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Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 247 (2:247)

ٱلْبَقَرَة

وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا ۚ قَالُوٓا۟ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ …

Quran 2:247 is ayah 247 of Surah Al-Baqarah (“The Cow”), a Medinan surah of 286 ayahs. It is in Juz 2, on page 40 of the Madani Mushaf.

2:247
وَقَالَلَهُمْنَبِيُّهُمْإِنَّٱللَّهَقَدْبَعَثَلَكُمْطَالُوتَمَلِكًا ۚقَالُوٓا۟أَنَّىٰيَكُونُلَهُٱلْمُلْكُعَلَيْنَاوَنَحْنُأَحَقُّبِٱلْمُلْكِمِنْهُوَلَمْيُؤْتَسَعَةًمِّنَٱلْمَالِ ۚقَالَإِنَّٱللَّهَٱصْطَفَىٰهُعَلَيْكُمْوَزَادَهُۥبَسْطَةًفِىٱلْعِلْمِوَٱلْجِسْمِ ۖوَٱللَّهُيُؤْتِىمُلْكَهُۥمَنيَشَآءُ ۚوَٱللَّهُوَٰسِعٌعَلِيمٌ٢٤٧
waqāla lahum nabiyyuhum inna l-laha qad baʿatha lakum ṭālūta malikan qālū annā yakūnu lahu l-mul'ku ʿalaynā wanaḥnu aḥaqqu bil-mul'ki min'hu walam yu'ta saʿatan mina l-māli qāla inna l-laha iṣ'ṭafāhu ʿalaykum wazādahu basṭatan fī l-ʿil'mi wal-jis'mi wal-lahu yu'tī mul'kahu man yashāu wal-lahu wāsiʿun ʿalīmun

And their prophet said to them, "Indeed, Allāh has sent to you Saul as a king." They said, "How can he have kingship over us while we are more worthy of kingship than him and he has not been given any measure of wealth?" He said, "Indeed, Allāh has chosen him over you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allāh gives His sovereignty to whom He wills. And Allāh is all-Encompassing [in favor] and Knowing."(247)

Word by word

  1. وَقَالَwaqālaAnd said
  2. لَهُمْlahumto them
  3. نَبِيُّهُمْnabiyyuhumtheir Prophet
  4. إِنَّinnaIndeed
  5. ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
  6. قَدْqad(has) surely
  7. بَعَثَbaʿatharaised
  8. لَكُمْlakumfor you
  9. طَالُوتَṭālūtaTalut
  10. مَلِكًا ۚmalikan(as) a king
  11. قَالُوٓا۟qālūThey said
  12. أَنَّىٰannāHow
  13. يَكُونُyakūnucan be
  14. لَهُlahufor him
  15. ٱلْمُلْكُl-mul'kuthe kingship
  16. عَلَيْنَاʿalaynāover us
  17. وَنَحْنُwanaḥnuwhile we
  18. أَحَقُّaḥaqqu(are) more entitled
  19. بِٱلْمُلْكِbil-mul'kito kingship
  20. مِنْهُmin'huthan him
  21. وَلَمْwalamand not
  22. يُؤْتَyu'tahe has been given
  23. سَعَةًsaʿatanabundance
  24. مِّنَminaof
  25. ٱلْمَالِ ۚl-māli[the] wealth
  26. قَالَqālaHe said
  27. إِنَّinnaIndeed
  28. ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
  29. ٱصْطَفَىٰهُiṣ'ṭafāhuhas chosen him
  30. عَلَيْكُمْʿalaykumover you
  31. وَزَادَهُۥwazādahuand increased him
  32. بَسْطَةًbasṭatanabundantly
  33. فِىfīin
  34. ٱلْعِلْمِl-ʿil'mi[the] knowledge
  35. وَٱلْجِسْمِ ۖwal-jis'miand [the] physique
  36. وَٱللَّهُwal-lahuAnd Allah
  37. يُؤْتِىyu'tīgives
  38. مُلْكَهُۥmul'kahuHis kingdom
  39. مَنman(to) whom
  40. يَشَآءُ ۚyashāuHe wills
  41. وَٱللَّهُwal-lahuAnd Allah
  42. وَٰسِعٌwāsiʿun(is) All-Encompassing
  43. عَلِيمٌʿalīmunAll-Knowing

Tafsir (commentary) of 2:247

Available in English, Bengali, Urdu, Arabic, Russian.

English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

When the Israelites asked their Prophet to appoint a king over them, he appointed Talut (Saul), who was then a soldier. But, Talut was not a descendant of the house of kings among them, which was exclusively in the offspring of Yahudha (Judah). This is why they said:

أَنَّى يَكُونُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا

(How can he be a king over us) meaning, how can he be the king for us,

وَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِالْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِّنَ الْمَالِ

(when we are fitter than him for the kingdom, and he has not been given enough wealth) They said that Talut was also poor and did not have the wealth that justifies him being king. Some people stated that Talut used to bring water to the people, while others stated that his profession was dyeing skins. The Jews, thus, disputed with their Prophet while they were supposed to obey him and to say good words to him.

Their Prophet answered them:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَـهُ عَلَيْكُمْ

(Verily, Allah has chosen him above you) meaning, `Allah chose Talut from amongst you while having better knowledge about him.' Their Prophet stated, "I did not choose Talut to be your king on my own. Rather, Allah has commanded that upon your request." Further:

وَزَادَهُ بَسْطَةً فِي الْعِلْمِ وَالْجِسْمِ

(...and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature.) meaning, `Talut is more knowledgeable and honorable than you, and stronger and more patient during combat, and has more knowledge of warfare. In short, he has more knowledge and is stronger than you are. The king should have sufficient knowledge, be fair looking and should have a strong soul and body.' He then said:

وَاللَّهُ يُؤْتِى مُلْكَهُ مَن يَشَآءُ

(And Allah grants His kingdom to whom He wills.) meaning, Allah Alone is the Supreme Authority Who does what He wills and no one can ask Him about His actions, while they will be asked (about their actions by Him). This is because Allah has perfect knowledge, wisdom and kindness with His creation. Allah said:

وَاللَّهُ وَسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

(And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower.) meaning, His favor is encompassing and He grants His mercy to whom He wills. He also knows those who deserve to be kings and those who do not deserve it.

Read the full Surah Al-Baqarah