أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ خَرَجُواْ مِن دِيَارِهِمْ وَهُمْ أُلُوفٌ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ اللّهُ مُوتُواْ ثُمَّ أَحْياهُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَشْكُرُونَ (٢٤٣)

وَقَاتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ مَّن ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً وَاللّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْسُطُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ (٢٤٤-٢٤٥)

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الْمَلإِ مِن بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِن بَعْدِ مُوسَى إِذْ قَالُواْ لِنَبِيٍّ لَّهُمُ ابْعَثْ لَنَا مَلِكًا نُّقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ قَالَ هَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِن كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ أَلاَّ تُقَاتِلُواْ قَالُواْ وَمَا لَنَا أَلاَّ نُقَاتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَقَدْ أُخْرِجْنَا مِن دِيَارِنَا وَأَبْنَآئِنَا فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِتَالُ تَوَلَّوْاْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً مِّنْهُمْ وَاللّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّالِمِينَ (٢٤٦)

وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا قَالُوَاْ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِالْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِّنَ الْمَالِ قَالَ إِنَّ اللّهَ اصْطَفَاهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَزَادَهُ بَسْطَةً فِي الْعِلْمِ وَالْجِسْمِ وَاللّهُ يُؤْتِي مُلْكَهُ مَن يَشَاء وَاللّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نِبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ آيَةَ مُلْكِهِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ التَّابُوتُ فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَبَقِيَّةٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ آلُ مُوسَى وَآلُ هَارُونَ تَحْمِلُهُ الْمَلآئِكَةُ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ (٢٤٧-٢٤٨)

فَلَمَّا فَصَلَ طَالُوتُ بِالْجُنُودِ قَالَ إِنَّ اللّهَ مُبْتَلِيكُم بِنَهَرٍ فَمَن شَرِبَ مِنْهُ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي وَمَن لَّمْ يَطْعَمْهُ فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي إِلاَّ مَنِ اغْتَرَفَ غُرْفَةً بِيَدِهِ فَشَرِبُواْ مِنْهُ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً مِّنْهُمْ فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَهُ هُوَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ مَعَهُ قَالُواْ لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا الْيَوْمَ بِجَالُوتَ وَجُنودِهِ قَالَ الَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلاَقُو اللّهِ كَم مِّن فِئَةٍ قَلِيلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةً كَثِيرَةً بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَاللّهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ وَلَمَّا بَرَزُواْ لِجَالُوتَ وَجُنُودِهِ قَالُواْ رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ فَهَزَمُوهُم بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَقَتَلَ دَاوُدُ جَالُوتَ وَآتَاهُ اللّهُ الْمُلْكَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَهُ مِمَّا يَشَاء وَلَوْلاَ دَفْعُ اللّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَّفَسَدَتِ الأَرْضُ وَلَـكِنَّ اللّهَ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ (٢٤٩-٢٥١)

[These issues have been raised because of your questions about jihad and infaq. Believers! these directives should not weigh hard upon you]. Did you not see1 those who were in thousands and who fled their homes because of the fear of death2. At this, God said to them: “Live like the dead”3. [They remained in this state for many years4], and then God brought them back to life5. Surely, God is gracious to mankind, but most men are not grateful [to Him]6. (243)

[Believers! Learn a lesson from this], and wage war for the cause of God, and bear in mind that God hears all and knows all.7 Who is it who will give God a loan – a generous loan [for this war] that He may increase it for him manifold.8 And it is God who gives in scant measure and in abundance. [So whatever has been received is His favour] and [one day] to Him shall you be returned.9 (244-245)

Have you10 not seen the leaders of the Israelites after Moses when they asked one of their prophets11: “Appoint a king for us12 so that [at his bidding] we can wage war for the cause of God”. At this, the prophet replied: “What if13 jihad is made mandatory upon you and you refuse to wage it?” They said: “Why should we refuse to wage jihad for the cause of God when we have been driven from our dwellings and our children?” But [this is what exactly happened]: when jihad was made mandatory for them14, all except a few refused, and [in reality], God knows these who oppress. (246)

And [at their demand] their prophet said to them: “God has appointed15 Talut16 as your king.” But they replied: “Why should he be made king upon us when we are more deserving of it than him and he is not a rich person also?”17 The prophet replied: “God has chosen him to rule over you and [for this purpose] blessed him with great wisdom and physique.18 [This is the kingdom of God] and [in accordance with His wisdom], God gives it to whom He wills. [You observe matters through your narrow eyes] and God is munificent and all-knowing.” Their prophet further explained: “The portent of him being appointed the king would be that [your] Ark19 shall come back to you [from the hands of your enemies – the Ark] in which there [always has remained for you] great tranquillity20 and in which are the relics which the progeny of Moses and Aaron left behind [for you]. It will be borne by the angels.21 Indeed, in it is a great sign for you, if you are [true] believers.” 22] (247-248)

