SURAH (38) SAD (AYA 21 to 40)
وَهَلْ أَتَاكَ نَبَأُ الْخَصْمِ إِذْ تَسَوَّرُوا
الْمِحْرَابَ {38:21}
[Q38:21] Wa
hal ataaka naba'ul khasm; iz tasawwarul mihraab;
[Q38:21] And has there come to you the story of the litigants, when they made an entry into the private chamber by ascending over the walls?
[Q38:21] And has there come to you the story of the litigants, when they made an entry into the private chamber by ascending over the walls?
[Q38:21] Dan sudahkah sampai kepadamu
(wahai Muhammad) berita (perbicaraan dua) orang yang berselisihan? Ketika
mereka memanjat tembok tempat ibadat;
Dawud's brother Uriya obtained permission from the guardians of a girl, whom he loved, to
marry her,
Ø BUT at the last moment the guardians broke
their word. THEN Dawud sent his own proposal and her guardians, impressed by Dawud's position as king, gave her hand to him in
marriage. Dawud already had 99 wives. She
became his hundredth wife.
Ø Uriya was disappointed. He thought that Dawud
should have used his influence to convince the girl's guardians in his favour. What Dawud did was not a sin, BUT
in the opinion of Uriya, Dawud, as a brother and also as the king, could have
given preference to him.
ALLAH (SWT) sent two angels in human form to Dawud.
They were not allowed to enter his private chamber where he used to retire for
his devotional prayers. They climbed over a wall, entered his private chamber
and said that they had come to seek redress at his hands.
One of them said: "This my
brother has a flock of 99 sheep, and I had but one; yet he wants me to give up
my one sheep to his keeping. He talks like one intending mischief." Without giving a chance to the other who also came to him
as a contender Dawud decreed his demand unjust. The two angels
disappeared as mysteriously as they had come. It was then realised by Dawud that it was a trial. In self-complacence he passed the judgment before listening
to the defendant. As soon as it
became evident to him, he turned to ALLAH (SWT) in repentance.
**According to Imam Ali who so casts aspersion on Dawud on
account of his marrying the girl betrothed to his brother must be condemned BECAUSE EVERY PROPHET OF ALLAH (SWT) IS FREE FROM EMOTIONAL
WEAKNESSES AND SINFUL DESIRES; particularly if the accuser is a Muslim the doubt amounts to blasphemy.**
The Biblical passages about
Dawud are mere chroniques scandaleuses--- narrative of scandalous crimes of the
grossest character. The
Qur’anic idea of Dawud is that of a just and upright prophet, endowed with all
the virtues, in whom even the least thought of self
-elation has to be washed off by repentance.
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(38:21) Has the story of the litigants reached you – of
those who entered his private chambers by climbing over the wall? *21
*21 The object
why the Prophet David has been mentioned here is to relate the story that
begins from here; the object of mentioning his sterling qualities in the
introduction was only to point out the high calibre of the Prophet David with
whom this incident took place.
إِذْ دَخَلُوا عَلَىٰ دَاوُودَ فَفَزِعَ مِنْهُمْ ۖ
قَالُوا لَا تَخَفْ ۖ خَصْمَانِ بَغَىٰ بَعْضُنَا عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ فَاحْكُمْ
بَيْنَنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تُشْطِطْ وَاهْدِنَا إِلَىٰ سَوَاءِ الصِّرَاطِ {38:22}
[Q38:22] Iz
dakhaloo 'alaa Daawooda fafazi'a minhum qaaloo la takhaf khasmaani baghaa
ba'dunaa 'alaa ba'din fahkum bainanaaa bilhaqqi wa laa tushtit wahdinaaa ilaa
Sawaaa'is Siraat.
[Q38:22] When they entered in upon Dawood and he was frightened at them, they said: Fear not; two litigants, of whom one has acted wrongfully towards the other, therefore decide between us with justice, and do not act unjustly, and guide us to the right way.
[Q38:22] When they entered in upon Dawood and he was frightened at them, they said: Fear not; two litigants, of whom one has acted wrongfully towards the other, therefore decide between us with justice, and do not act unjustly, and guide us to the right way.
[Q38:22] Iaitu ketika mereka masuk
kepada Nabi Daud, lalu dia terkejut melihat mereka; mereka berkata kepadanya:
Janganlah takut, (kami ini) adalah dua orang yang berselisihan, salah seorang
dari kami telah berlaku zalim kepada yang lain; oleh itu hukumkanlah di antara
kami dengan adil dan janganlah melampaui (batas keadilan), serta pimpinlah kami
ke jalan yang lurus.
(see
commentary for verse 21)
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(38:22) As they came upon David – and he was frightened
of them *22 – they said: “Be not afraid. We are just two
litigants: one of us has committed excess against the other. So judge rightly
between us, and be not unjust; and guide us to the Right Way.
*22 He was
alarmed because the two men had appeared in the private quarters of the ruler
of the land suddenly, by climbing over the wall, instead of going before him by
the proper entrance.
إِنَّ هَٰذَا أَخِي لَهُ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً
وَلِيَ نَعْجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فَقَالَ أَكْفِلْنِيهَا وَعَزَّنِي فِي
الْخِطَابِ {38:23}
[Q38:23] Inna
haazaaa akhee lahoo tis'unw wa tis'oona na'jatanw wa liya na'jatunw waahidah;
faqaala akfilneeha wa 'azzanee khitaab.
[Q38:23] Surely this is my brother; he has ninety-nine ewes and I have a single ewe; but he said: Make it over to me, and he has prevailed against me in discourse.
[Q38:23] Surely this is my brother; he has ninety-nine ewes and I have a single ewe; but he said: Make it over to me, and he has prevailed against me in discourse.
[Q38:23] Sebenarnya orang ini ialah
(seorang sahabat sebagai) saudaraku; dia mempunyai sembilan puluh sembilan ekor
kambing betina dan aku mempunyai seekor sahaja; dalam pada itu dia (mendesakku
dengan) berkata: Serahkanlah yang seekor itu kepadaku dan dia telah mengalahkan
daku dalam merundingkan perkara itu.
(see
commentary for verse 21)
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(38:23) Behold, this is my brother; *23 he
has ninety-nine ewes and I have only one ewe.” And yet he said: “Give her into
my charge,” and he got the better of me in argument. *24
*23 "Brother"
does not mean a real brother but a brother-in-faith and a member of one's own
clan.
*24 To understand what follows one should note that the complainant did not say that the other person had taken away his only ewe and added it to his own ewes, but said that he was asking for it, and since he was a powerful person he had prevailed over him in the matter and he could not reject his demand, being a weak and poor man.
*24 To understand what follows one should note that the complainant did not say that the other person had taken away his only ewe and added it to his own ewes, but said that he was asking for it, and since he was a powerful person he had prevailed over him in the matter and he could not reject his demand, being a weak and poor man.
قَالَ لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَىٰ
نِعَاجِهِ ۖ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْخُلَطَاءِ لَيَبْغِي بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ
بَعْضٍ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ ۗ
وَظَنَّ دَاوُودُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ فَاسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا
وَأَنَابَ ۩ {38:24}
[Q38:24] Qaala
laqad zalamaka bisu 'aali na'jatika ilaa ni'aajihee wa inna kaseeram minal
khulataaa'i la-yabghee ba'duhum 'alaa ba'din illal lazeena aamanoo wa 'amilus
saalihaati wa qaleehum maa hum; wa zanna Daawoodu annamaa fatannaahu
fastaghrara Rabbahoo wa kharra raaki'anw wa anaab.
[Q38:24] He said: Surely he has been unjust to you in demanding your ewe (to add) to his own ewes; and most surely most of the partners act wrongfully towards one another, save those who believe and do good, and very few are they; and Dawood was sure that We had tried him, so he sought the protection of his Lord and he fell down bowing and turned time after time (to Him).
[Q38:24] He said: Surely he has been unjust to you in demanding your ewe (to add) to his own ewes; and most surely most of the partners act wrongfully towards one another, save those who believe and do good, and very few are they; and Dawood was sure that We had tried him, so he sought the protection of his Lord and he fell down bowing and turned time after time (to Him).
[Q38:24] Nabi Daud berkata: Sesungguhnya
dia telah berlaku zalim kepadamu dengan meminta kambingmu itu (sebagai
tambahan) kepada kambing-kambingnya dan sesungguhnya kebanyakan dari
orang-orang yang bergaul dan berhubungan (dalam berbagai-bagai lapangan hidup),
setengahnya berlaku zalim kepada setengahnya yang lain, kecuali orang-orang
yang beriman dan beramal soleh; sedang mereka amatlah sedikit! Dan Nabi Daud
(setelah berfikir sejurus), mengetahui sebenarnya Kami telah mengujinya (dengan
peristiwa itu), lalu dia memohon ampun kepada Tuhannya sambil merebahkan
dirinya sujud, serta dia rujuk kembali (bertaubat).
(see
commentary for verse 21)
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(38:24) David said: “He has certainly wronged you in
seeking to add your ewe to his ewes; *25 and indeed many who live together
commit excesses, one to the other, except those that believe and act
righteously; and they are but few.” (While so saying) David realized that it is
We Who have put him to test; therefore, he sought the forgiveness of his Lord,
and fell down, bowing and penitently turning (to Him). *26
*25 Here, one
should not doubt that the Prophet David gave his decision after hearing only
what one party had to say. THE FACT OF THE MATTER, is that
when the respondent kept quiet at the complaint of the complainant and said
nothing in defence it by itself amounted to a confession by him. That is why
the Prophet David came to the conclusion that the facts of the case were the
same as the complainant had stated.
*26 There is a difference of opinion as to whether it is obligatory to perform a sajdah (prostration) on this occasion or not. Imam Shafe'i says that it is not obligatory, for this is only a Prophet' repentance; but Imam Abu Hanifah has opined that prostration here is obligatory. The traditionists have related three traditions from lbn- 'Abbas in this regard. According to 'Ikrimah, Ibn 'Abbas said: "this is not one of those verses on the recitation of which prostration is obligatory, but I have seen the Holy Prophet prostrating himself on this occasion. "(Bukhari, Abu Da'ud, Tirmidhi, NASa'I, Musnad Ahmad). The second tradition which Said bin Jubair has related froth Ibn 'Abbas is to the effect: 'The Holy Prophet prostrated himself in Surah Suad and said: 'The Prophet David (on whom be peace) had prostrated himself in order to express his repentance and we prostrate ourselves as a token of gratitude, because his repentance was accepted. (Nasa'i) In the third tradition that Mujahid has related from him, he says: "Allah has commanded the Holy Prophet, in the Qur'an: "These were the ones whom Allah had shown the Right Way: therefore, you should follow their way'." (AI-An'am: 90). Now, since David was a Prophet and he had prostrated himself on this occasion, the Holy Prophet also prostrated himself here only to follow his way. (Bukhari). These three are the statements of Hadrat Ibn 'Abbas: and Hadrat Abu Sa' id Khudri says: "The Holy Prophet once recited Surah Suad in his address, and when he came to this verse, he descended from the pulpit and performed a prostration and the audience also did the same along with him. Then, on another occasion, he recited this same Surah and when the people heard this verse, they were ready to perform the prostration. The Holy Prophet said 'This is the repentance of a Prophet, but I see that you have got ready to perform the prostration' --Saying this he descended from the pulpit and prostrated himself and the people also did the same." (Abu Da'ud). Although these traditions do not provide any absolute argument to prove that it is obligatory to perform the prostration here, yet they prove at least that because the Holy Prophet generally performed a prostration on this occasion, it is in any case commendable to prostrate here.
Another thing that one notices in this verse is that Allah has used the words kharra raki'an (fell in ruku') here, but All the commentators are agreed that this implies kharra sajid-an (fell in sajdah: prostration). On this very basis, Imam Abu Hanifah and his companions have expressed the opinion that one may perform only a ruku' instead of a sajdah, when one recites or hears being recited a verse requiring a sajdah in the Prayer or outside it. For when AIlah has used the word ruku' to imply sajdah, it becomes obvious that ruku' can represent sajdah. Imam Khattabi, a Shafe'ite jurist, also holds the same opinion, Though this opinion in itself is sound and reasonable, we do not find any precedent in the practices of the Holy Prophet and his Companions that they might have been content with performing a ruku' only instead of a sajdah on a verse requiring a sajdah. Therefore, one should act upon the view only when there is an obstruction in performing the sajdah; it would be wrong to make it a practice, Imam Abu Hanifah and his companions themselves also did not intend that it should be made a practice; they only ruled that it was permissible.
*26 There is a difference of opinion as to whether it is obligatory to perform a sajdah (prostration) on this occasion or not. Imam Shafe'i says that it is not obligatory, for this is only a Prophet' repentance; but Imam Abu Hanifah has opined that prostration here is obligatory. The traditionists have related three traditions from lbn- 'Abbas in this regard. According to 'Ikrimah, Ibn 'Abbas said: "this is not one of those verses on the recitation of which prostration is obligatory, but I have seen the Holy Prophet prostrating himself on this occasion. "(Bukhari, Abu Da'ud, Tirmidhi, NASa'I, Musnad Ahmad). The second tradition which Said bin Jubair has related froth Ibn 'Abbas is to the effect: 'The Holy Prophet prostrated himself in Surah Suad and said: 'The Prophet David (on whom be peace) had prostrated himself in order to express his repentance and we prostrate ourselves as a token of gratitude, because his repentance was accepted. (Nasa'i) In the third tradition that Mujahid has related from him, he says: "Allah has commanded the Holy Prophet, in the Qur'an: "These were the ones whom Allah had shown the Right Way: therefore, you should follow their way'." (AI-An'am: 90). Now, since David was a Prophet and he had prostrated himself on this occasion, the Holy Prophet also prostrated himself here only to follow his way. (Bukhari). These three are the statements of Hadrat Ibn 'Abbas: and Hadrat Abu Sa' id Khudri says: "The Holy Prophet once recited Surah Suad in his address, and when he came to this verse, he descended from the pulpit and performed a prostration and the audience also did the same along with him. Then, on another occasion, he recited this same Surah and when the people heard this verse, they were ready to perform the prostration. The Holy Prophet said 'This is the repentance of a Prophet, but I see that you have got ready to perform the prostration' --Saying this he descended from the pulpit and prostrated himself and the people also did the same." (Abu Da'ud). Although these traditions do not provide any absolute argument to prove that it is obligatory to perform the prostration here, yet they prove at least that because the Holy Prophet generally performed a prostration on this occasion, it is in any case commendable to prostrate here.
Another thing that one notices in this verse is that Allah has used the words kharra raki'an (fell in ruku') here, but All the commentators are agreed that this implies kharra sajid-an (fell in sajdah: prostration). On this very basis, Imam Abu Hanifah and his companions have expressed the opinion that one may perform only a ruku' instead of a sajdah, when one recites or hears being recited a verse requiring a sajdah in the Prayer or outside it. For when AIlah has used the word ruku' to imply sajdah, it becomes obvious that ruku' can represent sajdah. Imam Khattabi, a Shafe'ite jurist, also holds the same opinion, Though this opinion in itself is sound and reasonable, we do not find any precedent in the practices of the Holy Prophet and his Companions that they might have been content with performing a ruku' only instead of a sajdah on a verse requiring a sajdah. Therefore, one should act upon the view only when there is an obstruction in performing the sajdah; it would be wrong to make it a practice, Imam Abu Hanifah and his companions themselves also did not intend that it should be made a practice; they only ruled that it was permissible.
فَغَفَرْنَا لَهُ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِنْدَنَا
لَزُلْفَىٰ وَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ {38:25}
[Q38:25] Faghafarnaa lahoo
zaalik; wa inna lahoo 'indanaa lazulfaa wa husna ma aab.
[Q38:25] Therefore We rectified for him this, and most surely he had a nearness to Us and an excellent resort.
[Q38:25] Therefore We rectified for him this, and most surely he had a nearness to Us and an excellent resort.
[Q38:25] Maka Kami ampunkan kesalahannya
itu dan sesungguhnya dia mempunyai kedudukan yang dekat di sisi Kami serta
tempat kembali yang sebaik-baiknya (pada hari akhirat kelak).
(see
commentary for verse 21)
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(38:25) Thereupon We forgave him his shortcoming and
indeed (an exalted position of) nearness awaits him, and an excellent
resort. *27
*27 This shows
that the Prophet David had certainly committed an error, and it was an error
which bore some resemblance with the case of the ewes. Therefore, when he gave
a decision on it, he at once realized that he was being put to the test. But
the nature of the error was not such as could be forgiven, or if forgiven, it
would have deposed him from his high rank. AIlah Himself says: "When he fell
down prostrate and repented, he was not only forgiven but his high rank in the
world and the Hereafter also remained unaffected.
يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي
الْأَرْضِ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَىٰ
فَيُضِلَّكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ
اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا نَسُوا يَوْمَ الْحِسَابِ {38:26}
[Q38:26] Yaa
Daawoodu innaa ja'alnaaka khaleefatan fil ardi fahkum bainan naasi bilhaqqi wa
laa tattabi'il hawaa fayudillaka 'an sabeeliL Laah; innal lazeena yadilloona
'an sabeeliL Laah; lahum 'azaabun shadeedum bimaa nasoo Yawmal Hisaab.
[Q38:26] O’ Dawood! surely We have made you a ruler in the land; so judge between men with justice and do not follow desire, lest it should lead you astray from the path of ALLAH (SWT); (as for) those who go astray from the path of ALLAH (SWT), they shall surely have a severe punishment because they forgot the day of reckoning.
[Q38:26] O’ Dawood! surely We have made you a ruler in the land; so judge between men with justice and do not follow desire, lest it should lead you astray from the path of ALLAH (SWT); (as for) those who go astray from the path of ALLAH (SWT), they shall surely have a severe punishment because they forgot the day of reckoning.
[Q38:26] Wahai Daud, sesungguhnya Kami
telah menjadikanmu khalifah di bumi, maka jalankanlah hukum di antara manusia
dengan (hukum syariat) yang benar (yang diwahyukan kepadamu) dan janganlah
engkau menurut hawa nafsu, kerana yang demikian itu akan menyesatkanmu dari
jalan ALLAH (SwT). Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang sesat dari jalan ALLAH (SwT),
akan beroleh azab yang berat pada hari hitungan amal, disebabkan mereka
melupakan (jalan ALLAH (SwT)) itu.
(see
commentary for verse 21)
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(38:26) (We said to him): “O David, We have appointed
you vicegerent on earth. Therefore, rule among people with justice and do not
follow (your) desire lest it should lead you astray from Allah’s Path. Allah’s
severe chastisement awaits those who stray away from Allah’s Path, for they had
forgotten the Day of Reckoning. *28
*28 This is the
warning that AIlah gave the Prophet David on accepting his repentance along
with giving him the good news of exalting his rank. This by itself shows that
the error that he had committed contained an element of the desires of the
flesh; it also pertained to the abuse of power and authority; and it was an act
which was unworthy of a just and fair-minded ruler.
We are confronted with three questions here:
(1) What was the error that the Prophet David committed?
(2) Why has Allah made only tacit allusions to it instead of mentioning it openly and directly?
(3) What is its relevance to the present context?
We are confronted with three questions here:
(1) What was the error that the Prophet David committed?
(2) Why has Allah made only tacit allusions to it instead of mentioning it openly and directly?
(3) What is its relevance to the present context?
The people
who have studied the Bible (the Holy Book of the Jews and Christians) are not
unaware that in this Book the Prophet David has been accused clearly of committing
adultery with the wife of Uriah the Hittite and then marrying her after having
Uriah intentionally slain in a battle. It has also been alleged that this same
woman, who had surrendered herself to the Prophet David, while being another
man's wife, was the mother of the Prophet Solomon. This story is found with
all its details in chapters 11 and 12 of the Second Book of Samuel in the Old
Testament. It had been included in it centuries before the revelation of the
Qur'an. Any Jew or Christian who read his Holy Book anywhere in the world, or
heard it read, was not only aware of this story but also believed in it as
true. It spread through them, and even in the present time no book is written
in the West on the history of the Israelites and the Hebrew religion, in which
this charge against the Prophet David is not repeated. This well known story
also contains the following:
And the Lord sent Nathan onto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe Iamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there Came a traveller Unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man' Iamb, and dressed it for the man that was cometo him. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the conmandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon." (2 Samuel, ch 12: 1-9).
