SURAH (38) SAD (AYA 1 to 20)

Sura (38) SAD (the letter Sad) Aya 1 to 88 in 5 Sections

Revealed in Makka

SECTION 1

The utter defeat of the clans combined, prophesied

Warning to the Disbelievers---The Disvelivers’ arguments---About the Qur’an and the Apostle---The utter defeat of the clans combined prophesied.

ص ۚ وَالْقُرْآنِ ذِي الذِّكْرِ {38:1}

[Q38:1] Saaad; wal-Qur-aani ziz Zikr. 
[Q38:1] Suad, I swear by the Quran, full of admonition.

[Q38:1] Saad; demi Al-Quran yang mempunyai kemuliaan serta mengandungi peringatan dan pengajaran.

For sad see commentary of al Baqarah 2:1.

Dhikr is a name of the Qur’an. Dhikr implies #remembrance, #recital, #teaching, #warning, #message, and #praise of ALLAH (SWT).

µ  Ahlal dhikr means THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE BOOK (see commentary of Ali Imran 3:7; Nisa 4:54; Ma-idah 5: 77 to 79 and Ya Sin 36:12).

**THIS SURAH CONTAINS REMINDERS ABOUT THE CHOSEN RIGHTEOUS SERVANTS OF ALLAH (SWT).**

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(38:1) Sad, *1 and by the Qur’an full of exhortation! *2

*1 Although like all other enigmatic letters (mugatta'at) it is difficult to determine the meaning of the letter Suad also, yet the interpretation of it given by Ibn 'Abbas and Dahhak is quite plausible. According to them, it implies: Sadiq-un fi' qauli-hi, or Sadaqa Muhammad-un: Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) is Truthful: whatever he says is the very Truth.
*2 The words dhi-dh-dhikr of the Text can have two meanings: (1) Dhi sharaf: the noble Qur'an; and (2) Dhi at-tadhkir: the Qur'an which is full of admonition, or the Qur'an which serves as a reminder, or arouses a heedless person.

بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي عِزَّةٍ وَشِقَاقٍ {38:2}

[Q38:2] Balil lazeena kafaroo fee 'izzatilnw wa shiqaaq 
[Q38:2] Nay! Those who disbelieve are in self-exaltation and opposition.

[Q38:2] (Orang-orang yang mengingkari kerasulanmu wahai Muhammad tidak berdasarkan kebenaran) bahkan mereka yang kafir itu bersifat sombong angkuh dan suka menentang kebenaran. 

The disbelievers were boastful and quarrelsome. THE ROOT OF EVIL IS ARROGANCE AND SCHISM. This leads to dissension, opposition and separation.

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(38:2) Nay, but the unbelievers are steeped in arrogance and stubborn defiance. *3

*3 If the interpretation given of suad by Ibn 'Abbas and Dahhak is accepted, the sentence would mean this: "By this noble Qur'an, or by this Qur'an which is full of admonition, Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) is presenting the Truth, but the people who persist in their denial, are in fact, involved in arrogance and stubbornness." And if suad is taken as one of those enigmatic letters whose meaning cannot be determined, then the answer to the oath is omitted, which is indicated by "but" and the sentence following it. The meaning then would be: "The reason for the denial of these disbelievers is not that the religion which is being presented before them is unsound, or that Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) has shown some slackness in the matter of presenting the Truth before them, but their own boasting and bragging, their haughtiness and stubbornness, and this is borne out by this Qur'an itself, which is full of admonition. Every unbiased person who studies it will admit that fill justice has been done in it to the task of making the people understand the Truth. " 

كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِنْ قَرْنٍ فَنَادَوْا وَلَاتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ {38:3}gg

[Q38:3] Kam ahlaknaa min qablihim min qarnin fanaadaw wa laata heena manaas 
[Q38:3] How many did We destroy before them of the generations, then they cried while the time of escaping had passed away.

[Q38:3] (Tidakkah mereka menyedari) berapa banyak umat-umat (yang ingkar) yang terdahulu dari mereka, Kami binasakan? Lalu mereka meminta pertolongan, padahal saat itu bukanlah saat meminta pertolongan melepaskan diri dari azab. 