 [After becoming the king of the Israelites], when Talut marched out with his army,23 he said: “God has decided to put you to test through a rivulet.24 The test will be that he who drinks from it shall not remain my companion, and he who does not drink25 from [the rivulet], or contents himself by tasting it a palmful26, shall be my companion.” But what happened was that except a few of them all drank from [the rivulet].27 And when Saul had crossed the river with those who remained on their faith28 [and saw the armies] then [those who had failed the test] said: “We are not in a position to combat Goliath and his warriors today”. At this, those of them who believed29 that they would meet God cried out: “[Rest assured, because] many a time a small group has, by God’s grace, vanquished a mighty group, and God is with those who endure with fortitude”.30 [And it was these true believers who] when encountered Goliath and his warriors they prayed: “Lord, bless us with perseverance; make us firm of foot and help us against these disbelievers”. Thus [their prayer was accepted and] at God’s directive they routed [their enemies]31 and David slew Goliath32 and God bestowed on him sovereignty and wisdom and taught him what He wants to teach [such of His people33] – And [in reality] had God not driven away some by the might of others, the earth would have been filled with anarchy. But [in this manner He has driven away people because] God is gracious to the dwellers of this world.34 (249-251)

1. The Qur’anic words used are: أَلَمْ تَرَ. This style of address in which plural entities are actually addressed by referring to a single entity is used when each member of the group is meant to be addressed separately. It also does not necessarily imply that the addressees have observed what is being referred to. This style can also be adopted if an incident is famous or when the speaker thinks that it is such an established fact that there can be no doubt about it.

2. This is a reference to the incident when the Philistines attacked the Israelites and massacred them and took away the Ark from them which for them held the status of a qiblah. The Bible says:

So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. The Ark of God was captured. (1Samuel, 4:10-11)

The details of this incident as described in the seventh and eleventh chapters of the first book of Samuel show that although the Israelites were three hundred thousand in number they were not able to face the Philistines because they were morally weak, and were in a state of political discord. They were forced to vacate their cities from Ekron to Gath.

3. The Qur’anic word used is the imperative verb مُوتُواْ (die). This word actually describes the humiliation of the Israelites as a nation. The law of the Almighty regarding the progeny of Abraham (sws) was that they would be punished in this world for their crimes. Consequently, when, instead of being steadfast on their faith and doing pious deeds, they clung to immoral practices and cowardice, and in this manner became guilty of breaking the covenant of God, the Almighty inflicted them with humiliation and disgrace.

4. It is recorded in the first book of Samuel that the Israelites faced this situation for twenty years:

It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the Ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the Lord. . (1 Samuel 7:2)

5. This new life was given to them in accordance with the law referred to earlier. When the Israelites repented and once again professed faith, the Almighty rewarded them by reviving them in their collective capacity and granting them honour and domination over their enemies. The Bible records:

So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory again. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines. The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to her, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the power of the Philistines. (1 Samuel 7:13-14)

6. These words urge the Ishmaelites that if they too accept the call for jihad and infaq, the Almighty, in accordance with His promise with the progeny of Abraham (sws), will bless them and grant them sovereignty and success. They also sound a warning that if the Ishmaelites now fear death and prefer humiliation and disgrace for themselves, they will once again face this death in accordance with the same promise.

7. In the opinion of Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi, these attributes are mentioned here to imply what they actually necessitate: If God hears all and knows all, then this necessitates that he hear the calls of his people and reward them for their valour.

8. This is a very effective appeal for people to sacrifice their wealth by spending it in the jihad being waged for the cause of God. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi writes:

It is an obligation of the borrower to return the loan he has borrowed; how great is this favour from the Almighty for when He asks His servants to spend the wealth He himself blesses them with, He regards it as a loan liable upon Him. Moreover, how blissful for a person is the fact that the Almighty says that He has asked for this loan to increase the meager wealth He has given them and return it in the form of an abiding treasure. In other words, this loan was not borrowed because there was some shortage in the treasury of the Lord – for his treasure always remains brimful and He is above every need – it was in fact to open a way for His servants to earn from ten to seven hundred times the original amount by spending it in His way. (Islahi, Amin Ahsan, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986), 567)

While explaining the condition of the Qur’an that this loan should be a befitting one, he goes on to write:

It is evident from other verses of the Qur’an that a befitting loan means that it should not be given with stinginess and merely to go through the motion; on the other hand, it should be given with generosity while abstaining from show and pomposity; its real objective should be merely to please the Almighty; it should not be given for some worldly gain and should be given only to gain the reward of the Hereafter. Finally, it should not be given from wealth which is of petty value and is earned through illegal means; on the other hand, it should be given through one’s pure and cherished wealth. (Islahi, Amin Ahsan, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986), 567)

9. The implication is that if they do not spend their wealth for the cause of God, then this means that they are not giving it to Him who can take away this wealth He Himself had given them whenever He can. He is the One whose matter is not confined in this world; they will have to face in the Hereafter.

