Tabut al-'Ahd
Definition
Tabut al-'ahd — the Ark of the Covenant — was the sacred chest containing relics of Musa and Harun, which the Quran describes as containing 'assurance from your Lord and relics left by the family of Moses and the family of Aaron, carried by the angels.' Its return to the Israelites, carried by angels as a confirmation of Talut's divine appointment as king, established that genuine political authority must be grounded in divine legitimacy rather than social or tribal prestige. Ibn Kathir treats the Ark as a symbol of divine covenant — its presence among the Israelites marked their connection to the prophetic tradition, and its absence marked their spiritual decline.
As understood in the classical tradition of Ibn Kathir and the scholars of his school.
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