PEOPLE WHO REJECTED THE TRUTH WHEN THEY WERE INVITED TO IT AND DID NOT BOTHER TO ALTER THEIR FAITH EVEN DURING THE RESPITE GIVEN TO THEM, WERE FINALLY SEIZED AND DESTROYED BY ALLAH (SWT). They cried for help but this was in vain. There was no way left for them to escape. Refer to the relevant verses in Araf, Yunus, Hud, Hijr and other surahs for the destruction of the people of Nuh, Hud, Salih, Lut, Shu-ayb and Musa.

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(38:3) How many a nation did We destroy before them! (When they approached their doom) they cried out (for deliverance), but the time for deliverance was already past.

وَعَجِبُوا أَنْ جَاءَهُمْ مُنْذِرٌ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَقَالَ الْكَافِرُونَ هَٰذَا سَاحِرٌ كَذَّابٌ {38:4}

[Q38:4] Wa 'ajibooo an jaaa'a hum munzirum minhum wa qaalal kaafiroona haazaa saahirun kazzaab 
[Q38:4] And they wonder that there has come to them a warner from among themselves, and the disbelievers say: This is an enchanter, a liar.

[Q38:4] Dan mereka (yang mengingkari kerasulan Nabi Muhammad itu) merasa hairan, bahawa mereka didatangi oleh seorang Rasul pemberi amaran, dari kalangan mereka sendiri. Dan mereka yang kafir itu berkata: Orang ini adalah seorang ahli sihir, lagi pendusta.

THE PAGANS OF MAKKA REFERRED TO THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) AS A *SORCERER, *DREAMER, *POET AND AN *IMPOSTOR (see commentary of Anbiya 21:3 and 5), BECAUSE #HE INVITED THEM TO THE WORSHIP OF ALLAH (SWT), #MADE ALL THEIR FALSE GODS DISAPPEAR, #BROUGHT HARMONY IN PLACE OF CHAOS, #AND PEACE IN PLACE OF DISCORD AND CONFLICT. They tried their best to persuade Abu Talib to denounce and renounce his nephew, BUT FAILED.

·         After the "feast of the near relatives" verse 26:214 (see commentary of Ali Imran 3:52 and 53) the tribal chiefs declared that the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) wanted to destroy their power and influence in order to take authority in his own hands.

They thought that the most powerful weapon the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) had was the message of tawhid (unity of ALLAH (SwT)) with which he was demolishing **the syndrome of false gods and **upsetting the status quo of the pagan society which their forefathers had established. They opposed the preaching of the divine mission tooth and nail BECAUSE the society based on idol worship gave them influence, privileges and power to exploit the people as they liked.

Even when they embraced Islam, they could not, on account of this tendency, accept as true the divine declaration so they demanded share in the authority and finally usurped it by turning their back on the covenant they made with ALLAH (SWT) and His Prophet on the day of Ghadir Khum (see commentary of Ma-idah 5:67).

·         Millatil akhirah refers to the last religion preached before Islam, which had itself departed from monotheism to trinity, so the pagans did not find any trace of tawhid in it, and concluded that the message the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) brought was a made-up tale.

THEN ENVY SURFACED IN THEM. They said: "If a message had to come, why should it come to the orphan son of Abdullah, and not to one of our own chiefs?" In reply it is said that people have no idea as to how ALLAH (SWT) executes His will.

THE AGENCY OR THE MEDIUM OF THE DIVINE GUIDANCE LIKE RISALAT OR IMAMAT DOES NOT NEED ANY WORLDLY POMP AND SHOW OF WEALTH OR POSSESSIONS. It needs men of *ideal purity, *special excellence, *knowledge, *wisdom, *forbearance, *insight, *strength, *courage, *personal character, *spirit of sacrifice AND *total surrender to the will of ALLAH (SWT). SUCH MEN ARE CONDITIONED AND CHOSEN BY ALLAH (SWT) HIMSELF FOR THE PURPOSE. See commentary of Ahzab 33:33, Ali Imran 3:61 and Baqarah 2:124.

The drift and deviation so clearly visible in the collective life of the ummah of the last prophet of ALLAH (SWT), after his departure from this world, was mainly due to not following the clear commands of ALLAH (SWT) and the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) concerning the authority of the Ahlul Bayt to guide mankind and administer the human society.

v  They fell an easy prey to the doctrine of ghlu wa ghalba (force and prevalence). [1] Those finding themselves in a favourable position succeeded in assuming the rein of authority AND [2] the rest of ummah timidly accepted the authority of every such usurper who, after taking power by hook or crook eventually established himself as the vicegerent of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), though he flouted the laws of Islam with impunity--- like *Mu-awiyah bin Abu Sufyan, *Yazid bin Mu-awiyah, *Walid bin Abdul Malik, *Walid bin Yazid, *Abu Jafar Mansur, *Harun ar Rashid etcetera--- and almost all the caliphs of Bani Umayyah and Banu Abbas fall in this category.