And the Lord sent Nathan onto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe Iamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there Came a traveller Unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man' Iamb, and dressed it for the man that was cometo him. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the conmandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon." (2 Samuel, ch 12: 1-9).
When this
story was so well known among the people there was no need that a detailed
account of it should have been given in the Qur'an, nor is it the way of Allah
to mention such things openly in His Holy Book. That is why only tacit
allusions have been made to it here as well as pointed out what the actual
event was and what the people of the Book have turned it into. The actual event
as one clearly understands from the aforesaid statement of the Qur'an was:
**The Prophet David peace be upon him) had only expressed this desire before Uriah (or whatever be the name of the man) that he should divorce his wife; as this desire had been expressed not by a common man but by an illustrious king and a great Prophet before a member of the public, the man was finding himself constrained to yield to it even in the absence of any compulsion. **On this occasion, before the man could act as the Prophet David had desired, two righteous men of the nation suddenly made their appearance before David and presented before him this matter in the form of an imaginary case. At first, the Prophet David thought it was a real case, and so gave his decision after hearing it. But as soon as he uttered the words of the decision, his conscience gave the warning that the parable precisely applied to the case between him and the person, and that the act which he was describing as an injustice had issued forth from his own person. As soon as he realized this, he fell down prostrate, repented and reversed his decision."
THE QUESTION, as to how this event took the ugly shape as related in the Bible, also becomes obvious after a little consideration. It appears that the Prophet David had come to know of the unique qualities of the woman through some means and had started thinking that she should be the queen of the country instead of being the wife of an ordinary officer, Overwhelmed by the thought he expressed the desire before her husband that he should divorce her. He did not see any harm in it because it was not looked upon as anything improper among the Israelites. It was an ordinary thing among them that if a person happened to like the wife of another, he would freely request him to give her up for him. Nobody minded such a request, and often it so happened that friends would divorce their wives for each other's sake of their own accord, so that the other may marry her. However, when the Prophet David expressed this desire, he did not realize that the expression of such a desire could be without compulsion and coercion when expressed by a common man, but it could never be so when expressed by a king. When his attention was drawn to this aspect of the matter through a parable, he gave up his desire immediately, and the thing was forgotten. But afterwards when, without any desire or planning on his part, the woman's husband fell martyr on the battlefield, and he married her, the evil genius of the Jews started concocting stories and this mischievous mentality became even more acute after a section of the Israelites turned hostile to the Prophet Solomon. (Please see E. N. 56 of An-Naml). Under these motives the story was invented that the Prophet David, God forbid, had seen Uriah's wife washing herself from the roof of his palace. He had her called to his house and committed adultery with her and she had conceived. Then he had sent Uriah on the battle-front to fight the children of Ammon, and had commanded Joab, the army commander, to appoint him in the forefront of the battle where he should be killed. And when he was killed, he married his widow, and from the same woman the Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him) was born. The wicked people described all these false accusations in their "Holy Book", so that they should go on reading it generation after generation and slandering the two most illustrious men of their community, who were their greatest benefactors after the Prophet Moses.
A SECTION OF THE COMMENTATORS OF THE QUR'AN HAS ALMOST ENTIRELY ACCEPTED THESE TALES THAT HAVE REACHED THEM THROUGH THE ISRAELITES. They have dropped only that part of these traditions in which mention has been made of the accusation of adultery against the Prophet David and the woman's having conceived. The rest of the story as found in the traditions reproduced by them is the same as it was well known among the Israelites. Another group of the commentators has altogether denied that any such act was ever committed by the Prophet David, which bore any resemblance with the case of the ewes. Instead of this, they have put forward such interpretations of this story as are wholly baseless, unauthentic and without relevance to the context of the Qur'an itself. But among the Muslim commentators them-selves there are some who have accepted the truth and the facts of the story through the clear references made to it in the Qur'an. Here are, for instance, some of their views:
[1] Both Masruq and Said bin Jubair have related this saying of Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'abbas. "The only thing that the Prophet David did was that he expressed his desire before the woman' husband that he should give up his wife for him. " lbn Jarir).
[2] 'Allama Zamakhshari writes in his commentary Al-Kashshaf. 'The way Allah has narrated the story of the Prophet David indicates that he had only expressed his desire before the man that he should leave his wife for him."
[3] 'Allama Abu Bakr al-Jassas has expressed the opinion that the woman was not the other man's wedded wife but was only his betrothed. The Prophet David had also asked for the same woman's hand in marriage. This earned him Allah's displeasure, for he had asked for her hand in spite of the fact that another Muslim had already asked for her hand, and the Prophet David had several wives already with him in his house. (Ahkam al-Qur an).
**The Prophet David peace be upon him) had only expressed this desire before Uriah (or whatever be the name of the man) that he should divorce his wife; as this desire had been expressed not by a common man but by an illustrious king and a great Prophet before a member of the public, the man was finding himself constrained to yield to it even in the absence of any compulsion. **On this occasion, before the man could act as the Prophet David had desired, two righteous men of the nation suddenly made their appearance before David and presented before him this matter in the form of an imaginary case. At first, the Prophet David thought it was a real case, and so gave his decision after hearing it. But as soon as he uttered the words of the decision, his conscience gave the warning that the parable precisely applied to the case between him and the person, and that the act which he was describing as an injustice had issued forth from his own person. As soon as he realized this, he fell down prostrate, repented and reversed his decision."
THE QUESTION, as to how this event took the ugly shape as related in the Bible, also becomes obvious after a little consideration. It appears that the Prophet David had come to know of the unique qualities of the woman through some means and had started thinking that she should be the queen of the country instead of being the wife of an ordinary officer, Overwhelmed by the thought he expressed the desire before her husband that he should divorce her. He did not see any harm in it because it was not looked upon as anything improper among the Israelites. It was an ordinary thing among them that if a person happened to like the wife of another, he would freely request him to give her up for him. Nobody minded such a request, and often it so happened that friends would divorce their wives for each other's sake of their own accord, so that the other may marry her. However, when the Prophet David expressed this desire, he did not realize that the expression of such a desire could be without compulsion and coercion when expressed by a common man, but it could never be so when expressed by a king. When his attention was drawn to this aspect of the matter through a parable, he gave up his desire immediately, and the thing was forgotten. But afterwards when, without any desire or planning on his part, the woman's husband fell martyr on the battlefield, and he married her, the evil genius of the Jews started concocting stories and this mischievous mentality became even more acute after a section of the Israelites turned hostile to the Prophet Solomon. (Please see E. N. 56 of An-Naml). Under these motives the story was invented that the Prophet David, God forbid, had seen Uriah's wife washing herself from the roof of his palace. He had her called to his house and committed adultery with her and she had conceived. Then he had sent Uriah on the battle-front to fight the children of Ammon, and had commanded Joab, the army commander, to appoint him in the forefront of the battle where he should be killed. And when he was killed, he married his widow, and from the same woman the Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him) was born. The wicked people described all these false accusations in their "Holy Book", so that they should go on reading it generation after generation and slandering the two most illustrious men of their community, who were their greatest benefactors after the Prophet Moses.
A SECTION OF THE COMMENTATORS OF THE QUR'AN HAS ALMOST ENTIRELY ACCEPTED THESE TALES THAT HAVE REACHED THEM THROUGH THE ISRAELITES. They have dropped only that part of these traditions in which mention has been made of the accusation of adultery against the Prophet David and the woman's having conceived. The rest of the story as found in the traditions reproduced by them is the same as it was well known among the Israelites. Another group of the commentators has altogether denied that any such act was ever committed by the Prophet David, which bore any resemblance with the case of the ewes. Instead of this, they have put forward such interpretations of this story as are wholly baseless, unauthentic and without relevance to the context of the Qur'an itself. But among the Muslim commentators them-selves there are some who have accepted the truth and the facts of the story through the clear references made to it in the Qur'an. Here are, for instance, some of their views:
[1] Both Masruq and Said bin Jubair have related this saying of Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'abbas. "The only thing that the Prophet David did was that he expressed his desire before the woman' husband that he should give up his wife for him. " lbn Jarir).
[2] 'Allama Zamakhshari writes in his commentary Al-Kashshaf. 'The way Allah has narrated the story of the Prophet David indicates that he had only expressed his desire before the man that he should leave his wife for him."
[3] 'Allama Abu Bakr al-Jassas has expressed the opinion that the woman was not the other man's wedded wife but was only his betrothed. The Prophet David had also asked for the same woman's hand in marriage. This earned him Allah's displeasure, for he had asked for her hand in spite of the fact that another Muslim had already asked for her hand, and the Prophet David had several wives already with him in his house. (Ahkam al-Qur an).
Some other
commentators also have expressed the same opinion, but this does not entirely
conform to what the Qur'an has said. The words of the suitor as related in the
Qur'an are to the effect: "I have only one ewe; he says: Give this ewe
also in my charge." The Prophet David also said the same thing in his
decision: "This person has certainly wronged you in demanding your ewe to
be added to his ewes." This parable could apply to the case between the
Prophet David and Uriah only in case the woman was the latter's wife. Had it
been the cast of asking for the woman's hand when another Muslim had already
asked for her hand, the parable would have been like this: "I desired to
have an ewe, and this man said: Ieave this also for me."
[4] Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn al-'Arabi has discussed this question in detail in his Ahkam al-Qur an and concluded: "What actually happened was just that the Prophet David asked one of his men to Icave his wife for him and made this demand seriously ...The Qur'an does not say that the man gave up his wife on this demand and the Prophet David then married her and the Prophet Solomon was born of her womb . . . What displeased Allah was that he asked the woman's husband to leave her for him. This act, even if otherwise lawful, was unworthy of the office of Prophethood; that is why he earned Allah's displeasure and was admonished."
