38. Sūrat Ṣād (1/2)

٣٨۔ سُورَةُ ص ص ١

Qurʾān > Chapter 38
القرآن > كتاب ٣٨

The Letter Ṣād (Meccan)

quran:38:1 – In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

Sad. By the Qur'an containing reminder...  

Sād: God knows best what He means by this ˹letter˺. By the Qur’ān bearing the Remembrance, that is, ˹bearing˺ the Pronouncement; or ˹what is meant is that the Qur’ān is a Book˺ of renown (the response to this oath has been omitted, in other words: ‘It is not as the Meccan disbelievers say, that there are many gods’).
القرآن:٣٨:١ – بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

ص ۚ وَالْقُرْآنِ ذِي الذِّكْرِ  

{ص} الله أعلم بمراده به {والقرآن ذي الذكر} أي البيان أو الشرف، وجواب هذا القسم محذوف: أي ما الأمر كما قال كفار مكة من تعدد الآلهة.
quran:38:2 –

But those who disbelieve are in pride and dissension.  

Nay, but those who disbelieve, from among the people of Mecca, dwell in conceit, in self-glory and ˹in˺ disdain of faith, and defiance, disagreement with, and enmity towards, the Prophet (s).
القرآن:٣٨:٢ –

بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي عِزَّةٍ وَشِقَاقٍ  

{بل الذين كفروا} من أهل مكة {في عزة} حمية وتكبر عن الإيمان {وشقاق} خلاف وعداوة للنبي ﷺ .
quran:38:3 –

How many a generation have We destroyed before them, and they ˹then˺ called out; but it was not a time for escape.  

How many — in other words, many — a generation, a community of past communities, We have destroyed before them, and they cried out, when the chastisement was sent down on them, when it was no longer the time for escape, that is to say, the time was not one for fleeing (the ˹suffixed˺ tā’ ˹of wa-lāta˺ is extra; the sentence is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the subject of ˹the verb˺ nādaw, ‘they cried out’) in other words, they called for help but the situation was such that there could be no escape or deliverance; but still the Meccan disbelievers have not taken heed from their example.
القرآن:٣٨:٣ –

كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِنْ قَرْنٍ فَنَادَوْا وَلَاتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ  

{كم} أي كثيرا {أهلكنا من قبلهم من قرنِ} أي أمة من الأمم الماضية {فنادوْا} حين نزول العذاب بهم {ولاتَ حين مناص} أي ليس حين فرار والتاء زائدة، والجملة حال من فاعل نادوا، أي استغاثوا، والحال أن لا مهرب ولا منجى وما اعتبر بهم كفار مكة.
quran:38:4 –

And they wonder that there has come to them a warner from among themselves. And the disbelievers say, "This is a magician and a liar.  

And they marvel that a warner has come to them from among themselves, a messenger from among their number, to warn them and to threaten them with ˹the punishment of˺ the Fire after resurrection — and this ˹warner˺ is the Prophet (s). And those who disbelieve (the overt noun ˹al-kāfirūnā˺ has replaced the ˹third person˺ pronominalisation) say, ‘This is a sorcerer, a liar.
القرآن:٣٨:٤ –

وَعَجِبُوا أَنْ جَاءَهُمْ مُنْذِرٌ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَقَالَ الْكَافِرُونَ هَٰذَا سَاحِرٌ كَذَّابٌ  

{وعجبوا أن جاءهم منذر منهم} رسول من أنفسهم ينذرهم ويخوفهم النار بعد البعث وهو النبي * ﷺ {وقال الكافرون} فيه وضع الظاهر موضع المضمر {هذا ساحر كذاب}.
quran:38:5 –

Has he made the gods ˹only˺ one God? Indeed, this is a curious thing."  

Has he made the gods One God? — for he had said to them, ‘Say: there is no god except God’ — in other words ˹they objected˺: how could one god suffice for all of creation? Lo! that is indeed a curious thing’.
القرآن:٣٨:٥ –

أَجَعَلَ الْآلِهَةَ إِلَٰهًا وَاحِدًا ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيْءٌ عُجَابٌ  

{أجعل الآلهة إلها واحدا} حيث قال لهم قولوا: لا إله إلا الله، أي كيف يسع الخلق كلهم إله واحد {إن هذا لشيء عجاب} أي عجيب.
quran:38:6 –

And the eminent among them went forth, ˹saying˺, "Continue, and be patient over ˹the defense of˺ your gods. Indeed, this is a thing intended.  

And the council from among them go about, from the place of their assembly at the house of Abū Tālib and ˹the place˺ where they heard the Prophet (s) say, ‘Say: there is no god except God’, saying, ‘Go!, they say to one another, go, and stand by your gods, adhere firmly to worship of them; lo! this, that has been mentioned concerning the Oneness of God, is indeed a thing sought, from us.
القرآن:٣٨:٦ –

وَانْطَلَقَ الْمَلَأُ مِنْهُمْ أَنِ امْشُوا وَاصْبِرُوا عَلَىٰ آلِهَتِكُمْ ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيْءٌ يُرَادُ  

{وانطلق الملأ منهم} من مجلس اجتماعهم عند أبي طالب وسماعهم فيه من النبي ﷺ قولوا: لا إله إلا الله {أن امشوا} يقول بعضهم لبعض امشوا {واصبروا على آلهتكم} اثبتوا على عبادتها {إن هذا} المذكور من التوحيد {لشيء يراد} منا.
quran:38:7 –

We have not heard of this in the latest religion. This is not but a fabrication.  

We never heard of this in the latter-day creed, namely, the creed of Jesus. This is surely ˹nothing˺ but an invention, ˹mere˺ lies.
القرآن:٣٨:٧ –

مَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَٰذَا فِي الْمِلَّةِ الْآخِرَةِ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا اخْتِلَاقٌ  

{ما سمعنا بهذا في الملة الآخرة} أي ملة عيسى {إن} ما {هذا إلا اختلاق} كذب.
quran:38:8 –

Has the message been revealed to him out of ˹all of˺ us?" Rather, they are in doubt about My message. Rather, they have not yet tasted My punishment.  

Has the Remembrance, the Qur’ān, been revealed to him, Muhammad (s), out of ˹all of˺ us’, when he is neither the elder nor the noblest among us? In other words, it could not have been revealed to him (read aunzila pronouncing both hamzas, or not pronouncing the second one, but in both cases inserting an intervening alif or without ˹this insertion˺). God, exalted be He, says: Nay, but they are in doubt concerning My Remembrance, My revelation, that is, the Qur’ān, for they deny the one who has brought it. Nay, but they have not yet tasted My chastisement, and if they were to taste it, they would certainly believe the Prophet (s) in what he has brought — but then ˹in such a case˺ their belief ˹in the Prophet˺ would be of no benefit to them.
القرآن:٣٨:٨ –

أَأُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ الذِّكْرُ مِنْ بَيْنِنَا ۚ بَلْ هُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِنْ ذِكْرِي ۖ بَلْ لَمَّا يَذُوقُوا عَذَابِ  

{أَأُنزل} بتحقيق الهمزتين وتسهيل الثانية، وإدخال ألف بينهما على الوجهين وتركه {عليه} على محمد {الذكر} أي القرآن {من بيننا} وليس بأكبرنا ولا أشرفنا: أي لم ينزل عليه، قال تعالى: {بل هم في شك من ذكري} وحْيي أي القرآن حيث كذبوا الجائي به {بل لما} لم {يذوقوا عذاب} ولو ذاقوه لصدقوا النبي ﷺ فيما جاء به ولا ينفعهم التصديق حينئذ.
quran:38:9 –

Or do they have the depositories of the mercy of your Lord, the Exalted in Might, the Bestower?  

Or do they possess the treasuries of your Lord’s mercy, the Mighty, the Victor, the Bestower?, ˹treasuries˺ such as prophethood and otherwise, so that they might give it to whomever they want?
القرآن:٣٨:٩ –

أَمْ عِنْدَهُمْ خَزَائِنُ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّكَ الْعَزِيزِ الْوَهَّابِ  

{أم عندهم خزائن رحمة ربك العزيز} الغالب {الوهاب} من النبوَّة وغيرها فيعطونها من شاءوا.
quran:38:10 –

Or is theirs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and what is between them? Then let them ascend through ˹any˺ ways of access.  

Or do they possess the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them? If this is what they claim: Then let them ascend by the means, ˹of ascension˺ that lead to the heaven and bring ˹down˺ some revelation (wahy) and then assign it exclusively to whomever they wish (am in both verses represents the ˹rhetorical˺ hamza of denial).
القرآن:٣٨:١٠ –

أَمْ لَهُمْ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ فَلْيَرْتَقُوا فِي الْأَسْبَابِ  

{أم لهم ملك السماوات والأرض وما بينهما} إن زعموا ذلك {فليرتقوا في الأسباب} الموصلة إلى السماء فيأتوا بالوحي فيخصوا به من شاءوا، وأمْ في الموضعين بمعنى همزة الإنكار.
quran:38:11 –

˹They are but˺ soldiers ˹who will be˺ defeated there among the companies ˹of disbelievers˺.  

A routed (mahzūmun is an adjectival qualification of jundun, ‘host’) host ˹is all that they are˺, in other words, they are ˹nothing but˺ a despicable host, nothing more — in their denial of you — from among the factions (mina’l-ahzābi, also an adjectival qualification of jundun) in other words, ˹they are˺ like those hosts of factions who were in confederation against prophets before you: these were defeated and destroyed, and likewise We shall destroy these ˹people˺.
القرآن:٣٨:١١ –

جُنْدٌ مَا هُنَالِكَ مَهْزُومٌ مِنَ الْأَحْزَابِ  

{جند ما} أي هم جند حقير {هنالك} في تكذيبهم لك {مهزوم} صفة جند {من الأحزاب} صفة جند أيضا: أي كالأجناد من جنس الأحزاب المتحزبين على الأنبياء قبلك وأولئك قد قهروا وأهلكوا فكذا نهلك هؤلاء.
quran:38:12 –

The people of Noah denied before them, and ˹the tribe of˺ 'Aad and Pharaoh, the owner of stakes,  

Before them the people of Noah denied (the inflection of ˹the verb kadhdabat, ‘denied’, that is governed by˺ qawmu, ‘people’, is in the feminine person because of the ˹implicit˺ sense), and ˹so did those of˺ ‘Ād and Pharaoh, he of the stakes — he used to fix four stakes for the person who incurred his wrath and tie to these ˹stakes˺ that person’s hands and feet and then torture him —
القرآن:٣٨:١٢ –

كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَعَادٌ وَفِرْعَوْنُ ذُو الْأَوْتَادِ  

{كذبت قبلهم قوم نوح} تأنيث قوم باعتبار المعنى {وعاد وفرعون ذو الأوتاد} كان يتد لكل من يغضب عليه أربعة أوتاد يشد إليها يديه ورجليه ويعذبه.
quran:38:13 –

And ˹the tribe of˺ Thamud and the people of Lot and the companions of the thicket. Those are the companies.  

and Thamūd and the people of Lot and the dwellers in the wood, a small forest, namely, the people of Shu‘ayb, peace be upon him — those were the factions.
القرآن:٣٨:١٣ –

وَثَمُودُ وَقَوْمُ لُوطٍ وَأَصْحَابُ الْأَيْكَةِ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ الْأَحْزَابُ  

{وثمود وقوم لوط وأصحاب الأيكة} أي الغيضة، وهم قوم شعيب عليه السلام {أولئك الأحزاب}.
quran:38:14 –

Each of them denied the messengers, so My penalty was justified.  

