سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 247
وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا ۚ قَالُوٓا۟ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِٱلْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِّنَ ٱلْمَالِ ۚ قَالَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَزَادَهُۥ بَسْطَةً فِى ٱلْعِلْمِ وَٱلْجِسْمِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يُؤْتِى مُلْكَهُۥ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿247﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And their Prophet (Samuel عليه السلام) said to them, "Indeed Allâh has appointed Tâlût (Saul) as a king over you." They said, "How can he be a king over us when we are fitter than him for the kingdom, and he has not been given enough wealth." He said: "Verily, Allâh has chosen him above you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allâh grants His kingdom to whom He wills. And Allâh is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَقَالَ
waqāla
And said
لَهُمْ
lahum
to them
نَبِيُّهُمْ
nabiyyuhum
their Prophet
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
قَدْ
qad
(has) surely
بَعَثَ
baʿatha
raised
لَكُمْ
lakum
for you
طَالُوتَ
ṭālūta
Talut
مَلِكًۭا ۚ
malikan
(as) a king
قَالُوٓا۟
qālū
They said
أَنَّىٰ
annā
How
يَكُونُ
yakūnu
can be
لَهُ
lahu
for him
ٱلْمُلْكُ
l-mul'ku
the kingship
عَلَيْنَا
ʿalaynā
over us
وَنَحْنُ
wanaḥnu
while we
أَحَقُّ
aḥaqqu
(are) more entitled
بِٱلْمُلْكِ
bil-mul'ki
to kingship
مِنْهُ
min'hu
than him
وَلَمْ
walam
and not
يُؤْتَ
yu'ta
he has been given
سَعَةًۭ
saʿatan
abundance
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلْمَالِ ۚ
l-māli
[the] wealth
قَالَ
qāla
He said
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
ٱصْطَفَىٰهُ
iṣ'ṭafāhu
has chosen him
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
over you
وَزَادَهُۥ
wazādahu
and increased him
بَسْطَةًۭ
basṭatan
abundantly
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْعِلْمِ
l-ʿil'mi
[the] knowledge
وَٱلْجِسْمِ ۖ
wal-jis'mi
and [the] physique
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
يُؤْتِى
yu'tī
gives
مُلْكَهُۥ
mul'kahu
His kingdom
مَن
man
(to) whom
يَشَآءُ ۚ
yashāu
He wills
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
وَٰسِعٌ
wāsiʿun
(is) All-Encompassing
عَلِيمٌۭ
ʿalīmun
All-Knowing
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.
247. 1. Hazrat Talut was not from the lineage from which the kings of Bani Israel had been coming; he was poor and an ordinary soldier, upon which they objected. The Prophet said, this is not my selection; Allah Almighty has appointed him. Moreover, for leadership, intellect, knowledge, and physical strength and power are needed more than wealth, and Talut excels all of you in this, which is why Allah Almighty has chosen him for this position. Thus, in the next verse, another sign is mentioned.