This commentary fits in well with the context in which this story has been told. A little consideration of the context shows that it has been related in the Qur'an on this occasion for two objects. The first object is to exhort the Holy Prophet to patience, and for this purpose he has been addressed and told: °Have patience on what these people say against you, and remember Our servant David." That is, 'You are being accused only of sorcery and lying, but Our servant David was even accused of adultery and having a person killed wilfully, by the wicked people: therefore, bear up against what you may have to hear from these people." The other object is to warn the disbelievers to the effect: °You are committing all sorts of excesses in the world with impunity, but the God in Whose Godhead you are committing these misdeeds dces not spare anyone from being called to account. Even if a favourite and beloved servant of His happens to commit but a minor error, He calls him to strict accountability. For this very object the Holy Prophet has been asked: 'Tell them the story of Our servant David, who was a man of high character, but when he happened to commit sin, We did not even spare him but condemned him severely'."
In this regard, there is another misunderstanding which must also be removed. The suitor in his parable said that his brother had 99 ewes and he had only one ewe, which he was demanding from him. From this one gets the idea that perhaps the Prophet David had 99 wives, and by having another he wanted to make their number 100. But, in fact, it is not necessary that every minor part of the parable should be literally applicable to the case between the Prophet David and Uriah the Hittite. In common idiom the numbers ten, twenty, fifty, etc. are mentioned to express plurality and not to indicate the exact number of something. When a man tells another that he has told him something ten times over, he only means to stress that he has been told that thing over and over again. The same is also true here. By means of the parable the suitor wanted the Prophet David to realize that he already had several wives with him, and even then he desired to have the only wife of the other man. This same thing has been cited by the commentator Nisaburi from Hadrat Hasan Basri: `The Prophet David did not have 99 wives: this is only a parable." (For a detailed and well-reasoned discussion of this story, see our book Tafhimat, vol. II, pp. 29.44).
[4] Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn al-'Arabi has discussed this question in detail in his Ahkam al-Qur an and concluded: "What actually happened was just that the Prophet David asked one of his men to Icave his wife for him and made this demand seriously ...The Qur'an does not say that the man gave up his wife on this demand and the Prophet David then married her and the Prophet Solomon was born of her womb . . . What displeased Allah was that he asked the woman's husband to leave her for him. This act, even if otherwise lawful, was unworthy of the office of Prophethood; that is why he earned Allah's displeasure and was admonished."
This commentary fits in well with the context in which this story has been told. A little consideration of the context shows that it has been related in the Qur'an on this occasion for two objects. The first object is to exhort the Holy Prophet to patience, and for this purpose he has been addressed and told: °Have patience on what these people say against you, and remember Our servant David." That is, 'You are being accused only of sorcery and lying, but Our servant David was even accused of adultery and having a person killed wilfully, by the wicked people: therefore, bear up against what you may have to hear from these people." The other object is to warn the disbelievers to the effect: °You are committing all sorts of excesses in the world with impunity, but the God in Whose Godhead you are committing these misdeeds dces not spare anyone from being called to account. Even if a favourite and beloved servant of His happens to commit but a minor error, He calls him to strict accountability. For this very object the Holy Prophet has been asked: 'Tell them the story of Our servant David, who was a man of high character, but when he happened to commit sin, We did not even spare him but condemned him severely'."
In this regard, there is another misunderstanding which must also be removed. The suitor in his parable said that his brother had 99 ewes and he had only one ewe, which he was demanding from him. From this one gets the idea that perhaps the Prophet David had 99 wives, and by having another he wanted to make their number 100. But, in fact, it is not necessary that every minor part of the parable should be literally applicable to the case between the Prophet David and Uriah the Hittite. In common idiom the numbers ten, twenty, fifty, etc. are mentioned to express plurality and not to indicate the exact number of something. When a man tells another that he has told him something ten times over, he only means to stress that he has been told that thing over and over again. The same is also true here. By means of the parable the suitor wanted the Prophet David to realize that he already had several wives with him, and even then he desired to have the only wife of the other man. This same thing has been cited by the commentator Nisaburi from Hadrat Hasan Basri: `The Prophet David did not have 99 wives: this is only a parable." (For a detailed and well-reasoned discussion of this story, see our book Tafhimat, vol. II, pp. 29.44).
SECTION
3
ALLAH
(SWT)’s Blessings on Solomon
The heavens and the earth are not created in vain---Alike can never be
the Believers and the Mischief-makers or the Pious and the Wicked sent to
ponder over its contents and be mindful of the warnings therein---Solomon
tried, and pardoned---ALLAH (SWT)’s Blessings on Solomon.
وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا
بَيْنَهُمَا بَاطِلًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ۚ فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ
كَفَرُوا مِنَ النَّارِ {38:27}
[Q38:27] Wa ma
khalaqnas samaaa'a wal arda wa maa bainahumaa baatilaa; zaalika zannul lazeena
kafaroo; fawi lul lillazeena kafaroo minan Naar.
[Q38:27] And We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them in vain; that is the opinion of those who disbelieve then woe to those who disbelieve on account of the fire.
[Q38:27] And We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them in vain; that is the opinion of those who disbelieve then woe to those who disbelieve on account of the fire.
[Q38:27] Dan tiadalah Kami menciptakan
langit dan bumi serta segala yang ada di antara keduanya sebagai ciptaan yang
tidak mengandungi hikmah dan keadilan; yang demikian adalah sangkaan
orang-orang yang kafir! Maka kecelakaanlah bagi orang-orang yang kafir itu dari
azab Neraka.
THE WHOLE UNIVERSE HAS BEEN CREATED WITH A DEFINITE PLAN, NOT WITHOUT A PURPOSE,
as has been explained in verse 3:191 of Ali Imran. Disbelief is the negation of order, beauty
and purpose. It falsely attributes chaos
to the orderly system of the universe.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(38:27) We did not create this heaven and earth and all
that lies between them in vain. That is the fancy of those who denied the
Truth. *29 So woe from the Fire to all who deny the Truth.
*29 That is,
"We have not created anything in the world merely in sport and fun so that
it may be without any wisdom and purpose and justice, and there may come no
result from any act, good or bad." This is the conclusion of the preceding
discourse as well as an introduction to the following theme. The object of this
statement as a conclusion to the discourse is to impress the following truth:
°Man has not been left to wander about at will in the world, nor is this world
a lawless kingdom that one may do here whatever one likes with impunity."
As an introduction to the following theme, the sentence is meant to say:
"The person who does not believe in the meting out of the rewards and
punishments, and thinks that both the good and the evil people will ultimately
end up in the dust after death and that nobody will be called to account, nor
will anyone be rewarded for good or punished for evil, in fact, regards the
world as a plaything and its Creator a senseless player, and thinks that by
creating the world and man in it, the Creator of the Universe has committed a
useless thing. The same thing has been stated in different ways at several
places in the Qur'an, e.g. °Did you think that We created you without any
purpose, and that you would never be brought back to Us?" (AI-Mu'minun:
115).
"We have not created the heavens and the earth and whatever lies between them merely in sport: We have created them with the truth, but most of them do not know. For the resurrection of them all the appointed time is the Day of Decision." (Ad-Dukhan: 38-40).
"We have not created the heavens and the earth and whatever lies between them merely in sport: We have created them with the truth, but most of them do not know. For the resurrection of them all the appointed time is the Day of Decision." (Ad-Dukhan: 38-40).
أَمْ نَجْعَلُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ
كَالْمُفْسِدِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَمْ نَجْعَلُ الْمُتَّقِينَ كَالْفُجَّارِ {38:28}
[Q38:28] Am
naj'alul lazeena aamanoo wa 'amilus saalihaati kalmufisdeena fil ardi am
naj'alul muttaqeena kalfujjaar
[Q38:28] Shall We treat those who believe and do good like the mischief-makers in the earth? Or shall We make those who guard (against evil) like the wicked?
[Q38:28] Shall We treat those who believe and do good like the mischief-makers in the earth? Or shall We make those who guard (against evil) like the wicked?
[Q38:28] Patutkah Kami jadikan
orang-orang yang beriman dan beramal soleh itu sama seperti orang-orang yang
melakukan kerosakan di muka bumi? Atau patutkah Kami jadikan orang-orang yang
bertakwa sama seperti orang-orang yang berdosa?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(38:28) Shall
We then treat alike those that believe and act righteously and those that
create mischief on earth? Or treat alike the God-fearing and the wicked? *30
*30 That is, "Do you think it is
reasonable and fair that both the pious and the wicked should be treated alike
in the end? Do you regard this concept as
satisfying that the pious man should not get any reward for his piety and the
wrongdoer should not receive any punishment for his sins? Obviously, if there
is to be no Hereafter, and there is to be no accountability and no rewards and
no punishments for human acts, it negates both Allah's wisdom and His justice,
and the entire order of the Universe becomes a blind order. On this assumption
there remains no motive for doing good and no deterrent against evil. God
forbid, if the Godhead of God should be such a lawless kingdom, the one who
leads a pious lift in the face of all kinds of hardships in the world and endeavours
to reform the people, would be a foolish person, and the one who gains benefits
by committing All kinds of excesses and enjoys sinful pleasures of life, would
be a wise man."
كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ
لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ {38:29}
[Q38:29] Kitaabun
anzalnaahu ilaika mubaarakul liyaddabbarooo Aayaatihee wa liyatazakkara ulul
albaab.
[Q38:29] (It is) a Book We have revealed to you abounding in good that they may ponder over its verses, and that those endowed with understanding may be mindful.
[Q38:29] (It is) a Book We have revealed to you abounding in good that they may ponder over its verses, and that those endowed with understanding may be mindful.
[Q38:29] (Al-Quran ini) sebuah Kitab
yang Kami turunkan kepadamu (dan umatmu wahai Muhammad), -Kitab yang banyak
faedah-faedah dan manfaatnya, untuk mereka memahami dengan teliti kandungan
ayat-ayatnya dan untuk orang-orang yang berakal sempurna beringat mengambil
iktibar.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(38:29) This
is the Blessed Book *31 that We have revealed to you, (O Muhammad), that
people with understanding may reflect over its verses and those with
understanding derive a lesson.
*31 The
Qur'an has been called a blessed Book in the sense that it is highly useful for
man: it gives him the best guidance to improve and reform his life: by
following it he has only to gain and nothing to lose.
