A Woman's 'Self-Wronging': A Gender Subtheme in the Qur'anic Encounter between Solomon and the Queen of Sheba

TY - JOUR

T1 - A Woman's 'Self-Wronging': A Gender Subtheme in the Qur'anic Encounter between Solomon and the Queen of Sheba

AU - Christiansen, Johanne Louise

PY - 2018/12/1

Y1 - 2018/12/1

N2 - This article examines the encounter between Solomon and the fascinating, but intricate Queen of Sheba in the Qur'an (Q27:15-44). By taking a literary approach to the Qur'anic narrative itself (and not later interpretations as have been the focus of both the Muslim tradition and in the field of Qur'anic studies), I argue that the story not only presents a didactic Qur'anic conversion scene (from paganism to monotheism), but also that the story is permeated by gender related features. I show that two episodes in the story, the Queen's entry into Solomon's palace and her declaration of 'self-wronging' (zulm al-nafs; Q27:44) are essential for the story's gender subtheme. On the one hand, the Qur'anic story depicts a woman's submission to a patriarchal order, but, on the other, it also indicates what seems to be a relative gender equality for men and women before God.

AB - This article examines the encounter between Solomon and the fascinating, but intricate Queen of Sheba in the Qur'an (Q27:15-44). By taking a literary approach to the Qur'anic narrative itself (and not later interpretations as have been the focus of both the Muslim tradition and in the field of Qur'anic studies), I argue that the story not only presents a didactic Qur'anic conversion scene (from paganism to monotheism), but also that the story is permeated by gender related features. I show that two episodes in the story, the Queen's entry into Solomon's palace and her declaration of 'self-wronging' (zulm al-nafs; Q27:44) are essential for the story's gender subtheme. On the one hand, the Qur'anic story depicts a woman's submission to a patriarchal order, but, on the other, it also indicates what seems to be a relative gender equality for men and women before God.

U2 - 10.1093/litthe/fry014

DO - 10.1093/litthe/fry014

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0269-1205

VL - 32

SP - 397

EP - 422

JO - Literature and Theology

JF - Literature and Theology

IS - 4

ER -