتُ قَاطِعَةً أَمْرًا حَتَّى تَشْهَدُونِ أي: ما كنت مستبدة بأمر دون رأيكم ومشورتكم.

لما قرأت عليهم كتاب سليمان استشارتهم في أمرها وما قد نزل بها ولهذا قالت "يا أيها الملأ أفتوني في أمري ما كنت قاطعة أمرا حتى تشهدون" أي حتى تحضرون وتشيرون.

She said ‘O members of the council give me an opinion read yā ayyuhā’l-mala’u aftūnī pronouncing both hamzas or by not pronouncing the second and changing it into a wāw in other words guide me in this matter of mine. I never decide on a matter I never conclude it until you are present’.

Consultation in important matters is a Sunnah. It provides the benefit of having views of others, and gives them a sense of participation

قَالَتْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ أَفْتُونِي فِي أَمْرِ‌ي مَا كُنتُ قَاطِعَةً أَمْرً‌ا حَتَّىٰ تَشْهَدُونِ

She said, "0 chieftains, advise me in the matter I have (before me). I am not the one who decides a matter absolutely unless you are present with me." - 32

The word اَفتُونِی is derived from Fatwa فَتوٰی ، which means answering some specific issue. Here it means to give counsel or to express one's views. When Queen Bilqis received the letter of Sayyidna Sulaiman (علیہ السلام) she called the members of her government and asked their view as to what she should do. Before asking their view on the matter, she encouraged and pleased them by declaring that she did not take decisions without consulting them. Because of her remarks, the ministers and the generals expressed their readiness to sacrifice everything they had in order to follow her command. نَحْنُ أُولُو قُوَّةٍ وَأُولُو بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ وَالْأَمْرُ‌ إِلَيْكِ ("We are powerful and tough fighters, and the decision lies with you - 33). Sayyidna Qatadah ؓ has related that according to his information there were 313 members in her consultative committee, and each one of them represented and enjoyed the support of ten thousand persons. (Qurtubi)

This statement brings to light that having consultation with supporters is an old practice. Islam has attached great importance to consultation and has made this mandatory for the government functionaries. So much so that the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، who was the recipient of revelations from Allah Ta’ ala and also used to get direct guidance from Him (thus did not have any need for consultation or advice), was also commanded to follow this practice, in order to set up a tradition for his followers. The Holy Qur’ an directs the Holy Prophet ﷺ وَشَاوِرْ‌هُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ‌ (3:159) that is, he should consult them in the matters. There is a sense of participation for the companions in this command, and an advice for the coming generations that the government functionaries must always consult on important matters.

Reaction of Queen Bilqis on the letter of Sulaiman

After having consulted the functionaries of her government and gaining their confidence, she herself developed a strategy that she should initially test out the real intention of Sayyidna Sulaiman (علیہ السلام) and to find out whether he was actually a prophet and messenger of God, and whether he was really conveying the message of God or he was aspiring for a greater empire. The purpose behind this strategy was to find out that if he was a prophet in reality, then his command should be followed and no hostility be adopted against him. On the other hand if he was only a king and wished to expand his empire by subjugating her kingdom, then a different plan be worked out to face the challenge. To test out the real intention of Sayyidna Sulaiman (علیہ السلام) she adopted the tactic of sending to him precious gifts and presents. If he becomes satisfied after receiving the gifts, then it would indicate that he was only a king and had approached her with mundane motives. On the other hand, if he was actually a prophet then he would not agree on anything other than acceptance of Islam. Ibn Jarir has reported this explanation from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ Mujahid, Ibn Juraij, and Ibn Wahb رحمۃ اللہ علیہم with several chins of narrators.The same subject is elaborated in the following verse: