Title: Are Kingdoms Islamic? Question: Is Islam against kingdoms and kingship? The reason I ask is that in the story of the Queen of Sheba and her correspondence with Solomon (pbuh), she remarks: Kings, when they enter a country, despoil it, and make the noblest of its people its meanest; thus do they behave ( Surah An-Naml 27:34). However, Solomon and David (pbut) are historically known to have been kings of their lands and God Himself commissioned these rulers. What, then, is the Islamic position on kingdoms and kingship? Thank you, Omar Answer: It would not be correct to say that Islam is against 'Kingdoms'. On the contrary, it would be more accurate to say that the system of government recommended by Islam is not 'Kingdom', but is actually one, which is based on the mutual consultation and, subsequently, the implementation of the opinion held by the majority of the subjects. As for the kingdoms of the Jewish people, it is well known that they started with the persistent demands for 'kingdoms' by the Israelites. Even after the prophet Samuel strongly dissuaded the Israelites from seeking to appoint a king over themselves, the Israelites persisted with their demands. Subsequently, God directed the prophet to appoint a king over the Israelites [1] . I hope this helps. Regards, Moiz Amjad November 14, 2001 [1] For details, see 1 Samuel 8.