Abstract
In Islam, knowledge is a source of honour that rises above wealth, lineage and social status. This article studies that principle through two texts. The first is Surah Al-Baqarah 2:247, in which a prophet of the Children of Israel informs his people that Allah has appointed Talut as their king. They object that he lacks wealth and noble standing, and the prophet answers that Allah chose him and gave him abundance in knowledge and physical strength. The second is the hadith of ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud in Sahih al-Bukhari: “There is no envy except in two cases”, the person who spends his wealth in the right way, and the person given wisdom who judges by it and teaches it.
The article explains the historical context of the verse according to classical commentators, the criteria for leadership it establishes, and the scholarly distinction between blameworthy envy (hasad) and healthy aspiration (ghibtah). It concludes with practical lessons for students: that merit outweighs money, that knowledge and physical well-being go together, and that the only competition worth having is in learning, acting and giving.
Keywords: Virtue of Knowledge, Talut, Al-Baqarah 2:247, Leadership in Islam, Knowledge and Strength, Permissible Envy (Ghibtah), Teaching and Acting upon Knowledge
Introduction
The very first distinction Allah gave to humanity was knowledge. When the angels asked why a vicegerent would be placed on earth, Allah taught Adam (peace be upon him) the names of all things, and then asked the angels to name them. They said, “Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what You have taught us” (Al-Baqarah 2:32). Adam’s superiority was shown not by wealth or power, but by knowledge.
This theme runs throughout the Qur’an. Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) asked to be placed over the storehouses of Egypt because, as he said, “I am a careful guardian, knowledgeable” (Yusuf 12:55). The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) described scholars as the heirs of the prophets, who left behind knowledge rather than gold and silver (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 3641; Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2682).
In a world that often measures people by money, family name or appearance, the Qur’an offers a different standard. The story of Talut and the hadith on “permissible envy” together show what truly deserves honour and ambition.
The Verse: Surah Al-Baqarah 2:247
Allah Almighty says:
وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوْتَ مَلِكًا ۭ قَالُوْٓا اَنّٰى يَكُوْنُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ اَحَقُّ بِالْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِّنَ الْمَالِ ۭ قَالَ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ اصْطَفٰىهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَزَادَهٗ بَسْطَةً فِي الْعِلْمِ وَالْجِسْمِ ۭ وَاللّٰهُ يُؤْتِيْ مُلْكَهٗ مَنْ يَّشَاۗءُ ۭ وَاللّٰهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيْمٌ (البقرة: 247)
Translation: “Their prophet said to them, ‘Allah has appointed Talut as king over you.’ They said, ‘How can he have kingship over us when we are more deserving of kingship than he is, and he has not been given abundant wealth?’ He said, ‘Allah has chosen him over you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and in body. Allah gives His kingdom to whom He wills, and Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.'”
Historical context
This verse belongs to a passage (Al-Baqarah 2:246-251) about the Children of Israel after the time of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him). They had been defeated and driven from their homes by their enemies, and their leaders asked their prophet to appoint a king under whom they could fight. Many classical commentators, including al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir, report that this prophet was Shamwil (Samuel), although the Qur’an does not name him. Talut is generally identified by commentators with the king known in Biblical tradition as Saul.
The passage continues with the sign of Talut’s kingship (the return of the Ark), the test of the river, and the battle in which a young Dawud (David) killed Jalut (Goliath). The same passage that begins with the appointment of a king for his knowledge ends with Allah giving Dawud “kingship and wisdom, and teaching him whatever He willed” (Al-Baqarah 2:251).
A note on the name “Talut”
Some commentators connected the name with the Arabic word tul (height), reflecting reports that Talut was very tall. However, many grammarians and commentators consider Talut a non-Arabic proper name, which is why it is not declined in Arabic. Either way, the Qur’an itself emphasises his physical stature in the words “increased him abundantly in body”.