       There was an army of clever theoreticians and opportunist religious scholars to support them in their godly and unislamic activities.

THE TRUE INHERITORS OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD), THE AHLUL BAYT, the custodians of the laws of ALLAH (SWT), #were ignored, #persecuted and #killed. A few who remained attached with them were mercilessly punished. YET the Islam-original, known as Shi-aism, weathered all storms with the help of the sincere and devoted followers of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and his Ahlul Bayt.

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(38:4) They wondered that a warner had come to them from among themselves, *4 and the deniers of the Truth said: “This is a sorcerer, *5 and a big liar.

*4 That is, "They are so foolish that when a man from their own kind and from their own clan and brotherhood, whom they knew fully well, was appointed to warn them, they wondered at it, whereas it would have been strange if some other kind of creature had been sent down from heaven to warn human beings, or an utter stranger had arisen among them suddenly and started functioning as a prophet. In that case they would have been perfectly justified to say, "What an odd thing! How can this strange creature know our conditions and feelings and requirements that he should guide us? How can we test and find out the truth about the stranger who has suddenly arisen among us and know whether he is trustworthy or not? And how can we decide whether we should or should not believe in him when we have not judged and seen his character and personality?" 
*5 The disblievers used the word sahir (sorcerer, magician) for the Holy Prophet in the sense that whoever came in contact with him was so influenced by him that he would become his follower like a possessed person; he would least mind severing of his connections with others or incurring material losses; the father would give up the son and the son the father; the wife would separate from the husband and the husband from the wife; he would at once be prepared to leave his country if it was so required; he would even be ready to pass through the severest persecutions for the sake of the faith. (For further details, see Surah AIAnbiya': 3 and E. N . 5 thereof). 

أَجَعَلَ الْآلِهَةَ إِلَٰهًا وَاحِدًا ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيْءٌ عُجَابٌ {38:5}

[Q38:5] Aja'alal aalihata ilaahanw Waahidan inna haazaa lashai'un 'ujaab 
[Q38:5] What! Makes he the gods a single ALLAH (SWT)? A strange thing is this, to be sure! 

[Q38:5] Patutkah dia menafikan tuhan-tuhan yang berbilang itu dengan mengatakan: Tuhan hanya Satu? Sesungguhnya ini adalah satu perkara yang menakjubkan! 

(see commentary for verse 4)

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(38:5) Has he made the gods one single God? This is truly astounding.”

وَانْطَلَقَ الْمَلَأُ مِنْهُمْ أَنِ امْشُوا وَاصْبِرُوا عَلَىٰ آلِهَتِكُمْ ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيْءٌ يُرَادُ {38:6}

[Q38:6] Wantalaqal mala-u minhum anim shoo wasbiroo 'alaaa aalihatikum innna haazaa lashai 'uny yuraad 
[Q38:6] And the chief persons of them break forth, saying: Go and steadily adhere to your gods; this is most surely a thing sought after.

[Q38:6] Dan (ketika itu) keluarlah ketua-ketua dari kalangan mereka (memberi peransang dengan berkata): Jalan terus (menurut cara penyembahan datuk nenek kamu) dan tetap tekunlah menyembah tuhan-tuhan kamu. Sebenarnya sikap ini adalah satu perkara yang amat dikehendaki. 

(see commentary for verse 4)

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(38:6) And the elders among them went forth *6 saying: “Go ahead and be steadfast in adhering to your deities. *7 What is being said is with a design.” *8

*6 The allusion is to the chiefs who got up and left Abu Talib when they had heard what the Holy Prophet said.
*7 "This thing" : the Holy Prophet's asking them to affirm faith in "La ilaha ill-Allah " so as to overpower both Arabia and the adjoining lands. 
*8 What they meant to say was this: "Muhammad has some vested interests: He is extending this invitation to us in order to subjugate us and rule us as his subjects." 

مَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَٰذَا فِي الْمِلَّةِ الْآخِرَةِ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا اخْتِلَاقٌ {38:7}

[Q38:7] Maa sami'naa bihaazaa fil millatil aakhirati in haazaaa illakh tilaaq 
[Q38:7] We never heard of this in the former faith; this is nothing but a forgery:

[Q38:7] Kami tidak pernah mendengar tentang (soal mengesakan Tuhan) itu dalam agama yang terakhir; perkara ini tidak lain hanyalah rekaan dan dusta semata-mata. 

(see commentary for verse 4)

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(38:7) We have not heard this in the religious community close to our time. *9 This is nothing but a fabrication.

*9 That is, "There have been our own elderly people in the recent past; there are Christians and Jews also living in our land and in the adjoining lands; and there are the Zoroastrians abounding in Iran and Iraq and eastern Arabia. None of them has ever preached that man should only believe in One AIlah, Lord of the worlds, and in none else beside Him: no one can remain content with one God only: everyone believes in the beloved ones of Allah also: they are All paying obeisance to them, making offerings at their shrines and praying for fulfilment of their needs and requirements. From one place people get children and from another provisions of life, and from yet another whatever they pray for. The whole world believes in their powers and capabilities, and those who have benefited from them tell how the needs of the people are being met and their difficulties being removed through their help and grace. Now this man is telling us a queer thing which we had never heard before. He says that none of these holy men has any share in Godhead and that Godhead wholly belongs only to Allah!"

أَأُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ الذِّكْرُ مِنْ بَيْنِنَا ۚ بَلْ هُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِنْ ذِكْرِي ۖ بَلْ لَمَّا يَذُوقُوا عَذَابِ {38:8}

[Q38:8] 'A-unzila 'alaihiz zikru mim baininaa; bal hum fee shakkim min Zikree bal lammaa yazooqoo 'Azaab. 
[Q38:8] Has the reminder been revealed to him from among us? Nay! They are in doubt as to My reminder. Nay! They have not yet tasted My chastisement!

[Q38:8] (Mereka berkata lagi): Patutkah wahyu peringatan itu diturunkan kepada Muhammad (padahal orang-orang yang lebih layak ada) di antara kita? (Mereka bukan sahaja ingkarkan kelayakan Nabi Muhammad menerima wahyu) bahkan mereka berada dalam keraguan tentang peringatan yang Aku wahyukan (kepada Nabi Muhammad) itu, bahkan mereka belum lagi merasai azab. 

 (see commentary for verse 4)

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(38:8) Has this Exhortation been sent down among us only to him, to the exclusion of all others?” Nay, they are in doubt regarding My Exhortation, *10 and are saying all this because they have not yet had any taste of My chastisement.

*10 In other words Allah says: "Muhammad, these people are not belying you but Me. As for your truthfulness, they had never doubted it before; now that they are doubting it, it is because of My Admonition; now that I have entrusted to you the Mission of admonishing them, they have started doubting the truthfulness of the very person whose righteousness and piety they used to swear by " The same theme has also been discussed above in Al-An'am: 33 and E.N. 21 thereof.

أَمْ عِنْدَهُمْ خَزَائِنُ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّكَ الْعَزِيزِ الْوَهَّابِ {38:9}

[Q38:9] Am'indahum khazaaa 'inu rahmati Rabbikal 'Azeezil Wahhaab 
[Q38:9] Or is it that they have the treasures of the mercy of your Lord, the Mighty, The great Giver?

[Q38:9] Adakah di sisi mereka perbendaharaan rahmat Tuhanmu Yang Maha Kuasa, lagi Yang Maha Melimpah pemberianNya?

IF THEY HAVE THE MEANS, POWER AND AUTHORITY TO INTERFERE WITH THE AUTHORITY OF ALLAH (SWT) TO CHOOSE HIS OWN MEN FOR HIS MISSION, let them try to come to heaven (if they can) and see if they can frustrate His plan and purpose.

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(38:9) Do they possess the treasures of your Lord, the Most Mighty, the Great Bestower?

أَمْ لَهُمْ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ فَلْيَرْتَقُوا فِي الْأَسْبَابِ {38:10}

[Q38:10] Am lahum mulkus samaawaati wal ardi wa maa bainahumaa falyartaqoo fil asbaab 
[Q38:10] Or is it that theirs is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is between them? Then let them ascend by any.

