Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And their prophet said to them: “God has raised up for you Saul as king.” They said: “How can he have dominion over us when we are worthier of dominion than he, when he has not been given abundance of wealth?” He said: “God has chosen him over you, and increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature.” And God gives His dominion to whom He wills; and God is encompassing and knowing.

وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكاًۜ قَالُٓوا اَنّٰى يَكُونُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ اَحَقُّ بِالْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِنَ الْمَالِۜ قَالَ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ اصْطَفٰيهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَزَادَهُ بَسْطَةً فِي الْعِلْمِ وَالْجِسْمِۜ وَاللّٰهُ يُؤْت۪ي مُلْكَهُ مَنْ يَشَٓاءُۜ وَاللّٰهُ وَاسِعٌ عَل۪يمٌ
Waqala lahum nabiyyuhum inna Allahaqad baAAatha lakum taloota malikan qaloo annayakoonu lahu almulku AAalayna wanahnu ahaqqubilmulki minhu walam yu/ta saAAatan mina almali qalainna Allaha istafahu AAalaykum wazadahubastatan fee alAAilmi waljismi wallahuyu/tee mulkahu man yashao wallahu wasiAAunAAaleem
#wordmeaningroot
1waqālaAnd saidقول
2lahumto them
3nabiyyuhumtheir Prophetنبا
4innaIndeed
5l-lahaAllah
6qad(has) surely
7baʿatharaisedبعث
8lakumfor you
9ṭālūtaTalut
10malikan(as) a kingملك
11qālūThey saidقول
12annāHowاني
13yakūnucan beكون
14lahufor him
15l-mul'kuthe kingshipملك
16ʿalaynāover us
17wanaḥnuwhile we
18aḥaqqu(are) more entitledحقق
19bil-mul'kito kingshipملك
20min'huthan him
21walamand not
22yu'tahe has been givenاتي
23saʿatanabundanceوسع
24minaof
25l-māli[the] wealthمول
26qālaHe saidقول
27innaIndeed
28l-lahaAllah
29iṣ'ṭafāhuhas chosen himصفو
30ʿalaykumover you
31wazādahuand increased himزيد
32basṭatanabundantlyبسط
33in
34l-ʿil'mi[the] knowledgeعلم
35wal-jis'miand [the] physiqueجسم
36wal-lahuAnd Allah
37yu'tīgivesاتي
38mul'kahuHis kingdomملك
39man(to) whom
40yashāuHe willsشيا
41wal-lahuAnd Allah
42wāsiʿun(is) All-Encompassingوسع
43ʿalīmunAll-Knowingعلم
  • Aisha Bewley

    Their Prophet said to them, ‘Allah has appointed Saul to be your king. ’ They said, ‘How can he have kingship over us when we have much more right to kingship than he does? He has not even much wealth!’ He said, ‘Allah has chosen him over you and increased him greatly in knowledge and physical strength. Allah gives kingship to anyone He wills. Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.’

  • Progressive Muslims

    And their prophet said to them: "God has sent Saul to you as a king. " They said: "How can he have the kingship when we are more deserving than him, and he has not been given an abundance of wealth" He said: "God has chosen him over you and increased him in knowledge and stature." God grants His sovereignty to whom He chooses; and God is Encompassing, Knowledgeable.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Their Prophet said, "Allah has appointed Talut (Saul) as your king. " They objected, "How can he have kingship over us when we are more worthy of kingship than he; he is not even rich?" The Prophet said, "Allah has chosen him over you, and has blessed him with wisdom and stature. Allah bestows His kingship according to His Laws. He is Infinite, Knowing."