Each one, of the factions, did not but deny the messengers, for when they deny one, they have ˹in effect˺ denied them all, since their call ˹to God˺ is ˹the same˺ one, namely, the call to ˹affirmation of˺ His Oneness. So My retribution was justified, ˹it was˺ necessary.
القرآن:٣٨:١٤ –

إِنْ كُلٌّ إِلَّا كَذَّبَ الرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ عِقَابِ  

{إن} ما {كل} من الأحزاب {إلا كذب الرسل} لأنهم إذا كذبوا واحدا منهم فقد كذبوا جميعهم لأن دعوتهم واحدة، وهي دعوة التوحيد {فحق} وجب {عقاب}.
quran:38:15 –

And these ˹disbelievers˺ await not but one blast ˹of the Horn˺; for it there will be no delay.  

And these, that is, the disbelievers of Mecca, do not await but a single Cry, namely, the Blast of the Resurrection that will herald chastisement for them, for which there will be no revoking (read fawāq or fuwāq).
القرآن:٣٨:١٥ –

وَمَا يَنْظُرُ هَٰؤُلَاءِ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً مَا لَهَا مِنْ فَوَاقٍ  

{وما ينظر} ينتظر {هؤلاء} أي كفار مكة {إلا صيحة واحدة} هي نفخة القيامة تحل بهم العذاب {ما لها من فواق} بفتح الفاء وضمها: رجوع.
quran:38:16 –

And they say, "Our Lord, hasten for us our share ˹of the punishment˺ before the Day of Account"  

And they said — after the following ˹verse˺ was revealed, As for him who is given his book in his right hand … to the end ˹of the verse, Q. 69:19˺ — ‘Our Lord, hasten on for us the record of our deeds before the Day of Reckoning’ — they said this mockingly.
القرآن:٣٨:١٦ –

وَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا عَجِّلْ لَنَا قِطَّنَا قَبْلَ يَوْمِ الْحِسَابِ  

{وقالوا} لما نزل (فأما من أوتي كتابه بيمينه) الخ {ربنا عجل لنا قطنا} أي كتاب أعمالنا {قبل يوم الحساب} قالوا ذلك استهزاء.
quran:38:17 –

Be patient over what they say and remember Our servant, David, the possessor of strength; indeed, he was one who repeatedly turned back ˹to Allah˺.  

God, exalted be He, says: Bear patiently what they say and remember Our servant David, the one of fortitude, that is to say, ˹the one˺ of fortitude in worship: he used to fast every other day and keep vigil for half the night, sleep for a third and then keep vigil for the ˹last˺ sixth. Indeed he was a penitent ˹soul˺, always returning to what pleases God.
القرآن:٣٨:١٧ –

اصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوُودَ ذَا الْأَيْدِ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ  

قال تعالى: {اصبر على ما يقولون واذكر عبدنا داود ذا الأيد} أي القوة في العبادة كان يصوم يوما ويفطر يوما ويقوم نصف الليل وينام ثلثه ويقوم سدسه {إنه أوَّاب} رجّاع إلى مرضاة الله.
quran:38:18 –

Indeed, We subjected the mountains ˹to praise˺ with him, exalting ˹Allah˺ in the ˹late˺ afternoon and ˹after˺ sunrise.  

Truly We disposed the mountains to glorify ˹God˺ with him, with the same glorification, at evening, at the time of the night prayer, and at sunrise, at the time of the morning prayer, which is when the sun has fully risen with its light extending everywhere.
القرآن:٣٨:١٨ –

إِنَّا سَخَّرْنَا الْجِبَالَ مَعَهُ يُسَبِّحْنَ بِالْعَشِيِّ وَالْإِشْرَاقِ  

{إنا سخرنا الجبال معه يسبحن} بتسبيحه {بالعشيّ} وقت صلاة العشاء {والإشراق} وقت صلاة الضحى وهو أن تشرق الشمس ويتناهى ضوءُها.
quran:38:19 –

And the birds were assembled, all with him repeating ˹praises˺.  

And, We disposed, the birds, mustered ˹in flocks˺, gathered before him, glorifying with him; each, of the mountains and birds, turning to him, reverting to obedience of him by glorifying ˹God with him˺.
القرآن:٣٨:١٩ –

وَالطَّيْرَ مَحْشُورَةً ۖ كُلٌّ لَهُ أَوَّابٌ  

{و} سخرنا {الطير محشورة} مجموعة إليه تسبح معه {كل} من الجبال والطير {له أوَّاب} رجّاع إلى طاعته بالتسبيح.
quran:38:20 –

And We strengthened his kingdom and gave him wisdom and discernment in speech.  