[Q38:10] Atau adakah mereka menguasai langit dan bumi serta segala yang ada di antara keduanya? (Kalau ada kekuasaan yang demikian) maka biarlah mereka naik mendaki langit menurut jalan-jalan yang membawa mereka ke situ (untuk mentadbirkan seluruh alam). 

Even if they muster all the evil forces at their disposal, they will suffer a total defeat, miserably routed and crushed. See Ahzab 33:22 and Qamar 54:41 to 46.

Ì VERSE 11 refers to the battle of Khandaq. See commentary of Ahzab 33:1 to 3, 9 to 22 and 25.

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(38:10) Or do they possess the dominion of the heavens and the earth and of all that is in between them? If so, let them ascend the heights of the realm of causation and see! *11

*11 This is an answer to this saying of the disbelievers "Was he the only (fit) person among us to whom Allah's Admonition should have lien sent down?' Allah says: "it is for Us to decide whom We should choose and appoint as a Prophet and whom We should not. These people do not possess any power and authority to exercise choice in this regard. If they wish to attain such an authority they should try to reach the Divine Throne in order to obtain control over the office of sovereignty of the Universe, so that revelation should come down on him whom they regard as deserving their mercy and not on him whom We regard as fit for it. "This theme has occurred at several places in the Qur'an, because the unbelieving Quraish again and again said, `How did Muhammad (upon whom be Allah' peace) become a Prophet? Did Allah find no better man among the principal leaders of the Quraish worthy of this office?"(See Surah Bani Isra'il:. 00; Az-Zukhruf: 31-32).

جُنْدٌ مَا هُنَالِكَ مَهْزُومٌ مِنَ الْأَحْزَابِ {38:11}

[Q38:11] Jundum maa hunaalika mahzoomum minal Ahzaab.
[Q38:11] A host of deserters of the allies shall be here put to flight.

[Q38:11] (Sebenarnya mereka hanyalah) satu pasukan tentera dari kumpulan-kumpulan (yang menentang kebenaran), yang pada suatu masa kelak tetap akan dikalahkan. 

(see commentary for verse 10)

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(38:11) This is only a small army out of the several armies that will suffer defeat here. *12

*12 "Here" implies the city of Makkah. That is, `The time is coming when these people shall be humbled and routed in the very place where they are opposing and mocking you., Then, they will be standing, with heads hung down, before the same man whom they despise and refuse to recognize as a Prophet of Allah. "

كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَعَادٌ وَفِرْعَوْنُ ذُو الْأَوْتَادِ {38:12}

[Q38:12] Kazzabat qablahum qawmu Lootinw-wa 'Aadunw wa Fir'awnu zul awtaad 
[Q38:12] The people of Nuh and Ad, and Firon, the lord of spikes, rejected (messengers) before them.

[Q38:12] Sebelum mereka itu, kaum Nabi Nuh dan Aad (kaum Nabi Hud), serta Firaun yang mempunyai kerajaan yang kuat, telah juga mendustakan Rasul masing-masing.

Refer to the commentary of verse 3 of this surah and other references mentioned therein.

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(38:12) Before them the people of Noah, Ad, and Pharaoh of the tent-pegs gave the lie (to the Messengers) *13

*13 The use of dhil-autad (of the stakes) for Pharaoh is either in the sense that his kingdom was very strong as though a stake were firmly driven into the ground, or for the reason that wherever his large armies camped, pegs of the tents were seen driven into the ground on every side, or because he would torture and punish at the stakes anyone with whom he was angry; and possibly the stakes may imply the pyramids of Egypt which seem to be driven into the earth like the stakes. 

وَثَمُودُ وَقَوْمُ لُوطٍ وَأَصْحَابُ الْأَيْكَةِ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ الْأَحْزَابُ {38:13}

[Q38:13] Wa Samoodu wa qawmu Lootinw wa Ashaabul 'Aykah; ulaaa'ikal Ahzaab
[Q38:13] And Samood and the people of Lut and the dwellers of the thicket; these were the parties.

[Q38:13] Dan juga Thamud (kaum Nabi Soleh) dan kaum Nabi Lut, serta penduduk Aikah; merekalah kumpulan-kumpulan (yang menentang kebenaran). 

(see commentary for verse 12)

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(38:13) and so did Thamud and the people of Lot and the people of Aykah. These were all leagued together.

