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This transcript was auto-generated using AI and may contain misspellings. As-salamu alaykum and welcome back to Sayyidati. Today we will discuss the legacy of Arwa bint Ahmed al-Sulayhiya, the Fultimate ruler of Yemen. She was born in Haraz, near Sana'a in 1048 AD. At the time, her uncle was the ruler of the Sulayhid Empire under the Fultimate dynasty. And since she was orphaned at a young age, she was brought up by her uncle's wife, Asmaa bint Shihab. Now let me take a moment here to quickly describe this aunt, Asmaa. When her husband, Ali, who was the ruler, was eventually murdered, she spent two years as a prisoner and then finally rose to become Queen of Yemen and ruled for two decades. She was successful in promoting the economic and social well-being of her people, constructing roads and gardens, and avoiding military conflict through skillful diplomacy. And she was particularly known for always keeping her promises. Now that we've got that established, let's turn back to our main character, Arwa bint Ahmed. So, as I mentioned earlier, she was educated and trained by Asmaa, who would actually become her mother-in-law after Arwa married her cousin, Ahmed al-Mukarram, in 1066. After the ruler Ali died, his son Ahmed inherited the dynasty. But Ahmed, Arwa's husband, suffered from facial paralysis and withdrew from public life and handed over his authority to Arwa. Arwa eventually lived to be 90 years old, spending over 70 years of that time as the direct ruler of Yemen. She built countless schools and mosques and even improved road infrastructure. She shifted the focus of the country from arms to agriculture, and thus improving the economy, and also moved the capital from Sana'a to the Jibla and turned her palace into a mosque. Although she wasn't the first female monarch in the Muslim world, she and her aunt Asmaa were the only rulers in Arab lands to have their names mentioned during the khutbas, which was a common sign throughout Islamic dynasties that signified the authority of the ruler. Furthermore, when the Abbasid caliph
al-Muntasir sent letters to Yemen, he directly addressed them in her name. There was no question of her rulership. Arwa bint Ahmed is still recalled fondly in Yemen, and the mosques she has constructed remain until this day. There's also been a university and museum built in her name. She is known as a Sayyid al-Malik al-Hurra, or the noble queen, and even referred to as the second queen of Sheba, after the famous queen of Sheba, or Bilqis, whose story is narrated in the Quran. What I love about the story of Arwa and so many of the princesses and sultanas throughout Islamic history was their patronage to their communities. As a queen and leader of her dominion, Arwa had the capability to do so much around her, but she prioritized building places for worship and education. She understood that only by promoting proper knowledge in worship of Allah could her community flourish. And flourish it did. May Allah grant us the wisdom and leadership of both the queen of Sheba and queen Arwa. Ameen. Jazakumullah khayran for tuning in. Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
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