Vries, Charlotte, de
(2023)
The Mystical Reading of the Quranic Queen of Sheba.
Master thesis, M Religion & Pluralism.
Abstract
The story of the Queen of Sheba has been the subject of numerous studies and has been approached from different academic angles (political, historical, theological, etc.). However, we lack a study that dwells on how the Quran contributes to a mystical interpretation of her character and story. This thesis focuses on such and interpretation and on the reception of the story of the Queen of Sheba in the late Middle Ages (around 1100-1500 C.E.). Her wellknown encounter with King Solomon seems to have had a mystical function in this period, which is distinct from the one we find in the Hebrew Bible. This mystical function is especially visible in Islamic exegesis linked to minority groups, and in the interpretations in the late Islamic tradition. Taking these considerations into account, this thesis sets out to examine the construction of the mystical image of the Queen of Sheba in the Quran and late medieval sources.
The research uses reception theory from the primary understanding that the Quran draws on the Hebrew Bible´s account of the Queen of Sheba but also departs from it. The various elements and the role of the Queen of Sheba in a narrative where she is not mentioned explicitly by this name (although the Islamic tradition identifies her as Bilqis) will be discussed. The contours of the mystical reading of her representation and authority will be drawn, too, by focusing on the Quran 27, The Ants. As will be argued, the interpretation attributes to her pious behavior through her conversion to monotheism through which it is possible to challenge some dominant perspectives on authority in Islam. In addition to the Quran and its interpretation, this thesis also analyzes the reception of the story in some Muslim sources from the late Middle Ages, a period in which we find numerous materials that shed light on aspects of how her character was received and represented. The conclusions of the thesis not only highlight the abundance of mystical interpretations of Bilqis. They also suggest that the narrative of the Queen of Sheba and her character possibly had a special appeal to some minority groups in Islam, such as sufis and women. This is an aspect that addressed here in a preliminary way and will hopefully serve as a basis for future research.
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