إِنْ كُلٌّ إِلَّا كَذَّبَ الرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ عِقَابِ {38:14}

[Q38:14] In kullun illaa kazzabar Rusula fahaqqa 'iqaab.
[Q38:14] There was none of them but called the messengers liars, so just was My retribution.

[Q38:14] Tidak ada satupun dari kaum-kaum yang tersebut, melainkan telah mendustakan Rasul-rasul; maka berhaklah mereka ditimpa azab. 

(see commentary for verse 12)

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(38:14) Each of them gave the lie to Messengers and My decree of chastisement came upon them.

SECTION 2

ALLAH (SWT)’s Blessings on David

David blessed with Wisdom as well as with physical strength---Warning to those who follow their vain desire going astray from ALLAH (SWT)’s way.

وَمَا يَنْظُرُ هَٰؤُلَاءِ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً مَا لَهَا مِنْ فَوَاقٍ {38:15}

[Q38:15] Wa maa yanzuru haaa ulaaa'i illaa saihatanw waahidatam maa lahaa min fawaaq. 
[Q38:15] Nor do these await aught but a single cry, there being no delay in it.

[Q38:15] Dan orang-orang ini (yang menentang Nabi Muhammad), tidak menunggu melainkan satu jeritan suara yang tidak akan berulang lagi. 

(see commentary for verse 12)

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(38:15) They are waiting for nothing except a single Cry, after which there will be no second Cry. *14

*14 That is, `Only a single blast of the torment will be enough to annihilate them; no other will be needed for the purpose." Another meaning of the sentence can be: "After this they will get no more relief and no more respite."

وَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا عَجِّلْ لَنَا قِطَّنَا قَبْلَ يَوْمِ الْحِسَابِ {38:16}

[Q38:16] Wa qaaloo Rabbanaa 'ajjil lanaa qittanaa qabla Yawmil Hisaab 
[Q38:16] And they say: O our Lord! Hasten on to us our portion before the day of reckoning.

[Q38:16] Dan mereka pula berkata (secara mengejek-ejek): Wahai Tuhan kami! Segerakanlah azab yang ditetapkan untuk kami, sebelum datangnya hari hitungan amal (yang dikatakan oleh Muhammad itu). 

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(38:16) They say: “Our Lord, hasten to us our share (of chastisement) before the Day of Reckoning.” *15

*15 That is, `Allah's torment will be so severe and terrible as mentioned above, but just consider the behaviour of these foolish people: they are telling the Prophet mockingly: `Do not put off our affairs till the Day of Reckoning with which you are threatening us, but settle our account just now: whatever punishment is to be inflicted on us should be inflicted immediately." 

اصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوُودَ ذَا الْأَيْدِ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ {38:17}

[Q38:17] Isbir 'alaa maa yaqooloona wazkur 'abdanaa Daawooda zal aidi innahooo awwaab
[Q38:17] Bear patiently what they say, and remember Our servant Dawood, the possessor of power; surely he was frequent in returning (to ALLAH (SWT).

[Q38:17] Bersabarlah (wahai Muhammad) terhadap apa sahaja yang mereka katakan dan ingatlah akan hamba Kami Nabi Daud, yang mempunyai kekuatan (dalam pegangan agamanya); sesungguhnya dia adalah sentiasa rujuk kembali (kepada Kami dengan bersabar mematuhi perintah Kami). 

Refer to the commentary of Baqarah 2:249 to 251; Anbiya 21:78 to 80 and Saba 34:10 and 11 FOR PROPHET DAWUD.

Ø  One day two men of Bani Israil came to Dawud disputing the ownership of a cow. Dawud demanded witnesses from the plaintiff but he could not produce any, at which he asked them to come next day. At night, in dream, Dawud was commanded to kill the defendant, but since there was no proof he did not carry out the order at once.

Ø  Dawud had this dream for 3 continuous nights and finally ordered the defendant to be executed. The defendant pleaded, asking the grounds on which this sentence was passed. Dawud replied that he had been commanded by ALLAH (SWT) through dreams for 3 nights. When the defendant was sure of his death, he finally confessed that he had killed the plaintiff's father and taken possession of the cow. THEN, the people, discouraged by the true visions of Dawud, gave up frauds, unfair dealings and evil intrigues and became law abiding citizens.

THUS the authority of Dawud in his kingdom was firmly established by ALLAH (SWT).

