Surah Al-Baqarah 2:249-253 - Quran Translation Commentary

(2:249) When Talut set forth with his troops he told them, ‘Verily, Allah is going to test you at the stream.⁵²⁸ Whosoever drank from it, is not of me. But he who did not partake of it is of me, except for him who takes a sip out of his hand.' But, they drank from it (their fill) save for a handful of them.⁵²⁹ When he had crossed it along with those who had believed in him,⁵³⁰ they began to say, ‘We have no strength this day against Jalut and his forces.' But those who believed that they would meet their Lord exclaimed: ‘How many a small band overcame a big band, with the help of Allah?⁵³¹ And Allah is with the patient.'⁵³²

(2:250) So, when they came face to face with Jalut and his forces, they prayed, ‘O Lord, shower upon us patience,⁵³³ make firm our feet, and help us against the unbelieving people.'⁵³⁴

(2:251) Thereupon they routed them by Allah's will, and Da’ud slew Jalut. Allah gave him kingship and prophethood,⁵³⁵ and taught him what He willed.⁵³⁶ And, were not Allah to remove one set of people by means of another, the earth would be utterly corrupted,⁵³⁷ but Allah is bounteous upon all the beings.

(2:252) These are the revelations of Allah that We recite to you with Truth and verily, you are of the Messengers.⁵³⁸

(2:253) Those (were) Messengers some of whom We preferred above others: to some Allah spoke (directly)⁵³⁹ while others He raised in rank.⁵⁴⁰ And We gave ‘Isa, son of Maryam, clear proofs, and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit.⁵⁴¹ And, had Allah willed, those who succeeded them⁵⁴² would not have fought one against the other after the evidences (of truth) had come to them but they differed among themselves, so that some of them believed and some of them disbelieved.⁵⁴³ Yet, had Allah willed they would not have fought one against the other, but Allah does what He will.⁵⁴⁴

Commentary

528. The intransigence and unreliability of the Israelites, despite clear signs, and their hostility towards their Prophets and rulers was well known. Allah, therefore, put them to test at the stream in order that those who were weak in faith and meager of patience could be distinguished and separated out before they met their mighty enemy in the battlefield (Qadi: Razi).

529. "The symbolic implication is that faith and, thus, belief in the justice of one's cause has no value unless it is accompanied by heightened self discipline and disregard of one's material interests" (Asad).

530. According to a report in Bukhari the forces with Talut numbered many thousands. But, after the crossing of the stream, as many were left as the Muslims were at Badr, i.e. three hundred and a few over ten. The rest were left behind (Ibn Jarir). The stream itself, according to one version, was a river between Jordan (city: Au.) and Palestine (i.e. river Jordan: Au.) Ibn `Abbas, Rabi`, Qatadah: Ibn Jarir).

It may also be noted that just as the result of the historical battle at Badr, the result of the battle between the forces of Talut and Jalut also proved to be a decisive one. It led to the establishment of the powerful kingdom of David and Solomon (Au.).

531. It seems it was the ordinary believers who were awed at being so overwhelmingly outnumbered by the enemy forces led by Jalut (Goliath of the Bible). Those that were strong in their faith were at peace and (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi) advised those who were losing heart not to look at numbers as Allah's help does not hinge on numbers, rather on who is fighting for a just cause (Ibn Jarir).

532. Qurtubi, the Chief Justice of Spain, laments in the 13th century of the Christian era: Is this not what we are required to do? (i.e., courageously face our powerful enemies with faith and patience). But our ugly deeds combined with our unholy intentions deter us. In fact, our large forces get knocked out at the hands of a small force of the enemy as has repeatedly happened. This is because of what our hands have earned. Bukhari records Abu Darda' as saying, 'You fight with your deeds (as your arms).' The Prophet has said, 'Are you not fed and helped but because of your weaker sections (of the society)?' But our deeds are corrupt, the weaker sections disdained, patience is little, trust is gone and fear of Allah is lacking; while Allah has said, 'Verily Allah is with those who fear Him and those who do things well.'... These then are the factors that decide whether Allah's help will descend or not. And these are lacking in us. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji`un. Indeed nothing remains of Islam but its name, nor of the religion but appearances, because of the corruption that has dug deep, the increase in sins and rebellion, the deterioration in conduct, until our enemy has overpowered us everywhere: east and west, over land and sea. Hence trials have multiplied, tribulations have become severe and there is no one who has escaped but he with whom Allah has been merciful.

