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38:11
جُندٌ مَّا هُنَالِكَ مَهْزُومٌ مِّنَ ٱلْأَحْزَابِ Jundun m a hun a lika mahzoomun mina ala h z a b i
[But] there it is: any and all human beings, however [strongly] leagued together,15 are bound to suffer defeat [whenever they refuse to accept the truth].
  - Mohammad Asad

The collective noun jund, which primarily denotes "a host" or "an army", has also the meaning of "created beings", in this context obviously human beings; in combination with the particle ma, "any number of human beings". The term hizb (of which ahzab is the plural), on the other hand, denotes "a party" or "a group of people of the same mind" or "people leagued together", i.e., for a definite purpose.

Their faction is no more than an army who will be beaten right here.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
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.

A defeated host are (all) the factions that are there.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
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.

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38:12
كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَعَادٌ وَفِرْعَوْنُ ذُو ٱلْأَوْتَادِ Ka thth abat qablahum qawmu noo h in waAA a dun wafirAAawnu th oo alawt a d i
To the truth gave the lie aforetime16 Noah's people, and [the tribe of] Ad, and Pharaoh of the [many] tent-poles,17
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "before them", i.e., before the people who opposed or oppose Muhammad's message.

In classical Arabic, this ancient bedouin term is used idiomatically as a metonym for "mighty dominion" or "firmness of power" (Zamakhshari). The number of poles supporting a bedouin tent is determined by its size, and the latter has always depended on the status and power of its owner: thus, a mighty chieftain is often alluded to as "he of many tent-poles".

Before them the people of Nuh, `Ad and Fir'on, the man of spikes, denied their Rasools,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
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.

The folk of Noah before them denied (their messenger) and (so did the tribe of) Aad, and Pharaoh firmly planted,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
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.

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38:13
وَثَمُودُ وَقَوْمُ لُوطٍ وَأَصْحَـٰبُ لْـَٔيْكَةِ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلْأَحْزَابُ Wathamoodu waqawmu loo t in waa s ha bu alaykati ol a ika ala h z a b u
and [the tribe of] Thamud, and the people of Lot, and the dwellers of the wooded dales [of Madyan]: they all were leagued together, [as it were, in their unbelief:]
  - Mohammad Asad
So did Thamud, the people of Lut and those of Aiykah (the people of Median) - all divided themselves into factions;
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
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 (the tribe of) Thamud; and the folk of Lot, and the dwellers in the wood: these were the factions.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
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.

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38:14
إِن كُلٌّ إِلَّا كَذَّبَ ٱلرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ عِقَابِ In kullun ill a ka thth aba a l rrusula fa h aqqa AAiq a b i
not one [was there] but gave the lie to the apostles - and thereupon My retribution fell due.
  - Mohammad Asad
all charged their Rasools as liars, so just was my torment of annihilating them.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Each rejected their messenger, so My punishment was justified.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Not one of them but did deny the messengers, therefor My doom was justified,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
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.

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38:15
وَمَا يَنظُرُ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَٰحِدَةً مَّا لَهَا مِن فَوَاقٍ Wam a yan th uru h a ol a i ill a s ay h atan w ah idatan m a lah a min faw a q in
And they [who now deny the truth-they, too,] have but to wait for one single blast [of punishment to overtake them]: it shall not be delayed a whit.18
  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "beyond the term set for it by God".

These people also await nothing but a single mighty Blast - the one which none may retard.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
These 'pagans' are awaiting nothing but a single Blast that cannot be stopped.
  - Mustafa Khattab
These wait for but one Shout, there will be no second thereto.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
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.

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38:16
وَقَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا عَجِّل لَّنَا قِطَّنَا قَبْلَ يَوْمِ ٱلْحِسَابِ Waq a loo rabban a AAajjil lan a qi tt an a qabla yawmi al h is a b i
As it is, they say [mockingly]: "O our Sustainer! Hasten on to us our share [of punishment even] before the Day of Reckoning!"19
  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. 8:32 . This mocking "demand" of the unbelievers is mentioned in several other places in the Qur'an.

They say: "Our Rabb, hasten our doom for us before the Day of Reckoning."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
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 on for us our fate before the Day of Reckoning.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
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.