وَوَهَبْنَا لِدَاوُودَ سُلَيْمَانَ ۚ نِعْمَ
الْعَبْدُ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ {38:30}
[Q38:30] Wa
wahabnaa li Daawooda Sulaimaan; ni'mal 'abd; innahoo awwaab
[Q38:30] And We gave to Dawood Sulaiman, most excellent the servant! Surely he was frequent in returning (to ALLAH (SWT).
[Q38:30] And We gave to Dawood Sulaiman, most excellent the servant! Surely he was frequent in returning (to ALLAH (SWT).
[Q38:30] Dan Kami telah kurniakan kepada
Nabi Daud (seorang anak bernama) Sulaiman ia adalah sebaik-baik hamba (yang
kuat beribadat), lagi sentiasa rujuk kembali (bertaubat).
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(38:30) We
bestowed upon David (an illustrious son), Solomon. *32 How excellent a servant (of Ours
he was)! Indeed he constantly turned to Us in devotion.
*32 The
Prophet Solomon has been mentioned already at the followings places:
AI-Baqarah: 102, Bani Isra'il: 5, AI-Anbiya': 78-82, An-Naml: 15-44, Saba:
12-14.
إِذْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْعَشِيِّ الصَّافِنَاتُ
الْجِيَادُ {38:31}
[Q38:31] Iz
'urida 'alaihi bil'ashiy yis saafinaatul jiyaad
[Q38:31] When there were brought to him in the evening (horses) still when standing, swift when running—
[Q38:31] When there were brought to him in the evening (horses) still when standing, swift when running—
[Q38:31] (Ingatkanlah peristiwa) ketika
Nabi Sulaiman ditunjukkan kepadanya pada suatu petang, satu kumpulan kuda yang
terpuji keadaannya semasa berdiri, lagi yang tangkas semasa berlari.
While inspecting his thorough bred (khayr) horses Sulayman realised that the sun had set.
¤
Dhikr does not refer to compulsory prayers, because
a prophet would not be forgetful of such prayers. It should therefore be normal remembrance of ALLAH (SWT). Some
commentators say an (in verse 32) means "due to" or "with
a view to" BECAUSE the horses were purchased for jihad in the
cause of ALLAH (SWT).
In verse 33
mas-ha means "to rub"
or "to pass hand over".
Like all lovers of horses, and particularly because
they were to be used in the cause of ALLAH (SWT), he patted them on their necks
and passed his hand over their forelegs and was satisfied with having them, not as vanities but as a lover of good
(khayr). His review of horses was
interrupted by his evening devotion, BUT he resumed it after performing his
devotion.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(38:31) And when one evening
well-trained and running horses of noble breed were brought to him *33
*33 The words as-sefinat-ul-
jiyad in the original imply the horses, which are very calm and quiet when they
stand, and very fast-moving when they run.
فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَنْ
ذِكْرِ رَبِّي حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ {38:32}
[Q38:32] Faqaala
inneee ahbabtu hubbal khairi 'an zikri Rabbee hattaa tawaarat hijab.
[Q38:32] Then he said: Surely I preferred the good things to the remembrance of my Lord-- until the sun set and time for Asr prayer was over, (he said):
[Q38:32] Then he said: Surely I preferred the good things to the remembrance of my Lord-- until the sun set and time for Asr prayer was over, (he said):
[Q38:32] (Kerana lekanya dengan
pertunjukan itu) maka Nabi Sulaiman berkata: Sesungguhnya aku telah
mengutamakan kesukaanku kepada (kuda pembawa) kebaikan lebih daripada
mengingati (ibadatku kepada) Tuhanku, sehingga (matahari) melindungi dirinya
dengan tirai malam.
(see
commentary for verse 31)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(38:32) he said: “Lo! I have come to love this
wealth *34 on account of the remembrance of my Lord.” And
when the horses disappeared,
*34 The Arabic
word khair in the Text
is used for abundance of wealth as well as for horses metaphorically. As the
Prophet Solomon had kept these horses for fighting in the way of Allah, he
called them "khair".
رُدُّوهَا عَلَيَّ ۖ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًا بِالسُّوقِ
وَالْأَعْنَاقِ {38:33}
[Q38:33] Ruddoohaa
'alaiya fatafiqa masham bissooqi wal a-naaq
[Q38:33] Bring them back to me; so he began to slash (their) legs and necks.
[Q38:33] Bring them back to me; so he began to slash (their) legs and necks.
[Q38:33] (Kemudian Nabi Sulaiman berkata
kepada orang-orangnya): Bawa balik kuda itu kepadaku; maka dia pun tampil
menyapu betis dan leher kuda itu (seekor demi seekor).
(see
commentary for verse 31)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(38:33) (he ordered): “Bring these horses back to me,”
and then he began to gently stroke their shanks and necks. *35
*35 There is a
difference of opinion among the commentators about the translation and
commentary of these verses. One section of them interprets them as
follows:
The Prophet Solomon became so absorbed in reviewing the horses and watching their races, that he forgot to offer his 'Asr Prayer, or according to some others, to perform certain devotions that he used to perform before the sunset. Then when the sun went down, he commanded that the horses be brought back, and when they came back, the Prophet Solomon started slashing them with the sword, or in other words, slaughtering them as a sacrifice to Allah, because they had caused him to become heedles: of the remembrance of Allah. Accordingly, the verses have been translated thus: "And he said: I so preferred the love of this wealth that I became heedless of the remembrance (the 'Asr Prayer, or the special devotions) of my Lord till (the sun) went down (behind the veil of the west). (Then he commanded: - bring them back, (and when the horses came back) he began to stroke their shanks and necks (with the sword)." Although this commentary has been given by some major commentators, it is not plausible for the reason that in this the commenentator ha: to add three things from himself, which have no basis whatever. In the first place, he has to assume that the Prophet Solomon's 'Asr Prayer was lost in the occupation, or some special devotions that he used to perform at that time, whereas the words of the Qur'an are only to the effect: "I so preferred this wealth that I became heedless of the remembrance of my Lord." In these there is no ground for taking any word for the `Asr Prayer or the special devotions. Secondly, he also assumes that the sun set where as there is no mention of the sun whatever. On the contrary, when one reads the words hatta tawarar bil-hijab (when they disappeared from sight) one's mind automatically turns to as-safinat ul jiyad (well-bred horses) which have been mentioned in the preceding verse. Thirdly, he also has to assume that the Prophet Solomon did not simply stroke the shins and necks of the horses with the hand but stroked them with the sword, whereas the Qur'an does not contain the words mashan-bis-saif or any other pointer from which stroking may be taken to mean stroking with the sword. We have a fundamental difference with this kind of the commentary. In our opinion, only in four cases it would be right to interpret the words of the Qur'an in other than their normally accepted meaning: (1) Either there should be a pointer to it in the words of the Qur'an itself; or (2) there should be an allusion to it at some other place in the Qur'an; or (3) an explanation of it should be afforded by some authentic Hadith; or (4) it should have some other reliable source, e.g., if it pertains to history, there should be an historical evidence to support it; if it pertains to the manifestations of the universe, there should be authentic scientific knowledge to substantiate it; and if it pertains to the Shari'ah values, the sources of Islamic law should explain it. In the absence of any of these, we do not think it is right to invent a story on the basis of one's own imagination and add it to the words of the Qur'an.
One section of the commentators has differed a little from the about translation and commentary. They say that the pronoun in both hatta tawarat bil-hijab and ruddu-ha 'alayya turns only to the sun. That Is, when the `Asr Prayer was lost and the sun went down behind the veil of the west, the Prophet Solomon said to the workers of destiny: "Turn the sun back so that the `Asr time comes back for me to offer the Prayer." So, the sun retreated and he performed his Prayer. Hut this commentary is even more unacceptable than the previously mentioned one not because Allah is powerless to bring the sun back, but because Allah has made no mention of it anywhere. On the contrary, if such a wonderful miracle had actually been worked for the sake of the Prophet Solomon, it would certainly be worthy of mention. Moreover, if the extraordinary event of the returning of the sun after having set had actually taken place; the history of the would would never be without it. In support of this commentary these commentators _present some Ahadith also in order to prove that the returning of the sun after having set is not a rare event that happened only once, but it has happened several times. There is the mention of bringing the sun back in connection with the Holy Prophet's Ascension (mi'raj); the sun was also brought back on the occasion of the Battle of the Trench for the Holy Prophet, and also for Hadrat `Ali, when the Holy Prophet was sleeping with his head in Hadrat Ali's lap and his 'Asr Prayer was lost: then the Holy Prophet had prayed for the return of the sun and it had returned. But the reasoning from these traditions is even weaker than the commentary in support of which they have been presented. Ibn Taimiyyah has proved as fabricated the tradition about Hadrat `Ali after a detailed discussion of its chains and transmitters. Imam Ahmad says it has no basis, and Ibn Jauzi says that it is without any doubt a forged tradition. The tradition of the sun's being brought back on the occasion of the Battle of the Trench also is weak according to some traditionists and fabricated according to others. As far as the tradition regarding the event of the Ascension is concerned, the truth about it is that when, the Holy Prophet was describing what had happened in the Night of Ascension, before the disbelievers of Makkah, they asked for a proof of it. The Holy Prophet replied that on the way from Jerusalem he had seen a caravan at such and such a plce, which had met with such and such an accident. When asked as to when that caravan would reach Makkah, the Holy Prophet named the day. When the day came, the people of the Quraish waited for the caravan all day till the sun began to set. On this occasion the Holy Prophet prayed that the sun should not set till the caravan had arrived. So, the caravan actually arrived before the sunset. Some reporters even have stated that the day on that occasion had been enhanced by an hour, and the sun had stood still for that long. The question is: Are such traditions sufficient evidence for the proof of such an extraordinary event? As we have said above, the returning of the sun, or it’s standing still for an hour, is no ordinary event. Had such an event actually taken place, it would have become well known the world over. Its mention and narration could not remain restricted to only a few reporters.
