وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ ءَايَةَ مُلْكِهِۦٓ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ ٱلتَّابُوتُ فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَبَقِيَّةٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ ءَالُ مُوسَىٰ وَءَالُ هَـٰرُونَ تَحْمِلُهُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةً لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ 248
Translations
And their prophet said to them, "Indeed, a sign of his kingship is that the chest will come to you in which is assurance from your Lord and a remnant of what the family of Moses and the family of Aaron had left, carried by the angels. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers."
Transliteration
Wa qāla lahum nabiyyuhum inna āyata mulkihi an ya'tiyakum al-tābūt fīhi sakīnah min rabbikum wa baqiyyah mimmā taraka ālu Mūsā wa ālu Hārūn tahmiluh al-malā'ikah. Inna fī dhālika la-āyatan lakum in kuntum mu'minīn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the sign (āyah) of Saul's (Tālūt) kingship over the Israelites: the return of the Ark of the Covenant (al-tābūt) containing tranquility (sakīnah) from Allah and remnants of what the families of Moses and Aaron left behind, carried by angels. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that the Ark's return after it had been lost or taken by enemies was a miraculous sign validating Saul's divine appointment as king, serving as a test of faith for the believers among them.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:246-251) describing the story of Saul and David, revealed in Medina. The context addresses the Israelites' request for a king to fight the Philistines, and Allah's appointment of Saul as their leader despite his humble origins. The Ark's miraculous return was meant to strengthen the faith of those who believed and test those who doubted.
Related Hadiths
While no single hadith directly addresses this specific Quranic narrative, Sahih Al-Bukhari contains discussions about the Ark of the Covenant in relation to Israelite history. The hadith literature emphasizes that signs and miracles are given to strengthen the believers' faith, as stated in various hadiths regarding divine proofs.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true leadership is validated through divine signs rather than worldly status or wealth, and that believers must recognize and respond to Allah's proofs with genuine faith. It reminds us that miracles serve to strengthen conviction in those whose hearts are open to belief, while testing the sincerity of those who claim to follow Allah's guidance.
Related Ayahs
أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَـٰتٌ وَرَعْدٌ وَبَرْقٌ يَجْعَلُونَ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِم مِّنَ ٱلصَّوَٰعِقِ حَذَرَ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ مُحِيطٌۢ بِٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
Or [it is] like a rainstorm from the sky within which is darkness, thunder and lightning. They put their fingers in their ears against the thunderclaps in dread of death. But Allāh is encompassing of the disbelievers.
وَإِذَا لَقُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ شَيَـٰطِينِهِمْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِءُونَ
And when they meet those who believe, they say, "We believe"; but when they are alone with their evil ones, they say, "Indeed, we are with you; we were only mockers."
تِلْكَ أُمَّةٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ ۖ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَلَكُم مَّا كَسَبْتُمْ ۖ وَلَا تُسْـَٔلُونَ عَمَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
That is a nation which has passed on. It will have [the consequence of] what it earned, and you will have what you have earned. And you will not be asked about what they used to do.
۞ وَإِذِ ٱبْتَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ رَبُّهُۥ بِكَلِمَـٰتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّى جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا ۖ قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى ۖ قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
And [mention, O Muḥammad], when Abraham was tried by his Lord with words [i.e., commands] and he fulfilled them. [Allāh] said, "Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people." [Abraham] said, "And of my descendants?" [Allāh] said, "My covenant does not include the wrongdoers."