سُوْرَةُ صٓ
Surah Saad (38) — Ayah 26
يَـٰدَاوُۥدُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَـٰكَ خَلِيفَةً فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌۢ بِمَا نَسُوا۟ يَوْمَ ٱلْحِسَابِ ﴿26﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O Dâwûd (David)! Verily! We have placed you as a successor on the earth; so judge you between men in truth (and justice) and follow not your desire - for it will mislead you from the Path of Allâh. Verily, those who wander astray from the Path of Allâh (shall) have a severe torment, because they forgot the Day of Reckoning.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰدَاوُۥدُ
yādāwūdu
O Dawood
إِنَّا
innā
Indeed, We
جَعَلْنَـٰكَ
jaʿalnāka
[We] have made you
خَلِيفَةًۭ
khalīfatan
a vicegerent
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
فَٱحْكُم
fa-uḥ'kum
so judge
بَيْنَ
bayna
between
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
[the] men
بِٱلْحَقِّ
bil-ḥaqi
in truth
وَلَا
walā
and (do) not
تَتَّبِعِ
tattabiʿi
follow
ٱلْهَوَىٰ
l-hawā
the desire
فَيُضِلَّكَ
fayuḍillaka
for it will lead you astray
عَن
ʿan
from
سَبِيلِ
sabīli
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ ۚ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
يَضِلُّونَ
yaḍillūna
go astray
عَن
ʿan
from
سَبِيلِ
sabīli
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
لَهُمْ
lahum
for them
عَذَابٌۭ
ʿadhābun
(is) a punishment
شَدِيدٌۢ
shadīdun
severe
بِمَا
bimā
because
نَسُوا۟
nasū
they forgot
يَوْمَ
yawma
(the) Day
ٱلْحِسَابِ
l-ḥisābi
(of) Account
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 26) ➊ {يٰدَاوٗدُ اِنَّا جَعَلْنٰكَ خَلِيْفَةً فِي الْاَرْضِ … :} Here the word {’’قُلْنَا‘‘} (We said) is omitted, meaning We said: O Dawud! Your status is much higher than other people; you are a caliph and they are subjects, you are a ruler and they are ruled. Therefore, judge between people with justice and do not let your own or anyone else's desire interfere in it, because this is what leads one astray from the path of Allah.
➋ { اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَضِلُّوْنَ عَنْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيْدٌۢ … :} That is, a person goes astray only when he follows his own or someone else's desires, and he does this only when he does not remember the Day of Reckoning. If the concept of accountability before Allah remains before his eyes, then a person does not care for his own or anyone else's desires, and whoever forgets the Day of Reckoning will follow every lawful and unlawful desire and will live life like an unbridled camel. The result of which he will have to bear in the form of severe punishment.
➌ Some people have inferred from Allah Almighty's address to Dawud (peace be upon him) {’’ وَ لَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوٰى ‘‘} (do not follow desire) that Dawud (peace be upon him) had followed some desire, so this command was given. Whereas, even our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was forbidden from following desires, so did he (peace and blessings be upon him) also follow any desire? Forbidding someone from an act does not mean that the addressee has done or is doing that act, but the command is also given to emphasize caution for the future, as when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was addressed: « وَ اَنِ احْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَاۤ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ وَ لَا تَتَّبِعْ اَهْوَآءَهُمْ » [ المائدۃ : ۴۹ ] "And judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their desires." Similarly, Allah Almighty addressed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): « اَلْحَقُّ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِيْنَ » [ البقرۃ : ۱۴۷ ] "This is the truth from your Lord, so do not be among those who doubt." And He said: «فَلَا تَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ الْجٰهِلِيْنَ » [ الأنعام : ۳۵ ] "So do not be among the ignorant." In Surah Al-Qasas it is said: « فَلَا تَكُوْنَنَّ ظَهِيْرًا لِّلْكٰفِرِيْنَ» [ القصص : ۸۶ ] "So never be a helper to the disbelievers." And in the next verse: « وَ لَا تَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ » [ القصص : ۸۷ ] "And never be among the polytheists." So should it be understood from these verses that (God forbid) the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was forbidden from these acts because he was doing all this?
➋ { اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَضِلُّوْنَ عَنْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيْدٌۢ … :} That is, a person goes astray only when he follows his own or someone else's desires, and he does this only when he does not remember the Day of Reckoning. If the concept of accountability before Allah remains before his eyes, then a person does not care for his own or anyone else's desires, and whoever forgets the Day of Reckoning will follow every lawful and unlawful desire and will live life like an unbridled camel. The result of which he will have to bear in the form of severe punishment.
➌ Some people have inferred from Allah Almighty's address to Dawud (peace be upon him) {’’ وَ لَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوٰى ‘‘} (do not follow desire) that Dawud (peace be upon him) had followed some desire, so this command was given. Whereas, even our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was forbidden from following desires, so did he (peace and blessings be upon him) also follow any desire? Forbidding someone from an act does not mean that the addressee has done or is doing that act, but the command is also given to emphasize caution for the future, as when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was addressed: « وَ اَنِ احْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَاۤ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ وَ لَا تَتَّبِعْ اَهْوَآءَهُمْ » [ المائدۃ : ۴۹ ] "And judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their desires." Similarly, Allah Almighty addressed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): « اَلْحَقُّ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِيْنَ » [ البقرۃ : ۱۴۷ ] "This is the truth from your Lord, so do not be among those who doubt." And He said: «فَلَا تَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ الْجٰهِلِيْنَ » [ الأنعام : ۳۵ ] "So do not be among the ignorant." In Surah Al-Qasas it is said: « فَلَا تَكُوْنَنَّ ظَهِيْرًا لِّلْكٰفِرِيْنَ» [ القصص : ۸۶ ] "So never be a helper to the disbelievers." And in the next verse: « وَ لَا تَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ » [ القصص : ۸۷ ] "And never be among the polytheists." So should it be understood from these verses that (God forbid) the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was forbidden from these acts because he was doing all this?
