SAUL

Heb: Sha'uwl ()

The first king of Israel, called Talut in the Qur'an. Al-Baqarah 2:246-251 describes a story that exhorts the Israelites to fight in Allah's way. However, a few discrepancies with the Biblical account (1 Samuel 8) can be found:

- The Qur'an was not able to give the name of the prophet, nor the king. The prophet was Samuel, and the king, Saul. Saul was called Talut in the Qur'an (see YA:, S:, SA:, RK:)
- The Israelites asked for a king because the judges (i.e. leaders of Israel. At the time of the incident in 1 Sam 8, Samuel's sons were judging Israel with Samuel as Israel's spiritual leader) were evil, and they wanted a king just like other nations. The Qur'an says that the Israelites asked for a king to fight in Allah's way, because they had been forced from their homes! In the Bible, the Israelites left Egypt by God's command.
- Samuel was displeased with this proposal, and asked God. The Qur'an said that Samuel asked if they would fight for God if they were so commanded, indicating an agreement as long as they were to follow what God decided!
- God was also unhappy with this, for it meant that they had rejected God. God also told Samuel to warn the Israelites of the consequences of having a king. The Qur'an said that the result of asking for a king was to fight, indicating no displeasure at all!
- The Qur'an says that fighting was prescribed and that the Israelites failed to fight when the time comes. The Israelites, under the judges, have already been fighting their enemies, especially the Philistines, long before they asked for a king!

In the first battle of Saul, the Qur'an said that he separated the people and picked only a few as they drank from the river. This was not mentioned in 1 Samuel 11-12. Instead the story is to be found in Judges 7, where Gideon lead the Israelites for battle. The first battle of Saul also did not involve Goliath and the Philistines. Instead they were against the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11:1). Goliath come on the scene later when the Israelites were taunted by the Philistines, and David volunteered to fight Goliath. The Qur'an implied that David was serving with Saul at his first battle!

It seemed that Muhammad knew the stories of the Old Testament, but somehow mixed up the different episodes. We see historical compression at work here.

Readings: 1, 2.

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