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 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.
26. (We said to him) O Dawud! We have made you a vicegerent on earth, so judge between people with justice and do not follow your own desires [33], lest they lead you astray from the path of Allah. Surely, those who go astray from the path of Allah will have a severe punishment, because they forgot the Day of Reckoning [34].
[33] That is, your status is much higher than that of ordinary people because, as Our deputy, you judge among the people. Therefore, there should not be even a trace of personal desire in any of your matters or decisions, because this is the very thing that leads one astray from the path of Allah.
[34] That is, a person goes astray when he follows his own desires, and he follows his desires when he forgets the Day of Allah’s reckoning. If the concept of accountability before Allah remains before one’s eyes, then a person does not care about his own desires at all. And whoever forgets the Day of Reckoning will inevitably live his life like an unbridled camel, the inevitable result of which he will have to face in the form of severe punishment.
[33] That is, your status is much higher than that of ordinary people because, as Our deputy, you judge among the people. Therefore, there should not be even a trace of personal desire in any of your matters or decisions, because this is the very thing that leads one astray from the path of Allah.
[34] That is, a person goes astray when he follows his own desires, and he follows his desires when he forgets the Day of Allah’s reckoning. If the concept of accountability before Allah remains before one’s eyes, then a person does not care about his own desires at all. And whoever forgets the Day of Reckoning will inevitably live his life like an unbridled camel, the inevitable result of which he will have to face in the form of severe punishment.
