Women in the Qur'an. Asma Lamrabet
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is more, through the example of Balkis, the Qur’an counters all the presumptions which tend to paint women as inferior and exclude her, politically speaking, by raising a woman to the height of wisdom, as a democratic political leader, fair and capable … Infinitely wiser than all of those men she consulted and who appear to be the dignitaries of her people. And, yet, it is deplorable to see how certain classical Muslim commentators have strongly criticized the person of Balkis. Whereas the Qur’an speaks of her in glowing, respectful terms which could not be clearer nor more precise, many exegetes have a pernicious approach to this individual and a number of them get mired in very long, harsh and often very disagreeable commentaries!
Whosoever reads the various works of exegesis will recall the awkwardness, the reticence, even the hostility of certain exegetes faced with a female personality reigning on a magnificent throne14 and who in addition, displayed intelligence and wisdom! It is worth noting here that the Qur’an describes the throne, emblem of her power, as magnificent, suggesting a significant intellectual capacity of this woman who managed this vast and rich kingdom with such know-how!
Some erudite Muslims avoid the crux of the matter, namely the extraordinary personality of this queen as described in the Qur’an, as well as her political capabilities, in favour of a very reductive approach which sometimes veers into deeply disparaging. This is the case of a famous theologian of the early period of Islam who describes her as a ‘iljatu’, a pejorative term which means ‘donkey’ or ‘disbeliever’, an expression often used to refer disparagingly, even insultingly to non-believers. This scholar expresses surprise at seeing men allowing themselves to be governed by an ‘iljatu’ who, being a woman is deemed weak and lacking in reason but who turns out to be, much to his disappointment, more intelligent than the men – said to be sages – who surrounded her! They push their derision to the point of inappropriately criticising her physique.15 One might ask what the link is between this woman’s physical appearance and her political decisions, her physical appearance having been born of Divine creation! And how can he vilify and belittle her entire person simply because she happens to be a woman?!
Other scholars go further and even suggest this poor queen has jinn ancestry! Balkis’ mother must be a jinn, and according to some even the leader of jinns!16 It is only by diminishing her humanity that the commentators can rest assured concerning her future as a woman … no need to take her as an example if she is really only half human! In reading the commentary attributed to the story of Balkis, one is stunned in the face of so much speculation and unlikely stories which turn the reader away from the true educational dimension of this story.
At the end of his commentary on these verses, Ibn Kathir almost apologizes for having had to report so many legends and mischievous tales concerning Balkis. He recognizes the improbable nature of a great number of the stories and inappropriate interpretations which run counter to the deference and the sobriety of the Qur’anic description.17
One is within one’s rights to ask questions and to query why this denigration occurs when God Himself in His Qur’an mentions Balkis in very respectful terms and with an extreme sensitivity. In fact, one notes that even in terms of her idolatry, God does not refer to her as a miscreant or impious but, rather, He depicts her as having been forced to submit to the religious culture of her people and was – somewhat despite herself – from a disbelieving people:
[And she has recognized the truth] although that which she has been wont to worship instead of God had kept her away [from the right path]: for, behold, she is descended of people who deny the truth!’ (al-Naml 27: 43)
In re-reading these verses concerning Balkis attentively, one is surprised by the enormous discord between the Qur’anic verses, full of regard for her person and the inconceivable interpretations which one finds in the classical books of exegesis. God, in His sacred Qur’an has never ceased to highlight the image of this woman, queen, non-believer, sage, defender of the values of Justice. One perceives, through the portrait painted by the sacred text and all along the Divine narration, the emotional and spiritual aptitude of this woman who ultimately was very sensitive to the message of Prophet Solomon. She must surely have discerned in this message the signs of this Truth which she had always sought from the depths of her soul … God wanted to deliberately embellish the image of this non-believing woman in order that we might better appreciate her once she had converted to the faith of the One God!
As it happens, the Qur’anic message couldn’t be clearer concerning the importance given to the consultation of governed peoples and to the values of ethics and justice which the government must reflect. Balkis, queen and woman, has perfectly symbolized this profile of a head of state at the extreme opposite of despotic power, which the Qur’an never ceases to reject throughout its message. Moreover, one might note that in the Qur’an, these authoritarian powers are almost always symbolized by male dictators! It even appears that she is the only political personality endowed with such authority and who was elevated as an ideal, strictly speaking, in the Holy Qur’an. Thus, she is an example of political management for all, men and women. It is also interesting to highlight the strong personality of this woman who, once convinced of the sincerity of Solomon and the veracity of his message, solemnly announced her submission to the Creator with much humility but also great dignity. In fact, the Qur’an reports her words as follows:
Cried she: ‘O my Sustainer! I have been sinning against myself thy worshipping aught but Thee: but [now] I have surrendered myself, with Solomon, unto the Sustainer of all the worlds!’ (al-Naml 27: 44)
It is with Solomon – and not for him – that she submits to the Lord of the universe! With him! A manner in which devotion to God is undertaken in the most spontaneous equality and the deepest freedom … Of course she was amazed by the supernatural powers of king Solomon and by his surprising abilities but she was conscious that all of his abilities were God given and that rather it was the Prophet and his spiritual message which had won his heart … . The story states that Solomon and Balkis married,18 though nothing can confirm this fact. Nonetheless, we would like to believe it! No surpris here if these two beings have admiration for one another! Were they not both enamoured by the values of justice and probity? Was it not submission to the Creator of the world which brought them together? It is a beautiful story of love and understanding which the Qur’an offers us here through this female character, a character which has little to do with what a number of exegetes have sadly reported.
Sarah and Hagar, emblems of monotheism
Sarah and Hagar represent without doubt the two female ancestors of monotheism.
Sarah, mother of Ishaq (Isaac) and Hagar, mother of Isma’il … Ishaq and Isma’il, two Prophets from the same father, Ibrahim and from whom the ineluctable separation will happen between two peoples who until today will live in perpetual confrontation … .
Prophet Ibrahim had as his first wife Sarah. All the monotheistic traditions agree on the fact she was a woman of extreme beauty. The Prophet described her as the most beautiful woman of humanity after Eve.19 Sarah and Ibrahim after many years of marriage were unable to have children. Abraham never complained but Sarah, through that specifically feminine perception, painfully felt, in the depths of her heart, the disavowed desire of her husband to have a child.
This is how, in conformity with the customs of the time which attributed sterility first and foremost to women – a custom which persists to this day – she offered her servant Hagar, brought from Egypt, to her beloved husband. Feeling guilty because of this sterility which she had to take upon herself alone, she thought to remedy this fault by offering him, with death in her soul, her young Egyptian servant.
Some time after, Sarah received news which would turn the rest of her life upside down and transform the destiny of humanity … She was with child! The Qur’an cites Sarah in the following verses describing her joy and happiness at the announcement by the angels of her future pregnancy:
AND,