Talut vs Jalut — a history from the Holy Quran
At first, I want to remind every reader that I am not a scholar or teacher of Islam or the Quran. I am just trying to describe a story that is mentioned in the Holy Quran. In my description, there is a good probability of mistakes. So, please be careful while reading. And my advice is to read the Holy Quran to get the best knowledge about the story. I was fascinated by the storytelling of the Holy Quran. So I decided to write some letters on my own in this regard.
The story starts in Surah Al-Baqarah, ayah number 246:
Have you not considered the assembly of the Children of Israel after [the time of] Moses when they said to a prophet of theirs, “Send to us a king, and we will fight in the way of Allah”? He said, “Would you perhaps refrain from fighting if battle was prescribed for you?” They said, “And why should we not fight in the cause of Allah when we have been driven out from our homes and from our children?” But when battle was prescribed for them, they turned away, except for a few of them. And Allah is Knowing of the wrongdoers.
Whenever a person’s name or details is not mentioned in the Holy Quran, it means that details are not needed. Because Holy Quran is not merely describing a story, it’s teaching us something valuable, amazing, and meaningful. So the lesson behind the story matters the most regardless of the name of the characters.
The ayah starts with ‘have you not considered’ — it means the story is so meaningful and valuable we should not forget the story. So, let’s jump in.
There was a time after Moses AS when an assembly of the Children of Israel gathered to their prophet. Several prophets came to the Children of Israel after Moses AS. The Holy Quran is describing the history of one of them. The Holy Quran doesn’t mention the name of the prophet. It is guessed that the prophet was Samuel or Shamwil AS. Let’s not focus on that.
The Children of Israel gathered with a request or demand to their prophet. Before talking about the demand, we should know that at the time the story took place, the Children of Israel were expelled from their homeland. So, they were wishing to get back to their homeland. Conquer it back.
But they were so hypocritical that instead of having a prophet they asked for a king! They didn’t ask the prophet to guide them to victory. They asked for a king so they could fight.
Well, fighting for your homeland is a legitimate reason, there is nothing wrong with that. But, it’s a personal issue or a national issue. But, they said, they would fight in the way of Allah.
Fighting for personal reasons can’t be termed as fighting in the way of Allah. And that’s exactly what they did. And their prophet knew them very well. He didn’t even ask about the king or about the fighting in the way of Allah. He knew they were not willing to fight. So, he asked the logical question, “Would you perhaps refrain from fighting if battle was prescribed for you?”
The prophet knew them and asked them a question that shook them to the core. They felt humiliated. And in the next question, they showed their true color. They asked, “And why should we not fight in the cause of Allah when we have been driven out from our homes and from our children?”
Well, if you’re fighting to conquer your land back, you’re not fighting in the way of Allah. And if you’re fighting in the way of Allah, your personal matters would not be your principal concern.
It’s ok to fight for the homeland, but it’s not ok to term it as fighting in the way of Allah.
So, we see the hypocrisy depicted in the story. And the hypocrisy becomes clearer when the battle is prescribed. Most of them turned away or flew away. So it’s like empty vessels sound much.
The story continues in the next ayah –
And their prophet said to them, “Indeed, Allah has sent to you Saul (Talut) 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, Allah has chosen him over you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allah gives His sovereignty to whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing [in favor] and Knowing.”
Their wish came true. Their prophet made it clear to them that indeed Allah made the decision to appoint Talut as the king. And especially for them, Talut was selected. The way the prophet told them the good news, there was no scope to ask or doubt him. The prophet didn’t make the decision. Knowing so, they still asked how Talut was selected. The greater hypocrisy lying in the depth of their hearts got revealed. They were wishing the king would be someone amongst them. Talut was not very popular or rich. So, it was hard for them to appreciate the news. They dared to question the judgment even!!
They said Talut had not been given any measure of wealth. They knew It is Allah Who gives wealth. So, if Talut was not given any wealth, how could he be chosen for kingship?
Well, Talut was abundant in knowledge and stature. On top of that, Allah increased the attributes. There was no person like Talut among the Children of Israel. So, the more they ask questions, the more get answers that slap them in the face. There was not a single person among them who was suitable enough to be a king. And, in the end, it is Allah’s will. So there’s no room for discussion.
