SABA’. صبا
A tribe of Yaman, whose dwelling-placed are called Ma rib, mentioned in the xxxxvth Surah of the Qur’an (entitled the Suratu Saba), verse 14:—
“A sign there was to Saba’ in their dwelling places:-—two gardens, the one on the right hand and the other on the left: Eat ye of your Lord’s supplies, and give thanks to him: Goodly is the country. and gracious is the Lord!’
“But they turned aside: an we sent upon., them the flood of Iram: and we changed them their gardens into two gardens of bitter fruit and tamarisk and some few jujube trees
Such was our retribution on them for their ingratitude.”
M. Caussin de Perceval. Hist. des Arabes, vol. iii., as well as M. de Sacy, fix this event in the second century of the Christian era.
(2) Also the name of a province referred to in the Qur’an, Surah xxvii. 21, where it seems to be identical with the Sheba ~ of the Bible, is the country of the Queen of Sheba :—
“Nor tarried it (the lapwing) long ere it came and said, ‘I have gained the knowledge that thou knowest not, and with sure tidings have I come to thee from Saba’:
“‘I found. a woman reigning over them, gifted with everything, and she hath a splendid throne; “And I found her and her people worshipping the Sun instead of God; and Satan hath made their works fair seeming to them, so that he hath turned them from the Way: wherefore they are not guided,
“To the worship of God, who bringeth to light the secret things of heaven and earth, and knoweth what men conceal and what they manifest:
“God: there is no god but He! the lord of the glorious throne!”
For a discussion of the identity of the Saba’ of Arabia with the Sheba of the Bible, refer to the word Sheba in Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible.
A tribe of Yaman, whose dwelling-placed are called Ma rib, mentioned in the xxxxvth Surah of the Qur’an (entitled the Suratu Saba), verse 14:—
“A sign there was to Saba’ in their dwelling places:-—two gardens, the one on the right hand and the other on the left: Eat ye of your Lord’s supplies, and give thanks to him: Goodly is the country. and gracious is the Lord!’
“But they turned aside: an we sent upon., them the flood of Iram: and we changed them their gardens into two gardens of bitter fruit and tamarisk and some few jujube trees
Such was our retribution on them for their ingratitude.”
M. Caussin de Perceval. Hist. des Arabes, vol. iii., as well as M. de Sacy, fix this event in the second century of the Christian era.
(2) Also the name of a province referred to in the Qur’an, Surah xxvii. 21, where it seems to be identical with the Sheba ~ of the Bible, is the country of the Queen of Sheba :—
“Nor tarried it (the lapwing) long ere it came and said, ‘I have gained the knowledge that thou knowest not, and with sure tidings have I come to thee from Saba’:
“‘I found. a woman reigning over them, gifted with everything, and she hath a splendid throne; “And I found her and her people worshipping the Sun instead of God; and Satan hath made their works fair seeming to them, so that he hath turned them from the Way: wherefore they are not guided,
“To the worship of God, who bringeth to light the secret things of heaven and earth, and knoweth what men conceal and what they manifest:
“God: there is no god but He! the lord of the glorious throne!”
For a discussion of the identity of the Saba’ of Arabia with the Sheba of the Bible, refer to the word Sheba in Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible.
Based on Hughes, Dictionary of Islam
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