And We strengthened his Kingdom, We reinforced it with guards and hosts: every night there thirty thousand men would be standing guard at his sanctuary; and gave him wisdom, prophethood and sound judgement in ˹all˺ matters, and decisive speech, ˹the ability to formulate˺ a satisfactory statement ˹for a decision˺ in any endeavour.
القرآن:٣٨:٢٠ –

وَشَدَدْنَا مُلْكَهُ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحِكْمَةَ وَفَصْلَ الْخِطَابِ  

{وشددنا ملكه} قوَّيناه بالجرس والجنود وكان يحرس محرابه في كل ليلة ثلاثون ألف رجل {وآتيناه الحكمة} النبوة والإصابة في الأمور {وفصل الخطاب} البيان الشافي في كل قصد.
quran:38:21 –

And has there come to you the news of the adversaries, when they climbed over the wall of ˹his˺ prayer chamber -  

And has there come to you, O Muhammad (s) (the purpose of the interrogative ˹indicated by hal˺ here is to provoke curiosity and a desire to listen to what will follow) the tale of the disputants, when they scaled the sanctuary?, David’s sanctuary, that is, his place of prayer, for they had been prohibited from entering by the ˹front˺ gates because of his being engaged in worship, in other words, ˹has it come to you˺ their tale and their account?
القرآن:٣٨:٢١ –

وَهَلْ أَتَاكَ نَبَأُ الْخَصْمِ إِذْ تَسَوَّرُوا الْمِحْرَابَ  

{وهل} معنى الاستفهام هنا التعجيب والتشويق إلى استماع ما بعده {أتاك} يا محمد {نبأ الخصم إذ تسوَّروا المحراب} محراب داود: أي مسجده حيث منعوا الدخول عليه من الباب لشغله بالعبادة، أي خبرهم وقصتهم.
quran:38:22 –

When they entered upon David and he was alarmed by them? They said, "Fear not. ˹We are˺ two adversaries, one of whom has wronged the other, so judge between us with truth and do not exceed ˹it˺ and guide us to the sound path.  

When they entered upon David, and he was frightened by them. And they said, ‘Do not fear; we are, two disputants (some say that this means ‘two groups’, in order to agree with the plural person ˹of the verb dakhalū, ‘they entered’˺; others say, ‘two individuals’ with the plural person actually denoting these two; alkhasm may refer to a one or more individuals. These two were angels who had come in the form of two disputants, between whom there ˹was supposed to have˺ occurred the situation mentioned — ˹but˺ only hypothetically — in order to alert David, peace be upon him, to what he had done: he had ninety nine women but desired the woman of a man who had only her and no other. He ˹David˺ had married her and consummated the marriage. One of us has infringed upon the ˹rights of the˺ other, so judge justly between us and do not transgress, ˹do not˺ be unjust, and guide us, direct us, to the right path’, the correct way.
القرآن:٣٨:٢٢ –

إِذْ دَخَلُوا عَلَىٰ دَاوُودَ فَفَزِعَ مِنْهُمْ ۖ قَالُوا لَا تَخَفْ ۖ خَصْمَانِ بَغَىٰ بَعْضُنَا عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تُشْطِطْ وَاهْدِنَا إِلَىٰ سَوَاءِ الصِّرَاطِ  

{إذ دخلوا على داود ففزع منهم قالوا لا تخف} نحن {خصمان} قيل فريقان ليطابق ما قبله من ضمير الجمع، وقيل اثنان والضمير بمعناهما، والخصم يطلق على الواحد وأكثر، وهما ملكان جاءا في صورة خصمين وقع لهما ما ذكر على سبيل الغرض لتنبيه داود عليه السلام على ما وقع منه وكان له تسع وتسعون امرأة وطلب امرأة شخص ليس له غيرها وتزوجها ودخل بها {بغى بعضنا على بعض فاحكم بيننا بالحق ولا تشطط} تَجُرْ {واهدنا} أرشدنا {إلى سواء الصراط} وسط الطريق الصواب.
quran:38:23 –

Indeed this, my brother, has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe; so he said, 'Entrust her to me,' and he overpowered me in speech."  

‘Behold, this brother of mine, in other words, my fellow co-religionist, has ninety-nine ewes — here used to represent the women — while I have a single ewe; yet he said, “Entrust it to me”, in other words, make me in charge of it, and he overcame me in speech’, in other words, in the argument; so the latter conceded charge of it to him.
القرآن:٣٨:٢٣ –

إِنَّ هَٰذَا أَخِي لَهُ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً وَلِيَ نَعْجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فَقَالَ أَكْفِلْنِيهَا وَعَزَّنِي فِي الْخِطَابِ  

{إن هذا أخي} أي على ديني {له تسع وتسعون نعجة} يعبر بها عن المرأة {وليَ نعجة واحدة فقال أكفلنيها} أي اجعلني كافلها {وعزني} غلبني {في الخطاب} أي الدال، وأقره الآخر على ذلك.
quran:38:24 –

˹David˺ said, "He has certainly wronged you in demanding your ewe ˹in addition˺ to his ewes. And indeed, many associates oppress one another, except for those who believe and do righteous deeds - and few are they." And David became certain that We had tried him, and he asked forgiveness of his Lord and fell down bowing ˹in prostration˺ and turned in repentance ˹to Allah˺.  

He said, ‘He has certainly wronged you by asking for your ewe that he may add it to his sheep. And indeed many associates infringe upon ˹the rights of˺ one another, except such as believe and perform righteous deeds, but few are they!’ (mā emphasises the ‘fewness’). As the two angels were ascending to the heaven one said to the other, ‘He has certainly passed judgement on himself!’ David was thus alerted ˹to his deed˺. God, exalted be He, says: And David thought, in other words, he became certain, that We had indeed tried him, that We had caused him to fall into a trial, that is, a test, through his love for that woman. So he sought forgiveness of his Lord and fell down bowing, in other words, prostrate, and repented.
القرآن:٣٨:٢٤ –

قَالَ لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَىٰ نِعَاجِهِ ۖ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْخُلَطَاءِ لَيَبْغِي بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ ۗ وَظَنَّ دَاوُودُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ فَاسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا وَأَنَابَ ۩  

{قال لقد ظلمك بسؤال نعجتك} ليضمها {إلى نعاجه وإن كثيرا من الخلطاء} الشركاء {ليبغي بعضهم على بعض إلا الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات وقليل ما هم} ما لتأكيد القلة فقال الملكان صاعدين في صورتيهما إلى السماء: قضى الرجل على نفسه فتنبه داود قال تعالى: {وظن} أي أيقن {داود أنما فتناه} أوقعناه في فتنة أي بلية بمحبته تلك المرأة {فاستغفر ربَّه وخرَّ راكعا} أي ساجدا {وأناب}.
quran:38:25 –

So We forgave him that; and indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a good place of return.  

