Verse 246 of Surah Al-Baqarah, following a sequence of verses related to Jihad (verses 243 to 252), portrays with profound and incisive language the behaviour of the leaders and people of the Children of Israel when confronted with the divine duty of Jihad. This verse recounts a dialogue between the leaders of the nation and their prophet, wherein a request is made to raise a king to fight in the path of God. Yet, when this obligation is imposed upon them, with the exception of a few, all turn away. This occurrence imparts profound lessons in the domains of responsibility, sincerity, and the social and theological consequences of negligence in fulfilling duties. The present text employs deep analytical and sociological approaches to examine this verse in an elevated linguistic register and systematic structure. The objective is to offer a comprehensive exegesis that, while strictly faithful to the original content, elucidates the theological, sociological, and economic dimensions of the subject matter for a specialised audience. Like a sea whose waves conceal hidden depths, this verse encompasses multiple layers of knowledge which this treatise endeavours to explore.
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الْمَلَإِ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰ إِذْ قَالُوا لِنَبِيٍّ لَهُمْ ابْعَثْ لَنَا مَلِكًا نُقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ قَالَ هَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِنْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ أَلَّا تُقَاتِلُوا ۖ قَالُوا وَمَا لَنَا أَلَّا نُقَاتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَقَدْ أُخْرِجْنَا مِنْ دِيَارِنَا وَأَبْنَائِنَا ۖ فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِتَالُ تَوَلَّوْا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّالِمِينَ
Translation: Have you not seen the leaders of the Children of Israel after Moses, when they said to a prophet among them: Appoint for us a king that we might fight in the way of Allah? He said, Would you perhaps refrain from fighting if fighting is prescribed for you? They said, And why should we not fight in the way of Allah when we have been driven out of our homes and our children? But when fighting was prescribed for them, they turned away except for a few of them. And Allah is All-Knowing of the wrongdoers.
The verse begins with a contemplative question: أَلَمْ تَرَ (Have you not seen), inviting the addressee to reflect on the fate of the leaders of the Children of Israel. The term مَلَإ denotes the elites and dignitaries of the nation, underscoring the pivotal role of this group in societal leadership. Their request to appoint a king and engage in Jihad appears divine in nature, yet the prophets response unveils doubts regarding their genuine commitment. The phrase فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِتَالُ employs the passive voice to indicate that the obligation of fighting is introduced as a general rule within communities. The majoritys negligence is depicted through تَوَلَّوْا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِنْهُمْ. The verse concludes with وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّالِمِينَ, affirming Gods omniscience of those who perpetrate injustice either by inciting war or by shirking their duties.
Verse 246 of Surah Al-Baqarah, with its coherent structure and incisive language, imparts profound lessons in responsibility and sincerity. This verse acts as a mirror reflecting human frailties in the face of divine obligations, emphasising the necessity of genuine commitment to promises.
كُتِبَ in the Holy Quran indicates a universal and general rule whereby obligations such as warfare, fasting, and retribution are imposed upon societies as responses to particular social conditions.
The passive verb كُتِبَ appears in verses such as كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ (Al-Baqarah: 183) and كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِصَاصُ (Al-Baqarah: 178). This linguistic construction signifies an overarching rule that transcends religion or ethnicity, prevailing across all societies. The necessity of warfare arises when a community is deprived of rational tools such as dialogue and reflection, falling into the straits of crisis.
This principle demonstrates the universality of social challenges. When dialogue and rationality reach deadlock, war emerges as the ultimate recourse. This reality underscores the imperative of fostering a culture of dialogue and crisis management within societies to prevent descent into violence.
The verses expression تَوَلَّوْا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِنْهُمْ portrays the majoritys apathy. This negligence is not limited to the leaders but extends to ordinary people and even those professing to fight in Gods path. Such behaviour indicates absence of genuine commitment and dominance of non-divine motives, such as personal grudges or material interests.
The term مَلَإ points to the elites and dignitaries who, by advocating Jihad, accepted the responsibility of leading society. However, once the obligation of war became incumbent, all but a few turned away. This conduct reveals a contradiction between words and deeds, which undermines social trust.
The theological analysis of the verse emphasises the importance of sincerity, commitment, and responsibility toward divine duties. Negligence in practicewhether by elites or commonersconstitutes an injustice with repercussions that afflict society. This verse, akin to a beacon in darkness, guides communities to avoid hollow promises and strengthen genuine faith.
War functions like a devastating storm destabilising the foundations of society. The destruction of infrastructure, loss of human and economic resources, and social instability represent only a portion of its consequences. This verse, by referencing the majoritys negligence towards war, underscores the dangers of imposing severe crises upon communities.
Elites and intellectuals seek refuge in secure countries amidst war and chaos. This exodus deprives society of human capital and benefits developed nations that consolidate their power by absorbing such talents. Furthermore, plundering national wealth during turmoil is tantamount to accumulating several centuries worth of riches within a few decades.
War is analogous to muddy waters in which opportunistic fishers thrive; similarly, rent-seekers and economic cartels exploit instability for substantial profit. This constitutes blatant injustice to society, whose resources are expropriated in favour of select groups.
The concept of retribution in jurisprudence pertains to the lawful recovery of rights. However, some misuse this notion to legitimise plunder during chaos, claiming it as redress for past deprivations. This distortion constitutes a hidden injustice that damages public trust in religion.
War refugees find no acceptance in their homeland nor humane conditions at destinations. This liminal state, akin to imprisonment between earth and sky, is a compounded injustice resulting from war-induced instability.
The sociological analysis of the verse reveals the devastating outcomes of war. Brain drain, plundering wealth, and the limbo of migrants constitute only some of the injustices arising from turmoil. This verse serves as a warning to societies to avoid critical crises and to strengthen infrastructures of dialogue and peace.
Religious sciences, due to their confinement to traditional fields such as jurisprudence and grammar, have been unable to address contemporary societal needs. This confinement acts as a cage preventing the bird of knowledge from soaring in the sky of social concerns.
To address contemporary challenges, religious sciences must undergo transformation. Obsolete disciplines should be set aside; some require review and repair; and new fields like sociology, psychology, and economics should be integrated into curricula. This reform resembles the restoration of an ancient edifice that requires modern materials to withstand the storms of the era.
The Quran is not merely a sacred scripture but a rich source for deriving social, psychological, and economic sciences. It is akin to a treasury which, if properly explored, will fulfil human needs across all ages.
Economic inequalities, for example, bottled water being more expensive than soft drinks