سُوْرَةُ صٓ
Surah Saad (38) — Ayah 24
قَالَ لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَىٰ نِعَاجِهِۦ ۖ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلْخُلَطَآءِ لَيَبْغِى بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَقَلِيلٌ مَّا هُمْ ۗ وَظَنَّ دَاوُۥدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّـٰهُ فَٱسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُۥ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا وَأَنَابَ ۩ ﴿24﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
[Dâwûd (David)] said (immediately without listening to the opponent): "He has wronged you in demanding your ewe in addition to his ewes. And, verily, many partners oppress one another, except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and they are few." And Dâwûd (David) guessed that We have tried him and he sought Forgiveness of his Lord, and he fell down prostrate and turned (to Allâh) in repentance.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالَ
qāla
He said
لَقَدْ
laqad
Certainly
ظَلَمَكَ
ẓalamaka
he has wronged you
بِسُؤَالِ
bisuāli
by demanding
نَعْجَتِكَ
naʿjatika
your ewe
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
نِعَاجِهِۦ ۖ
niʿājihi
his ewes
وَإِنَّ
wa-inna
And indeed
كَثِيرًۭا
kathīran
many
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلْخُلَطَآءِ
l-khulaṭāi
the partners
لَيَبْغِى
layabghī
certainly oppress
بَعْضُهُمْ
baʿḍuhum
some of them
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
[on]
بَعْضٍ
baʿḍin
another
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe
وَعَمِلُوا۟
waʿamilū
and do
ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ
l-ṣāliḥāti
righteous deeds
وَقَلِيلٌۭ
waqalīlun
and few
مَّا
mā
(are) they
هُمْ ۗ
hum
(are) they
وَظَنَّ
waẓanna
And became certain
دَاوُۥدُ
dāwūdu
Dawood
أَنَّمَا
annamā
that
فَتَنَّـٰهُ
fatannāhu
We (had) tried him
فَٱسْتَغْفَرَ
fa-is'taghfara
and he asked forgiveness
رَبَّهُۥ
rabbahu
(of) his Lord
وَخَرَّ
wakharra
and fell down
رَاكِعًۭا
rākiʿan
bowing
وَأَنَابَ ۩
wa-anāba
and turned in repentance
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
24. David said, "He has certainly wronged you by demanding your ewe to add to his own ewes. And indeed, many partners [28] wrong one another [29], except those who believe and do righteous deeds—and few are they." Then David realized that We had tested [30] him, so he sought forgiveness from his Lord, fell down in prostration, and turned to Him in repentance [31].
[28] ﴿خُلَطَاء﴾ is the plural of ﴿خَلِيْط﴾ and the meaning of ﴿خليط﴾ is a partial partner in work. That is, such a business partnership in which the partners are together in some aspects of the work and independent in others. For example, Zaid and Bakr each have their own separate flock, which is their individual property, but for their protection, they have jointly rented a place. They pay the shepherd together. Such partners are called each other's ﴿خليط﴾.
[29] After hearing the statement of the plaintiff, when the defendant remained silent and did not criticize or refute the plaintiff's statement, Sayyiduna Dawud (David) ؑ understood that the nature of the case was as the plaintiff had described. Therefore, addressing the plaintiff, he said: Indeed, the defendant has wronged and oppressed you by making such a demand. He should never have done so. However, most worldly partners do commit such excesses against each other, except those who are believers and fear Allah. But such people are few.
[30]
Sayyiduna Dawud and Isra'iliyat:
When both parties to the case left immediately after hearing your decision and did not even demand the enforcement of the verdict, Sayyiduna Dawud ؑ became perplexed. Upon reflection, he realized that this case did not belong to those parties, but was in fact his own case. And these people had come to him as a warning, and Allah Himself had put Sayyiduna Dawud to a test. As soon as this thought occurred to him, he began to seek forgiveness from his Lord. What was this test? In the Isra'iliyat, many absurd and shameful things are mentioned about it, which some of our commentators have also narrated: that Sayyiduna Dawud ؑ had ninety-nine wives, yet he fell in love with the wife of one of his military officers, 'Uriah the Hittite', and according to some narrations, he (God forbid) committed adultery with her, then sent the officer on a mission where he was killed, or had him killed himself. After that, he married his wife. The way the Isra'iliyat have stained the infallibility of the Prophets is one of the worst examples of this, which is why most commentators have strongly refuted this incident. And Sayyiduna Ali ؓ used to say that whoever utters such nonsense, I will give him one hundred and sixty lashes, because the punishment for slander is eighty lashes, and the punishment for slandering a Prophet should be double.