The third section of the commentators interprets these verses as any unbiased person would interpret them from these words. According to this commentary, what actually happened was this: When a squadron of fine, wellbred horses was presented before the Prophet Solomon, he said: "I love this wealth not for the sake of personal glory or desire but for the cause of raising the Word of my Lord." Then he ordered that the horses run a race, and they disappeared from sight. Then he ordered that they be brought back, and when they were brought back, according to Ibn `Abbas: "He started passing his hand on their necks and shanks with love." This same commentary is correct in our opinion, because it corresponds to the words of the Qur'an, and for the sake of the full meaning, nothing needs to be added to it, which may neither be in the Qur'an, nor in any authentic Hadith, nor in the Israelite history. Besides, one should also note that Allah has narrated this event immediately after using epithets like ni'm al-'abd, inna-hu awwab (an excellent servant, who turned to His Lord over and over again) for the Prophet Solomon. This clearly shows that the object is to relate this message: Behold, what a good servant of Ours he was! He loved the means of kingly pomp and glory not for the sake of the world but for Our sake! After watching - and reviewing his grand cavalry he did not boast of his power and grandeur like the worldly rulers but even at that time he remembered only Us.
The Prophet Solomon became so absorbed in reviewing the horses and watching their races, that he forgot to offer his 'Asr Prayer, or according to some others, to perform certain devotions that he used to perform before the sunset. Then when the sun went down, he commanded that the horses be brought back, and when they came back, the Prophet Solomon started slashing them with the sword, or in other words, slaughtering them as a sacrifice to Allah, because they had caused him to become heedles: of the remembrance of Allah. Accordingly, the verses have been translated thus: "And he said: I so preferred the love of this wealth that I became heedless of the remembrance (the 'Asr Prayer, or the special devotions) of my Lord till (the sun) went down (behind the veil of the west). (Then he commanded: - bring them back, (and when the horses came back) he began to stroke their shanks and necks (with the sword)." Although this commentary has been given by some major commentators, it is not plausible for the reason that in this the commenentator ha: to add three things from himself, which have no basis whatever. In the first place, he has to assume that the Prophet Solomon's 'Asr Prayer was lost in the occupation, or some special devotions that he used to perform at that time, whereas the words of the Qur'an are only to the effect: "I so preferred this wealth that I became heedless of the remembrance of my Lord." In these there is no ground for taking any word for the `Asr Prayer or the special devotions. Secondly, he also assumes that the sun set where as there is no mention of the sun whatever. On the contrary, when one reads the words hatta tawarar bil-hijab (when they disappeared from sight) one's mind automatically turns to as-safinat ul jiyad (well-bred horses) which have been mentioned in the preceding verse. Thirdly, he also has to assume that the Prophet Solomon did not simply stroke the shins and necks of the horses with the hand but stroked them with the sword, whereas the Qur'an does not contain the words mashan-bis-saif or any other pointer from which stroking may be taken to mean stroking with the sword. We have a fundamental difference with this kind of the commentary. In our opinion, only in four cases it would be right to interpret the words of the Qur'an in other than their normally accepted meaning: (1) Either there should be a pointer to it in the words of the Qur'an itself; or (2) there should be an allusion to it at some other place in the Qur'an; or (3) an explanation of it should be afforded by some authentic Hadith; or (4) it should have some other reliable source, e.g., if it pertains to history, there should be an historical evidence to support it; if it pertains to the manifestations of the universe, there should be authentic scientific knowledge to substantiate it; and if it pertains to the Shari'ah values, the sources of Islamic law should explain it. In the absence of any of these, we do not think it is right to invent a story on the basis of one's own imagination and add it to the words of the Qur'an.
One section of the commentators has differed a little from the about translation and commentary. They say that the pronoun in both hatta tawarat bil-hijab and ruddu-ha 'alayya turns only to the sun. That Is, when the `Asr Prayer was lost and the sun went down behind the veil of the west, the Prophet Solomon said to the workers of destiny: "Turn the sun back so that the `Asr time comes back for me to offer the Prayer." So, the sun retreated and he performed his Prayer. Hut this commentary is even more unacceptable than the previously mentioned one not because Allah is powerless to bring the sun back, but because Allah has made no mention of it anywhere. On the contrary, if such a wonderful miracle had actually been worked for the sake of the Prophet Solomon, it would certainly be worthy of mention. Moreover, if the extraordinary event of the returning of the sun after having set had actually taken place; the history of the would would never be without it. In support of this commentary these commentators _present some Ahadith also in order to prove that the returning of the sun after having set is not a rare event that happened only once, but it has happened several times. There is the mention of bringing the sun back in connection with the Holy Prophet's Ascension (mi'raj); the sun was also brought back on the occasion of the Battle of the Trench for the Holy Prophet, and also for Hadrat `Ali, when the Holy Prophet was sleeping with his head in Hadrat Ali's lap and his 'Asr Prayer was lost: then the Holy Prophet had prayed for the return of the sun and it had returned. But the reasoning from these traditions is even weaker than the commentary in support of which they have been presented. Ibn Taimiyyah has proved as fabricated the tradition about Hadrat `Ali after a detailed discussion of its chains and transmitters. Imam Ahmad says it has no basis, and Ibn Jauzi says that it is without any doubt a forged tradition. The tradition of the sun's being brought back on the occasion of the Battle of the Trench also is weak according to some traditionists and fabricated according to others. As far as the tradition regarding the event of the Ascension is concerned, the truth about it is that when, the Holy Prophet was describing what had happened in the Night of Ascension, before the disbelievers of Makkah, they asked for a proof of it. The Holy Prophet replied that on the way from Jerusalem he had seen a caravan at such and such a plce, which had met with such and such an accident. When asked as to when that caravan would reach Makkah, the Holy Prophet named the day. When the day came, the people of the Quraish waited for the caravan all day till the sun began to set. On this occasion the Holy Prophet prayed that the sun should not set till the caravan had arrived. So, the caravan actually arrived before the sunset. Some reporters even have stated that the day on that occasion had been enhanced by an hour, and the sun had stood still for that long. The question is: Are such traditions sufficient evidence for the proof of such an extraordinary event? As we have said above, the returning of the sun, or it’s standing still for an hour, is no ordinary event. Had such an event actually taken place, it would have become well known the world over. Its mention and narration could not remain restricted to only a few reporters.
The third section of the commentators interprets these verses as any unbiased person would interpret them from these words. According to this commentary, what actually happened was this: When a squadron of fine, wellbred horses was presented before the Prophet Solomon, he said: "I love this wealth not for the sake of personal glory or desire but for the cause of raising the Word of my Lord." Then he ordered that the horses run a race, and they disappeared from sight. Then he ordered that they be brought back, and when they were brought back, according to Ibn `Abbas: "He started passing his hand on their necks and shanks with love." This same commentary is correct in our opinion, because it corresponds to the words of the Qur'an, and for the sake of the full meaning, nothing needs to be added to it, which may neither be in the Qur'an, nor in any authentic Hadith, nor in the Israelite history. Besides, one should also note that Allah has narrated this event immediately after using epithets like ni'm al-'abd, inna-hu awwab (an excellent servant, who turned to His Lord over and over again) for the Prophet Solomon. This clearly shows that the object is to relate this message: Behold, what a good servant of Ours he was! He loved the means of kingly pomp and glory not for the sake of the world but for Our sake! After watching - and reviewing his grand cavalry he did not boast of his power and grandeur like the worldly rulers but even at that time he remembered only Us.
وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا سُلَيْمَانَ وَأَلْقَيْنَا عَلَىٰ
كُرْسِيِّهِ جَسَدًا ثُمَّ أَنَابَ {38:34}
[Q38:34] Wa
laqad fatannaa Sulaimaana wa alqainaa 'alaa kursiyyihee jasadan summa anaab
[Q38:34] And certainly We tried Sulaiman, and We put on his throne a (mere) body, so he turned (to ALLAH (SWT).
[Q38:34] And certainly We tried Sulaiman, and We put on his throne a (mere) body, so he turned (to ALLAH (SWT).
[Q38:34] Dan demi sesungguhnya! Kami
telah menguji Nabi Sulaiman (dengan satu kejadian), dan Kami letakkan di atas
takhta kebesarannya satu jasad (yang tidak cukup sifatnya) kemudian dia kembali
(merayu kepada Kami):
On a certain night, it is related, Sulayman said that he
would go in to his seventy wives, and thus would beget seventy sons, every one
of whom would be a warrior in ALLAH (SWT)'s cause, BUT (ACCORDING TO THE HOLY
PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALLI ALAA MUHAMMAD WA ALI MUHAMMAD))
HE OMITTED TO ADD: "IF ALLAH (SWT) WILLS",
WHICH OMISSION, THOUGH
NO SIN IN ITSELF, WAS NOT EXPECTED FROM A PROPHET OF ALLAH (SWT). THE
CONSEQUENCE WAS THAT INSTEAD OF 70, HE HAD ONLY ONE
SON, AND THAT ALSO WAS A STILL-BORN.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(38:34) Surely We put Solomon to the test
and cast upon his throne a mere body. Thereupon he penitently turned (to Us).
قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لَا
يَنْبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِي ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ {38:35}
[Q38:35] Qaala
Rabbigh fir lee wa hab lee mulkal laa yambaghee li ahadim mim ba'de inaka Antal
Wahhaab
[Q38:35] He said: My Lord! Do Thou forgive me and grant me a kingdom which is not fit for (being inherited by) anyone after me;
[Q38:35] He said: My Lord! Do Thou forgive me and grant me a kingdom which is not fit for (being inherited by) anyone after me;
[Q38:35] Katanya: Wahai Tuhanku!
Ampunkanlah kesilapanku dan kurniakanlah kepadaku sebuah kerajaan (yang tidak
ada taranya dan) yang tidak akan ada pada sesiapapun kemudian daripadaku;
sesungguhnya Engkaulah yang sentiasa Melimpah kurniaNya.
