Sūrat al-Baqarah
Section 40 of 59 · Surah Studies · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
A King to Fight Behind
The second account is given at greater length. After all these particular rulings, Allah (swt) returns in the next cluster of verses to the Banū Isrāʾīl — of whom there is a great deal of discussion here — at verse 246:
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلْمَلَإِ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰٓ إِذْ قَالُوا۟ لِنَبِىٍّ لَّهُمُ ٱبْعَثْ لَنَا مَلِكًا نُّقَـٰتِلْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ قَالَ هَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِن كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْقِتَالُ أَلَّا تُقَـٰتِلُوا۟ ۖ قَالُوا۟ وَمَا لَنَآ أَلَّا نُقَـٰتِلَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَدْ أُخْرِجْنَا مِن دِيَـٰرِنَا وَأَبْنَآئِنَا ۖ فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقِتَالُ تَوَلَّوْا۟ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنْهُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
“Did you not see a group from the children of Isrā’īl (Israel), after (the time of) Mūsā when they said to their prophet: “Appoint for us a king, so that we may fight in the way of Allah.”He said: “Is it (not) likely, if fighting is enjoined upon you, that you would not fight.” They said: “What is wrong with us that we would not fight while we have been driven away from our homes and our sons?” But, when fighting was enjoined upon them, they turned away, except a few of them, and Allah is Aware of the unjust.” (2:246)
This party of the Israelites were asking for a commander, a king, a sovereign, a leader behind whom they might fight against their enemies. This is the whole account of Goliath and of Saul, Ṭālūt. There are numerous benefits in it for us. The account does not stand there merely as history; it stands there for a very particular purpose.
The first concerns its jihādī aspect: that this mattered to them, that they might defend themselves, being under impending danger.
The second is more remarkable. In the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) there were three Jewish tribes in Madīnah Munawwarah: the Banū Naḍīr, the Banū Qaynuqāʿ and the Banū Qurayẓah. They had learned men among them, their ʿulamāʾ and their rabbis. Now this particular account of Saul and of the tābūt, that ark, whatever it may have been, was known only to a few of the learned elect among the community. It was not known to the common Jewish man among those three tribes at that time, according to what the mufassirīn and the historians relate.
That this account should be given in the Qur'an in such detail was therefore a matter of wonder: this story was not denied by the religious elite among the Jewish tribes of that day. So the account does not merely furnish a historical record; it answers to a number of purposes at once, and one of them is to show the truth of the Qur'an. It was for this that a few of the Jewish rabbis afterwards became Muslim, ʿAbdullāh ibn Salām among them.
There is a further matter. The account contains this:
فَلَمَّا فَصَلَ طَالُوتُ بِٱلْجُنُودِ قَالَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُبْتَلِيكُم بِنَهَرٍ فَمَن شَرِبَ مِنْهُ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّى وَمَن لَّمْ يَطْعَمْهُ فَإِنَّهُۥ مِنِّىٓ إِلَّا مَنِ ٱغْتَرَفَ غُرْفَةًۢ بِيَدِهِۦ ۚ فَشَرِبُوا۟ مِنْهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنْهُمْ ۚ فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَهُۥ هُوَ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ قَالُوا۟ لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا ٱلْيَوْمَ بِجَالُوتَ وَجُنُودِهِۦ ۚ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَـٰقُوا۟ ٱللَّهِ كَم مِّن فِئَةٍ قَلِيلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةً كَثِيرَةًۢ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
“So, when Tālūt set out along with the troops, he said: “Allah is going to test you by a river, so, whoever drinks from it is not my man, and whoever does not taste it is surely a man of mine, except the one who scoops a little with his hand.” Then they drank from it, except a few of them. So, when it (the river) was crossed by him and by those who believed with him, they said: “There is no strength with us today against Jālūt and his troops.” Said those who believed in their having to meet Allah: “How many small groups have overcome large groups by the will of Allah. Allah is with those who remain patient.”” (2:249)
This is part of a verse quoted in a great many situations, and especially where a small party faces danger from a more powerful enemy — where the foe and the opponent is far stronger, or far greater in number. It is given to furnish confidence, assurance and trust in Allah (swt).