So We forgave him that and indeed he has ˹a station of˺ nearness with Us, that is, ˹even˺ more good ˹things˺ in this world, and a fair return, in the Hereafter.
القرآن:٣٨:٢٥ –

فَغَفَرْنَا لَهُ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِنْدَنَا لَزُلْفَىٰ وَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ  

{فغفرنا له ذلك وإن له عندنا لزلفى} أي زيادة خير في الدنيا {وحسن مآب} مرجع في الآخرة.
quran:38:26 –

˹We said˺, "O David, indeed We have made you a successor upon the earth, so judge between the people in truth and do not follow ˹your own˺ desire, as it will lead you astray from the way of Allah." Indeed, those who go astray from the way of Allah will have a severe punishment for having forgotten the Day of Account.  

‘O David! We have indeed made you a vicegerent on the earth, managing the affairs of people; so judge justly between people and do not follow desire, that is, the desires of the soul, that it then lead you astray from the way of God, that is to say, from the proofs that indicate ˹the truth of˺ His Oneness. Truly those who go astray from the way of God, in other words, from belief in God — for them there will be a severe chastisement because of their forgetting the Day of Reckoning’, as a result of their having neglected faith. For had they been certain of ˹the truth of˺ the Day of Reckoning, they would have ˹first˺ been believers in this world.
القرآن:٣٨:٢٦ –

يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَىٰ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا نَسُوا يَوْمَ الْحِسَابِ  

{يا داود إنا جعلناك خليفة في الأرض} تدبر أمر الناس {فاحكم بين الناس بالحق ولا تتبع الهوى} أي هوى النفس {فيضلك عن سبيل الله} أي عن الدلائل الدالة على توحيده {إن الذين يضلون عن سبيل الله} أي عن الإيمان بالله {لهم عذاب شديد بما نسوا} بنسيانهم {يوم الحساب} المرتب عليه تركهم الإيمان، وقالوا أيقنوا بيوم الحساب لآمنوا في الدنيا.
quran:38:27 –

And We did not create the heaven and the earth and that between them aimlessly. That is the assumption of those who disbelieve, so woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire.  

And We did not create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in vain, frivolously. That, namely, the creation of what has been mentioned as being for no ˹particular˺ purpose, is the supposition of those who disbelieve, from among the people of Mecca. So woe — a valley ˹in hell-fire˺ — to the disbelievers from the Fire!
القرآن:٣٨:٢٧ –

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَاطِلًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ۚ فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنَ النَّارِ  

{وما خلقنا السماء والأرض وما بينهما باطلا} عبثا {ذلك} أي خلق ما ذكر لا لشيء {ظن الذين كفروا} من أهل مكة {فويل} وادِ {للذين كفروا من النار}.
quran:38:28 –

Or should we treat those who believe and do righteous deeds like corrupters in the land? Or should We treat those who fear Allah like the wicked?  

Or shall We treat those who believe and perform righteous deeds like those who cause corruption in the earth; or shall We treat the God-fearing like the profligate? This was revealed when the Meccan disbelievers said to the believers, ‘In the Hereafter we will receive the same ˹reward˺ as that which you will receive’ (am, ‘or’, contains the ˹rhetorical˺ hamza of denial).
القرآن:٣٨:٢٨ –

أَمْ نَجْعَلُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ كَالْمُفْسِدِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَمْ نَجْعَلُ الْمُتَّقِينَ كَالْفُجَّارِ  

{أم نجعل الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات كالمفسدين في الأرض أم نجعل المتقين كالفجار} نزل لما قال كفار مكة للمؤمنين إنا نعطى في الآخرة مثل ما تعطون، وأم بمعنى همزة الإنكار.
quran:38:29 –

˹This is˺ a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, ˹O Muhammad˺, that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.  

A Book (kitābun, the predicate of a missing subject, namely, hādhā, ‘this is’) that We have revealed to you, full of blessing, that they may contemplate (yaddabbarū is actually yatadabbarū, but the tā’ has been assimilated with the dāl) its signs, ˹that˺ they may reflect upon its meanings and become believers, and that they may remember, that they may be admonished — those people of pith, those possessors of intellect.
القرآن:٣٨:٢٩ –

كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ  

{كتاب} خبر مبتدأ محذوف أي هذا {أنزلناه إليك مبارك ليدَّبروا} أصله يتدبروا أدغمت التاء في الدال {آياته} ينظروا في معانيها فيؤمنوا {وليتذكر} يتعظ {أولوا الألباب} أصحاب العقول.
quran:38:30 –

And to David We gave Solomon. An excellent servant, indeed he was one repeatedly turning back ˹to Allah˺.  

And We bestowed on David, Solomon, his son — what an excellent servant!, that is, Solomon. Truly he was a penitent ˹soul˺, always returning ˹to God˺ with glorification and remembrance at all times.
القرآن:٣٨:٣٠ –

وَوَهَبْنَا لِدَاوُودَ سُلَيْمَانَ ۚ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ  

{ووهبنا لداود سلمان} ابنه {نعم العبد} أي سليمان {إنه أوَّاب} رجّاع في التسبيح والذكر في جميع الأوقات.
quran:38:31 –

˹Mention˺ when there were exhibited before him in the afternoon the poised ˹standing˺ racehorses.  