533. The "afrigh" of the original suggests outpouring of a thing into a receptacle (Razi, Alusi).

534. When our Prophet faced his enemies in the battlefield his prayer words used to be: اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَجْعَلُكَ فِى نُحُورِهِمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شُرُورِهِمْ "O Lord, we entrust their throats unto You and seek Your refuge from their evil" (Razi, Alusi).

Note the order in the verse under discussion: 'O Lord, shower upon us patience (and perseverance), make firm our feet, and help us against the unbelieving people.' Victory requires firmness. And patience is the pre requisite for firmness (Thanwi). <

535. According to Jewish sources, Jalut was a huge and powerfully built man. He came out challenging a duel but no one responded. Talut announced that he would give his daughter in marriage to anyone who killed him. Da`ud, a young man, not yet a prophet, and not as massively built, accepted the challenge, fought him and killed him. In consequence he married Talut's daughter and thus entered the royal family inheriting the rule after Talut. Subsequently, Allah made him a Prophet also. Accordingly the "hikmah" of the original should be interpreted as "prophethood" (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Bayan).

The account given both by the classical as well as modern commentators concerning Da`ud and Jalut (David and Goliath) heavily rely upon Biblical sources, (Samuel 1, Chap. 17 & 18), where fiction goes hand in hand with truth and hence we have dropped them out (Au.).

Majid says: "Kingship is Islam is not incompatible with the highest spiritual achievements. It can co exist even with prophethood. In fact it is on occasions a special Divine reward an excellent opportunity to serve one's fellow creatures."

Alusi and Razi add: It implies that knowledge (of revelation) and (an organized) government are the two basic requirements for bringing about peace in the land (Alusi, Razi).

536. This could refer to the manufacturing techniques of armory, (Ibn Jarir) or the understanding of the language of the birds, (Qurtubi, Alusi), or even the knowledge of religion sent through revelation. The phrase itself was perhaps added to point out that no man not even a prophet can at any stage in his life dispense with knowledge (Razi).

537. "That is, were not Allah to replace the wicked and the mischievous with the righteous and the rightly guided, the earth would be filled with mischief" (Majid).

In the words of Mawdudi: "Were the dominion of one nation or party to endure for ever, and were its capacity to perpetrate wrongs granted perpetuity, God's earth would become full of corruption and wickedness."

538. These revelations of Allah are a clear proof of your messengership; otherwise, how could you, O Muhammad, being unlettered, relate these events of the past, in such detail and with such accuracy? (Ibn Jarir).

539. Adam, Musa and Muhammad (peace on them all) were cases in point with whom Allah spoke directly (Ibn Kathir, Shanqiti).

540. Thus, prophets hold various status and ranks with Allah. This was demonstrated to our Prophet at the time of his nocturnal journey. He met them in various firmaments which indicated their status. A question arises: If the status of the prophets varies, why did our Prophet instruct us not to raise one prophet over the other? A hadith, for example, preserved by Bukhari and Muslim says, عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ بَيْنَمَا يَهُودِىٌّ يَعْرِضُ سِلْعَةً لَهُ أُعْطِىَ بِهَا شَيْئًا كَرِهَهُ أَوْ لَمْ يَرْضَهُ - شَكَّ عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ - قَالَ لاَ وَالَّذِى اصْطَفَى مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَى الْبَشَرِ. قَالَ فَسَمِعَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَلَطَمَ وَجْهَهُ - قَالَ - تَقُولُ وَالَّذِى اصْطَفَى مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَى الْبَشَرِ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِنَا قَالَ فَذَهَبَ الْيَهُودِىُّ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ إِنَّ لِى ذِمَّةً وَعَهْدًا. وَقَالَ فُلاَنٌ لَطَمَ وَجْهِى. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « لِمَ لَطَمْتَ وَجْهَهُ ». قَالَ. قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِى اصْطَفَى مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَى الْبَشَرِ وَأَنْتَ بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِنَا. قَالَ فَغَضِبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- حَتَّى عُرِفَ الْغَضَبُ فِى وَجْهِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ « لاَ تُفَضِّلُوا بَيْنَ أَنْبِيَاءِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهُ يُنْفَخُ فِى الصُّورِ فَيَصْعَقُ مَنْ فِى السَّمَوَاتِ وَمَنْ فِى الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ مَنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ - قَالَ - ثُمَّ يُنْفَخُ فِيهِ أُخْرَى فَأَكُونُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ بُعِثَ أَوْ فِى أَوَّلِ مَنْ بُعِثَ فَإِذَا مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ آخِذٌ بِالْعَرْشِ فَلاَ أَدْرِى أَحُوسِبَ بِصَعْقَتِهِ يَوْمَ الطُّورِ أَوْ بُعِثَ قَبْلِى ». صحيح مسلم Once a Jew and a Muslim argued over some trade commodity when the Jew said, "No, by Him who chose Moses over the (people of the) world." An Ansari Muslim who heard him slapped him saying, "Do you say He chose Musa over the people, and over Muhammad?" The Jew complained to the Prophet. He was quite upset. He said: "Do not raise me above other Prophets; for on the Day of Judgment everyone will pass out. I will be the first to regain myself, and I will find Musa (saws) holding the `Arsh. Now, I don't know if Musa would not have lost his consciousness at all, or would have been spared because of what happened to him (when he desired to see Allah in Person) at Tur." (The tr. is shortened).

