Boreal

Shared Prophets

Saul

In the Bible, Saul was proclaimed king by God after He received a request from the prophet Samuel. In the Koran, the request was made by Moses to an anonymous prophet.

2:246 Have you not considered the leaders of the Children of Israel who after Moses said to one of their Prophets: “Set up a king for us and we will fight in the Way of Allah.” He replied: “What if you refuse to fight when you are ordered to fight?” They said: “How could we refuse to fight when we have been driven, along with our children, from our homes?” But when they were ordered to fight, they turned away except for a few of them. And Allah knows the wrongdoers.

2:247 Then their Prophet said to them: “Allah has set up Saul to be your King.” They replied: “How can he be given the kingship over us when we have a better right to it, and when he is not rich enough?” He said to them: “Allah has chosen him [to rule] over you and caused him to have greater knowledge and better stature. Allah bestows His Sovereignty on whom He wills. He is Munificent and All-Knowing.”

In bestowing the kingship upon Saul, Allah revealed some of the contents of the Ark of the Covenant.

2:248 Their Prophet also said to them: “The proof of his kingship is that there shall come to you the Ark in which there is tranquility from your Lord and the relics of Moses and the family of Aaron borne by the angels. In this there is a proof for you if you are real believers.”

David and Goliath

God’s revelations about the encounter between David and Goliath are brief and lacking details such as the weapon used by David to slay the giant. In the Bible, Goliath is the champion of the Philistine army; in the Koran, he is the leader of an army of unbelievers. It begins with Saul leading his army against Goliath and his forces; before he could engage them, however, Allah further reduced the number of fighting men by submitting them to a loyalty test in the form of quenching their thirst.

2:249 And when Saul set out with [his] troops he said: “Allah will test you with a river. He who drinks from it is no part of me (is not one of my followers), but he who does not drink from it is part of me, except for him who scoops up with his hand a handful from it.” They drank from it except for a few of them; but when he, along with those who believed, crossed it, they said: “Today we are unable to face Goliath and his troops.” But those of them who believed that they would meet Allah said: “How many a small band has defeated a large one by Allah’s Leave.” Allah is with the steadfast.

2:250 And when they confronted Goliath and his troops, they said: “Lord, fill us with forbearance, enable us to stand fast, and help us against the unbelievers.”

2:251 And so they defeated them by Allah’s Leave. David killed Goliath and Allah bestowed on him the kinship and the wisdom, and taught him what he pleased. Had Allah not caused some people to repel others, the earth would have been corrupted. But Allah bestows his Favours on all mankind.

2:252 These are Allah’s Revelations. We recite them to you (Muhammad) in all truth, and surely you are one of the Messengers.