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38:17
ٱصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَٱذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوُۥدَ ذَا ٱلْأَيْدِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَوَّابٌ I s bir AAal a m a yaqooloona wa o th kur AAabdan a d a wooda tha alaydi innahu aww a b un
[But] bear thou with patience whatever they may say, and remember Our servant David, him who was endowed with [so much] inner strength! He, verily, would always turn unto Us:
  - Mohammad Asad
O Prophet, have patience at what they say, and remember Our servant Dawood, the man of strength, who was frequent in turning to Allah for guidance.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
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
Bear with what they say, and remember Our bondman David, lord of might. Lo! he was ever turning in repentance (toward Allah).
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
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.

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38:18
إِنَّا سَخَّرْنَا ٱلْجِبَالَ مَعَهُۥ يُسَبِّحْنَ بِٱلْعَشِىِّ وَٱلْإِشْرَاقِ Inn a sakhkharn a aljib a la maAAahu yusabbi h na bi a lAAashiyyi wa a lishr a q i
[and for this,] behold, We caused20 the mountains to join him in extolling Our limitless glory at eventide and at sun-rise,
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "We compelled" or "constrained".

We made the mountains join him in Our praises at evening and the sunrise.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
We truly subjected the mountains to hymn 'Our praises' along with him in the evening and after sunrise.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Lo! We subdued the hills to hymn the praises (of their Lord) with him at nightfall and sunrise,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
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.

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38:19
وَٱلطَّيْرَ مَحْشُورَةً ۖ كُلٌّ لَّهُۥٓ أَوَّابٌ Wa al tt ayra ma h shooratan kullun lahu aww a b un
and [likewise] the birds in their assemblies:21 [together] they all would turn again and again unto Him [who had created them].
  - Mohammad Asad

See surah {21}, note [73].

And the birds, too, with all their flocks, join in singing with him.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And 'We subjected' the birds, flocking together. All turned to him 'echoing his hymns'.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And the birds assembled; all were turning unto Him
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
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.'

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38:20
وَشَدَدْنَا مُلْكَهُۥ وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَفَصْلَ ٱلْخِطَابِ Washadadn a mulkahu wa a tayn a hu al h ikmata wafa s la alkhi ta b i
And We streng-thened his dominion, and bestowed upon him wisdom and sagacity in judgment.
  - Mohammad Asad
We strengthened his kingdom and gave him wisdom and sound judgment in speech and decision.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
We strengthened his kingship, and gave him wisdom and sound judgment.
  - Mustafa Khattab
We made his kingdom strong and gave him wisdom and decisive speech.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
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.

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38:21
وَهَلْ أَتَىٰكَ نَبَؤُا۟ ٱلْخَصْمِ إِذْ تَسَوَّرُوا۟ ٱلْمِحْرَابَ Wahal at a ka nabao alkha s mi i th tasawwaroo almi h r a b a
AND YET, has the story of the litigants come within thy ken- [the story of the two] who surmounted the walls of the sanctuary [in which David prayed ?22
  - Mohammad Asad

The story which, according to the oldest sources at our disposal, is alluded to in verses {21-26} affects the question as to whether God's elect, the prophets - all of whom were endowed, like David, with "wisdom and sagacity in judgment" - could or could not ever commit a sin: in other words, whether they, too, were originally subject to the weaknesses inherent in human nature as such or were a priori endowed with an essential purity of character which rendered each of them "incapable of sinning" (ma'sum). In the form in which it has been handed down from the earliest authorities (including, according to Tabari and Baghawi, Companions like 'Abd Allah ibn'Abbas and Anas ibn Malik, as well as several of the most prominent of their immediate successors), the story contradicts the doctrine - somewhat arbitrarily developed by Muslim theologians in the course of the centuries - that prophets cannot sin by virtue of their very nature, and tends to show that their purity and subsequent sinlessness is a result of inner struggles and trials and, thus, represents in each case a moral achievement rather than an inborn quality. As narrated in some detail by Tabari and other early commentators, David fell in love with a beautiful woman whom he accidentally observed from his roof terrace. On inquiring, he was told that she was the wife of one of his officers, named Uriah. Impelled by his passion, David ordered his field-commander to place Uriah in a particularly exposed battle position, where he would be certain to be killed; and as soon as his order was fulfilled and Uriah died, David married the widow (who subsequently became the mother of Solomon). This story agrees more or less with the Old Testament, which gives the woman's name as Bath-Sheba (II Samuel xi), barring the Biblical allegation that David committed adultery with her before Uriah's death (ibid. xi, 4-5) - an allegation which has always been rejected by Muslims as highly offensive and slanderous: cf. the saying of the fourth Caliph, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (quoted by Zamakhshari on the authority of Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab): "If anyone should narrate the story of David in the manner in which the story-tellers narrate it, I will have him flogged with one hundred and sixty stripes - for this is a [suitable] punishment for slandering prophets" (thus indirectly recalling the Qur'anic ordinance, in 24:4 , which stipulates flogging with eighty stripes for accusing ordinary persons of adultery without legal proof). According to most of the commentators, the two "litigants" who suddenly appeared before David were angels sent to bring home to him his sin. It is possible, however, to see in their appearance an allegory of David's own realization of having sinned: voices of his own conscience which at last "surmounted the walls" of the passion that had blinded him for a time.

