Maarif-ul-Quran (En)

فَلَمَّا فَصَلَ طَالُوْتُ بِالْجُنُوْدِ١ۙ قَالَ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ مُبْتَلِیْكُمْ بِنَهَرٍ١ۚ فَمَنْ شَرِبَ مِنْهُ فَلَیْسَ مِنِّیْ١ۚ وَ مَنْ لَّمْ یَطْعَمْهُ فَاِنَّهٗ مِنِّیْۤ اِلَّا مَنِ اغْتَرَفَ غُرْفَةًۢ بِیَدِهٖ١ۚ فَشَرِبُوْا مِنْهُ اِلَّا قَلِیْلًا مِّنْهُمْ١ؕ فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَهٗ هُوَ وَ الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا مَعَهٗ١ۙ قَالُوْا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا الْیَوْمَ بِجَالُوْتَ وَ جُنُوْدِهٖ١ؕ قَالَ الَّذِیْنَ یَظُنُّوْنَ اَنَّهُمْ مُّلٰقُوا اللّٰهِ١ۙ كَمْ مِّنْ فِئَةٍ قَلِیْلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةً كَثِیْرَةًۢ بِاِذْنِ اللّٰهِ١ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ مَعَ الصّٰبِرِیْنَ

So, when 'Talut' set out along with the troops, he said: "Allah is going to test you by a river, so, whoever drinks from it is not my man, and whoever does not taste it is surely a man of mine, except the one who scoops a little with his hand." Then, they drank from it, except a few of them. So, when he crossed it and (crossed) those who believed with him, they said: "There is no strength with us today against 'Jalut جالوت '55 and his troops." Said those who believed that they were to meet Allah: "How many small groups have overcome the large groups by the will of Allah. And Allah is with the patient."

Verse 249: قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ مُبْتَلِيكُم بِنَهَرٍ (He said: Allah is going to test you by a river). The wisdom behind this test, as perceived by this humble commentator, appears to be as follows. Not difficult to imagine is the excitement created on such occasions but there are not many who would stay firm in their hour of trial. And should such a time come, the weakness shown by such people becomes contagious making others panic as well. Allah Almighty willed that such people be pruned out. This purpose was accomplished by this test, which is very appropriate, because steadfastness is necessary in fighting. So, being patient, when water is made available without asking in a state of intense thirst, is a proof of steadfastness, and dashing for water is a proof of its absence. Later on comes the unusual: Those who drank too much water became mysteriously more incapacitated. This has appeared in Ruh al-Ma'ani on the authority of Ibn Abi Haim from Ibn ` Abbas ؓ . Now the events and sayings mentioned in this story tell us that there were three kinds of people among them: (1) The weak in faith who failed to make the grade in their hour of trial. (2) The perfect who fully succeeded in their trial but did feel concerned about how low they were in numbers. (3) The most perfect who did not bother even about that.

Top