The story continues in the next ayah –
And their prophet said to them, “Indeed, a sign of his kingship is that the chest will come to you in which is assurance1 from your Lord and a remnant of what the family of Moses and the family of Aaron (Harun) had left, carried by the angels. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.”
Though they were believers, they still needed to see some signs to believe that the decision was made by Allah and not by the prophet.
The prophet assured them that the box or chest containing the remnant of the family of Moses AS and Aaron AS will return to them. Then they will understand the reasoning behind Talut’s kingship.
I am not explaining more about this ayah. Let’s go to the next –
And when Saul (Talut) went forth with the soldiers, he said, “Indeed, Allah will be testing you with a river. So whoever drinks from it is not of me, and whoever does not taste it is indeed of me, excepting one who takes [from it] in the hollow of his hand.” But they drank from it, except a [very] few of them. Then when he had crossed it along with those who believed with him, they said, “There is no power for us today against Goliath (Jalut) and his soldiers.” But those who were certain that they would meet Allah said, “How many a small company has overcome a large company by permission of Allah. And Allah is with the patient.”
Talut got very small time to train the soldiers. So, by the wisdom given by Allah, he ordered his soldiers not to drink from a river. They didn’t even reach the river. Before reaching it Talut was reminding his soldiers about the test of Allah. And that is not to drink from a river. And whoever drinks from a river making himself full, he is not among the ones who are with the king. But most of them couldn’t resist themselves. So, they failed the test miserably.
All the people who went with king Talut called themselves believers. But, in the battleground, it was discovered who the true believers were. Only a few of them were true believers, most of them were hypocrites.
The hypocrites said that it was not possible to defeat the large army of Jalut. Like his army, Jalut was a large person too. He was larger than average. His name Goliath is used to represent a large entity or a large person even still today.
However large Jalut or his army was, it could not demotivate the believers. They were optimistic. They believed the number or size of the army didn’t matter if Allah was with them.
But it is still hard to keep yourself firm in the battleground. One’s mind can easily change. So the believers made a great dua or supplication that is mentioned in the next ayah.
And when they went forth to [face] Goliath and his soldiers, they said, “Our Lord, pour upon us patience and plant firmly our feet and give us victory over the disbelieving people.”
The believers were not only optimistic but also wise. They asked Allah to pour patience upon them. It is the easiest way one can have patience or sabr. If anyone wants to have sabr or patience with the lowest effort, it is the wording he chooses. And their supplication didn’t end there. The practical step of having patience in a battleground is having firm feet. So one doesn’t run away from the horror of the battleground. He has to stay and do his job whatever the situation is.
The believers didn’t only ask for patience, they also asked for help in the next practical step which to having their feet firm.
Having patience and firm feet don’t win you battles. They knew that. So at the end of the supplication, they asked what they came for. They asked for the victory.
Allah liked their supplication so much He mentioned it in the Holy Quran. Allah also said that they won very easily because of the supplication they made and of course by the permission of Allah.
The last ayah regarding the story is –
So they defeated them by permission of Allah, and David (Dawud) killed Goliath, and Allah gave him the kingship and wisdom [i.e., prophethood] and taught him from that which He willed. And if it were not for Allah checking [some] people by means of others, the earth would have been corrupted, but Allah is the possessor of bounty for the worlds.
They made a special supplication. Allah liked it. Allah granted it. And thus they defeated the army of Jalut easily. It was Allah’s will.
It is discussed by many people that David AS was a very good archer. He was able to kill Jalut from a distance. After the death of Jalut, his army failed to win. And, David AS was given kingship and prophethood later.
There are pages after pages describing the battle between Talut & Jalut. The Holy Quran skips all the details and describes what matters the most. The details of the battle are unnecessary if you do not learn the lesson from it.
And, there’s wisdom why a king or nation is defeated by another king or nation. In the last ayah I mentioned, Allah says — And if it were not for Allah checking [some] people by means of others, the earth would have been corrupted.
So it is Allah’s wisdom to check some people by other people. Sometimes we can understand the wisdom behind Allah’s action and sometimes we cannot. And Allah knows while we know not.
There is so much to learn from the story of Talut & Jalut. Especially about hypocrisy, belief, patience, supplication, wisdom, etc.