Have you heard the story of the two litigants who made an entry into his private chamber through climbing over the wall?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Has the story of the two plaintiffs, who scaled the 'wall of David's' sanctuary, reached you 'O Prophet'?
  - Mustafa Khattab
And hath the story of the litigants come unto thee? How they climbed the wall into the royal chamber;
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Has the Story of the Disputants reached thee? Behold they climbed over the wall of the private chamber; 4171
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This story or Parable is not found in the Bible, unless the vision here described be considered as equivalent to Nathan's parable in 11 Samuel, xi, and xii. Baidhawi would seem to favour that view, but other Commentators reject it. David was a pious man, and he had a well-guarded private chamber (mihrab) for Prayer and Praise.

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38:22
إِذْ دَخَلُوا۟ عَلَىٰ دَاوُۥدَ فَفَزِعَ مِنْهُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَا تَخَفْ ۖ خَصْمَانِ بَغَىٰ بَعْضُنَا عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا تُشْطِطْ وَٱهْدِنَآ إِلَىٰ سَوَآءِ ٱلصِّرَٰطِ Ith dakhaloo AAal a d a wooda fafaziAAa minhum q a loo l a takhaf kha s m a ni bagh a baAA d un a AAal a baAA d in fa o h kum baynan a bi a l h aqqi wal a tush t i t wa i hdin a il a saw a i a l ss ir at i
As they came upon David, and he shrank back in fear from them, they said: "Fear not! [We are but] two litigants. One of us has wronged the other: so judge thou between us with justice, and deviate not from what is right, and show [both of] us the way to rectitude.
  - Mohammad Asad
When they entered in upon Dawood and he became terrified. They said: "Have no fear, we are two litigants, one of whom has wronged the other. Judge rightly between us and do not be unjust, and guide us to the Right Way.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
When they came into David's presence, he was startled by them. They said, 'Have no fear. 'We are merely' two in a dispute: one of us has wronged the other. So judge between us with truth- do not go beyond 'it'- and guide us to the right way.
  - Mustafa Khattab
How they burst in upon David, and he was afraid of them! They said: Be not afraid! (We are) two litigants, one of whom hath wronged the other, therefor judge aright between us; be not unjust; and show us the fair way.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
When they entered the presence of David and he was terrified of them they said: "Fear not: We are two disputants one of whom has wronged the other: decide now between us with truth and treat us not with injustice but guide us to the even Path. 4172
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

David used to retire to his private chamber at stated times for his devotions. One day, suddenly, his privacy was invaded by two men, who had obtained access by climbing over a wall. David was frightened at the apparition. But they said: "We have come to seek thy justice as king: we are brothers, and we have a quarrel, which we wish thee to decide."

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38:23
إِنَّ هَـٰذَآ أَخِى لَهُۥ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً وَلِىَ نَعْجَةٌ وَٰحِدَةٌ فَقَالَ أَكْفِلْنِيهَا وَعَزَّنِى فِى ٱلْخِطَابِ Inna h atha akhee lahu tisAAun watisAAoona naAAjatan waliya naAAjatun w ah idatun faq a la akfilneeh a waAAazzanee fee alkhi ta b i
"Behold, this is my brother: he has ninety-nine ewes, whereas I have [only] one ewe - and yet he said, 'Make her over to me,' and forcibly prevailed against me in this [our] dispute."
  - Mohammad Asad
This man is my brother; he has ninety nine ewes while I have only one ewe. Yet he says: `Turn her over to me' and he has the means to prevail against me in what he says."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
This is my brother.1 He has ninety-nine sheep while I have 'only' one. 'Still' he asked me to give it up to him, overwhelming me with 'his' argument.'
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Brother in faith or business partner.

Lo! this my brother hath ninety and nine ewes while I had one ewe; and he said: Entrust it to me, and he conquered me in speech.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"This man is my brother; he has nine and ninety ewes and I have (but) one: Yet he says `Commit her to my care' and is (moreover) harsh to me in speech." 4173
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The brother who was most aggrieved said: "This my brother has a flock of ninety-nine sheep, and I have but one; yet he wants me to give up my one sheep to his keeping; and moreover he is not even fair-spoken. He talks like one meditating mischief, and he has not even the grace to ask as an equal, or one sharing in a business or an inheritance. What shall I do?"