Seeing the still-born child, Sulayman at once realised the worthlessness of the temporal power,
turned repentant to ALLAH (SWT) and prayed for a kingdom which should not suit
another after him. ALLAH (SWT) bestowed
abundant powers and bounties mentioned in verses 36
to 38 on him. His earthly kingdom went to pieces after his death. What Sulayman really wanted from ALLAH (SWT) was the glory in
the life after death which he earned by carrying out the mission of ALLAH (SWT)
in this world. He was given a
unique kingdom in this world as a trial and he came
out successful. He obtained a place among the nearest ones to ALLAH
(SWT) as stated in verse 40.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(38:35) He said: “My Lord, forgive me and bestow upon
me a kingdom such as none other after me will deserve. Surely You are the
Bounteous Giver.” *36
*36 In view of
the contest, the real object here is to relate this event; the preceding verses
are an introduction to it. Just as above this, first the Prophet David was
praised, then the event narrated by which he was put to temptation, then it was
said that Allah Almighty dces not spare even such a beloved servant from
accountability, then about his noble nature it was said that as soon as he was
warned of the temptation, he repented and bowed before Allah and withheld
himself from the act, so also here the sequence is like this: First, the
Prophet Solomon's high rank and his deep sense of devotion has been mentioned,
then it is said that he also was put to the test, then it has been stated that
when a mere body was placed on his throne, he immediately felt warned on his
error, and pleading the forgiveness of his Lord, withdrew from the act, because
of which he was involved in the temptation. In other words, Allah by means of
these two stories wants to impress two things upon the reader simultaneously: (1) Not
to speak of the common men, even high-ranking Prophets were not spared from His
strict accountability; and (2) the right
attitude for man is not to brag and feel proud after committing an error, but
to bow down humbly before his Lord as soon as he realizes his sin. It was the
result of this attitude that Allah not only forgave the mistakes of those
illustrious men but blessed them with still more favours and kindness.
HERE, THE QUESTION AGAIN ARISES as to what was the temptation in which the Prophet Solomon was involved; what is the meaning of placing a mere body on his throne, and what was the nature of the warning on the occurrence of which he repented? In reply to this the commentators have adopted four different points of view:
One section of them has related a long story whose details are disputed, but their resume is this: The error committed by the Prophet Solomon was either that one of his wives continued to worship the idols in the palace for forty days and he remained unaware of it, or that he remained confined to his residence for a few days and did not attend to redressing of the oppressed people's grievances. For this he was punished as follows: A satan somehow made away with his ring by which he ruled over the jinns, men and wind. As soon as he lost the ring he was deprived of his powers and he remained wandering from place to place for forty days; in the interval the satan continued to rule in the guise of Solomon. The placing of a mere body on Solomon's throne implied this very satan, who had sat on his -throne. Some people have gone to the extent to say that during that period even the chastity of the women in the royal household did not remain safe from the satan. At last from his conduct the ministers and the chiefs and the scholars of the court began to doubt that he was not Solomon. Therefore, when they opened the Torah before him, he fled. On the way the ring fell from his hand in the sea, or he cast it into the sea himself, and a fish swallowed it. Then, somehow the Prophet Solomon came by the fish. When in order to cook it, he cut open its belly he found his ring in it. Then, no sooner did he get the ring than the jinns and men presented themselves humbly before him.--This whole story, from the beginning to the end, is nonsensical and absurd, which the converts from among the Jews and Christians took from the Talmud and other Israelite traditions and spread it among the Muslims. It is strange that some of our well known scholars took these traditions as authentic and cited them as the explanation of the allusions of the Qur'an, whereas neither is there any truth in Solomon's ring, nor could his glorious works be attributed to any ring, nor had the satans been given the power that they might disguise themselves as Prophets and mislead the people, nor can it be imagined about Allah that He would punish a Prophet for an error in such a manner as to enable a satan to corrupt and destroy a whole community, disguised as a prophet. The Qur'an itself repudiates this commentary. In the verses that follow Allah says: When Solomon met with the trial, and he asked Our forgiveness for it, then We subdued the wind and the satans to him. Hut, on the contrary, according to the above commentary, the satans were already under his control by virtue of the ring. It is strange that the scholars who have made this commentary did not care to consider what the subsequent verses say.
The second section of them says that a son was born to the Prophet Solomon after twenty years. The satans feared that if he became king after Solomon, they would continue to remain slaves as they were under him. Therefore, they plotted to kill him. When Solomon came to know of this plot, he hid the child in the clouds so that he was brought up there. This was the temptation in which he was involved: he placed reliance on the protection of the clouds instead of having trust in Allah. For this he was punished in this way that the child died and fell on his throne as a mere body. This tale also is baseless and is expressly against the Qur`an, for in this also it has been assumed that the winds and satans were already under the Prophet Solomon's control, whereas the Qur'an in clear words has stated their subjection to be an event that took place after the trial.
The third section says that the Prophet Solomon one day swore that he would go in to his 70 wives that night, and from each a warrior would be born, who would fight in the cause of Allah, but while he said this he did not say: In sha A//ah: if Allah so wills. Consequently, only one wife conceived and from her also a defective child was born, whom the midwife brought and placed on his throne. This Hadith has been reported by Hadrat Abu Harairah from the Holy Prophet and it has been related by Bukhari and Muslim and other traditionists in several ways. In Bukhari itself this tradition has been related at different places in different ways. At one place the number of the wives has been stated as 60 and at others 70 or 90 or 99 or 100. As far as the chains of the transmitters are concerned, most of the traditions have strong chains, and their authenticity cannot be disputed from the point of view of the principles of reporting. But the subject-matter of the Hadith is patently against reason, and proclaims aloud that such a thing could not have been said by the Holy Prophet, as reported. But, on the contrary, he might have probably mentioned it as an example of the foolish and nonsensical tale-telling of the Jews, and the hearer might have misunderstood that the Holy Prophet himself had stated it as an event. To force the people to accept such traditions only on the strength of their chains of transmitters would be making religion a matter of mockery and jest. Everyone can calculate for himself that even in the longest night of winter the interval between the `Isha` and the Fajr Prayers cannot be of more than ten to cloven hours. If the minimum number of the wives be 60, it would mean that the Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him) went on having intercourse with them continuously for 10 to 11 hours that night at the rate of six wives per hour, without having a moment's rest. Is it practically possible? And can it be expected that the Holy Prophet might have related it as an event? Then in the Hadith nowhere has it been said that the body that had been placed on Solomon's throne, as stated in the Qur'an, implied the malformed child. Therefore, it cannot be claimed that the Holy Prophet had narrated this event as a commentary of this verse. Furthermore, though it is understandable why the Prophet Solomon asked for Allah's forgiveness on the birth of the child, one fails to understand why, along with the prayer for forgiveness, he prayed: "My Lord, grant me a kingdom as may belong to no one else after me."
Another commentary which Imam Razi has preferred is this: The Prophet Solomon was afflicted with a serious disease, or on account of an impending danger his body had been reduced to a mere skeleton. But this commentary also does not conform to the words of the Qur'an. The Qur'an says: "We put Solomon to the test and placed a mere body on his throne. Then he turned (to Allah). "From these words no one can understand that the mere body implied the body of the Prophet Solomon himself. They clearly show that putting to the test implied some error that he happened to commit. On this, the way he was given the warning was that a mere body was placed on his throne, and when he realized his error he turned to Allah.
As a matter of fact, this is one of the most difficult places of the Qur'an, and we do not find any indisputable ground for giving a definite and absolute commentary of it. But if the words of the Prophet Solomon's prayer: "My Lord, forgive me, and grant me a kingdom as may belong to no one else after me," are read in the light of the Israelite history, it appears that probably he cherished in his heart the desire that his son should succeed him on the throne so that His kingdom and sovereignty should continue in his own race after him. This same thing has been called a "temptation" for him by Allah, and he realized this when his heir Rehoboam grew up into an unworthy young man, whose ugly manners clearly foretold that he would not be able to sustain the mighty kingdom of the Prophets David and Solomon (peace be upon them) even for a few days. °Placing a mere body on his throne" probably means that the son whom he wanted to succeed him on the throne, was an unworthy person. Therefore, he restrained his desire, asked for Allah's forgiveness and prayed that the kingdom should end with him, and he would curb his desire to have it continued in his dynasty. The Israelite history also shows the same thing. The Prophet Solomon did not make any will about his successor, nor made it binding for the people to obey a particular person. After him his ministers put Rehoboam on the throne, but not long afterwards ten tribes of Israel took northern Palestine and broke away, and only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the throne of Jerusalem.
HERE, THE QUESTION AGAIN ARISES as to what was the temptation in which the Prophet Solomon was involved; what is the meaning of placing a mere body on his throne, and what was the nature of the warning on the occurrence of which he repented? In reply to this the commentators have adopted four different points of view:
One section of them has related a long story whose details are disputed, but their resume is this: The error committed by the Prophet Solomon was either that one of his wives continued to worship the idols in the palace for forty days and he remained unaware of it, or that he remained confined to his residence for a few days and did not attend to redressing of the oppressed people's grievances. For this he was punished as follows: A satan somehow made away with his ring by which he ruled over the jinns, men and wind. As soon as he lost the ring he was deprived of his powers and he remained wandering from place to place for forty days; in the interval the satan continued to rule in the guise of Solomon. The placing of a mere body on Solomon's throne implied this very satan, who had sat on his -throne. Some people have gone to the extent to say that during that period even the chastity of the women in the royal household did not remain safe from the satan. At last from his conduct the ministers and the chiefs and the scholars of the court began to doubt that he was not Solomon. Therefore, when they opened the Torah before him, he fled. On the way the ring fell from his hand in the sea, or he cast it into the sea himself, and a fish swallowed it. Then, somehow the Prophet Solomon came by the fish. When in order to cook it, he cut open its belly he found his ring in it. Then, no sooner did he get the ring than the jinns and men presented themselves humbly before him.--This whole story, from the beginning to the end, is nonsensical and absurd, which the converts from among the Jews and Christians took from the Talmud and other Israelite traditions and spread it among the Muslims. It is strange that some of our well known scholars took these traditions as authentic and cited them as the explanation of the allusions of the Qur'an, whereas neither is there any truth in Solomon's ring, nor could his glorious works be attributed to any ring, nor had the satans been given the power that they might disguise themselves as Prophets and mislead the people, nor can it be imagined about Allah that He would punish a Prophet for an error in such a manner as to enable a satan to corrupt and destroy a whole community, disguised as a prophet. The Qur'an itself repudiates this commentary. In the verses that follow Allah says: When Solomon met with the trial, and he asked Our forgiveness for it, then We subdued the wind and the satans to him. Hut, on the contrary, according to the above commentary, the satans were already under his control by virtue of the ring. It is strange that the scholars who have made this commentary did not care to consider what the subsequent verses say.