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And their prophet said to them: “God has raised up for you Saul as king.” They said: “How can he have dominion over us when we are worthier of dominion than he, when he has not been given abundance of wealth?” He said: “God has chosen him over you, and increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature.” And God gives His dominion to whom He wills; and God is encompassing and knowing.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And their prophet said to them: "God has sent Saul to you as a king." They said: "How can he have the kingship when we are more deserving than him, and he has not been given an abundance of wealth?" He said: "God has chosen him over you and increased him in knowledge and physical stature." God grants His sovereignty to whom He chooses; and God is Encompassing, Knowledgeable.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Their prophet said to them, "God has sent Saul to you as a king." They said, "How can he have the kingship when we are more deserving than him, and he has not been given an abundance of wealth?" He said, "God has chosen him over you and increased him in knowledge and stature." God grants His sovereignty to whom He chooses; and God is Encompassing, Knowledgeable.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Their prophet said to them, "GOD has appointed Taloot (Saul) to be your king." They said, "How can he have kingship over us when we are more worthy of kingship than he; he is not even rich?" He said, "GOD has chosen him over you, and has blessed him with an abundance in knowledge and in body." GOD grants His kingship to whomever He wills. GOD is Bounteous, Omniscient.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    And when their prophet said to them: "God has raised Saul king over you, " they said: "How can he be king over us when we have greater right to kingship than he, for he does not even possess abundant wealth?" "God has chosen him in preference to you," said the prophet "and given him much more wisdom and prowess; and God gives authority to whomsoever He will: God is infinite and all-wise. "

  • Sahih International (Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)

    And their prophet said to them, "Indeed, Allah has sent to you Saul as a king. " They said, "How can he have kingship over us while we are more worthy of kingship than him and he has not been given any measure of wealth?" He said, "Indeed, Allah has chosen him over you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allah gives His sovereignty to whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing."

  • Muhammad Asad

    And their prophet said unto those elders: "Behold, now God has raised up Saul to be your king. " They said: "How can he have dominion over us when we have a better claim to dominion than he, and he has not been endowed with abundant wealth?" replied: "Behold, God has exalted him above you, and endowed him abundantly with knowledge and bodily perfection. And God bestows His dominion upon whom He wills: for God is infinite, all-knowing."

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Their Prophet said unto them: Lo! Allah hath raised up Saul to be a king for you. They said: How can he have kingdom over us when we are more deserving of the kingdom than he is, since he hath not been given wealth enough? He said: Lo! Allah hath chosen him above you, and hath increased him abundantly in wisdom and stature. Allah bestoweth His Sovereignty on whom He will. Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    And their Prophet said to them: "Indeed Allah has sent forth Saul (Talut) as your king."* They said: “By what right shall he rule over us when we are more worthy than he to dominion, for he is not very wealthy?” He said: “Allah has chosen him over you and has endowed him abundantly with both intellectual and physical capacities. Allah indeed has the power to bestow dominion upon whomsoever He wills. Allah is All-Resourceful, All- Knowing.”

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Their prophet then said to them: "Now Allah appointed Talut (Saul) as your king. " But they said: "How can he be given sovereignty over us when we claim priority in birth, rank and dignity and he is not as endowed with possessions and advantages!" Their prophet said: "Allah has chosen him to reign over you and has imparted to him a wealth of knowledge and privileged him with a distinguished stature, and Allah delegates His Authority to whom He will. Allah is Wasi‘un (Omnipresent) and 'Alimun".

  • Bijan Moeinian

    The Prophet of Israel said to them: "God has appointed Saul as your King. " They responded: “How can God appoint him as our king while any one of us is more qualified than him? He is not eve rich!” Their Prophet responded: “God has given him knowledge and physical power (which is more important than wealth that you use as the only criterion.) God will bless whoever He chooses; He is the Most Knowledgeable.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And their Prophet (Samuel عليه السلام) said to them, "Indeed Allâh has appointed Tâlût (Saul) as a king over you." They said, "How can he be a king over us when we are fitter than him for the kingdom, and he has not been given enough wealth." He said: "Verily, Allâh has chosen him above you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allâh grants His kingdom to whom He wills. And Allâh is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Their Prophet said to them: "Allah hath appointed Talut as king over you." They said: "How can he exercise authority over us when we are better fitted than he to exercise authority, and he is not even gifted, with wealth in abundance?" He said: "Allah hath Chosen him above you, and hath gifted him abundantly with knowledge and bodily prowess: Allah Granteth His authority to whom He pleaseth. Allah careth for all, and He knoweth all things."

