Lessons from the Spiritual Rise, Fall, and Revival of the Sabaeans: A Quranic and Historical Perspective
By Naseer Ahmed, New Age Islam
6 May 2025
Editor’s Note:
This article exposes how scholars have overlooked historical realities that the Quran meticulously preserves. The identity of the Sabians in 2:62 and 5:69 appears to have been deliberately obscured because scholars could not accept that they, despite turning to polytheism, could be entitled to Heaven. Similarly, the metaphor of the "Fig" in 95:1 has been ignored or misunderstood, as scholars find it difficult to accept all faiths that hold “the fig” sacred as part of Allah’s religion, due to their polytheistic practices today. Where scholars feigned ignorance—whether due to historical bias or limited evidence—the Quran's comprehensive scope ensures that no fragment of truth, however obscure, is lost. Its record stands in stark contrast to selective scholarship, insisting on preserving every remnant of Allah’s religion as part of humanity’s greater spiritual history.
Introduction
The Kingdom of Saba, a prosperous civilisation in southern Arabia, was known for its wealth, trade, and impressive architectural achievements, particularly the ancient city of Ma’rib. However, its religious evolution was marked by significant changes over time. According to the Quran, the Sabaeans embraced monotheism during the time of King Solomon, but following his death, many of them returned to their old polytheistic practices. This article explores the historical and Quranic accounts of the Sabaean shift from monotheism to polytheism, with support from archaeological findings.
The Quranic Account: Monotheism and Reversion
The Quran provides an account of Solomon’s interaction with the Sabaeans, particularly in Surah 27 An-Naml and Surah 34, Al-Saba. Solomon, renowned for his wisdom and power, is described as leading many of the Sabaeans toward the worship of the One true God through their Queen Saba or Sheba. Surah 27:44 ….She (Saba or Sheba) said: "O my Lord! I have indeed wronged my soul: I do (now) submit (in Islam), with Solomon, to the Lord of the Worlds."
However, following Solomon’s death, the faith that he had instilled among the people of Saba began to wane, and many returned to their former polytheistic ways.
Surah 38:35 to 39 offers a poignant description of this process:
"And We gave him, in addition to this, a kingdom such as no one else had ever had before him. Then We caused the wind to blow by his command, gently wherever he directed, and the devils, all builders and divers, and others bound together in chains. ‘This is Our gift; so grant or withhold, without account.’ "
This passage indicates a period of great prosperity under Solomon, marked by his ability to command the wind, jinn, and other forces. But after his death, the Sabaeans’ devotion to monotheism faltered. The few who remained faithful to the teachings of Solomon were outnumbered by those who reverted to their old ways, forsaking the monotheistic principles Solomon had imparted to them.
The reversion is further highlighted in the Quran's emphasis on the subsequent state of the Sabaeans, who, after Solomon's passing, returned to idol worship and polytheistic beliefs, as noted in Surah 34:15 to 21:
(34:15) There was, for Saba, aforetime, a Sign in their home-land - two Gardens to the right and to the left. "Eat of the Sustenance (provided) by your Lord, and be grateful to Him: a territory fair and happy, and a Lord Oft-Forgiving!
(16) But they turned away (from Allah), and We sent against them the Flood (released) from the dams, and We converted their two garden (rows) into "gardens" producing bitter fruit, and tamarisks, and some few (stunted) Lote-trees.
(17) That was the Requital We gave them because they ungratefully rejected Faith: and never do We give (such) requital except to such as are ungrateful rejecters.
(20) And on them did Satan prove true his idea, and they followed him, all but a party that believed.
(21) But he had no authority over them, - except that We might test the man who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it: and thy Lord doth watch over all things.
Here, the Quran underscores that although a minority of Sabaeans remained faithful, the majority returned to polytheism, abandoning the religious reforms that Solomon had introduced.
The Role of Solomon’s Wisdom
King Solomon's influence on the Sabaeans was not only political but spiritual. His wisdom and leadership played a pivotal role in guiding them towards monotheism, as evidenced by the Quran. Solomon’s engagement with the Sabaeans was marked by his ability to command supernatural forces, and his interactions with the Queen of Sheba are cited as an example of his persuasive power to lead others to the truth.
