Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 248–252

2. Al-Baqara · The Cow

Madinan286 verses

وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ ءَايَةَ مُلْكِهِۦٓ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ ٱلتَّابُوتُ فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَبَقِيَّةٌۭ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ ءَالُ مُوسَىٰ وَءَالُ هَٰرُونَ تَحْمِلُهُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَةًۭ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

2:248Their prophet said to them, ‘Indeed the sign of his kingship shall be that the Ark will come to you, bearing tranquillity from your Lord and the relics left behind by the House of Moses and the House of Aaron, borne by the angels. There is indeed a sign in that for you, should you be faithful.’1

فَلَمَّا فَصَلَ طَالُوتُ بِٱلْجُنُودِ قَالَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُبْتَلِيكُم بِنَهَرٍۢ فَمَن شَرِبَ مِنْهُ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّى وَمَن لَّمْ يَطْعَمْهُ فَإِنَّهُۥ مِنِّىٓ إِلَّا مَنِ ٱغْتَرَفَ غُرْفَةًۢ بِيَدِهِۦ ۚ فَشَرِبُوا۟ مِنْهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلًۭا مِّنْهُمْ ۚ فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَهُۥ هُوَ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ قَالُوا۟ لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا ٱلْيَوْمَ بِجَالُوتَ وَجُنُودِهِۦ ۚ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَٰقُوا۟ ٱللَّهِ كَم مِّن فِئَةٍۢ قَلِيلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةًۭ كَثِيرَةًۢ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ

2:249As Saul set out with the troops, he said, ‘Allah will test you with a stream: anyone who drinks from it will not belong to me, but those who do not drink from it will belong to me, barring someone who draws a scoop with his hand.’ But they drank from it, [all] except a few of them. So when he crossed it along with the faithful who were with him, they said, ‘We have no strength today against Goliath and his troops.’ Those who were certain that they would encounter Allah said, ‘How many a small party has overcome a larger party by Allah’s will! And Allah is with the patient.’23

وَلَمَّا بَرَزُوا۟ لِجَالُوتَ وَجُنُودِهِۦ قَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَآ أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًۭا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ

2:250So when they marched out for [encounter with] Goliath and his troops, they said, ‘Our Lord, pour patience upon us, make our feet steady, and assist us against the faithless lot.’

فَهَزَمُوهُم بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَتَلَ دَاوُۥدُ جَالُوتَ وَءَاتَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُلْكَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَهُۥ مِمَّا يَشَآءُ ۗ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلنَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍۢ لَّفَسَدَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

2:251Thus they routed them with Allah’s will, and David killed Goliath, and Allah gave him kingdom and wisdom and taught him whatever He liked. Were it not for Allah’s repelling the people by means of one another, the earth would surely have been corrupted; but Allah is gracious to the world’s people.4

تِلْكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ وَإِنَّكَ لَمِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ

2:252These are the signs of Allah, which We recite for you in truth, and you are indeed one of the apostles.

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 249

1.When Taloot (a.s.) departed with his forces, it was very hot and his people became very thirsty. They asked him for water. Taloot (a.s.) said there will be a river, but it is for your trial. Whoever from you will not drink from that river, will be from me. That is the criterion of loyalty to the prophet is patience and forbearance. If you are not patient it would be very difficult to be steadfast in the battlefield. That is how can he remain patient among the swords one who cannot be patient for a sip of water?

2.In the battle of the Ditch, we find a similar style of the companions. That instead of facing Amr they were singing the praise of the strength of the infidels. But there too were some people who thought that help and victory is from Allah and it has no connection with apparent conditions and causes.

Verse 251

3.This incident has awakened the people of Quran that in order to face the enemy of Islam it is necessary to have the following factors: (i) Courage and self-control and the power of forbearance must not fail even in the most trying circumstances. (ii) One should have faith and reliance in Allah’s help for victory and success and we must not worry about the provisions of the battle or the apparent conditions. (iii) Those who are sure they would meet their Lord, never worry of the enemy’s power. (iv) Only one who is bestowed by knowledge and bravery by Allah is the true warrior. Only he gets rulership and wisdom. (v) Allah grants the kingdom Himself and forcible annexation and rule is not divine rule and wisdom whoever He likes, but govern the people by force is not called a kingship.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    Taboot is the name of casket of Taurat. Its root is Taubah. T is additional like Jabaroot. Sakina is derived from Sukoon. That the means of comfort of Taurat. On the basis of some traditions this casket had the staff or Moosa (a.s.), the turban of Haroon (a.s.) and pictures of different Prophets (a.s.) and also the pictures of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and Ali (a.s.). Benefit: On the basis of some traditions this Taboot is the same Casket in which the mother had placed the infant Moosa (a.s.) and entrusted it to the river. It faced all the storms and protected Moosa (a.s.).

  2. 2

    That is Taloot came from the Baitul Muqaddas to confront the army of Jaloot.

  3. 3

    Ghurfa is the cupped hand. That there is permission to pick a handful but not to drink it. From this aspect the rightful person is that who does not even taste it.

    Benefit: In the 249th ayat Zann could also be in the meaning of certainty that such a use is allowed in Arabic and it could also be in its real meaning that the thought of meeting Allah could also create in man a sort of strength. Benefit: There is dispute regarding the personality of Dawood (a.s.) that who was this gentleman. Mostly the commentators have considered him to be the father of Sulaiman (a.s.) as there is mention of kingdom and wisdom in the ayat and it is a quality of prophet hood also and they are mentioned in connection with the Dawood (a.s.) at another place in the Quran.

  4. 4

    Mulk is Kingdom and Hikmat is rulership which continued in the descendants of Dawood (a.s.). Sulaiman (a.s.) having rulership. From this incident it is proved that rulership and prophethood is possible in the same family. There is no doubt about it.

    Benefit: We should know that 251st ayat is not related to the struggle for existence and neither is there any scientific proof of the same. Evolution of man is the perfection of cooperation for existence and it is not from the struggle for existence. Jihad is an expression of the strength of the believers and divine help is provided only due to hidden wisdom.

  5. Benefit

    When the Taboot fell into the hands of the idol worshippers of Palestine they took it to the temple but they fell into various misfortunes. They were thus forced to throw it out. They kept it on a bullock cart and left it unmanned so that bullocks would throw it in the desert somewhere. The bullock cart reached the town Ismoil when the leadership of Taloot had already been announced and this Taboot was handed over to him, which had been actually delivered there by the angels, though apparently it was kept on the bullock cart and left to the beasts of burden.

    Benefit: Ifraagh means to pour out. That as if the army of Taloot had metaphorically demanded patience and apparently requested for steadfastness and in the end. also said that success is not possible without divine help therefore they prayed to Allah for help.