When one evening — which is the period after midday — there were displayed before him the prancing steeds (al-sāfināt, ‘horses’, is the plural of sāfina, which denotes ˹a horse˺ standing on three legs with the fourth supported on the edge of the hoof, and derives from ˹the verb˺ safana, yasfinu sufūnan; al-jiyād is the plural of jawād, which is a ‘racer’; the meaning is that these ˹horses˺ are such that when they are halted they stand still and when they run they surpass ˹others˺ in speed). One thousand horses were displayed before him after he had performed the midday prayer, for he had wanted to use them in a holy struggle (jihād) against an enemy. But when the display reached the nine-hundredth ˹horse˺, the sun set and he had not performed the afternoon prayer. So he was greatly distressed.
القرآن:٣٨:٣١ –

إِذْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْعَشِيِّ الصَّافِنَاتُ الْجِيَادُ  

{إذ عرض عليه بالعشي} هو ما بعد الزوال {الصافنات} الخيل جمع صافنة وهي القائمة على ثلاث وإقامة الأخرى على طرف الحافر وهو من صفن يصفن صفونا {الجياد} الخيل جمع جواد وهو السابق، المعنى أنها إذا استوقفت سكنت وإن ركضت سبقت وكانت ألف فرس عرضت عليه بعد ان صلى الظهر لإرادته الجهاد عليها لعدو فعند بلوغ العرض منها تسعمائة غربت الشمس ولم يكن صلى العصر فاغتم.
quran:38:32 –

And he said, "Indeed, I gave preference to the love of good ˹things˺ over the remembrance of my Lord until the sun disappeared into the curtain ˹of darkness˺."  

He said, ‘Lo! I have loved, I have desired, the love of ˹worldly˺ good things, that is, ˹of˺ horses, over the remembrance of my Lord’, that is, ˹over˺ the afternoon prayer, until it, that is, the sun, disappeared behind the ˹night’s˺ veil, ˹until˺ it was concealed by that which veils it from sight.
القرآن:٣٨:٣٢ –

فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَنْ ذِكْرِ رَبِّي حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ  

{فقال إني أحببت} أي أردت {حب الخير} أي الخيل {عن ذكر ربي} أي صلاة العصر {حتى توارت} أي الشمس {بالحجاب} أي استترت بما يحجبها عن الأبصار.
quran:38:33 –

˹He said˺, "Return them to me," and set about striking ˹their˺ legs and necks.  

Bring them back to me!, that is, the horses that were displayed; and they so brought them back. Then he set about slashing, with his sword, ˹their˺ legs (al-sūq is the plural of sāq) and necks, in other words, he slaughtered them and cut off their legs as an offering ˹of atonement˺ to God, exalted be He, for having been distracted by them from the prayer. He gave all the meat thereof as voluntary alms and so God compensated him what was better and faster that these ˹horses˺, and this was the wind, which blew at his command as he wished.
القرآن:٣٨:٣٣ –

رُدُّوهَا عَلَيَّ ۖ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًا بِالسُّوقِ وَالْأَعْنَاقِ  

{ردُّوها عليَّ} أي الخيل المعروضة فردوها {فطفق مسحا} بالسيف {بالسوق} جمع ساق {والأعناق} أي ذبحها وقطع أرجلها تقربا إلى الله تعالى حيث اشتغل بها عن الصلاة بلحمها فعوضه الله خيرا منها وأسرع، وهي الريح تجري بأمره كيف شاء.
quran:38:34 –

And We certainly tried Solomon and placed on his throne a body; then he returned.  

And We certainly tried Solomon: We tested him by wresting his kingdom from him, because he had married a woman ˹solely˺ out of his desire for her. She used to worship idols in his ˹own˺ home without his knowledge. Now, ˹control of˺ his kingdom lay in his ring. On one occasion, needing to withdraw ˹to relieve himself˺, he took it off and left it with this woman of his, whose name was al-Amīna, as was his custom; but a jinn, ˹disguised˺ in the form of Solomon, came to her and seized it from her. And We cast upon his throne a ˹lifeless˺ body, which was that ˹very˺ jinn, and he was ˹the one known as˺ Sakhr — or it was some other ˹jinn˺; he sat upon Solomon’s throne and so ˹as was the case with Solomon˺ the birds and other ˹creatures˺ devoted themselves to him ˹in service˺. When Solomon came out ˹of his palace˺, having seen him ˹the jinn˺ upon his throne, he said to the people, ‘I am Solomon ˹not him˺!’ But they did not recognise him. Then he repented — Solomon returned to his kingdom, many days later, after he had managed to acquire the ring. He wore it and sat upon his throne ˹again˺.
القرآن:٣٨:٣٤ –

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا سُلَيْمَانَ وَأَلْقَيْنَا عَلَىٰ كُرْسِيِّهِ جَسَدًا ثُمَّ أَنَابَ  

{ولقد فتنا سليمان} ابتليناه بسلب ملكه وذلك لتزوجه بامرأة هواها وكانت تعبد الصنم في داره من غير علمه وكان ملكه في خاتمه فنزعه مرة عند إرادة الخلاء ووضعه عند امرأته المسماة بالأمينة على عادته فجاءها جني في صورة سليمان فأخذه منها {وألقينا على كرسيه جسدا} هو ذلك الجني وهو صخر أو غيره جلس على كرسي سليمان وعكفت عليه الطير وغيرها فخرج سليمان في غير هيئته فرآه على كرسيه وقال للناس أنا سليمان فأنكره {ثم أناب} رجع سليمان إلى ملكه بعد أيام بأن وصل إلى الخاتم فلبسه وجلس على كرسيه.
quran:38:35 –

He said, "My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower."  