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Their prophet told them, "Allah has appointed Saul to be your king." They protested, “How can he be our king when some of us are more deserving of kingship than he, and he has not been blessed with vast riches?” He replied, “Allah has chosen him over you and blessed him with knowledge and stature. Allah grants kingship to whoever He wills. And Allah is All-Bountiful, All-Knowing.”

  • Taqi Usmani

    Their prophet said to them: "Allah has appointed Tālūt as a king for you." They said: “How could he have kingship over us when we are more entitled to the kingship than him? He has not been given affluence in wealth.” He said: “Allah has chosen him over you and has increased his stature in knowledge and physique, and Allah gives His kingship to whom He wills. Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.’

  • Abdul Haleem

    Their prophet said to them, ‘God has now appointed Talut to be your king,’ but they said, ‘How can he be king over us when we have a greater right to rule than he? He does not even have great wealth.’ He said, ‘God has chosen him over you, and has given him great knowledge and stature. God grants His authority to whoever He pleases: God is magnanimous, all knowing.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Then their Prophet said to them, 'Verily God has raised up Saul for you as king. ' They said, 'How should he be king over us who have better right than he to kingship, seeing he has not been given amplitude of wealth?' He said, 'God has chosen him over you, and has increased him broadly in knowledge and body. God gives the kingship to whom He will; and God is All-embracing, All-knowing.'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Then their prophet said to them, 'Verily, God has raised up for you Talut as a king;' they said, 'How can the kingdom be his over us; we have more right to the kingdom than he, for he has not an amplitude of wealth?' He said, 'Verily, God has chosen him over you, and has provided him with an extent of knowledge and of form. God gives the kingdom unto whom He will; God comprehends and knows.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Then their prophet said to them, "Verily, Allah has raised up for you Talut (Saul) as a king;" they said, How can the kingdom be his over us; we have more right to the kingdom than he, for he has not an amplitude of wealth?" He said, "Verily, Allah has chosen him over you, and has provided him with an abundance of knowledge and stature. Allah gives the kingdom unto whom He will; Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing."

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And their Prophet said to them, "Surely Allah has already sent forth Talût (Saul) for you as a king. " They said, "However could he have kingship over us, and we have truer (right) than he of kingship, and he has not been brought affluence of wealth?" He said, "Surely Allah has elected him above you and has increased him sizably in knowledge (Literally: an outspreading of knowledge) and figure." And Allah brings (forth) His kingship to whomever He decides, and Allah is Ever- Embracing, Ever-Knowing.

  • George Sale

    And their prophet said unto them, verily God hath set Jalut, king over you: They answered, how shall he reign over us, seeing we are more worthy of the kingdom than he, neither is he possessed of great riches? Samual said, verily God hath chosen him before you, and hath caused him to increase in knowledge and stature, for God giveth his kingdom unto whom he pleaseth; God is bounteous and wise.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And their prophet said to them: "Indeed, Allah has appointed Tálút as king over you. " They said: "How can he exercise authority over us when we are better fitted than he to exercise authority, and he is not even gifted with wealth in abundance?" He said: "Indeed, Allah has chosen him above you and has gifted him abundantly with knowledge and bodily strength over all: And Allah grants His authority to whom He pleases. And Allah is Enough (Wasi’) for all, All Knowing (Aleem)."

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And their Prophet (of God) said to them, `Verily, Allâh has appointed Tâlût (- Saul) to be a controlling authority over you. ' They said, `How can he have sovereignty over us, whereas we are better entitled to sovereignty than he, and he has not been given abundance of wealth?' He (- their Prophet of God) replied, `Surely, Allâh has chosen him above you and He has given him a vast deal of knowledge and of bodily strength.' And Allâh gives His sovereignty to whom He wills, for Allâh is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Their prophet said to them, ‘Allah has appointed Saul as king for you. ’ They said, ‘How can he have kingship over us, when we have a greater right to kingship than him, as he has not been given ample wealth?’ He said, ‘Indeed Allah has chosen him over you, and enhanced him vastly in knowledge and physique, and Allah gives His kingdom to whomever He wishes, and Allah is all-bounteous, all-knowing.’