However, after Solomon’s death, the monotheistic faith he had imparted did not endure. The Sabaeans’ faithfulness was tested, and only a few held on to the principles Solomon had taught. The Quran highlights this shift, noting that the vast majority of the Sabaeans reverted to their old beliefs.
The Sabaean kingdom’s shift back to polytheism reflects a common theme in history, where a society experiences a temporary shift towards monotheism or reform, only to revert to old beliefs due to a lack of strong, enduring leadership. Solomon’s death created a leadership vacuum, and without his guidance, the people of Saba were easily swayed back to their previous practices.
Psychological Insight from the Quran
Surah Az-Zumar (39:45) provides a psychological perspective on the aversion to monotheism:
"When Allah alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink with aversion; but when those [worshipped] besides Him are mentioned, immediately they rejoice."
This verse unveils the inner resistance that underpins the rejection of pure monotheism. It links dislike for a belief in the Hereafter with an emotional revulsion toward the idea of a single, sovereign God because these go together. Such people find comfort in multiple deities—symbols that allow for indulgence without responsibility, intermediaries without submission, and rituals without internal transformation. The joy in mentioning other “gods” corresponds to a spiritual state in which human desires are mirrored back to them in permissive, man-made divinities. A belief in the Hereafter tends to reinforce moral responsibility and long-term thinking, which is resisted when it conflicts with indulgent lifestyles.
Only a few remained faithful, as hinted at in Surah Saba, and history confirms that while temples to many gods flourished in the region, some inscriptions and practices suggest the persistence of a monotheistic minority. The Quran's account is, once again, borne out both psychologically and archaeologically.
Archaeological Evidence: Temples and Inscriptions
Archaeological excavations in Yemen have uncovered evidence of the Sabaeans' polytheistic practices:
• Temple of Awwam (Mahram Bilqis): Located near Ma'rib, this temple was dedicated to the moon god Almaqah, the principal deity of the Sabaean pantheon. The temple complex, dating back to the 7th century BCE, underscores the centrality of polytheistic worship in Sabaean society.
• Inscriptions: Numerous Sabaean inscriptions found in South Arabia mention deities such as Almaqah, Athtar, and Dhat-Himyam. These inscriptions, found on altars, buildings, and votive objects, reflect the extensive pantheon worshipped by the Sabaeans.
• The Ma’rib Dam and Its Collapse: The Quran refers to the “flood released from the dams” (34:16), a likely allusion to the collapse of the Ma’rib Dam in 570 CE, which led to the downfall of the Sabaean civilization. This catastrophic event, corroborated by historical and archaeological records, signifies the material consequences of spiritual decline and moral ingratitude.
Return to Monotheism: The Himyarite Period
In the Himyarite period (circa 6th century CE), inscriptions reflect a renewed monotheistic orientation:
• Invocations of 'Rahmanan': The use of the term 'Rahmanan' (the Merciful), consistent with Jewish and Christian monotheistic traditions, marks a departure from older polytheistic practices. (See Robin, C.J.; Beeston, A.F.L.)
This phase illustrates a religious revival possibly influenced by the adversity caused by the flood released from the dams, and the memory of past monotheism.
Quranic Insight into Religious Revival
Surah 6:42 provides a theological lens:
"Before thee We sent (messengers) to many nations, and We afflicted the nations with suffering and adversity, that they might learn humility."
The Quran suggests that material decline and hardship can prompt spiritual awakening in some. The Sabaeans, facing economic and environmental challenges after the floods from the collapse of the dam, may have revisited their monotheistic past, as embodied in the memory of Solomon’s era.
However, even the punishment does not change the majority:
(6:43) When the suffering reached them from us, why then did they not learn humility? On the contrary their hearts became hardened, and Satan made their (sinful) acts seem alluring to them.
Divine Requital for Religious Reversion
The Quran presents the flood as a punishment for ingratitude and apostasy:
(34:17) That was the Requital We gave them because they ungratefully rejected Faith...
The Quran connects the rejection of monotheism with the collapse of the dam and societal decline, implying that their earlier turn toward polytheism after Solomon's death directly led to their downfall. The destruction is both physical and moral—a loss of spiritual and material prosperity. This motif recurs throughout the Quran: divine punishment follows wilful rejection after guidance.