He said, ‘My Lord! Forgive me and grant me a kingdom that shall not belong to anyone after me, in other words, other than me (this ˹use of min ba‘dī to mean ‘other than me’˺ is similar to ˹Q. 45:23˺ fa-man yahdīh min ba‘di’Llāh, ‘who will guide him other than God?’). Truly You are the Bestower’.
القرآن:٣٨:٣٥ –

قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لَا يَنْبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِي ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ  

{قال رب اغفر لي وهب لي ملكا لا ينبغي} لا يكون {لأحد من بعدي} أي سواي نحو (فمن يهديه من بعد الله) أي سوى الله {إنك أنت الوهاب}.
quran:38:36 –

So We subjected to him the wind blowing by his command, gently, wherever he directed,  

So We disposed for him the wind, which blew softly, gently, at his command wherever he intended.
القرآن:٣٨:٣٦ –

فَسَخَّرْنَا لَهُ الرِّيحَ تَجْرِي بِأَمْرِهِ رُخَاءً حَيْثُ أَصَابَ  

{فسخرنا له الريح تجري بأمره رُخاء} لينة {حيث أصاب} أراد.
quran:38:37 –

And ˹also˺ the devils ˹of jinn˺ - every builder and diver  

And the devils ˹also We disposed˺, every builder, building marvellous edifices, and diver, in the sea, bringing up pearls,
القرآن:٣٨:٣٧ –

وَالشَّيَاطِينَ كُلَّ بَنَّاءٍ وَغَوَّاصٍ  

{والشياطين كل بناءٍ} يبني الأبنية العجيبة {وغوَّاص} في البحر يستخرج اللؤلؤ.
quran:38:38 –

And others bound together in shackles.  

and others too, from among them, bounded together in fetters, in shackles with their hands tied to their necks.
القرآن:٣٨:٣٨ –

وَآخَرِينَ مُقَرَّنِينَ فِي الْأَصْفَادِ  

{وآخرين} منهم {مقرنين} مشدودين {في الأصفاد} القيود بجمع أيديهم إلى أعناقهم.
quran:38:39 –

˹We said˺, "This is Our gift, so grant or withhold without account."  

And We said to him: ‘This is Our gift. So bestow, grant thereof to whomever you wish, or withhold, from giving, without any reckoning’, in other words, without your being called to account for any of this.
القرآن:٣٨:٣٩ –

هَٰذَا عَطَاؤُنَا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِكْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ  

وقلنا له {هذا عطاؤنا فامنن} أعط منه من شئت {أو أمسك} عن الإعطاء {بغير حساب} أي لا حساب عليك في ذلك.
quran:38:40 –

And indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a good place of return.  

And indeed he has ˹a station of˺ nearness with Us and a fair resort — a similar ˹statement˺ has already appeared ˹in another verse above˺.
القرآن:٣٨:٤٠ –

وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِنْدَنَا لَزُلْفَىٰ وَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ  

{وإن له عندنا لزلفى وحسن مآب} تقدم مثله.
quran:38:41 –

And remember Our servant Job, when he called to his Lord, "Indeed, Satan has touched me with hardship and torment."  

And mention also Our servant Job, when he called out to his Lord, ˹saying˺, ‘Lo! Satan has afflicted me with hardship, harm, and suffering’, pain: he attributes all this to Satan, even though all things are from God, to show reverence ˹in his call˺ to Him, exalted be He.
القرآن:٣٨:٤١ –

وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا أَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الشَّيْطَانُ بِنُصْبٍ وَعَذَابٍ  

{واذكر عبدنا أيوب إذ نادى ربه أني} أي بأني {مسنيَ الشيطان بنصب} ضر {وعذاب} ألم، ونسب ذلك إلى الشيطان وإن كانت الأشياء كلها من الله تأدبا معه تعالى.
quran:38:42 –

˹So he was told˺, "Strike ˹the ground˺ with your foot; this is a ˹spring for˺ a cool bath and drink."  

And it was said to him: ‘Stamp your foot, on the ground — and he stamped ˹it˺ and a spring of water gushed forth, and it was said: This is a cool bath, ˹cool˺ water for you to wash with, and a drink’, for you to drink of. So he washed himself and drank ˹from it˺ whereat every ailment that had affected him internally and externally disappeared.
القرآن:٣٨:٤٢ –

ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ ۖ هَٰذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ  

وقيل له {اركض} اضرب {برجلك} الأرض فضرب فنبعت عين ماء فقيل: {هذا مغتسل} ماء تغتسل به {بارد وشراب} تشرب منه، فاغتسل وشرب فذهب عنه كل داء كان بباطنه وظاهره.
quran:38:43 –

And We granted him his family and a like ˹number˺ with them as mercy from Us and a reminder for those of understanding.  

And We gave him ˹back˺ his family along with others like them, that is, God brought back to life all the children of his that had died and provided him with as many ˹in addition to them˺, as a mercy, a grace, from us, and a reminder, an admonition, to people of pith, possessors of intellect.
القرآن:٣٨:٤٣ –

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِنَّا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ  

{ووهبنا له أهله ومثلهم معهم} أي أحيا الله له من مات من أولاده ورزقه مثلهم {رحمة} نعمة {منا وذكرى} عظة {لأولي الألباب} لأصحاب العقول.
quran:38:44 –

˹We said˺, "And take in your hand a bunch ˹of grass˺ and strike with it and do not break your oath." Indeed, We found him patient, an excellent servant. Indeed, he was one repeatedly turning back ˹to Allah˺.  

