ONE AYAT A DAY

Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 251

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فَهَزَمُوْهُمْ بِاِذْنِ اللّٰهِ ۗوَقَتَلَ دَاوٗدُ جَالُوْتَ وَاٰتٰىهُ اللّٰهُ الْمُلْكَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَهٗ مِمَّا يَشَاۤءُ ۗ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللّٰهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَّفَسَدَتِ الْاَرْضُ وَلٰكِنَّ اللّٰهَ ذُوْ فَضْلٍ عَلَى الْعٰلَمِيْنَ

Fahazamūhum bi'iżnillāh(i), wa qatala dāwūdu jālūta wa ātāhullāhul-mulka wal-ḥikmata wa ‘allamahū mimmā yasyā'(u), wa lau lā daf‘ullāhin-nāsa ba‘ḍahum biba‘ḍil lafasadatil-arḍu wa lākinnallāha żū faḍlin ‘alal-‘ālamīn(a).

So they defeated them by permission of Allāh, and David killed Goliath, and Allāh gave him the kingship and wisdom [i.e., prophethood] and taught him from that which He willed. And if it were not for Allāh checking [some] people by means of others, the earth would have been corrupted, but Allāh is the possessor of bounty for the worlds.

Tafsir (Ibn Kathir)

When the faithful party, who were few under the command of Talut, faced their enemy, who were many under the command of Jalut, قَالُواْ رَبَّنَآ أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا(they invoked: "Our Lord! Pour forth on us patience...") meaning, send down patience on us from You. وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا(and set firm our feet) meaning, against the enemy and save us from running away and from feebleness, وَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَـفِرِينَ(and make us victorious over the disbelieving people.) Allah said: فَهَزَمُوهُم بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ(So they routed them by Allah's leave) meaning, they defeated and overwhelmed them by Allah's aid and support. Then, وَقَتَلَ دَاوُودُ جَالُوتَ(and Dawud killed Jalut) Israelite accounts claimed that (Prophet) David killed Goliath with a slingshot that he had, which he launched at Goliath causing his death. Talut promised that whoever killed Jalut, would marry his daughter and would share his kingship and authority. He kept his promise. Later, the kingship was transferred to Prophet Dawud in addition to being granted Prophethood by Allah. So, Allah said: وَآتَـهُ اللَّهُ الْمُلْكَ(...and Allah gave him (Dawud) the kingdom) that Talut had and, وَالْحِكْــمَةِ(and Al-Hikmah) that comes with the prophethood, meaning, after Shamwil. Allah then said: وَعَلَّمَهُ مِمَّا يَشَآءُ(and taught him of that which He willed.) meaning, what He willed of the knowledge t…