17. Ramzan Quiz

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاتة 

بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِٱلرَّحِيمِ

 17. "Allah will test you at a river; anyone who drinks from it will not be on my side; while anyone who does not taste it is with me ....." Who said this? (2:249)

 Answer: Talut [Saul], the king of the Children of Israel at the time of Dawud (AS).

 Talut was marching forth with his eighty thousand Israelite soldiers to fight with Goliath who has taken their land by force.  Talut said: "Allah Subhanahuthala will test them by a river". It is a river that flowed between Jordan and Palestine.

A test while crossing the river:

The soldiers marching with Talut were with little morality. They were tested for their inclination, sincerity and endurance to fight. To distinguish the worthy from the worthy less, obedient from disobedient and to select soldiers with steadfastness that is necessary in fighting, Allah preordained to test with river that they have to cross while marching.

 He said to his soldiers, "Whoever then drinks from it, he is not of me, and whoever does not taste of it, he is surely of me, except he who takes with his hand as much of it as fills the hand" (2:249).

Those who drank freely never crossed the river:

 In spite their king ordering to drink water a handful, most of them drank freely. They became mysteriously more incapacitated. They failed to make the grade in their hour of trial. Those who could not endure thirst even for a short while, would not be expected to remain steadfast in their fighting with an enemy. They never crossed the river.

Only few crossed the river:

The army was now reduced to hundreds. Saul crossed the river with believers, who were obedient in taking a small quantity of water from river. By seeing the strength of their enemy they said: "We have no power this day against Jalut (Goliath) and his forces.'' [2:249]

But those who believed that they were bound to meet their Lord said: “How often has a small party prevailed against a large party by the leave of Allah.” Allah is with those who remain steadfast. [2:249]

Then Allah continues in Quran:

 "And when they advanced to meet Jalut (Goliath) and his forces, they invoked: "Our Lord! Pour forth on us patience, and set firm our feet and make us victorious over the disbelieving people.'' [2:250]. They defeated and overwhelmed them by Allah's aid and support.

Allah concludes by saying:

 So they routed them by Allah's leave and Dawud (AS) killed Jalut (Goliath), and Allah gave him (Dawud [AS]) the kingdom (after the death of Talut) and Al-Hikmah (Prophethood), and taught him of that which He willed. And if Allah did not check one set of people by means of another, the earth would indeed be full of mischief. But Allah is full of bounty to the Alamin. [2:251].

Talut and Dawud (AS) helped the Children of Israel to win the land of Goliath, who was a mischief maker.

 الحمدلله