Surah 38. Sad

The chiefs among them went forth saying, 'Carry on, and stand firm in devotion to your gods. Certainly this is just a scheme 'for power'.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 They meant that the Prophet (ﷺ) is not concerned with their guidance, and that he only wants to gain dominance over them.

And the leaders among them go away (impatiently) (saying) "Walk ye away and remain constant to your gods! For this is truly a thing designed (against you)! ⁴¹⁵²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When the message of Islam was being preached in its infancy, and the Preacher and his followers were being persecuted by the Pagans, one of the devices adopted by the Pagan leaders was to get the Prophet's uncle Abu Talib to denounce or renounce his beloved nephew. A conference was held with Abu Talib for this purpose. On its failure the leaders walked away, and began to discredit the great movement by falsely giving out that it was designed against their personal influence, and to throw power into the hands of the Prophet. Hadhrat 'Umar's conversion occurred in the sixth year of the Mission (seventh year before the Hijrat). The circumstances connected with it (see Introduction to S. xx.) greatly alarmed the Quraish chiefs, who, greedy of autocracy themselves, confused the issue by accusing the righteous Preacher of plotting against their power.

We have never heard of this in the previous faith.¹ This is nothing but a fabrication.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 This refers either to the concept of the Trinity in Christianity or Arab polytheistic beliefs.

"We never heard (the like) of this among the people of these latter days: this is nothing but a made-up tale! ⁴¹⁵³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

'Whatever may have been the case in the past', they said, 'our own immediate ancestors worshipped these idols in Makkah and why should we give them up?' Self- complacency was stronger with them than Truth; and so they call Truth "a made-up tale"! Some Commentators interpret millat akhirat to refer to the last religion preached before Islam, viz. Christianity, which had itself departed from Monotheism to Trinity.

Has the Reminder been revealed 'only' to him out of 'all of' us?' In fact, they are 'only' in doubt of My 'revealed' Reminder.¹ In fact, 'they do so because' they have not yet tasted My punishment.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 In other words, they do not question the honesty of the Prophet (ﷺ), but question the Quran itself. This verse is similar to 6:33.

"What! Has the Message been sent to him (of all persons) among us?" But they are in doubt concerning My (own) Message! Nay they have not yet tasted My Punishment! ^{4154 4155}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Here comes in envy. 'If a Message had to come, why should it come to him, the orphan son of 'Abdullah, and not to one of our own great men?'

They have no clear idea of how Allah's Message comes! It is not a worldly thing to be given to any one. It is a divine thing requiring spiritual preparation. If they close their eyes to it now, it will be brought home to them when they taste the consequences of their folly!

Or 'is it because' they possess the treasuries of the mercy of your Lord- the Almighty, the Giver 'of all bounties'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Or have they the Treasures of the Mercy of thy Lord the Exalted in Power the Grantor of Bounties without measure! ⁴¹⁵⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If they set themselves to judge Allah, have they anything to show comparable to Allah's Mercy and Power! He has both in infinite measure. Who are they to question the grant of His Mercy and Revelation to His own Chosen One?

Or 'is it because' the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and everything in between belongs to them? Let them then climb their way 'to heaven, if their claim is true'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Or have they the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all between? If so let them mount up with the ropes and means (to reach that end)! ⁴¹⁵⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Weak and puny creatures though they are, they dare to raise their heads against the Omnipotent, as if they had dominion over Creation and not He! If they had any power, let them mount up to heaven and use all the means they have to that end, and see how they can frustrate Allah's Purpose!

This is just another 'enemy' force bound for defeat out there.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 This verse alludes to the defeat of the Meccan pagans later at Badr.

But there will be put to flight even a host of confederates. ⁴¹⁵⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Of course they cannot frustrate Allah's Purpose. In that world-they will be ignominiously routed, even if they form the strongest confederacy of the Powers of Evil that ever could combine. Cf. the last clause of verse 13 below.

Before them, the people of Noah denied 'the truth', as did 'Âd, Pharaoh of the mighty structures,¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., pyramids and obelisks.