A Test of Faith and Endurance
In verse 34:21:
"...that We might test the man who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it."
This test filtered the faithful remnant from the majority who followed Satan. The flood thus becomes a catalyst: it tests, exposes, and purifies. The few who remained monotheistic may have seen the event as confirmation of divine justice, potentially strengthening their faith.
Mass Migration and the Spread of Faith
According to Arab historians like Ibn Hisham and al-Hamdani, the collapse of the Ma’rib Dam triggered a mass migration of Sabaean tribes across the Arabian Peninsula. This large-scale displacement helped spread not only their cultural traditions but also fragments of their religious consciousness. Some of the migrating tribes carried with them a memory of their monotheistic heritage, possibly influencing other communities they settled among.
The Quranic emphasis on divine punishment followed by migration fits within a broader divine pattern: those who reject guidance face both spiritual and societal decline, while those who endure hardship with faith are repositioned by destiny to preserve and propagate the truth elsewhere.
Surah Al-Isra 17:76 suggests this theme of divinely managed migration:
"And indeed, they were about to provoke you from the land to drive you out of it. But then, they themselves would not have remained [there] after you, except for a little."
Here, the pattern of migration becomes a divine tool to safeguard and distribute the light of truth, beyond its origin.
Some of these displaced tribes eventually became early supporters of Islam in the 7th century. This long historical arc—from Solomon’s influence, to apostasy, to punishment, to migration, to eventual reception of Islam—can be viewed as a tortuous but redemptive spiritual journey.
Symbolic Cleansing and Preparation for Revelation
The dam’s collapse also symbolically washed away the remnants of a decadent civilisation, preparing the region for the final revival of monotheism through Islam. The Quran shows that destruction precedes renewal, and this applies here too.
This later phase of monotheism potentially explains why the Quran treats the Sabaeans with a degree of respect—acknowledging their complex religious history that included sincere engagement with monotheistic belief.
Why Couldn’t the Scholars Connect the Sabians In 2:62 And 5:69 To These People?
The difficulty appears to lie in the relatively limited evidence of monotheistic beliefs and the predominance of polytheistic practices among these people, making it hard for scholars to confidently identify them with the Sabians mentioned in verses 2:62 and 5:69. This could also explain the silence of Judeo-Christian sources regarding them.
Yet the Quran preserves their memory—because even an atom’s weight of faith or righteousness is not overlooked: “Whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it” (99:7). A small remnant of sincere believers is enough to warrant inclusion among the People of the Book.
This also sheds light on the Quranic metaphor of the “Fig” in 95:1, which symbolically includes all faith traditions that hold the fig or fig tree sacred—many of which, though later shaped by polytheism, may have begun with a belief in the One God. And for the very same reasons that scholars feigned ignorance of the identity of the Sabians, they also feign ignorance of the meaning behind the metaphor of 'the Fig'—unwilling to acknowledge what the Quran preserves with deliberate precision.
Conclusion
The journey of the Sabaeans—from monotheism under Solomon, to reversion into polytheism, and finally toward a later partial revival of monotheistic faith—offers profound spiritual and psychological lessons. The Quran captures this trajectory not only as a historical fact but as a paradigm for understanding human behaviour in relation to divine truth:
• Monotheism requires moral responsibility and inner transformation, resisted by those who prefer the comfort of inherited rituals and permissive polytheism.
• Prosperity without faith leads to moral decay, and the loss of spiritual moorings makes societies vulnerable to collapse.
• Suffering and adversity can awaken spiritual consciousness, but only in those whose hearts are not hardened.
• Divine guidance and tests separate the sincere from the insincere, and a faithful remnant survives to carry the legacy forward.
The Quranic narrative, corroborated by archaeology and supported by psychological insights, positions the story of the Sabaeans as a timeless lesson for all nations: true faith must be internalised, preserved through trials, and transmitted despite adversity. Their story reflects the human tendency to waver between submission and rebellion, remembrance and forgetfulness, prosperity and decline.
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A frequent contributor to NewAgeIslam.com, Naseer Ahmed is an Engineering graduate from IIT Kanpur and is an independent IT consultant after having served in both the Public and Private sector in responsible positions for over three decades. He has spent years studying Quran in-depth and made seminal contributions to its interpretation.
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