Quran 2:249 — Surah Al-Baqara Ayah 249 | Arabic, Translation & Tafsir

وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ ءَايَةَ مُلْكِهِۦ...

2:249

Al-Baqara

وَلَمَّا بَرَزُوا۟ لِجَالُوتَ وَجُنُودِهِۦ قَالُوا...

فَلَمَّا فَصَلَ طَالُوتُ بِٱلْجُنُودِ قَالَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُبْتَلِيكُم بِنَهَرٍۢ فَمَن شَرِبَ مِنْهُ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّى وَمَن لَّمْ يَطْعَمْهُ فَإِنَّهُۥ مِنِّىٓ إِلَّا مَنِ ٱغْتَرَفَ غُرْفَةًۢ بِيَدِهِۦ ۚ فَشَرِبُوا۟ مِنْهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلًۭا مِّنْهُمْ ۚ فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَهُۥ هُوَ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ قَالُوا۟ لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا ٱلْيَوْمَ بِجَالُوتَ وَجُنُودِهِۦ ۚ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَٰقُوا۟ ٱللَّهِ كَم مِّن فِئَةٍۢ قَلِيلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةًۭ كَثِيرَةًۢ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ

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

And when Saul went forth with the soldiers, he said, "Indeed, Allah will be testing you with a river. So whoever drinks from it is not of me, and whoever does not taste it is indeed of me, excepting one who takes [from it] in the hollow of his hand." But they drank from it, except a [very] few of them. Then when he had crossed it along with those who believed with him, they said, "There is no power for us today against Goliath and his soldiers." But those who were certain that they would meet Allah said, "How many a small company has overcome a large company by permission of Allah. And Allah is with the patient."

Tafsir

Scholars largely agree on this ayah

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 2:249→

And when Saul went forth with the hosts from the Holy House sc. Jerusalem the heat was intense and so they asked him for water; he said ‘God will try test you in order to distinguish the obedient among you from the disobedient with a river between Jordan and Palestine whoever drinks of it of its water is not of me is not of my followers and whoever tastes it not he is of me except for him who scoops up with his hand’ ghurfa or gharfa ‘a scoop’ satisfying himself therewith and not taking more he is also of my followers. But they drank of it when they reached it and saw that it was abundant except a few of them who restricted themselves to a scoop it is reported that one scoop was enough for each man and his horse and they numbered over three hundred; and when he crossed it with those who believed the ones who confined themselves to the one scoop they the ones that drank profusely said ‘We have no power today against Goliath and his troops’ that is no power to fight them and they were cowardly and did not cross it. Those who thought with certainty that they would meet God at the Resurrection and these were the ones that crossed it said ‘How often kam ‘how’ functions as a predicate meaning kathīr ‘many’ a little company group of men has overcome a numerous one by God’s leave by His will; and God is with the patient’ providing them with help and assistance.

The companions of (the Prophet) Muhammad who took part in Badr, told me that their number was that of Saul's (i.e. Talut's) companions who crossed the river (of Jordan) with him and they were over three-hundred-and-ten men. By Allah, none crossed the river with him but a believer. (See Qur'an 2:249)

Sahih al-Bukhari #3795Narrated Al-Bara:Sahih

We used to say that the warriors of Badr were over three-hundred-and-ten, as many as the Companions of Saul who crossed the river with him; and none crossed the river with him but a believer.

Sunan Ibn Majah #2564It was narrated that Bara’ bin ‘Azib said:Sahih

“We were talking about how, on the Day of Badr, the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) numbered three hundred ten and something, the same number as the Companions of (Talut) who crossed the river with him, and no one crossed the river with him but a believer.”

Sahih al-Bukhari #3794Narrated Al-Bara:Sahih

We, the Companions of Muhammad used to say that the number of the warriors of Badr was the same as the number of Saul's companions who crossed the river (of Jordan) with him, and none crossed the river with him but a believer, and the were over three-hundred-and-ten men.

Sunan an-Nasa'i #3182It was narrated from Abu Sukainah, a man from among the Muharririn, that a man among the Companions of the the Prophet (ﷺ) said:Sahih

"When the Prophet (ﷺ) commanded them to dig the trench (Al-Khandaq), there was a rock in their way preventing them from digging. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood, picked up a pickaxe, put his Rida' (upper garment) at the edge of the ditch and said: 'And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. None can change His Words. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.' One-third of the rock broke off while Salman Al-Farisi was standing there watching, and there was a flash of light when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)struck (the rock). Then he struck it again and said: 'And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. Nonce can change His Words. Ans He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower' And another third of the rock broke off and there was another flash of light, which Salman saw. Then he struck (the rock) a third time and said: 'And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. None can change His Words. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.' The last third fell, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came out, picked up his Rida' and sat down. Salman said: 'O Messenger of Allah, Each time you struck the rock there was a flash of light.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him: 'O Salman, did you see that?' He said: 'Yes, by the One Who sent you with the truth, O Messenger of Allah.' He said: 'When I struck the first blow, the cities of Kisra and their environs were shown to me, and many other cities, and I saw them with my own eyes.' Those of his Companions who were present said: 'O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah to grant us victory and to give us their land as spoils of war, and to destroy their lands at our hands.' So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed for that. (Then he said:) 'Then I struck the second blow and the cities of Caesar and their environs were shown to me, and I saw them with my own eyes.' They said: 'O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah to grant us victory and to give us their lands as spoils of war, and to destroy their lands at our hands.' So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed for that. (Then he said:) 'Then I struck the third blow and the cities of Ethiopia were shown to me, and the villages around them, and I saw them with my own eyes.' But the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said at that point: 'Leave the Ethiopians alone so long as they leave you alone, and leave the Turks alone so long as they leave you alone.'" An-An'am 6:115.