Who Is Saul (Talut) in the Quran?
من هو طالوت في القرآن؟
Interpreters say that at the time of Moses, the children of Israel followed the straight path and remained on it for a time (Note: in the report of Wahb ibn Munabbih that Ibn Kathir relates, they followed the straight path after Moses, as the verse itself says, “after Moses” (2:246); Ibn Kathir adds that these events took place in the time of David). Then their affairs weakened, some of them worshipped idols, and kingship was lost from them. Their enemies gained power over them and drove them out of their homes by force. So God sent them a prophet and ordered him to call them to Allah, to the worship of their Lord and to His oneness. The prophet called them, and they asked him to appoint for them a king under whom they would fight their enemies.
(Have you not seen those chiefs of the Children of Israel after Moses? They said to one of their prophets, “Appoint for us a king, ˹and˺ we will fight in the cause of Allah.” He said, “Are you not going to cower if ordered to fight?” They replied, “How could we refuse to fight in the cause of Allah, while we were driven out of our homes and ˹separated from˺ our children?” But when they were ordered to fight, they fled, except for a few of them. And Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of the wrongdoers.) Al-Baqarah 2:246
قَالَ المُفَسِّرُونَ إِنَّ بني إسرائيلَ كَانُوا فِي زَمَنِ مُوسَى عَلَى طَرِيقٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ، وَلَبِثُوا عَلَى ذَلِكَ مُدَّةً مِنَ الزَّمَن (ملاحظة: في الرواية التي ينقلها ابن كثير عن وهب بن منبه أنهم كانوا على طريق الاستقامة بعد موسى عليه السلام، وهو ما تنص عليه الآية: «مِن بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰ»، ويذكر ابن كثير أن هذه القصة كانت في زمن داود عليه السلام). ثُمَّ تَضَعضَعَ أَمْرُهُمْ، وَعَبَدَ بَعْضُهُمُ الأوْثَانَ، وَضَاعَ المُلْكُ مِنْهُمْ. وَتَسَلَّطَ عَلَيهمْ أَعْدَاؤُهُمْ، فَأخْرَجُوهُمْ مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ بِالقَهْرِ، فَأَرْسَلَ اللهُ إليْهِمْ نَبِيّاً، وَأمَرَهُ بِدَعْوَتِهِمْ إلى اللهِ، وَإلى عِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِمْ وَتَوْحِيدِهِ. فَدَعَاهُمُ النَّبِيُّ، فَطَلَبُوا مِنْهُ أنْ يُقِيمَ لَهُمْ مَلِكاً يُقَاتِلُونَ مَعَهُ أَعْدَاءَهُمْ.
(أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الْمَلَإِ مِن بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِن بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰ إِذْ قَالُوا لِنَبِيٍّ لَّهُمُ ابْعَثْ لَنَا مَلِكًا نُّقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ ۖ قَالَ هَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِن كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ أَلَّا تُقَاتِلُوا ۖ قَالُوا وَمَا لَنَا أَلَّا نُقَاتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ وَقَدْ أُخْرِجْنَا مِن دِيَارِنَا وَأَبْنَائِنَا ۖ فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِتَالُ تَوَلَّوْا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنْهُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّالِمِينَ) (البقرة 2: 246)
1. A People Who Asked for a King, Then Would Soon Doubt Him | قوم طلبوا ملكا ثم سيشككون فيه
The request for a king came from the Israelite chiefs themselves, eager to fight for their cause after being driven from their homes. The Ayah sums up what followed in advance: when fighting was ordered, most of them turned away (2:246). The verses after it then tell the story in detail, beginning with Talut’s appointment and their objection to it (2:247).
جاء طلب الملك من زعماء بني إسرائيل أنفسهم، حماسا للقتال في سبيلهم بعد أن أُخرجوا من ديارهم. وتلمح الآية بالفعل إلى عدم الثبات وراء هذا الحماس، إذ تلاحظ أن معظمهم فرّوا حين كُتب عليهم القتال فعليا، وهو نمط من الحماس ينقلب إلى تردد سيظهر مجددا بعد تعيين طالوت.
2. Named by a Prophet, Not Chosen by the People | عُيّن عبر نبي لا باختيار الناس
Talut was not elected or selected by popular agreement; their prophet told them directly that Allah had appointed him. This distinction matters for how the rest of the story unfolds: the people’s objection that follows is not a normal political disagreement but a challenge to a choice they were told had come from Allah Himself.
لم يُنتخب طالوت أو يُختر بإجماع شعبي؛ بل أخبرهم نبيهم مباشرة أن الله بعثه لهم. ولهذا التمييز أهمية لبقية القصة، فالاعتراض الذي يليه من الناس ليس خلافا سياسيا عاديا، بل تحديا لاختيار قيل لهم إنه جاء من الله نفسه.
3. Chosen for Knowledge and Capability, Not Wealth | اختير بالعلم والقدرة لا بالمال
When challenged that Talut lacked the wealth they expected in a king, the answer given was that Allah had increased him in knowledge and physical capability instead. Ibn Kathir draws from this that a king should have knowledge, a fine bearing, and great strength of body and spirit.
حين اعتُرض بأن طالوت يفتقر إلى الثروة التي توقعوها في ملك، جاء الجواب بأن الله زاده بدلا من ذلك بسطة في العلم والجسم. ويستنبط ابن كثير من ذلك أنه ينبغي أن يكون الملك ذا علم وشكل حسن وقوة شديدة في بدنه ونفسه.
4. Sovereignty Described as Allah’s to Give | الملك وصف بأنه عطاء من الله
The verse closes the matter with a general statement, that Allah gives His sovereignty to whom He wills. This line reframes the entire episode: Talut’s kingship is not presented as the outcome of a contest of merit or popular consensus, but as something granted by Allah’s own choice, which the people’s objections could not overturn.
تختتم الآية الأمر بعبارة عامة، أن الله يؤتي ملكه من يشاء. وتعيد هذه العبارة تأطير الحادثة بأكملها: فملك طالوت لا يُقدَّم نتيجة منافسة على الجدارة أو إجماع شعبي، بل عطاء من اختيار الله نفسه، لم تستطع اعتراضات الناس نقضه.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Who is Saul (Talut)?
The king Allah appointed for the Children of Israel after they asked their prophet to give them a king to fight for their cause.
Did the people choose Talut themselves?
No, their prophet told them Allah had appointed him.
Why did some object to Talut becoming king?
They said he had not been given much wealth, and that they were more deserving of kingship.
What qualities did Allah give Talut instead of wealth?
Greater knowledge and physical capability than the rest of them.
Which verses of the Quran introduce Talut?
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:246-247.