سُوْرَةُ سَبَاٍ
Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 13
يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُۥ مَا يَشَآءُ مِن مَّحَـٰرِيبَ وَتَمَـٰثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍ كَٱلْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ رَّاسِيَـٰتٍ ۚ ٱعْمَلُوٓا۟ ءَالَ دَاوُۥدَ شُكْرًا ۚ وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِىَ ٱلشَّكُورُ ﴿13﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They worked for him as he desired, (making) high rooms, images, basins as large as reservoirs, and (cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places). "Work you, O family of Dâwûd (David), with thanks!" But few of My slaves are grateful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَعْمَلُونَ
yaʿmalūna
They worked
لَهُۥ
lahu
for him
مَا
mā
what
يَشَآءُ
yashāu
he willed
مِن
min
of
مَّحَـٰرِيبَ
maḥārība
elevated chambers
وَتَمَـٰثِيلَ
watamāthīla
and statues
وَجِفَانٍۢ
wajifānin
and bowls
كَٱلْجَوَابِ
kal-jawābi
like reservoirs
وَقُدُورٍۢ
waqudūrin
and cooking-pots
رَّاسِيَـٰتٍ ۚ
rāsiyātin
fixed
ٱعْمَلُوٓا۟
iʿ'malū
Work
ءَالَ
āla
O family
دَاوُۥدَ
dāwūda
(of) Dawood
شُكْرًۭا ۚ
shuk'ran
(in) gratitude
وَقَلِيلٌۭ
waqalīlun
But few
مِّنْ
min
of
عِبَادِىَ
ʿibādiya
My slaves
ٱلشَّكُورُ
l-shakūru
(are) grateful
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
13. 1. Mahareeb is the plural of mihrab, meaning lofty palaces, magnificent buildings, or mosques and images. These images were of non-living things; some say that images of the Prophets were made in mosques so that seeing them, people would also worship. This meaning is correct only if it is accepted that in the Shariah of Prophet Sulaiman ﷺ, image-making was permitted, which is not authentic. However, in Islam, it is strictly prohibited. Jifan is the plural of jafnah, meaning large basins; jawab is the plural of jabiyah, meaning a reservoir in which water is collected, i.e., basins as large as reservoirs. Qudoor means cauldrons; raasiyat means fixed in place. It is said that these cauldrons were made by carving mountains, which obviously could not be moved from place to place. Food for thousands of people could be cooked in them at one time. All these tasks were performed by the jinn.