Before them (were many who) rejected apostles the People of Noah and `Ad and Pharaoh the Lord of Stakes. ^{4159 4160}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In their day, Noah's contemporaries, or the 'Ad and the Thamud, so frequently mentioned, or Pharaoh the mighty king of Egypt, or the people to whom Lot was sent (cf. xxxvii. 75-82; vii. 65-73; vii. 103-137; vii. 80-84) were examples of arrogance and rebellion against Allah: they rejected the divine Message brought by their messengers, and they all came to an evil end. Will not their posterity learn their lesson?

The title of Pharaoh, "Lord of the Stakes", denotes power and arrogance, in all or any of the following ways: (1) the stake makes a tent firm and stable, and is a symbol of firmness and stability; (2) many stakes mean a large camp and a numerous army to fight; (3) impaling with stakes was a cruel punishment resorted to by the Pharaohs in arrogant pride of power.

Thamûd, the people of Lot, and the residents of the Forest.¹ These were 'all' enemy forces.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., the people of Shu’aib (ﷺ).

And Thamud and the People of Lut and the Companions of the Wood; such were the Confederates. ^{4161 4162}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Companions of the Wood; see xv. 78, and n. 2000.

Cf. above, verse 11, and n. 4158.

Each rejected their messenger, so My punishment was justified.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Not one (of them) but rejected the apostles but My Punishment came justly and inevitably (on them). ⁴¹⁶³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xv. 64, n. 1990; and xxii. 18.

These 'pagans' are awaiting nothing but a single Blast that cannot be stopped.

  - Mustafa Khattab

These (to-day) only wait for a single mighty Blast which (when it comes) will brook no delay. ^{4164 4165}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xxxvi. 29, n. 3973.

Fawaq: delay, the interval between one milking of a she-camel, and another, either to give her a breathing space or to give her young time to suck,-or perhaps the milker to adjust his fingers. Such interval will be quite short. The derived meaning is that when the inevitable just punishment for sin arrives, it will not tarry, but do its work without delay.

They say 'mockingly', 'Our Lord! Hasten for us our share 'of the punishment' before the Day of Reckoning.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

They say: "Our Lord! Hasten to us our sentence (even) before the Day of Account!" ⁴¹⁶⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xxvi. 204 and n. 3230. Those who do not believe in the Hereafter say ironically: "Let us have our punishment and sentence now: why delay it?" The last verse and the next verse supply the commentary. As to those who mock, they will find out the truth soon enough, when it is too late for repentance or mercy. As to the prophets of Allah, who are mocked, they must wait patiently for Allah to fulfil His Plan: even men who had worldly strength and power, like David had to exercise infinite patience when mocked by their contemporaries.

Be patient 'O Prophet' with what they say. And remember Our servant, David, the man of strength. Indeed, he 'constantly' turned 'to Allah'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Have patience at what they say and remember Our Servant David the man of strength: for he ever turned (to Allah). ⁴¹⁶⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

David was a man of exceptional strength, for even as a raw youth, he slew the Philistine giant Goliath. See ii. 249-252, and notes 286-87. Before that fight, he was mocked by his enemies and chidden even by his own elder brother. But he relied upon Allah, and won through, and afterwards became king.

We truly subjected the mountains to hymn 'Our praises' along with him in the evening and after sunrise.

  - Mustafa Khattab

It was We that made the hills declare in unison with him Our Praises at eventide and at break of day. ⁴¹⁶⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See n. 2733 to xxi. 79. All nature sings in unison and celebrates the praises of Allah. David was given the gift of music and psalmody, and therefore the hills and birds are expressed as singing Allah's praises in unison with him. The special hours when the hills and groves echo the songs of birds are in the evening and at dawn, when also the birds gather together, for those are respectively their roosting hours and the hours of their concerted flight for the day.

And 'We subjected' the birds, flocking together. All turned to him 'echoing his hymns'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And the birds gathered (in assemblies): all with him did turn (to Allah). ⁴¹⁶⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Note the mutual echo between this verse and verse 17 above. The Arabic awwab is common to both, and it furnishes the rhyme or rhythm of the greater part of the Sura, thus echoing the main theme: 'Turn to Allah in Prayer and Praise, for that is more than any worldly power or wisdom.'

We strengthened his kingship, and gave him wisdom and sound judgment.

  - Mustafa Khattab

We strengthened his kingdom and gave him wisdom and sound judgment in speech and decision. ⁴¹⁷⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. n. 2732 to xxi. 79 for David's sound judgment in decisions; he could also express himself aptly.