سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 249
فَلَمَّا فَصَلَ طَالُوتُ بِٱلْجُنُودِ قَالَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُبْتَلِيكُم بِنَهَرٍ فَمَن شَرِبَ مِنْهُ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّى وَمَن لَّمْ يَطْعَمْهُ فَإِنَّهُۥ مِنِّىٓ إِلَّا مَنِ ٱغْتَرَفَ غُرْفَةًۢ بِيَدِهِۦ ۚ فَشَرِبُوا۟ مِنْهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنْهُمْ ۚ فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَهُۥ هُوَ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ قَالُوا۟ لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا ٱلْيَوْمَ بِجَالُوتَ وَجُنُودِهِۦ ۚ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَـٰقُوا۟ ٱللَّهِ كَم مِّن فِئَةٍ قَلِيلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةً كَثِيرَةًۢ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ ﴿249﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Then when Tâlût (Saul) set out with the army, he said: "Verily! Allâh will try you by a river. So whoever drinks thereof, he is not of me, and whoever tastes it not, he is of me, except him who takes (thereof) in the hollow of his hand." Yet, they drank thereof, all, except a few of them. So when he had crossed it (the river), he and those who believed with him, they said: "We have no power this day against Jâlût (Goliath) and his hosts." But those who knew with certainty that they were going to meet Allâh, said: "How often a small group overcame a mighty host by Allâh’s Leave?" And Allâh is with As-Sâbirûn (the patient).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَلَمَّا
falammā
Then when
فَصَلَ
faṣala
set out
طَالُوتُ
ṭālūtu
Talut
بِٱلْجُنُودِ
bil-junūdi
with the forces
قَالَ
qāla
he said
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
مُبْتَلِيكُم
mub'talīkum
will test you
بِنَهَرٍۢ
binaharin
with a river
فَمَن
faman
So whoever
شَرِبَ
shariba
drinks
مِنْهُ
min'hu
from it
فَلَيْسَ
falaysa
then he is not
مِنِّى
minnī
from me
وَمَن
waman
and whoever
لَّمْ
lam
(does) not
يَطْعَمْهُ
yaṭʿamhu
taste it
فَإِنَّهُۥ
fa-innahu
then indeed, he
مِنِّىٓ
minnī
(is) from me
إِلَّا
illā
except
مَنِ
mani
whoever
ٱغْتَرَفَ
igh'tarafa
takes
غُرْفَةًۢ
ghur'fatan
(in the) hollow
بِيَدِهِۦ ۚ
biyadihi
(of) his hand
فَشَرِبُوا۟
fasharibū
Then they drank
مِنْهُ
min'hu
from it
إِلَّا
illā
except
قَلِيلًۭا
qalīlan
a few
مِّنْهُمْ ۚ
min'hum
of them
فَلَمَّا
falammā
Then when
جَاوَزَهُۥ
jāwazahu
he crossed it
هُوَ
huwa
he
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
and those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believed
مَعَهُۥ
maʿahu
with him
قَالُوا۟
qālū
they said
لَا
lā
No
طَاقَةَ
ṭāqata
strength
لَنَا
lanā
for us
ٱلْيَوْمَ
l-yawma
today
بِجَالُوتَ
bijālūta
against Jalut
وَجُنُودِهِۦ ۚ
wajunūdihi
and his troops
قَالَ
qāla
Said
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
يَظُنُّونَ
yaẓunnūna
were certain
أَنَّهُم
annahum
that they
مُّلَـٰقُوا۟
mulāqū
(would) meet
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
كَم
kam
How many
مِّن
min
of
فِئَةٍۢ
fi-atin
a company
قَلِيلَةٍ
qalīlatin
small
غَلَبَتْ
ghalabat
overcame
فِئَةًۭ
fi-atan
a company
كَثِيرَةًۢ
kathīratan
large
بِإِذْنِ
bi-idh'ni
by (the) permission
ٱللَّهِ ۗ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
مَعَ
maʿa
(is) with
ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
l-ṣābirīna
the patient ones
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.
249. 1 This river is between Jordan and Palestine (Ibn Kathir).
249. 2 Obedience to the leader is necessary in all circumstances; however, during confrontation with the enemy, its importance is multiplied many times over. Secondly, for success in battle, it is also necessary that the soldiers endure hunger, thirst, and other hardships with great patience. Thus, for the training and testing of both these matters, Talut said that your first trial will be at the river, but despite the warning, the majority drank the water. In this way, the number of those who did not drink is reported as 313, which is the same as the number of the Companions of Badr. And Allah knows best.
249. 3 These believers too, at first, when they saw the large number of the enemy, expressed this opinion in view of their own small numbers. Upon this, their scholars, who had firmer conviction than them, said that success does not depend on the abundance of numbers and weaponry, but rather on Allah’s will and His permission, and for Allah’s support, it is necessary to observe patience.
249. 2 Obedience to the leader is necessary in all circumstances; however, during confrontation with the enemy, its importance is multiplied many times over. Secondly, for success in battle, it is also necessary that the soldiers endure hunger, thirst, and other hardships with great patience. Thus, for the training and testing of both these matters, Talut said that your first trial will be at the river, but despite the warning, the majority drank the water. In this way, the number of those who did not drink is reported as 313, which is the same as the number of the Companions of Badr. And Allah knows best.
249. 3 These believers too, at first, when they saw the large number of the enemy, expressed this opinion in view of their own small numbers. Upon this, their scholars, who had firmer conviction than them, said that success does not depend on the abundance of numbers and weaponry, but rather on Allah’s will and His permission, and for Allah’s support, it is necessary to observe patience.