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(38:17) (O Prophet), bear with patience what they say, *16 and call to mind Our servant David, *17 who was endowed with great strength *18 and who constantly turned (to Allah).

*16 The allusion is to the absurd conversation of the disbelievers of Makkah, as narrated above, to the effect that the Holy Prophet was a sorcerer and a liar, and to their objection whether he was the only fit person in the sight of Allah to be appointed as a Messenger, and to their some accusation that he had vested interest in preaching the doctrine of Tauhid to the people and not any religious mission.
*17 Another translation of this sentence can be: `Remember Our servant David." According to the first translation, it would mean: "There is a lesson in this story for these people," and according to the second: "The remembrance of this story will help you too, to have patience "As the narrative is meant to serve both purposes, comprehensive words have been used as contain both meanings. (For the story of the prophet David, see AI-Baqarah: 251, Bani Isra'il: 55, AIAnbiya': 78-81, An-Naml: 15 and the E.N.'s thereof; and E.N.'s 14 to 16 of Saba). 
*18 The words in the original are: dhal-ayd (possessor of the hands). The word "hand" is used metaphorically for strength and power not only in Arabic but in other languages also. When as an attribute of the Prophet David it is said that he was a "possessor of the hands", it will necessarily mean that he possessed great powers. These powers may mean the physical strength which he displayed during his combat against Goliath, military and political power by which he crushed the neighbouring idolatrous nations and established a strong Islamic empire, moral strength by which he ruled like a poor king and always feared Allah and observed the bounds set by Him, and the power of worship by virtue of which, besides his occupations in connection with rule and government and fighting in the cause of Allah, he fasted every alternate day and spent a third of the night in worship according to a tradition of Bukhari. Imam Bukhari in his History has related, on the authority of Hadrat Abu ad-Darda', that whenever the Prophet David was mentioned, the Holy Prophet used to say: "He was the greatest worshipper of God."

إِنَّا سَخَّرْنَا الْجِبَالَ مَعَهُ يُسَبِّحْنَ بِالْعَشِيِّ وَالْإِشْرَاقِ {38:18}

[Q38:18] Innaa sakhkharnal jibaala ma'ahoo yusabbihna bil'ashaiyi wal ishraaq.
[Q38:18] Surely We made the mountains to sing the glory (of ALLAH (SWT) in unison with him at the evening and the sunrise,

[Q38:18] Sesungguhnya Kami telah mudahkan gunung-ganang turut bertasbih memuji Kami bersama-sama dengannya; pada waktu petang dan ketika terbit matahari. 

(see commentary for verse 17)

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(38:18) With him We had subjected the mountains that they join him in celebrating Allah’s glory, evening and morning,

وَالطَّيْرَ مَحْشُورَةً ۖ كُلٌّ لَهُ أَوَّابٌ {38:19}

[Q38:19] Wattayra mahshoorah; kullul lahooo awwaab 
[Q38:19] And the birds gathered together; all joined in singing with him.

[Q38:19] Dan (Kami mudahkan juga) unggas turut berhimpun (untuk bertasbih memuji Kami bersama-sama dengannya); tiap-tiap satunya mengulangi tasbih masing-masing menurutnya. 

(see commentary for verse 17)

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(38:19) and the birds, too, in their flocks, and turn again and again to celebrating Allah’s glory. *19

*19 For explanation, see Surah Al-Anbiya' :79 and E.N. 71 thereof.

وَشَدَدْنَا مُلْكَهُ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحِكْمَةَ وَفَصْلَ الْخِطَابِ {38:20}

[Q38:20] Wa shadadnaa mulkahoo wa aatainaahul Hikmata wa faslal khitaab.
[Q38:20] And We strengthened his kingdom and We gave him wisdom and a clear judgment.

[Q38:20] Dan Kami kuatkan kerajaannya, serta Kami kurniakan kepadanya hikmah kebijaksanaan dan kepitahan berkata-kata (dalam menjalankan hukum dan menjatuhkan hukuman). 

(see commentary for verse 17)

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(38:20) And We strengthened his kingdom and endowed him with wisdom and decisive judgement. *20

*20 That is, "He was never ambiguous in speech but clear and forthright. Whatever problem he talked about he would lay bare its basic points, and would clearly and precisely determine the real issue under question, and would pass a decisive judgement. "This quality is not attained by a person unless he is granted wisdom, understanding and mastery of language of the highest degree.