The second section of them says that a son was born to the Prophet Solomon after twenty years. The satans feared that if he became king after Solomon, they would continue to remain slaves as they were under him. Therefore, they plotted to kill him. When Solomon came to know of this plot, he hid the child in the clouds so that he was brought up there. This was the temptation in which he was involved: he placed reliance on the protection of the clouds instead of having trust in Allah. For this he was punished in this way that the child died and fell on his throne as a mere body. This tale also is baseless and is expressly against the Qur`an, for in this also it has been assumed that the winds and satans were already under the Prophet Solomon's control, whereas the Qur'an in clear words has stated their subjection to be an event that took place after the trial.
The third section says that the Prophet Solomon one day swore that he would go in to his 70 wives that night, and from each a warrior would be born, who would fight in the cause of Allah, but while he said this he did not say: In sha A//ah: if Allah so wills. Consequently, only one wife conceived and from her also a defective child was born, whom the midwife brought and placed on his throne. This Hadith has been reported by Hadrat Abu Harairah from the Holy Prophet and it has been related by Bukhari and Muslim and other traditionists in several ways. In Bukhari itself this tradition has been related at different places in different ways. At one place the number of the wives has been stated as 60 and at others 70 or 90 or 99 or 100. As far as the chains of the transmitters are concerned, most of the traditions have strong chains, and their authenticity cannot be disputed from the point of view of the principles of reporting. But the subject-matter of the Hadith is patently against reason, and proclaims aloud that such a thing could not have been said by the Holy Prophet, as reported. But, on the contrary, he might have probably mentioned it as an example of the foolish and nonsensical tale-telling of the Jews, and the hearer might have misunderstood that the Holy Prophet himself had stated it as an event. To force the people to accept such traditions only on the strength of their chains of transmitters would be making religion a matter of mockery and jest. Everyone can calculate for himself that even in the longest night of winter the interval between the `Isha` and the Fajr Prayers cannot be of more than ten to cloven hours. If the minimum number of the wives be 60, it would mean that the Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him) went on having intercourse with them continuously for 10 to 11 hours that night at the rate of six wives per hour, without having a moment's rest. Is it practically possible? And can it be expected that the Holy Prophet might have related it as an event? Then in the Hadith nowhere has it been said that the body that had been placed on Solomon's throne, as stated in the Qur'an, implied the malformed child. Therefore, it cannot be claimed that the Holy Prophet had narrated this event as a commentary of this verse. Furthermore, though it is understandable why the Prophet Solomon asked for Allah's forgiveness on the birth of the child, one fails to understand why, along with the prayer for forgiveness, he prayed: "My Lord, grant me a kingdom as may belong to no one else after me."
Another commentary which Imam Razi has preferred is this: The Prophet Solomon was afflicted with a serious disease, or on account of an impending danger his body had been reduced to a mere skeleton. But this commentary also does not conform to the words of the Qur'an. The Qur'an says: "We put Solomon to the test and placed a mere body on his throne. Then he turned (to Allah). "From these words no one can understand that the mere body implied the body of the Prophet Solomon himself. They clearly show that putting to the test implied some error that he happened to commit. On this, the way he was given the warning was that a mere body was placed on his throne, and when he realized his error he turned to Allah.
As a matter of fact, this is one of the most difficult places of the Qur'an, and we do not find any indisputable ground for giving a definite and absolute commentary of it. But if the words of the Prophet Solomon's prayer: "My Lord, forgive me, and grant me a kingdom as may belong to no one else after me," are read in the light of the Israelite history, it appears that probably he cherished in his heart the desire that his son should succeed him on the throne so that His kingdom and sovereignty should continue in his own race after him. This same thing has been called a "temptation" for him by Allah, and he realized this when his heir Rehoboam grew up into an unworthy young man, whose ugly manners clearly foretold that he would not be able to sustain the mighty kingdom of the Prophets David and Solomon (peace be upon them) even for a few days. °Placing a mere body on his throne" probably means that the son whom he wanted to succeed him on the throne, was an unworthy person. Therefore, he restrained his desire, asked for Allah's forgiveness and prayed that the kingdom should end with him, and he would curb his desire to have it continued in his dynasty. The Israelite history also shows the same thing. The Prophet Solomon did not make any will about his successor, nor made it binding for the people to obey a particular person. After him his ministers put Rehoboam on the throne, but not long afterwards ten tribes of Israel took northern Palestine and broke away, and only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the throne of Jerusalem.
فَسَخَّرْنَا لَهُ الرِّيحَ تَجْرِي بِأَمْرِهِ
رُخَاءً حَيْثُ أَصَابَ {38:36}
[Q38:36] Fasakhkharnaa
lahur reeha tajree bi amrihee rukhaaa'an haisu asaab
[Q38:36] Then We made the wind subservient to him; it made his command to run gently wherever he desired,
[Q38:36] Then We made the wind subservient to him; it made his command to run gently wherever he desired,
[Q38:36] Maka (Kami kabulkan
permohonannya lalu) Kami mudahkan baginya menggunakan angin yang bertiup
perlahan-lahan menurut kemahuannya, ke arah mana sahaja yang hendak ditujunya;
(see
commentary for verse 35)
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(38:36) We subjected the wind to him, so that it blew
gently at his bidding, wherever he directed it, *37
*37 For
explanation, see Surah Al-Anbiya`: 81 and E.N. 74 thereof. However, there is
one thing which requires further explanation here. In Surah Al Anbiya` where
mention has been made of subjecting the wind for the Prophet Solomon, it has
been described as `the strongly blowing wind, but here "which blew gently
at his bidding" . This means that the wind in itself was strong and
violent as is needed for moving the sailing-ships but it had been made gentle
for the Prophet Solomon in the sense that it blew whither-so-ever he wanted it
to blow for his commercial fleets.
وَالشَّيَاطِينَ كُلَّ بَنَّاءٍ وَغَوَّاصٍ {38:37}
[Q38:37] Wash
Shayaateena kulla bannaaa'inw wa ghawwaas
[Q38:37] And the shaitans, every builder and diver,
[Q38:37] And the shaitans, every builder and diver,
[Q38:37] Dan (Kami mudahkan baginya
memerintah) Jin Syaitan; (dia memerintah) golongan-golongan yang pandai
mendirikan bangunan dan yang menjadi penyelam (bagi menjalankan kerja
masing-masing).
(see
commentary for verse 35)
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(38:37) and We also subjected the devils
to him – all kinds of builders and divers;
وَآخَرِينَ مُقَرَّنِينَ فِي الْأَصْفَادِ {38:38}
[Q38:38] Wa
aakhareena muqarraneena fil asfaad
[Q38:38] And others fettered in chains.
[Q38:38] And others fettered in chains.
(see
commentary for verse 35)
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(38:38) and others that were bound with chains. *38
*38 For
explanation, see Al-Anbiya': 82, An-Naml: 17, 39 and the E.N.'s thereof.
"The satans" imply the jinns, and "the satans bound in
chains" imply the serving satans, who were fettered and imprisoned as a
punishment for making mischief. It is not necessary that the fetters and chains
in which those satans were bound might be made of iron and they might appear as
bound in them like the human prisoners. In any case, they were imprisoned in a
manner that they could neither escape nor were able to commit further mischief.
هَٰذَا عَطَاؤُنَا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِكْ بِغَيْرِ
حِسَابٍ {38:39}
[Q38:39] Haazaa
'ataaa'unaa famnun aw amsik bighairi hisaab.
[Q38:39] This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning.
[Q38:39] This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning.
[Q38:39] (Serta Kami katakan kepadanya):
Inilah pemberian Kami (kepadamu), maka berikanlah (kepada sesiapa yang engkau
suka) atau tahankanlah pemberian itu; (terserahlah kepadamu) dengan tidak ada
sebarang hitungan (untuk menyalahkanmu).
(see commentary for verse 35)
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(38:39) “This is Our bestowal. So give or withhold as
you wish without account.” *39
*39 This verse
can have three meanings: (1) "This
is Our unlimited gift: you have the authority to give of it freely w whomsoever
you like and keep it from whomsoever you like;" (2) "this
is Our gift: you may give of it to whomsoever you like and keep it from
whomsoever you like: you will not be called to account for giving it or keeping
it from the people;" and (3) Another
meaning of it given by some commentators is: The satans have been placed
entirely under your control: you may set free whomsoever you like and restrain
whomsoever you like: you will not be held accountable for this."
وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِنْدَنَا لَزُلْفَىٰ وَحُسْنَ
مَآبٍ {38:40}
[Q38:40] Wa
inna lahoo 'indanaa lazulfaa wa husna ma-aab
[Q38:40] And most surely he had a nearness to Us and an excellent resort.
[Q38:40] And most surely he had a nearness to Us and an excellent resort.
[Q38:40] Dan sesungguhnya dia mempunyai
kedudukan yang dekat lagi mulia di sisi Kami, serta tempat kembali yang
sebaik-baiknya (pada hari akhirat kelak).
(see
commentary for verse 35)
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(38:40) Indeed an exalted position of nearness awaits
him and an excellent resort. *40
*40 Here, the
object is to tell that just as a servant's arrogance causes Allah's displeasure
and wrath, so does his humility earns Allah's pleasure and approval for him. If
a servant commits an error and becomes even more arrogant when warned, he is
led to the same fate as is being mentioned in connection with the story of Adam
and Satan below. Contrary to this, if a servant happens to commit an error and
he repents and bows down before his Lord humbly, he is blessed with such
bounties as the Prophets David and Solomon were blessed with. The prayer that
Solomon had made after seeking Allah's forgiveness, was literally fulfilled and
Allah actually granted him a kingdom as had neither been granted to anyone
before him nor bestowed on anyone after him. Having control over the winds and
the jinns is an extraordinary power, which has been granted only to the Prophet
Solomon and to none else in human history.
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