10. Coming up are the details of the incident mentioned briefly earlier on: after years of collective death, how the Almighty once again revived the Israelites once they had repented and turned back.

11. The Bible points out that Samuel (sws) was their prophet.

12. Here since the incident has been discussed from another angle, it has not been mentioned that the Almighty did not approve of the demand from the Israelites that a king be appointed over them; however, it is evident from the Bible that the Almighty did not approve of this and asked them to not put on the yoke of slavery from their very own hands:

But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.” Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day.” But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” (1 Samuel 8:6-20)

13. The Qur’anic words used are: هَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ which mean ‘what if?’

14. This jihad was made obligatory upon the Israelites so that they could combat the Philistines and were thus able to protect their integrity and the religion they followed and were also able to recapture their cities from the Philistines.

15. The Qur’anic word used is بَعَثَ. The choice of word is pertinent because it is evident from the Bible and the Qur’an that Samuel appointed him king at the directive of the Almighty, and thus it was as if he had been appointed by God.

16. In the Bible, he is called Saul. It seems that this is his appellation signifying his huge physique because of which he had become famous among the Israelites:

And as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others. (1Samuel 10:23)

17. This objection was raised by some miscreants among the Israelites right according to their habit. The reason for this was that Talut was from the Benjamite tribe. Among the Israelite tribes, this was the smallest and Talut was from among a family which was of the lowliest stature in that tribe. Moreover, as is mentioned, he was also not a rich person:

But some troublemakers said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent. (1Samuel 10:27)

18. The implication is that this appointment is from God and it is on merit. He granted him abundant knowledge and strength. Hence he is extremely appropriate for the sort of leadership the Israelites want.

19. The Qur’anic word used is التَّابُوتُ. Here it refers to the box of the Israelites which has been called “the Ark of God” or the “the Ark of Covenant”. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi writes:

It is this Ark which had been regarded as the qiblah for the Israelites since their exodus from Egypt until the construction of the bayt al-maqdis. They would place it with great care in their tabernacle at a specific position between curtains and would face it during their devotions and supplications. Their rabbis and soothsayers would turn towards it for divine guidance. It was this Ark which was the greatest source of assurance for the Israelites in difficult times, national calamities and wars. Till the time of Moses (sws), the Torah and some relics of the wanderings in the desert were safely housed in this Ark. Later more relics which belonged to Moses (sws), Aaron (sws) and their families were added to it. (Islahi, Amin Ahsan, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986), 571)

20. The Israelites showed great reverence to the Ark. As has been mentioned earlier, it played a great role in comforting them in times of war and difficulty. The Qur’anic words فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ refer to this very aspect.

21. This prediction materialized word for word and the Philistines placed the Ark on a vehicle and pushed it over in the direction of the areas of the Israelites probably because of becoming awe stricken on the war measures adopted by Talut and the success he achieved in them. This vehicle which had no guide or custodian and was drawn by two oxen, whose young ones had been detained in their homes, reached straight to its destination. This obviously can only happen because of help from the angels. Samuel records the following details:

Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up. Take the Ark of the LORD and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to him as a guilt offering. Send it on its way, but keep watching it … So they did this. They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves. They placed the Ark of the LORD on the cart and along with it the chest containing the gold rats and the models of the tumors. Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh. Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the Ark, they rejoiced at the sight. (1 Samuel 6:7-13)

22. When the Israelites were deprived of this Ark, their elders regarded it as an event which stripped them of their grandeur and glory, and the whole nation mourned this loss for almost twenty years. Hence there could not have been any better a sign than this Ark that could signify that the appointment of Talut was from God. Obvious in it were glad tidings that now that the Israelites have turned to God, they would regain their lost glory too, just as they had regained the Ark.

The Biblical version in this regard is different from that of the Qur’an. It says that the Philistines had placed the Ark on the vehicle and pushed it towards the areas of the Israelites before the appointment of Talut. However, this version is refuted by some other passages of the Bible itself. In the words of Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi, if it is true that the Philistines had returned the Ark just after seven months fearing its magical powers, then the following passage of the Bible is rendered meaningless:

It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the Ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the LORD. (1 Samuel 7:2)

He writes:

If Kiriath Jearim was a territory of the Israelites and the Ark was with them, then why did all the people of Israel mourn it and what is the meaning of the words “sought after the Lord”.

