kings (part one)

when I first saw teasers for the new NBC show Kings they made it seem as if the show would be a contemporary girlie fairy tale a la The Princess Diaries Instead it turns out that the show is a modern retelling of the Biblical story of Saul/ Talut and David/ Dawood (as) (Mostly found in the book of 1 Samuel).

The Quran's version of the story (found at 2: 246- 252) is considerably more concise and less soap opera-ish. Samuel (the unnamed prophet) isn't even identified and the drama, violence, lust and jealousy of the Biblical account is gone.

Have you not considered the chiefs of the children of Israel after Musa, when they said to a prophet of theirs: Raise up for us a king, (that) we may fight in the way of Allah.

He said: May it not be that you would not fight if fighting is ordained for you?

They said: And what reason have we that we should not fight in the way of Allah, and we have indeed been compelled to abandon our homes and our children.

But when fighting was ordained for them, they turned back, except a few of them, and Allah knows the unjust.

And their prophet said to them: Surely Allah has raised Talut to be a king over you.

They said: How can he hold kingship over us while we have a greater right to kingship than he, and he has not been granted an abundance of wealth?

He said: Surely Allah has chosen him in preference to you, and He has increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique, and Allah grants His kingdom to whom He pleases, and Allah is Amplegiving, Knowing.

And the prophet said to them: Surely the sign of His kingdom is, that there shall come to you the chest in which there is tranquillity from your Lord and residue of the relics of what the children of Musa and the children of Haroun have left, the angels bearing it; most surely there is a sign in this for those who believe.

So when Talut departed with the forces, he said: Surely Allah will try you with a river; whoever then drinks from it, he is not of me, and whoever does not taste of it, he is surely of me, except he who takes with his hand as much of it as fills the hand; but with the exception of a few of them they drank from it.

So when he had crossed it, he and those who believed with him, they said: We have today no power against Jalut and his forces. Those who were sure that they would meet their Lord said: How often has a small party vanquished a numerous host by Allah's permission, and Allah is with the patient.

And when they went out against Jalut and his forces they said: Our Lord, pour down upon us patience, and make our steps firm and assist us against the unbelieving people. So they put them to flight by Allah's permission. And Dawood slew Jalut, and Allah gave him kingdom and wisdom, and taught him of what He pleased. And were it not for Allah's repelling some men with others, the earth would certainly be in a state of disorder; but Allah is Gracious to the creatures.

These are the communications of Allah: We recite them to you with truth; and most surely you are (one) of the apostles.