سُوْرَةُ صٓ
Surah Saad (38) — Ayah 17
ٱصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَٱذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوُۥدَ ذَا ٱلْأَيْدِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَوَّابٌ ﴿17﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Be patient (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) of what they say, and remember Our slave Dâwûd (David), endued with power. Verily, he was ever oft-returning in all matters and in repentance (toward Allâh).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱصْبِرْ
iṣ'bir
Be patient
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
over
مَا
mā
what
يَقُولُونَ
yaqūlūna
they say
وَٱذْكُرْ
wa-udh'kur
and remember
عَبْدَنَا
ʿabdanā
Our slave
دَاوُۥدَ
dāwūda
Dawood
ذَا
dhā
the possessor of strength
ٱلْأَيْدِ ۖ
l-aydi
the possessor of strength
إِنَّهُۥٓ
innahu
Indeed, he (was)
أَوَّابٌ
awwābun
repeatedly turning
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 17) ➊ { اِصْبِرْ عَلٰى مَا يَقُوْلُوْنَ:} In this surah, up to this point, the statements of the disbelievers that have been mentioned—such as calling you a sorcerer and a liar, and their objection that, “Out of all of us, was this one man chosen to be a messenger?” and that there is some premeditated conspiracy behind this call, and whatever they said while mocking the Resurrection—Allah Almighty commanded you (ﷺ) to be patient over all these things and, for consolation, ordered you to remember Dawud (David) (علیہ السلام) and a few other prophets.
➋ The meaning of {وَ اذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوٗدَ ذَا الْاَيْدِ : ’’ الْاَيْدِ ‘‘} is strength. {’’آدَ الرَّجُلُ يَئِيْدُ أَيْدًا‘‘} (ض) When a person becomes strong, it is said: {’’فَهُوَ أَيِّدٌ‘‘} as He said: « وَ اَيَّدْنٰهُ بِرُوْحِ الْقُدُسِ» [ البقرۃ : ۸۷ ] “And We strengthened him with the Holy Spirit.” Dawud (علیہ السلام) was a man of great strength; Allah Almighty endowed him with many strengths, such as physical strength with which he killed Jalut (Goliath), courage and strength of heart due to which he never turned his back to the enemy, strength in worship which was manifested by praying a third of the night every day and always fasting every other day, strength in leadership with which he subdued all the surrounding polytheist powers and established a strong kingdom. The strength of sound judgment (hukm), the strength of decisive speech, the blessing of a beautiful voice due to which even the mountains and birds would join him in glorification and recitation, the strength to soften iron and make armor through which he would eat only from what his own hands earned. For further details, see Surah Al-Baqarah (2:251), Al-Anbiya (21:78, 79), An-Naml (27:15, 16), and Surah Saba (34:10–13).
➌ { اِنَّهٗۤ اَوَّابٌ :} That is, in all his affairs, he would turn to Allah Almighty very much; he would not take any step on their own accord. At all times, through prayer, supplication, hope and fear, remembrance and recitation, and striving, they would keep their attention towards Him; if ever there was any shortcoming, they would immediately turn to Him with repentance and seeking forgiveness.
➋ The meaning of {وَ اذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوٗدَ ذَا الْاَيْدِ : ’’ الْاَيْدِ ‘‘} is strength. {’’آدَ الرَّجُلُ يَئِيْدُ أَيْدًا‘‘} (ض) When a person becomes strong, it is said: {’’فَهُوَ أَيِّدٌ‘‘} as He said: « وَ اَيَّدْنٰهُ بِرُوْحِ الْقُدُسِ» [ البقرۃ : ۸۷ ] “And We strengthened him with the Holy Spirit.” Dawud (علیہ السلام) was a man of great strength; Allah Almighty endowed him with many strengths, such as physical strength with which he killed Jalut (Goliath), courage and strength of heart due to which he never turned his back to the enemy, strength in worship which was manifested by praying a third of the night every day and always fasting every other day, strength in leadership with which he subdued all the surrounding polytheist powers and established a strong kingdom. The strength of sound judgment (hukm), the strength of decisive speech, the blessing of a beautiful voice due to which even the mountains and birds would join him in glorification and recitation, the strength to soften iron and make armor through which he would eat only from what his own hands earned. For further details, see Surah Al-Baqarah (2:251), Al-Anbiya (21:78, 79), An-Naml (27:15, 16), and Surah Saba (34:10–13).
➌ { اِنَّهٗۤ اَوَّابٌ :} That is, in all his affairs, he would turn to Allah Almighty very much; he would not take any step on their own accord. At all times, through prayer, supplication, hope and fear, remembrance and recitation, and striving, they would keep their attention towards Him; if ever there was any shortcoming, they would immediately turn to Him with repentance and seeking forgiveness.