And ˹We said to him˺, ‘Take in your hand a bunch of twigs, or some blades of grass, and smite therewith, your wife — for he had sworn to smite her a hundred times on one occasion when she was late in coming to him — and do not break ˹your˺ oath’, by not smiting her: so he took a hundred rushes and smote her with them once ˹and that sufficed to fulfil his oath˺. Truly We found him to be steadfast. What an excellent servant!, ˹was˺ Job. Indeed he was a penitent ˹soul˺, always returning to God, exalted be He.
القرآن:٣٨:٤٤ –

وَخُذْ بِيَدِكَ ضِغْثًا فَاضْرِبْ بِهِ وَلَا تَحْنَثْ ۗ إِنَّا وَجَدْنَاهُ صَابِرًا ۚ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ  

{وخذ بيدك ضغثا} هو حزمة من حشيش أو قضبان {فاضرب به} زوجتك وكان قد حلف ليضربها مائة ضربة لإبطائها عليه يوما {ولا تحنث} بترك ضربها فأخذ مائة عود من الإذخر أو غيره فضربها به ضربة واحدة {إنا وجدناه صابرا نعم العبد} أيوب {إنه أوَّاب} رجّاع إلى الله تعالى.
quran:38:45 –

And remember Our servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - those of strength and ˹religious˺ vision.  

And mention ˹also˺ Our servants Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob — men of fortitude, vigorous in their worship, and insight, deep understanding of religion (a variant reading ˹for ‘ibādanā, ‘Our servants’˺ has ˹singular˺ ‘abdanā, ‘Our servant’, with Ibrāhīma as the explication thereof, and what follows as being a supplement to ‘abdanā, ‘Our servant’).
القرآن:٣٨:٤٥ –

وَاذْكُرْ عِبَادَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ أُولِي الْأَيْدِي وَالْأَبْصَارِ  

{واذكر عبادنا إبراهيم وإسحاق ويعقوب أولي الأيدى} أصحاب القوى في العبادة {والأبصار} البصائر في الدين، وفي قراءة عبدنا وإبراهيم بيان له وما بعده عطف على عبدنا.
quran:38:46 –

Indeed, We chose them for an exclusive quality: remembrance of the home ˹of the Hereafter˺.  

Assuredly We purified them with an exclusive ˹thought˺, namely, the remembrance of the Abode, of the Hereafter: in other words to ˹always˺ remember it and to work for it (a variant reading ˹for bi-khālisatin dhikrā’l-dār˺ has the genitive construction ˹bi-khālisati dhikrā’l-dār˺, making this ˹dhikrā al-dār, ‘remembrance of the Abode’˺ the explicative thereof).
القرآن:٣٨:٤٦ –

إِنَّا أَخْلَصْنَاهُمْ بِخَالِصَةٍ ذِكْرَى الدَّارِ  

{إنا أخلصناهم بخالصة} هي {ذكرى الدار} الآخرة، أي ذكرها والعمل لها، وفي قراءة بالإضافة وهي للبيان.
quran:38:47 –

And indeed they are, to Us, among the chosen and outstanding.  

And indeed in Our sight they are of the elect, the excellent (akhyār is the plural of khayyir).
القرآن:٣٨:٤٧ –

وَإِنَّهُمْ عِنْدَنَا لَمِنَ الْمُصْطَفَيْنَ الْأَخْيَارِ  

{وإنهم عندنا لمن المصطفين} المختارين {الأخيار} جمع خيّر بالتشديد.
quran:38:48 –

And remember Ishmael, Elisha and Dhul-Kifl, and all are among the outstanding.  

And mention ˹also˺ Our servants Ishmael, and Elisha, who was a prophet (the lām ˹here in al-Yasa‘˺ is extra) and Dhū’l-Kifl — there is disagreement over whether he was a prophet; it is said that ˹he was so called because˺ he looked after (kafala) a hundred prophets who had sought refuge with him from being killed. Each, that is, every one of them, was among the excellent (akhyār is the plural of khayyir).
القرآن:٣٨:٤٨ –

وَاذْكُرْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَذَا الْكِفْلِ ۖ وَكُلٌّ مِنَ الْأَخْيَارِ  

{واذكر إسماعيل واليسع} وهو نبيّ واللام زائدة {وذا الكفل} اختلف في نبوَّته، قيل كفل مائة نبي فروا إليه من القتل {وكل} أي كلهم {من الأخيار} جمع خيّر بالتثقيل.
quran:38:49 –

This is a reminder. And indeed, for the righteous is a good place of return  

This is a remembrance, of them, ˹made˺ by ˹the mention of˺ fair praise ˹of them˺ here; and indeed for the God-fearing, who comprise them, there will truly be a fair return, in the Hereafter —
القرآن:٣٨:٤٩ –

هَٰذَا ذِكْرٌ ۚ وَإِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ لَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ  

{هذا ذكر} لهم بالثناء الجميل هنا {وإن للمتقين} الشاملين لهم {لحسن مآب} مرجع في الآخرة.
quran:38:50 –

Gardens of perpetual residence, whose doors will be opened to them.  

Gardens of Eden (jannāti ‘Adnin is either a substitution for, or an explicative supplement to, husna ma’ābin, ‘a fair return’) whose gates are ˹flung˺ open for them;
القرآن:٣٨:٥٠ –

جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ مُفَتَّحَةً لَهُمُ الْأَبْوَابُ  

{جنات عدن} بدل أو عطف بيان لحسن مآب {مفتتحة لهم الأبواب} منها.