From Half-Human, Half-Jinn to Queen: The Story of a Remarkable Woman's Rise to Royalty

The legendary Queen of Sheba is one of the most fascinating figures in Islam. The wife of King Solomon and a queen in her own right, her story is full of mystery and jinn. The core narrative of the Queen of Sheba and her encounter with Solomon is found in the Quran (27:20-44)

‘A hoopoe brings word of a mighty queen whose people worship the sun. Solomon sends word to the queen to come before him and receive the word of God. The queen, showing wisdom comes to Solomon. The prophet deciding to demonstrate his power commands his servants to bring her magnificent throne to him. One of the jinn steps forward promising to bring it swiftly, but another servant, wise and learned, says he can bring the throne before Solomon in the blink of an eye. The throne is brought before Solomon and placed before a great glass or mirrored floor. When the queen arrives, she marvels at the sight of her throne and what she thinks is a pool of water. She lifts her skirt to wade into the pool, but Solomon shows her it is wondrous glass. Impressed, the queen converts and marries Solomon.

The Queen of Sheba is known as Bilqis, she is the daughter of a Yemeni King, Al Hadhad. When the king was young, he was out hunting when he came upon a family of deer. He stayed his hunting bow and for his mercy was rewarded by the king of the jinn Sakan with a jinn wife. He married the jinn princess known as Baltaga or Ruwaha.

Their daughter is Bilgis, making her part jinn. She had many brothers and sisters, but upon her siblings' birth, jinn in the form of dogs came and carried them off to the hidden realms. Upon her father's death, Bilqis became queen and ruled wisely. In the kitab al tijan, likely recounting one of the older legends, she did not succeed her father, but rather the throne went to a tyrant who abused his subjects. Making overtures to the tyrant she promised to marry, but upon his wedding night she beheads him and mounts his vile head on the gates. When the kingdom sees that she liberated them from the tyrant, they all vow allegiance to her.

Imaam al-Qurtubi mentions in his Tafseer that the mother of Bilqees, the Queen of Sheba in the time of Sulaymaan عليه السلام, was a Jinn. He also mentions that it is technically permissible for a human and Jinn to get married.

Definitely not advisable though, even if you were to somehow find a Jinn bride. There wouldn't be compatibility. And their true form is said to be very ugly looking, so your Jinn bride would always have to be taking on the form of some human being.

It was said: That when Sulaiman (Peace be upon him) wanted to marry her he asked mankind about a way of removing the hair from her legs, and they mentioned the razor, but she feared thereof. Then, he (Peace be upon him) consulted the Jinn who made the bath for him. Thus, he was the first to enter the bath. At-Thalabi and others said: When Sulaiman married her he returned the kingdom of Yemen to her and he used to visit her there and stay for three days a month then comes back to Jerusalem on the flying carpet. In addition, he ordered the Jinn to build him three palaces in the Yemen: Ghamdan, Salhin and Bitun. And, Allah knows best!

Ath-Thalabi and others mentioned that after her father's death, the people appointed a man under whose rule corruption and mischief prevailed. She proposed to him in marriage and he married her. At their first night together she gave him wine till he got drunk and then she beheaded him and hanged his head on her door. Thereupon, the people raised her over the throne as their queen. She was Bilqis Bint As-Sairah. Her father was called Al-Hudhad, or Shurahil Ibn Dhi Jadan Ibn As-Sairah Ibn Al-Harith Ibn Qais Ibn Saifi Ibn Saba' Ibn Yashjub Ibn Ya rub Ibn Qahtan. Her father was one of the noblest kings. He refused to get married to Yemeni women. It is said that he got married to a woman from the Jinn whose name was Raihanah Bint As-Sakan who gave birth to that woman whose name is Balqamah, to be known later as Bilqis. And, Allah knows best!

Ibn Ishaq transmitted after some scholars on the authority of Wahb Ibn Munabih that Sulaiman (Peace be upon him) did not marry her, but he got her married to the king of Ramadan and let her ruling over the Yemen again, and he (Peace be upon him) subjected to her the king of the Jinn in Yemen to build her the aforementioned three palaces. This narration is not authenticated like the previous one, and Allah knows best!

Here’s the story as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an;

Allah the Almighty says:

{He inspected the birds, and said: "What is the matter that I see not the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? "I will surely punish him with a severe torment, or slaughter him, unless he brings me a clear reason." But the hoopoe stayed not long: he (came up and) said: "I have grasped (the knowledge of a thing) which you have not grasped and I have come to you from Saba' (Sheba) with true news." "I found a woman ruling over them: she has been given all things that could be possessed by any ruler of the earth, and she has a great throne. I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah, and Shaitan (Satan) has made their deeds fair-seeming to them, and has barred them from (Allah's) Way: so they have no guidance." [As Shaitan (Satan) has barred them from Allah's Way] so they do not worship (prostrate themselves before) Allah, Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you reveal. Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne! [Sulaiman (Solomon)] said: "We shall see whether you speak the truth or you are (one) of the liars."Go you with this letter of mine, and deliver it to them, then draw back from them, and see what (answer) they return." She said: "O chiefs! Verily! Here is delivered to me a noble letter. "Verily it is from Sulaiman (Solomon), and verily, it (reads): In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful: "Be you not exalted against me, but come to me as Muslims (true believers who submit to Allah with full submission). She said: "O chiefs! Advise me in (this) case of mine. I decide no case till you are present with me (and give me your opinions)." They said: "We have great strength, and great ability for war, but it is for you to command: so think over what you will command." She said: "Verily kings, when they enter a town (country), they despoil it and make the most honorable amongst its people the lowest. And thus they do. "But verily! I am going to send him a present, and see with what (answer) the Messengers return." So when (the messengers with the present) came to Sulaiman (Solomon), he said: "Will you help me in wealth? What Allah has given me is better than that which He has given you! Nay, you rejoice in your gift!" [Then Sulaiman (Solomon) said to the chief of her messengers who brought the present]: "Go back to them. We verily shall come to them with hosts that they cannot resist, and we shall drive them out from there in disgrace, and they will be abased." He said: "O chiefs! Which of you can bring me her throne before they come to me surrendering themselves in obedience?" AIfrit (strong one) from the jinn said: I will bring it to you before you rise from your place (council). And verily, I am indeed strong, and trustworthy for such work." One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: "I will bring it to you within the twinkling of an eye!" Then when he [Sulaiman (Solomon)] saw it placed before him, he said: "This is by the Grace of my Lord -to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful! And whoever is grateful, truly, his gratitude is for (the good of) his own self, and whoever is ungrateful, (he is ungrateful only for the loss of his own self. Certainly my Lord is Rich (Free of all needs), Bountiful." He said: "Disguise her throne for her that we may see whether she will be guided (to recognize her throne), or she will be one of those not guided." So when she came, it was said (to her): "Is your throne like this?" She said: "(It is) as though it were the very same." And [Sulaiman (Solomon)] said: "Knowledge was bestowed on us before her, and we were submitted to Allah (in Islam as Muslims before her)." And that which she used to worship besides Allah has prevented her (from Islam), for she was ofa disbelieving people. It was said to her: "Enter As-Sarh" (a glass surface with water underneath it or a palace): but when she saw it, she thought it was a pool, and she (tucked up her clothes) uncovering her legs. (Sulaiman (Solomon)) said: "Verily, it is a Sarh (a glass surface with water underneath it or a palace)." She said: "My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit [in Islam, together with Sulaiman (Solomon)] to Allah, the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists)}. (An-Naml. 20-44)