سُوْرَةُ صٓ
Surah Saad (38) — Ayah 21
۞ وَهَلْ أَتَىٰكَ نَبَؤُا۟ ٱلْخَصْمِ إِذْ تَسَوَّرُوا۟ ٱلْمِحْرَابَ ﴿21﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And has the news of the litigants reached you? When they climbed over the wall into (his) Mihrâb (a praying place or a private room);
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ وَهَلْ
wahal
And has (there)
أَتَىٰكَ
atāka
come to you
نَبَؤُا۟
naba-u
(the) news
ٱلْخَصْمِ
l-khaṣmi
(of) the litigants
إِذْ
idh
when
تَسَوَّرُوا۟
tasawwarū
they climbed over the wall
ٱلْمِحْرَابَ
l-miḥ'rāba
(of) the chamber
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 21 to 23) ➊ { وَ هَلْ اَتٰىكَ نَبَؤُا الْخَصْمِ …: ’’ نَبَؤُا ‘‘} refers to important news. {’’ الْخَصْمِ ‘‘} is used for singular, dual, and plural. {’’ تَسَوَّرُوا ‘‘ ’’سُوْرٌ‘‘} means wall, and in the context of {’’ تَسَوَّرُوا ‘‘}, due to the inclusion of the meaning of {’’دَخَلُوْا‘‘}, {’’ الْمِحْرَابَ ‘‘} has been made its object, meaning they entered the "mihrab" by climbing over the wall. {’’ الْمِحْرَابَ ‘‘} is a room designated for worship. {’’ لَا تُشْطِطْ ‘‘} means do not be unjust. {’’شَطَطٌ‘‘} means excess, oppression. {’’أَشَطَّ الْحَاكِمُ إِذَا جَارَ‘‘} (af‘aal) means the ruler acted unjustly. {’’ نَعْجَةً ‘‘ ’’أُنْثٰي مِنَ الضَّأْنِ‘‘} means sheep or ewe. {’’عَزَّ يَعِزُّ‘‘} (ḍ) means to overpower. {’’ الْخُلَطَآءِ ‘‘ ’’خَلِيْطٌ‘‘} is the plural, meaning partner. However, {’’خَلِيْطٌ‘‘} is general, and includes those who have mixed their wealth, but each is the separate owner of his own wealth. {’’ قَلِيْلٌ ‘‘} means very little. {’’ مَا ‘‘} with emphasis means "very, very little."
➋ Allah Almighty instructed the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to be patient by commanding him to remember Dawud (peace be upon him), and began this incident by saying: Has the news of those who disputed reached you? The purpose is to create eagerness to listen to it.
➌ { اِذْ تَسَوَّرُوا الْمِحْرَابَ :} When those disputants climbed over the wall and came to Dawud (peace be upon him) in his room designated for worship. This shows that due to guards, etc., they could not enter from the door, otherwise they would not have needed to climb over the wall.
➍ {اِذْ دَخَلُوْا عَلٰى دَاوٗدَ فَفَزِعَ مِنْهُمْ :} Dawud (peace be upon him) became alarmed by their sudden arrival over the wall, fearing that they might be enemies who had come to kill or harm him, especially since it was well known that the Children of Israel used to kill their prophets.
➎ { قَالُوْا لَا تَخَفْ … :} As soon as they entered, they first reassured him: Do not be afraid, we have not come with any evil intention, but both of us have brought a dispute to you, so judge between us with truth and do not be unjust, and guide us to the straight path.
➏ { اِنَّ هٰذَاۤ اَخِيْ لَهٗ تِسْعٌ وَّ تِسْعُوْنَ نَعْجَةً … :} This is my real or religious brother; he has ninety-nine ewes and I have one ewe. So he said to me that I should also hand over my one to him, and in speaking he was very harsh with me and overpowered me.
➋ Allah Almighty instructed the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to be patient by commanding him to remember Dawud (peace be upon him), and began this incident by saying: Has the news of those who disputed reached you? The purpose is to create eagerness to listen to it.
➌ { اِذْ تَسَوَّرُوا الْمِحْرَابَ :} When those disputants climbed over the wall and came to Dawud (peace be upon him) in his room designated for worship. This shows that due to guards, etc., they could not enter from the door, otherwise they would not have needed to climb over the wall.
➍ {اِذْ دَخَلُوْا عَلٰى دَاوٗدَ فَفَزِعَ مِنْهُمْ :} Dawud (peace be upon him) became alarmed by their sudden arrival over the wall, fearing that they might be enemies who had come to kill or harm him, especially since it was well known that the Children of Israel used to kill their prophets.
➎ { قَالُوْا لَا تَخَفْ … :} As soon as they entered, they first reassured him: Do not be afraid, we have not come with any evil intention, but both of us have brought a dispute to you, so judge between us with truth and do not be unjust, and guide us to the straight path.
➏ { اِنَّ هٰذَاۤ اَخِيْ لَهٗ تِسْعٌ وَّ تِسْعُوْنَ نَعْجَةً … :} This is my real or religious brother; he has ninety-nine ewes and I have one ewe. So he said to me that I should also hand over my one to him, and in speaking he was very harsh with me and overpowered me.
