What Sign Proved That Saul Was Chosen by Allah as King?
ما الآية التي أثبتت اختيار الله تعالى طالوت مَلِكًا؟
The Children of Israel had the Torah and the Ark, and in the Ark were the Torah and the rest of what Musa and Harun had left behind, among them the remains of the tablets of the covenant, which they had had from the dawn of their history. When they strayed and transgressed, Allah set over them those who robbed them of it, and their prophet told them that the sign of Allah's approval of Saul's kingship was that He would return the Ark to them. The angels came carrying the Ark and placed it before Saul while the people watched, and in that was a sign for the Children of Israel of the truth of their prophet's prophethood.
(Their prophet further told them, "The sign of Saul's kingship is that the Ark will come to you, containing reassurance from your Lord and relics of the family of Musa and the family of Harun, which will be carried by the angels. Surely in this is a sign for you, if you truly believe.") (Al-Baqarah 2:248)
كان عند بني إسرائيل التوراة وتابوت، وفي التابوت التوراة وبقية مما ترك موسى وهارون، ومنها بقايا ألواح العهد الذي كان عندهم منذ مطلع تاريخهم. لما ضلوا وبغوا سلّط الله عليهم من سلبهم إياه، فقال لهم نبيهم: إن علامة رضا الله على ملك طالوت هي أن يرد عليكم التابوت. فجاءت الملائكة تحمل التابوت ووضعته بين يدي طالوت والناس ينظرون، وفي ذلك آيةٌ لبني إسرائيل على صدق نبوة نبيهم.
قال الله تعالى: (وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ آيَةَ مُلْكِهِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ التَّابُوتُ فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَبَقِيَّةٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ آلُ مُوسَىٰ وَآلُ هَارُونَ تَحْمِلُهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ) (البقرة 2: 248)
1. Not Just an Object, But Sakeenah | ليس شيئًا يُحمل فحسب، بل سكينة
The ayah specifies that the Ark contained "reassurance from your Lord" (sakeenah), not merely relics. The commentators differ over what this sakeenah was: Ibn Kathir reports that Qatada took it to mean dignity, that al-Rabi' took it to mean mercy, as is also reported from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), and that Ata' said it was the signs of Allah they recognized and found calm in. Why the people had objected to Saul in the first place is told in why the Children of Israel objected to Saul as king.
قال الله تعالى عن التابوت: (فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ)، فليس فيه آثار فحسب. وقد اختلف المفسرون في هذه السكينة: فنقل ابن كثير عن قتادة أنها الوقار، وعن الربيع أنها الرحمة، وهو المروي عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما، وعن عطاء أنها ما يعرفون من آيات الله فيسكنون إليه. وأما سبب اعتراض القوم على طالوت فقد بيّناه في جواب: لماذا اعترض بنو إسرائيل على أن يكون طالوت مَلِكًا عليهم؟
2. A Sign Delivered by Angels, Witnessed by All | آيةٌ حملتها الملائكة وشهدها الجميع
The Ark's return was not a quiet or private event: Ibn Kathir reports from Ibn Abbas that the angels carried it between the sky and the earth until they set it down before Saul while the people watched, removing any doubt about whether the sign had truly been fulfilled. What the angels are able to do is discussed in whether the angels have special powers, and what happened once Saul's kingship was confirmed is covered in who ultimately killed Goliath.
لم يكن رجوع التابوت حدثًا خفيًّا: فقد نقل ابن كثير عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما أن الملائكة جاءت تحمله بين السماء والأرض حتى وضعته بين يدي طالوت والناس ينظرون، فزال كل شك في تحقق الآية. وأما قدرات الملائكة فقد بيّناها في الجواب عما خصّ الله به الملائكة من قوى. وأما ما جرى بعد ثبوت مُلك طالوت فقد بيّناه في جواب: مَن الذي قتل جالوت؟
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What sign proved Saul was chosen as king?
The return of the lost Ark, carried by angels, containing tranquility from Allah and relics of Musa's and Harun's families.
Was this sign witnessed by the people?
Yes; Ibn Kathir reports from Ibn Abbas that the angels set the Ark down before Saul while the people watched.