سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 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 ﴿246﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Have you not thought about the group of the Children of Israel after (the time of) Mûsâ (Moses)? When they said to a Prophet of theirs, "Appoint for us a king and we will fight in Allâh’s Way." He said, "Would you then refrain from fighting, if fighting was prescribed for you?" They said, "Why should we not fight in Allâh’s Way while we have been driven out of our homes and our children (families have been taken as captives)?" But when fighting was ordered for them, they turned away, all except a few of them. And Allâh is All-Aware of the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَلَمْ
alam
Did not
تَرَ
tara
you see
إِلَى
ilā
[towards]
ٱلْمَلَإِ
l-mala-i
the chiefs
مِنۢ
min
of
بَنِىٓ
banī
(the) Children
إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ
is'rāīla
(of) Israel
مِنۢ
min
from
بَعْدِ
baʿdi
after
مُوسَىٰٓ
mūsā
Musa
إِذْ
idh
when
قَالُوا۟
qālū
they said
لِنَبِىٍّۢ
linabiyyin
to a Prophet
لَّهُمُ
lahumu
of theirs
ٱبْعَثْ
ib'ʿath
Appoint
لَنَا
lanā
for us
مَلِكًۭا
malikan
a king
نُّقَـٰتِلْ
nuqātil
we may fight
فِى
fī
in
سَبِيلِ
sabīli
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ ۖ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
قَالَ
qāla
He said
هَلْ
hal
Would
عَسَيْتُمْ
ʿasaytum
you perhaps
إِن
in
if
كُتِبَ
kutiba
prescribed
عَلَيْكُمُ
ʿalaykumu
upon you
ٱلْقِتَالُ
l-qitālu
[the] fighting
أَلَّا
allā
that not
تُقَـٰتِلُوا۟ ۖ
tuqātilū
you fight
قَالُوا۟
qālū
They said
وَمَا
wamā
And what
لَنَآ
lanā
for us
أَلَّا
allā
that not
نُقَـٰتِلَ
nuqātila
we fight
فِى
fī
in
سَبِيلِ
sabīli
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَقَدْ
waqad
while surely
أُخْرِجْنَا
ukh'rij'nā
we have been driven
مِن
min
from
دِيَـٰرِنَا
diyārinā
our homes
وَأَبْنَآئِنَا ۖ
wa-abnāinā
and our children
فَلَمَّا
falammā
Yet, when
كُتِبَ
kutiba
was prescribed
عَلَيْهِمُ
ʿalayhimu
upon them
ٱلْقِتَالُ
l-qitālu
the fighting
تَوَلَّوْا۟
tawallaw
they turned away
إِلَّا
illā
except
قَلِيلًۭا
qalīlan
a few
مِّنْهُمْ ۗ
min'hum
among them
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
عَلِيمٌۢ
ʿalīmun
(is) All-Knowing
بِٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
bil-ẓālimīna
of the wrongdoers
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
246. 1. Malā’ refers to the nobles, chiefs, and decision-makers of a nation who are special advisors and leaders, whose presence fills eyes and hearts with awe. The literal meaning of Malā’ is “to fill” (Aysar al-Tafasir). The prophet mentioned here is named Shamwil. The summary of the incident narrated by Ibn Kathir and other commentators is as follows: After Musa (عليه السلام), the Children of Israel remained upright for some time, then deviation crept in among them, they innovated in religion, even began idol worship. Prophets kept forbidding them, but they did not desist from sin and shirk. As a result, Allah imposed their enemies upon them, who seized their territories and took a large number of them captive. The chain of prophethood also ceased among them. Eventually, through the prayers of some people, the prophet Shamwil was born, who began the work of calling and preaching. They demanded from the prophet to appoint a king for them under whose leadership they could fight their enemies. In view of their previous conduct, the prophet said that although you are making this demand, my estimation is that you will not remain firm on your word. And so it happened, as the Quran has stated.
246. 2. The demand for a king in the presence of a prophet is proof of the permissibility of kingship, because if kingship were not permissible, Allah would have rejected this demand. But Allah did not reject this matter; rather, He appointed Talut as their king, as will be mentioned ahead. From this, it is understood that if a king is not absolute and is bound by divine commands and establishes justice and fairness, then his kingship is not only permissible but also desirable and beloved. See also the footnote of Surah al-Ma’idah, verse 20.
246. 2. The demand for a king in the presence of a prophet is proof of the permissibility of kingship, because if kingship were not permissible, Allah would have rejected this demand. But Allah did not reject this matter; rather, He appointed Talut as their king, as will be mentioned ahead. From this, it is understood that if a king is not absolute and is bound by divine commands and establishes justice and fairness, then his kingship is not only permissible but also desirable and beloved. See also the footnote of Surah al-Ma’idah, verse 20.