The Objections and the Divine Criteria
Why the people objected
The verse records two objections: “we are more deserving of kingship than he”, and “he has not been given abundant wealth”. Ibn Kathir and other commentators explain the background. Among the Children of Israel, prophethood was commonly associated with the descendants of Levi and kingship with the descendants of Judah. Talut came from the tribe of Benjamin, which was neither. Some reports also describe him as a man of humble work. In the eyes of the elders, he had neither the right family nor the right bank balance.
The prophet’s two-part answer
1. The choice belongs to Allah. “Allah has chosen him over you” and “Allah gives His kingdom to whom He wills.” Ultimate authority belongs to Allah, and He knows best who is suited for a responsibility. Human criteria of status are not the final measure.
2. The choice is based on real qualifications. Allah did not choose Talut randomly. He “increased him abundantly in knowledge and in body”. Commentators explain that knowledge here includes understanding of religion, of governance and of military affairs, all essential for a king leading his people into battle. Physical strength gave him the ability to lead from the front and command respect. The verse thus replaces the false criteria of lineage and wealth with the true criteria of competence.
A consistent Qur’anic principle
The same pairing of inner and outer qualities appears elsewhere in the Qur’an:
- Yusuf (peace be upon him) presented himself as hafiz ‘alim, trustworthy and knowledgeable (Yusuf 12:55).
- The daughter of the old man of Madyan recommended Musa (peace be upon him) as al-qawiyy al-amin, strong and trustworthy (Al-Qasas 28:26).
- Talut was given abundance in ‘ilm and jism, knowledge and body.
From these verses, scholars of Islamic political thought, such as Ibn Taymiyyah in al-Siyasah al-Shar’iyyah, derived that positions of responsibility should be given on the basis of strength (competence) and trustworthiness. Wealth and family name may help a person, but they do not qualify him.
Allah is “All-Encompassing, All-Knowing”
The verse ends with two divine names. Al-Wasi’ (All-Encompassing) answers the complaint about wealth: Allah’s bounty is vast, and He can give Talut whatever resources he needs. Al-‘Alim (All-Knowing) answers the complaint about lineage: Allah knows who is truly fit to lead.
The Prophetic Teaching: “No Envy Except in Two”
The Prophet Muhammad (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم) said:
حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِي خَالِدٍ عَلَی غَيْرِ مَا حَدَّثَنَاهُ الزُّهْرِيُّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ قَيْسَ بْنَ أَبِي حَازِمٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَا حَسَدَ إِلَّا فِي اثْنَتَيْنِ رَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ مَالًا فَسُلِّطَ عَلَی هَلَکَتِهِ فِي الْحَقِّ وَرَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ الْحِکْمَةَ فَهُوَ يَقْضِي بِهَا وَيُعَلِّمُهَا (صحیح البخاری، کتاب العلم: 73)
The hadith is also recorded elsewhere in Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 1409, 7141) and in Sahih Muslim (Hadith 816).
Translation: ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There is no envy except in two cases: a man to whom Allah has given wealth and who is enabled to spend all of it in the cause of truth, and a man to whom Allah has given wisdom, who judges by it and teaches it.”
Imam al-Bukhari placed this hadith in the Book of Knowledge under the chapter “Aspiring to knowledge and wisdom”, showing that his purpose in quoting it was to encourage the pursuit of knowledge.
Explanation of the Hadith
Envy (hasad) and aspiration (ghibtah)
In Islamic teaching, hasad in its blameworthy sense means wishing that a blessing be taken away from someone else. It is a disease of the heart, and Allah commands us to seek refuge “from the evil of an envier when he envies” (Al-Falaq 113:5). Imam al-Nawawi, in his commentary on Sahih Muslim, explains that the “envy” permitted in this hadith is ghibtah: wishing to have a blessing like someone else’s without wishing that it be taken away from him. This kind of aspiration is not only allowed; in matters of goodness it is praiseworthy, as Allah says: “For this, let the competitors compete” (Al-Mutaffifin 83:26).
