Did the Prophet of Allah Sulaymaan (peace be upon him) force the queen of Saba’ to become Muslim?

Praise be to Allah.

The Prophet of Allah Sulaymaan (peace be upon him) did not force Balqees the queen of Saba’ (Sheba) to become Muslim; rather she became Muslim voluntarily, as Allah, may He be exalted, tells us in the verse in which He, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“She said: ‘My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit (in Islam, together with Sulaymaan (Solomon), to Allah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)”

[an-Naml 27:44].

She stated that she had wronged herself by worshipping the sun instead of Allah, then she voluntarily affirmed Islam and submitted with Sulaymaan to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. If she had been forced to become Muslim, she would not have said that.

With regard to the words of the Prophet of Allah Sulaymaan (peace be upon him), “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” [an-Naml 27:37],

this comes under the heading of jihad which is necessary to spread the religion of Allah; it does not have anything to do with forcing anyone to enter Islam. Jihad was only prescribed so that the word of Allah might be supreme, and so as to take away authority of kingdoms that stand between the people and the religion of Allah.

Moreover, Sulaymaan was a king, to whom Allah had granted sovereignty on earth, as more than one of the early generations stated, so no one had the right to decide any of the affairs of his kingdom without his consent, especially with regard to the greatest matter concerning which jihad was prescribed and for which kingdoms were established.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Jihad of the Muslims against the disbelievers is not for the purpose of making them become Muslim. Allah, may He be glorified, says (interpretation of the meaning): “There is no compulsion in religion” [al-Baqarah 2:256]. Rather jihad is so that the word of Allah may be supreme, and so that dominance may belong to the religion of Islam.

End quote from Majmoo‘ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il al-‘Uthaymeen (25/303).

Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allah preserve him) said:

It is not possible to force anyone to enter Islam, for entering Islam is something that comes from the heart, based on conviction in the heart, and it is not possible for us to control hearts or make them believe. That is in the hand of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, for He is the Controller of the hearts, and it is He Who guides whomever He wills and leaves astray whomever He wills. But our duty is to call people to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and to explain the truth, and to strive in jihad for the sake of Allah against those who are stubborn and recognise the truth but obstinately reject it after coming to know it. This is the one against whom we must strive in jihad, but as for the idea of forcing him to enter Islam and instilling faith in his heart by force, this is not for us to do, rather that is up to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted.

End quote from Majmoo‘ Fataawa ash-Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan (1/209)

The fact that the queen of Saba’ became Muslim and admitted having wronged her self when she disbelieved clearly indicates that she was content with faith and became Muslim voluntarily, and was not forced to do so.

Please see also the answers to questions no. 178756 and 82613.

And Allah knows best.