The Holy Qur’an says: And (further) their Prophet said to them: “A sign of his authority is that there shall come to you the Ark of the Covenant, with (an assurance) therein of security from your Lord. And the relics left by the family of Moses and the family of Aaron, carried by angels. In this is a symbol for you if ye indeed have faith.” (2:248)
The Ark of the Covenant (Taboot-e-Sakina) mentioned in the Qur’an is in the context of certain incidents that took place after the rule of Joshua (Prophet Yusha bin Nun As) which lasted for 25 years. The incidents that are narrated in verses 246 to 251 of Surah Al-Baqarah may be dated approximately the 11th century B.C. when the Israelites were ruled by Prophet Samuel (As). Commentators of the Qur’an have explained these incidents in much detail after piecing together information from various sources. After the rule of Joshua (As), the Israelites had a chequered history for 320 years. They were lacking in true faith and not united among themselves and therefore suffered many reverses at the hands of the Midianites, Amalekites, and other tribes. To save themselves, they brought out their most sacred possession, the Ark of the Covenant hoping it would help them in the fight. Since they were lacking in faith, the Ark did not protect them and the enemy captured it, carried it away, and retained it for seven months.
The Story of Talut and Jalut
In this desperate situation, the people from the Bani Israel asked their Prophet Samuel (As): “Appoint for us a king so that we may fight in the cause of Allah” (Qur’an 2:246). Samuel (As) appointed a person by the name Talut (known in the Bible as Saul) as king. Talut was tall and handsome but belonged to the smallest of their tribes. The people raised all sorts of petty objections against his appointment as king. Prophet Samuel (As) then told the people that as a sign that Allah has chosen Talut as their king there shall come to them the Taboot-e-Sakina (Ark of the Covenant).
Taboot-E-Sakina
Taboot-e-Sakina was a chest of acacia wood covered and laced with pure gold, about 5ft. x 3ft. x 3ft. in size, and contained relics of Prophet Moses (Moosa As) and Aaron (Haroon As). Its gold lid was to be the “Mercy seat”. The word Sakina also means ‘tranquility’. Moses and the other prophets of Bani Israel would keep this Taboot in the frontline of the battlefield. Its barakah (blessing) used to give them victory. When Jalut (known in the Bible as Goliath) overcame Bani Israil, he took the chest away with him. It so happened that some epidemic or calamity struck the infidels at places where they carried this chest. Five cities were turned desolate. Bewildered, they loaded the Taboot on a two-bullocks cart and drove it off. Then, the angels took control of the bullocks and made it reach Talut’s (Saul’s) doorsteps. This is how Allah fulfilled what Samuel (As) had declared. When Bani Israil saw this sign, they agreed to fight against Jalut (Goliath).
Dawud As and Jalut (David And Goliath)
According to the Qur’an: When Talut set forth with the armies, he said “Allah will test you at the stream: if any drinks of its water, he goes not with my army; only those who taste not of it go with me; a mere sip out of the hand is excused”. But they all drank of it, except a few (2:249). The weak in faith failed the test and those strong in faith succeeded in their trial and put their faith in Allah even though they were in small numbers and the army of the enemy was huge.
In this small band of the faithful was Dawud As (David), a raw youth, with no arms or armour. He was not known even in the Israeli camp itself, and the giant Goliath mocked him. Even David’s elder brother chided him for deserting his sheep, for he was a poor shepherd lad to outward appearance. When Talut (Saul) offered his own armour and arms to David, the young man declined, as he had not tried them. His shepherd’s sling and staff were his well-tried implements. He picked up five smooth pebbles on the spot from the stream and used his sling to such effect that he knocked down Goliath. He then used Goliath’s own sword to slay him. There was consternation in the enemy camp and they broke and fled. Dawud (As) was not only a shepherd, a warrior, a king, a wise man, and later a prophet, but was also endowed with the gifts of poetry and music.
Where is the Taboot-E-Sakina Now?
The Taboot-e-Sakina or the Ark of the Covenant has significance in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism too. Nothing is known about the existence of Taboot-e-Sakina in the present times. There are claims that it exists in Ethiopia and also that it is in a cave in Turkey, but they are mere conjectures. Between 1899-1902, the British-Israel Association of London carried out limited excavations of the Hill of Tara in Ireland searching for the Ark of Covenant. The British-Israelites believed the Ark was located at the grave of the Egyptian princess Tea Tephi in the Hill of Tara. Tea Tephi, the Egyptian princess came to Ireland in the 6th century BC and married an Irish king according to an Irish legend. Protests by Irish nationalists against the destruction of the historically important Hill of Tara stopped the excavations.
Taboot-e-Sakina is not just an object but a conduit for heavenly peace and tranquility resulting from a covenant between Allah and His chosen people. The Taboot serves to highlight spiritual and moral lessons asserting the importance of faith. It conveys a historical and symbolic meaning emphasizing the fundamental principles of prophethood and divine direction.
COMMENTS