What was the trial of Sayyiduna Dawud:
Now the question is, what was the real nature of the matter? The style of the Quran itself reveals its reality. For example, this case was related to Sayyiduna Dawud's ؑ personal desire, and it was also related to the inappropriate use of judicial authority, as the plaintiff had said that he overpowers me in speech and I cannot even speak before him. And it is also established that Sayyiduna Dawud ؑ had ninety-nine wives. And the plaintiff had said that this brother of mine wants to take even my one ewe from me. He did not say that he had already taken my ewe from me. Then immediately Sayyiduna Dawud ؑ realized his mistake. In light of these points, the situation that emerges is that Dawud ؑ may have heard somewhere about the good qualities and virtues of Uriah the Hittite's wife, and the thought may have crossed his mind that if this woman were in his marriage, it would be good. As soon as this thought occurred, Allah's grip came upon him. Although such thoughts are not blameworthy for ordinary people, the status of the Prophets is different. Therefore, even their minor slips are immediately and timely pointed out by Allah.
[31] There is a prostration (sajdah) on this verse. That is, just as Sayyiduna Dawud ؑ turned to Allah, ordinary Muslims should also join him in this act. However, Ibn Abbas ؓ says that the prostration of this Surah is not among the emphasized prostrations, and I have seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ perform prostration in it. [بخاری، کتاب الصلوٰۃ۔ باب ماجاء فی سجود القرآن]
[28] ﴿خُلَطَاء﴾ is the plural of ﴿خَلِيْط﴾ and the meaning of ﴿خليط﴾ is a partial partner in work. That is, such a business partnership in which the partners are together in some aspects of the work and independent in others. For example, Zaid and Bakr each have their own separate flock, which is their individual property, but for their protection, they have jointly rented a place. They pay the shepherd together. Such partners are called each other's ﴿خليط﴾.
[29] After hearing the statement of the plaintiff, when the defendant remained silent and did not criticize or refute the plaintiff's statement, Sayyiduna Dawud (David) ؑ understood that the nature of the case was as the plaintiff had described. Therefore, addressing the plaintiff, he said: Indeed, the defendant has wronged and oppressed you by making such a demand. He should never have done so. However, most worldly partners do commit such excesses against each other, except those who are believers and fear Allah. But such people are few.
[30]
Sayyiduna Dawud and Isra'iliyat:
When both parties to the case left immediately after hearing your decision and did not even demand the enforcement of the verdict, Sayyiduna Dawud ؑ became perplexed. Upon reflection, he realized that this case did not belong to those parties, but was in fact his own case. And these people had come to him as a warning, and Allah Himself had put Sayyiduna Dawud to a test. As soon as this thought occurred to him, he began to seek forgiveness from his Lord. What was this test? In the Isra'iliyat, many absurd and shameful things are mentioned about it, which some of our commentators have also narrated: that Sayyiduna Dawud ؑ had ninety-nine wives, yet he fell in love with the wife of one of his military officers, 'Uriah the Hittite', and according to some narrations, he (God forbid) committed adultery with her, then sent the officer on a mission where he was killed, or had him killed himself. After that, he married his wife. The way the Isra'iliyat have stained the infallibility of the Prophets is one of the worst examples of this, which is why most commentators have strongly refuted this incident. And Sayyiduna Ali ؓ used to say that whoever utters such nonsense, I will give him one hundred and sixty lashes, because the punishment for slander is eighty lashes, and the punishment for slandering a Prophet should be double.
What was the trial of Sayyiduna Dawud:
Now the question is, what was the real nature of the matter? The style of the Quran itself reveals its reality. For example, this case was related to Sayyiduna Dawud's ؑ personal desire, and it was also related to the inappropriate use of judicial authority, as the plaintiff had said that he overpowers me in speech and I cannot even speak before him. And it is also established that Sayyiduna Dawud ؑ had ninety-nine wives. And the plaintiff had said that this brother of mine wants to take even my one ewe from me. He did not say that he had already taken my ewe from me. Then immediately Sayyiduna Dawud ؑ realized his mistake. In light of these points, the situation that emerges is that Dawud ؑ may have heard somewhere about the good qualities and virtues of Uriah the Hittite's wife, and the thought may have crossed his mind that if this woman were in his marriage, it would be good. As soon as this thought occurred, Allah's grip came upon him. Although such thoughts are not blameworthy for ordinary people, the status of the Prophets is different. Therefore, even their minor slips are immediately and timely pointed out by Allah.
[31] There is a prostration (sajdah) on this verse. That is, just as Sayyiduna Dawud ؑ turned to Allah, ordinary Muslims should also join him in this act. However, Ibn Abbas ؓ says that the prostration of this Surah is not among the emphasized prostrations, and I have seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ perform prostration in it. [بخاری، کتاب الصلوٰۃ۔ باب ماجاء فی سجود القرآن]