In reality, in the book of Samuel the Jews have inserted so many contradictory passages that it is difficult to differentiate the true ones from the false. It is a favour of the Qur’an that it has presented the true version of certain incidents. (Islahi, Amin Ahsan, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986), 571)

23. It is evident from the Bible that this campaign was to combat the Philistines who at that time were led by Goliath. The Qur’an has called him Jalut. It is recorded in Samuel:

Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Socoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them. (1 Samuel 17:1-3)

24. Obviously this decision of the Almighty became known to Talut through the Prophet Samuel, and for this very reason it has been attributed to the Almighty.

25. The Qur’anic words used are: مَن لَّمْ يَطْعَمْهُ. It is evident from these words that hundred percent success in this test meant that no one should drink even a drop from the rivulet.

26. The condition of drinking with one’s hand has been imposed so that people should not start drinking through a glass or a cup.

27. The Bible does not mention this test. However, it mentions a similar test. After going through both these accounts, a person of taste can easily decide that the Qur’anic version is more rational and meaningful.

28. The Qur’anic words used are: وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ مَعَهُ. The way the word آمَنُواْ has been used here, it is evident that it connotes its full and complete meaning. It follows automatically that those who failed in the test failed to justify their claims to faith.

29. These words are said because if for a person dying for the cause of God is dearer than living, this is because he believes that death will not end his life; in fact, he will be granted the real life and would be able to meet the Almighty.

30. Jonathan, the son of Talut, probably uttered this sentence at this instant:

Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.” (1 Samuel 14:6)

31. The implication being that though means and resources were employed, success actually came from God’s command. Samuel records these very words from the mouth of David (sws) when he faced Goliath in the battle:

All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands. (1 Samuel 17:47)

32. David (sws) is the same person who was granted prophethood by the Almighty, whose son was Solomon (sws), the celebrated king and prophet of the Israelites. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi, while elaborating upon the details of Goliath’s assassination, writes about David (sws):

He began with humble beginnings but his life ended in glory. He said about himself that God took him from a cattle-pen and placed him on the throne of the Israelites. He was a member of Talut’s army which is being mentioned in this Qur’anic discourse. There are two different versions in the Torah about his inclusion in this army. According to one of them he became part of it as a weapon-carrier before the battle took place and he was in fact Samuel’s secret heir and had been secretly baptized by him as the future king. According to the other version, he came to the battlefield on his father’s orders at the very last moment to give food to his brothers who were participating in the war leaving aside his goats in a pasture. Here he saw that Goliath was challenging his opponents to war but no one was responding to his challenge. This provoked his self-esteem, and he sought permission from Talut to face Goliath. At that time, he was a tall and cherry-faced young man. Talut was hesitant to give him permission because of his inexperience and young age. However, when David (sws) reassured him by saying that he breaks the jaws of the lions and bears which attack his goats and how dare this uncircumcized Philistine humiliate the armies of the living God, Talut, seeing his vigour and determination gave him the permission and dressed him up in his own armour and gave him the necessary weapons. Up till that period, David (sws) had spent most of his life as a shepherd of his herd of cattle, and he had no experience of arms and armour. He felt tied up after wearing them. Finally, he freed himself of this bond after seeking permission from Talut, and like a shepherd got hold of his sling, placed some stones in the corner of his shawl and bravely sought to attack the greatest warrior of his times. At first, Goliath ridiculed him, but when he was answered in the same vein by David (sws), Goliath remarked “Okay today I will feed the crows and eagles with your meet”. In the meantime, David (sws) placed a stone in his sling and struck Goliath with it; the stone clung to his head and he died instantly. A great warrior being killed by a young and inexperienced combatant was indeed a great incident. It created panic in the Philistine army and the ladies of Israelites started to sing the song: “Talut killed thousands, but David killed lacs”. (Islahi, Amin Ahsan, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986), 580).

3. The Qur’anic words used are: وَعَلَّمَهُ مِمَّا يَشَاء. Here apparently the choice of words should have been مِمَّا شَاء; however, the style which has been used signifies a practice of God that we have attempted to unfold in the translation.

34. Here the discourse ends with a statement depicting the objective of war: Had God not given this directive to combat oppression and injustice, such great anarchy and disorder would have ensued on earth that all the good would have been rooted out. This obviously aims at urging and egging on the Muslims to get ready for the struggle to achieve this objective set by God without any hesitation; they should rest assured in the light of these incidents of the history of the Israelites narrated to them that if they persevere and are steadfast, the Almighty will grant them victory over their enemies.