وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ آيَةَ مُلْكِهِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَكُمُ التَّابُوتُ فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَبَقِيَّةٌ مِمَّا تَرَكَ آلُ مُوسَى وَآلُ هَارُونَ تَحْمِلُهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿۲۴۸﴾ فَلَمَّا فَصَلَ طَالُوتُ بِالْجُنُودِ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مُبْتَلِيكُمْ بِنَهَرٍ فَمَنْ شَرِبَ مِنْهُ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي وَمَنْ لَمْ يَطْعَمْهُ فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي إِلَّا مَنِ اغْتَرَفَ غُرْفَةً بِيَدِهِ فَشَرِبُوا مِنْهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِنْهُمْ فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَهُ هُوَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ قَالُوا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا الْيَوْمَ بِجَالُوتَ وَجُنُودِهِ قَالَ الَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُمْ مُلَاقُو اللَّهِ كَمْ مِنْ فِئَةٍ قَلِيلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةً كَثِيرَةً بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ ﴿۲۴۹﴾
﴾248﴿ Wa qaala lahum Nabiyyuhum inna Aayata mulkiheee ai yaatiyakumut Taabootu feehi sakeenatummir Rabbikum wa baqiyyatummimmaa taraka Aalu Moosa wa Aalu Haaroona tahmiluhul malaaa'ikah; inna fee zaalika la Aayatal lakum in kuntum mu'mineen
﴾249﴿ Falammaa fasala Taalootu biljunoodi qaala innal laaha mubtaleekum binaharin faman shariba minhu falaisa minnee wa mallam yat'amhu fa innahoo minneee illaa manigh tarafa ghurfatam biyadih; fashariboo minhu illaa qaleelamminhum; falammaa jaawazahoo huwa wallazeena aamanoo ma'ahoo qaaloo laa taaqata lanal yawma bi Jaaloota wa junoodih; qaalallazeena yazunnoona annahum mulaaqul laahi kam min fi'atin qaleelatin ghalabat fi'atan kaseeratam bi iznil laah wallaahuma'as saabireen
﴾248﴿ Their prophet said to them: Indeed, the sign of his kingship is that the Ark will come to you, containing tranquility for your hearts from your Lord and remnants of what the family of Moses (peace be upon him) and the family of Aaron (peace be upon him) left behind.
The angels will carry it. Surely in this is a sign for you, if you are believers.
﴾249﴿ So when Ṭālūt set out with the armies, he said: Indeed, Allah is testing you with a river.
Whoever drinks from it is not of my followers, but whoever does not drink from it is surely of my followers—except for the one who scoops a handful with his hand.
Then they drank from it—except a few of them.
So when he crossed it along with those who had true faith, they said: We have no power today against Goliath and his armies.
But those who were certain they would meet Allah said: How often has a small group overcome a large group by the will of Allah.
And Allah is certainly with the patient.
[248] This verse indicates that when a righteous leader is chosen, blessings descend upon the nation—foremost among them being the blessing of the Book of Allah and the sunnah of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and give him peace).
"Al-Tābūt" (the Ark) had previously been taken by the people of Goliath. After it was returned (according to historical accounts), it remained in their possession until the time of Solomon (peace be upon him).
The Jews believe it is still buried in Solomon’s Temple.
By "sakīnah" (tranquility), it refers to the Torah, because the Book of Allah brings peace to the heart.
By "wa baqiyyah" (remnant), it refers to rulings on jihad and other laws established by the sunnah of Moses (peace be upon him) and Aaron (peace be upon him). "Baqiyyah" can also mean knowledge and wisdom, as mentioned in verses 86 and 116 of Surah Hūd.
If it instead refers to physical items such as Moses’ staff, shoes, or turban, this is valid too—these were relics and blessings from the prophets.
That is, honoring such items becomes a means for divine blessings.
However, comparing the relics of prophets to those of others is not valid, because there is a clear difference between the infallible and the non-infallible.
Moreover, there is no legal proof to venerate the relics of anyone other than prophets.
Opening the door to veneration of non-prophetic relics can lead to shirk (association of others with Allah), and is therefore impermissible.
[249] “Indeed, Allah” (إِنَّ اللَّهَ) indicates that the trial was based on divine revelation to the prophet.
“Bi-nahrin” (a river) refers to the River Jordan, which flows for about 200 miles.
This verse shows that a leader must test his army to distinguish the sincere from the insincere.
Also, anyone who does not obey the leader’s command is not fit for jihad.
Moreover, consuming what is forbidden leads to cowardice—since drinking more than a handful from the river was prohibited for them.
“Qalīlan” (a few) refers to the small number—313—matching the number of the companions at Badr.
Allah granted them victory.
“Yaẓunnūn” (they assumed) here means firm belief and conviction.