The question, therefore, in view of the Qur'anic statement that there are ranks among the Prophets, remains to be answered. There can be several answers: a) The Prophet said this out of humility, b) The forbiddance is for situations of arguments, c) One should not seek to raise him above other prophets out of prejudice against them, and d) It is not for us to judge their status. It is for Allah to judge. For us, it is only obedience (Ibn Kathir).

Following a hadith in which the Prophet mentioned himself as of the highest of rank among the sons of Adam, it is allowed that we refer to him as the best of Prophets and the most exalted of all the Messengers, making it a general statement. However, it is not allowed that we say he is better than so and so, specifically naming a prophet, or calling him inferior to our Prophet (Qurtubi). The best that has been said about the subject is that there is no difference among the prophets as prophets; being all equal in the qualities of prophethood. The difference among them is in their personal qualities as well as in their 'states' (Qurtubi, Shanqiti).

541. "(He is) not the 'third person of Trinity' but the arch angel Gabriel, who was in constant attendance upon Prophet Jesus, and protected him a mere mortal from the wiles of his enemies" (Majid).

542. That is, after Musa and `Isa (Qatadah, Rabi`: Ibn Jarir). However, it seems it is applicable to all the prophets whose succeeding generations generally quarreled among themselves after them (Qurtubi).

543. "This, in a nutshell, has been the history of the prophets and their peoples. The moral for the holy Prophet of Islam is to derive comfort by contemplating on this uniform fact of history, and not to expect wholesale conversion" (Majid from Thanwi).

Mawdudi elaborates: "God did not appoint the Prophets as policemen to force people to faith and obedience. He sent them, instead, with reasonable arguments and clear signs in order to invite people to righteousness. Hence the cause of all the differences and wrangling and fighting which took place was that people, in exercising the free will granted to them by God, followed divergent courses. In short, people follow divergent ways precisely because of God's omnipotent will that men should have a choice. It would be a grave misunderstanding to hold that people follow different paths because God failed to persuade people to follow the path which He wanted them to choose."

544. Sayyid Qutb comments: "This fighting (between the people) did not take place against Allah's Will. Nothing can happen in this world without His Will. It was His Will that man's nature should be what it is ... with the capacity both for good as well as evil ... and that he should have the freedom to choose between right and wrong. Therefore, all that happens within his soul, all that he strives for and all that he achieves, fall within the scope of Allah's Will.

"Further, the differences in capabilities between one individual and another are by the design of Allah ... and so is the diversity despite the unity of origin in order that these different capabilities may match with the different functions of khilafah (that the humankind has been entrusted with). Allah was not such as to make all the people a carbon copy of each other ... while the functions and responsibilities of khilafah on the earth, and the all round growth and development of life in it, was to take such varying and divergent forms. Indeed, when Allah (swt) wished diverse responsibilities for man, He also placed divergent capabilities in him, as a means of the completion and unification of the efforts towards realization of their goals. (But, instead, they chose to differ with these wide ranging faculties and took to quarrelling among themselves)."