In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Allah informs us about the Queen of Sabah when she received Prophet Sulayman’s [peace be upon him] letter:

قَالَتْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلَؤُا۟ إِنِّىٓ أُلْقِىَ إِلَىَّ كِتَٰبٌ كَرِيمٌ

إِنَّهُ مِن سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

أَلَّا تَعْلُوا۟ عَلَىَّ وَأْتُونِى مُسْلِمِينَ

She said: “O chiefs! Verily! Here is delivered to me a noble letter; verily, it is from Sulayman, and verily, it (reads): ‘In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy. Be you not exalted against me, but come to me as Muslims (true believers who submit to Allah with full submission)'”.

Then Allah says:

قَالَتْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلَؤُا۟ أَفْتُونِى فِىٓ أَمْرِى مَا كُنتُ قَاطِعَةً أَمْرًا حَتَّىٰ تَشْهَدُونِ

She said: “O chiefs! Advise me in (this) case of mine. I decide no case till you are present with me.”

قَالُوا۟ نَحْنُ أُو۟لُوا۟ قُوَّةٍ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ وَٱلْأَمْرُ إِلَيْكِ فَٱنظُرِى مَاذَا تَأْمُرِينَ

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.” Meaning: “We are possessors of strength in numbers and equipment, reinforcements and courage during fiece battle, but the matter is entrusted to you, and you are the one who will decide, so consider what you order us to do. We’ll listen and obey you”. [Tafseer Al-Muyassar]

“We are men of strength and great might in warfare. If you respond to what Sulayman said and do not obey him, we are strong to fight”. It is as if they were leaning towards this opinion, which if implemented, it would have led to their destruction, but they also did not settle on it, but rather they said: “And the matter is up to you”, meaning: “The affair is what you give consideration” because of their knowledge regarding her intelligence, determination, and sincere consideration regarding their affairs. [Tafseer As-Sadi]

When they said what they said to her, she was more decisive than them and more knowledgeable about Sulayman’s affair, and that there was no way of defending oneself against Sulayman’s soldiers, armies, the jinn, humans, and birds that were subjected to his command. [Tafsir Ibn Kathir]

قَالَتْ إِنَّ ٱلْمُلُوكَ إِذَا دَخَلُوا۟ قَرْيَةً أَفْسَدُوهَا وَجَعَلُوٓا۟ أَعِزَّةَ أَهْلِهَآ أَذِلَّةً وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَفْعَلُونَ

وَإِنِّى مُرْسِلَةٌ إِلَيْهِم بِهَدِيَّةٍ فَنَاظِرَةٌۢ بِمَ يَرْجِعُ ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ

She said: “Verily! Kings, when they enter a town (country), they despoil it, and make the most honourable amongst its people low. And thus they do. But verily! I am going to send him a present, and see with what (answer) the messengers return.“

Meaning: She warned them against confronting Sulayman (peace be upon him) with hostility, and explaining to them the evil consequences of fighting, that when kings enter a town forcefully and overcome, they destroy it and humiliate the most honorable of its people, killing and capturing, and this is their constant habit to make people fear them, so I am sending a gift to Sulayman and his people, including valuable wealth, with which I will appease him, and then wait for the news that the messengers will return with. [Tafsir Al-Muyassar]

Ottoman Sultan Uthmaan -(The First) – Gave Advice On His Deathbed

“O my son! Beware of busying yourself with something that Allaah, the Lord of the worlds, has not commanded, and if you are faced with a dilemma in relation to passing a judgement, then take the advice of the scholars of the religion”.

“Be generous to the soldiers. Let not shaytaan deceive you by your soldiers and wealth, and beware of turning away from the people of the Shariah (i.e. the scholars)”.

“O my son! You know that our goal is to please Allaah, the Lord of the worlds, and that by way of Jihaad the light of our religion spreads to the different regions, so that the pleasure of Allaah – may He be glorified and exalted – manifests”.

“O my son! We are not among those who start wars due to a desire to rule and control. We live for Islam and die with Islam. O my son! This is what is worthy of you”.

“know O my son! Spreading Islam, guiding people to it, protecting the honour of Muslims and their wealth is a trust, and Allaah – The Almighty – will ask you about it”.

“O my son! I am returning to my Lord, and I am proud of you that you will be just to those under your authority and striving in the path of Allaah to spread the religion ordained by Allaah”.

“O my son! I advise you to adhere to the scholars of the Ummah continuously, take care of them, honour them a lot and consult them, because they do not command you with anything else except good. O my son! Beware of doing something that does not please Allaah – The Almighty, and if something is difficult for you, ask the scholars of the Sharee’ah, because indeed they will guide you to good”.

“know, O my son! Our only path in this world is the path ordained by Allaah and our only goal is to spread the religion ordained by Allaah, and we are neither seekers of status nor worldly things”.

“My advice to my children and friends is that they maintain the loftiness of the glorious Islamic religion by carrying on with Jihaad in the path of Allaah. Hold onto the honorable banner of Islam at the top with the most perfect Jihaad. Serve Islaam always, because indeed Allaah [The Mighty and Majestic] appointed a weak servant like me to conquer countries. Go with the statement of pure Islamic monotheism to the furthest countries in Jihaad in the path of Allaah”.

“O my son! There is none in the worldly life except that he will submit to death and my life span has approached its end by the command of Allaah. I pass on the affairs of this empire to you and I leave you in the protection of Al-Mawlaa [Allaah – The Protector] and be just in all your affairs”.

[An Excerpt from Ad-Dawlah Al-Uthmaaniyyah Awaamil An-Nuhood wa Asbaab As-Suqoot. 6/49- 51]