The hadith therefore redirects a natural human feeling. Instead of envying people for their cars, houses or fame, the believer is taught to feel ambition only for two things.
The first: wealth spent in the cause of truth
The Arabic phrase fasullita ‘ala halakatihi fil-haqq means that he is enabled to use up his wealth entirely in rightful ways. Wealth itself is not the object of admiration; what is admired is the courage and generosity to spend it for Allah, on family, the poor, education and public good.
The second: wisdom that is applied and taught
The word hikmah here refers, according to Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari, to the Qur’an and the knowledge of the religion, or more broadly to sound knowledge that leads to right action. Two verbs describe the person: he judges by it (yaqdi biha), meaning he applies it in his own life and in deciding matters between people, and he teaches it (yu’allimuha). Knowledge that is neither practised nor shared does not reach this level.
What connects the two
Both people possess a blessing that benefits others. One shares his wealth, the other shares his knowledge. The hadith teaches that the value of any blessing lies in how it serves others, not in how much of it a person holds.
Lessons for Students Today
1. Merit matters more than money
Today people are often judged by their phones, cars, social media following or family connections. The elders of the Children of Israel made the same mistake when they rejected Talut. A student who comes from a poor or ordinary family should never feel inferior. Allah’s criterion is knowledge, ability and character, and these are open to anyone who works for them.
2. Do not let background become a barrier
Talut came from the smallest tribe and was not from the family expected to rule. Students today may face bias because of their city, language, ethnicity or their parents’ occupation. The story teaches that such barriers do not define a person’s worth. Islam’s message is clear: “The most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the most mindful of Him” (Al-Hujurat 49:13).
3. Build both mind and body
The Qur’an mentions knowledge and body together. A student should seek deep understanding, not just marks, and should also care for his health through exercise, sleep and good food. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, while there is good in both” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2664). Strength here includes physical, mental and spiritual strength.
4. Redirect competition
Instead of competing over fashion, gadgets or fame, compete in learning, in acting upon what you learn, and in giving back. Admire the classmate who understands more and teaches others, and strive to become like him, without wishing him any loss.
5. Knowledge must lead to action and teaching
The person praised in the hadith both “judges by” his wisdom and “teaches” it. A student’s knowledge should change his own behaviour and be shared generously, through helping classmates, teaching younger siblings, or writing and speaking about what he has learned.
6. Humility in success and acceptance in disappointment
If you are chosen for a position, remember that it came from Allah and use it to serve. If someone else is chosen, respect his abilities rather than asking, “Why him and not me?” That was the attitude of the elders who opposed Talut, and it led them into argument rather than progress.
Conclusion
The story of Talut shows that in Allah’s measure, the right to lead and to be honoured comes from knowledge and capability, not from wealth or lineage. When the elders objected that Talut was poor and from a lesser tribe, the answer came that Allah had chosen him and increased him in knowledge and strength. The hadith of Ibn Mas’ud completes the picture: the only things worth envying are wealth spent in the cause of truth and wisdom that is acted upon and taught.
For the believer, and especially for the student, the path is clear. Seek knowledge deeply, care for the body that carries it, act upon what you learn, share it generously, and measure yourself and others by these standards rather than by money or status. That is the true virtue of knowledge.
References
- The Holy Qur’an: Al-Baqarah 2:30-33, 2:246-251; Yusuf 12:55; Al-Qasas 28:26; Al-Hujurat 49:13; Al-Mutaffifin 83:26; Al-Falaq 113:5.
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 73, 1409, 7141.
- Sahih Muslim, Hadith 816, 2664.
- Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 3641; Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2682.
- Al-Tabari, Jami’ al-Bayan, and Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim, commentary on Al-Baqarah 2:246-251.
- Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Fath al-Bari, commentary on Kitab al-‘Ilm.
- Al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim, commentary on the hadith of permissible envy.
- Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Siyasah al-Shar’iyyah.
