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 Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
247. Their prophet said to them, "Indeed, Allah has appointed Talut [345] as king over you." They said, "How can he have authority over us when we are more deserving of kingship than he is, and he has not been given much wealth?" The prophet said, "Allah has chosen him over you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique. And Allah grants His authority to whom He wills. Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing."
[345]
Essential Qualities of a Ruler:
Thus, at the demand of the Children of Israel, Allah Almighty appointed Talut as their king, who was a thirty-year-old young man, handsome and tall in stature. Many people objected to this, saying, "Talut has neither wealth nor royal grandeur; how can he be our king? We are better and more deserving of kingship than him." Allah Almighty answered this by saying that wealth is not required for leadership, rather, mental and physical abilities are needed, and these are present in Talut and to a much greater extent than in you. Therefore, you should refrain from such pointless arguments.
[345]
Essential Qualities of a Ruler:
Thus, at the demand of the Children of Israel, Allah Almighty appointed Talut as their king, who was a thirty-year-old young man, handsome and tall in stature. Many people objected to this, saying, "Talut has neither wealth nor royal grandeur; how can he be our king? We are better and more deserving of kingship than him." Allah Almighty answered this by saying that wealth is not required for leadership, rather, mental and physical abilities are needed, and these are present in Talut and to a much greater extent than in you. Therefore, you should refrain from such pointless arguments.
