أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلۡمَلَإِ مِنۢ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَـٰٓءِيلَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مُوسَىٰٓ إِذۡ قَالُواْ لِنَبِيّٖ لَّهُمُ ٱبۡعَثۡ لَنَا مَلِكٗا نُّقَٰتِلۡ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِۖ قَالَ هَلۡ عَسَيۡتُمۡ إِن كُتِبَ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡقِتَالُ أَلَّا تُقَٰتِلُواْۖ قَالُواْ وَمَا لَنَآ أَلَّا نُقَٰتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَدۡ أُخۡرِجۡنَا مِن دِيَٰرِنَا وَأَبۡنَآئِنَاۖ فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡقِتَالُ تَوَلَّوۡاْ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا مِّنۡهُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمُۢ بِٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
(2:246) (O Messenger), have you thought of what happened with the elders
of the Children of Israel after Moses? They asked one of their Prophets: “Set
up for us a king so that we may fight in the way of Allah.”8
He said: “Would you possibly refrain from fighting if fighting is ordained for
you?” They said: “And why would we not fight in the way of Allah when we have
been torn from our homes and our children?” But when fighting was ordained for
them they turned back, except a few of them. Allah is well aware of the wrong-doers.
of the Children of Israel after Moses? They asked one of their Prophets: “Set
up for us a king so that we may fight in the way of Allah.”8
He said: “Would you possibly refrain from fighting if fighting is ordained for
you?” They said: “And why would we not fight in the way of Allah when we have
been torn from our homes and our children?” But when fighting was ordained for
them they turned back, except a few of them. Allah is well aware of the wrong-doers.
وَقَالَ لَهُمۡ نَبِيُّهُمۡ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدۡ بَعَثَ لَكُمۡ طَالُوتَ مَلِكٗاۚ قَالُوٓاْ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لَهُ ٱلۡمُلۡكُ عَلَيۡنَا وَنَحۡنُ أَحَقُّ بِٱلۡمُلۡكِ مِنۡهُ وَلَمۡ يُؤۡتَ سَعَةٗ مِّنَ ٱلۡمَالِۚ قَالَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصۡطَفَىٰهُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَزَادَهُۥ بَسۡطَةٗ فِي ٱلۡعِلۡمِ وَٱلۡجِسۡمِۖ وَٱللَّهُ يُؤۡتِي مُلۡكَهُۥ مَن يَشَآءُۚ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٞ
(2:247) And their Prophet said to them: “Indeed Allah has sent forth Saul
(Talut) as your king.”9 They said: “By what right shall he rule
over us when we are more worthy than he to dominion, for he is not very wealthy?”
He said: “Allah has chosen him over you and has endowed him abundantly with
both intellectual and physical capacities. Allah indeed has the power to bestow
dominion upon whomsoever He wills. Allah is All-Resourceful, All- Knowing.”
(Talut) as your king.”9 They said: “By what right shall he rule
over us when we are more worthy than he to dominion, for he is not very wealthy?”
He said: “Allah has chosen him over you and has endowed him abundantly with
both intellectual and physical capacities. Allah indeed has the power to bestow
dominion upon whomsoever He wills. Allah is All-Resourceful, All- Knowing.”