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38:24
قَالَ لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَىٰ نِعَاجِهِۦ ۖ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلْخُلَطَآءِ لَيَبْغِى بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَقَلِيلٌ مَّا هُمْ ۗ وَظَنَّ دَاوُۥدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّـٰهُ فَٱسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُۥ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا وَأَنَابَ ۩ Q a la laqad th alamaka bisu a li naAAjatika il a niAA a jihi wainna katheeran mina alkhula ta i layabghee baAA d uhum AAal a baAA d in ill a alla th eena a manoo waAAamiloo a l ssa li ha ti waqaleelun m a hum wa th anna d a woodu annam a fatann a hu fa i staghfara rabbahu wakharra r a kiAAan waan a b a
Said [David]: "He has certainly wronged thee by demanding that thy ewe be added to his ewes! Thus, behold, do many kinsmen23 wrong one another-[all] save those who believe [in God] and do righteous deeds: but how few are they!" And [suddenly] David understood that We had tried him:24 and so he asked his Sustainer to forgive him his sin, and fell down in prostration, and turned unto Him in repentance.
  - Mohammad Asad

The term khulata' (sing. khalit) denotes, literally, "people who mix [i.e., are familiar or intimate] with others or with one another". In the present instance it evidently alludes to the "brotherhood" between the two mysterious litigants, and is therefore best rendered as "kinsmen".

Sc., "and that he had failed" (in the matter of Bath-Sheba).

Dawood said: "He has certainly wronged you in seeking to add your ewe to his flock: in fact many partners are unjust to one another; except those who believe and do good deeds, and they are few indeed." - While he said this, Dawood realized that We had tested him ( Dawood had shown desire to one of his officers to divorce his wife so that he could marry her even though he already had 99 wives). So he sought forgiveness of his Rabb and fell down on his knees and turned to Allah in repentance.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
David 'eventually' ruled, 'He has definitely wronged you in demanding 'to add' your sheep to his. And certainly many partners wrong each other, except those who believe and do good- but how few are they!' Then David realized that We had tested him so he asked for his Lord's forgiveness, fell down in prostration, and turned 'to Him in repentance'.
  - Mustafa Khattab
(David) said: He hath wronged thee in demanding thine ewe in addition to his ewes, and lo! many partners oppress one another, save such as believe and do good works, and they are few. And David guessed that We had tried him, and he sought forgiveness of his Lord, and he bowed himself and fell down prostrate and repented.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
(David) said: "He has undoubtedly wronged thee in demanding thy (single) ewe to be added to his (flock of) ewes: truly many are the Partners (in business) who wrong each other: not so do those who believe and work deeds of righteousness and how few are they?"... And David gathered that We had tried him: he asked forgiveness of his Lord fell down bowing (in prostration) and turned (to Allah in repentance). 4174 4175 4176
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The circumstances were mysterious; the accusation was noval; it was not clear why the unjust brother should also have come with the complainant, risking his life in climbing the wall to evade the guard, and he certainly said nothing. David took them literally, and began to preach about the falsehood and the fraud of men, who should be content with what they have, but who always covet more.

Especially, said David, is it wrong for brothers or men in partnership to take advantage of each other; but how few are the men who are righteous? He had in his mind his own devotion and justice. But lo and behold! the men disappeared as mysteriously as they had come. It was then that David realised that the incident had been a trial or temptation-a test of his moral or spiritual fibre! Great though he was as a king, and just though he was as a judge, the moment that he thought of these things in self- pride, his merit vanished. In himself he was as other men: it was Allah's grace that gave him wisdom and justice, and he should have been humble in the sight of Allah.

Judged by ordinary standards, David had done no wrong; he was a good and just king. Judged by the highest standard of those nearest to Allah (Muqarraban, lvi. 11), the thought of self-pride and self-righteousness had to be washed off from him by his own act of self-realisation and repentance. This was freely accepted by Allah, as the next verse shows. A) Some commentators say that David's fault here was his hastiness in judging before hearing the case of the other party. When he realised his lapse, he fell down in repentance.

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38:25
فَغَفَرْنَا لَهُۥ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَإِنَّ لَهُۥ عِندَنَا لَزُلْفَىٰ وَحُسْنَ مَـَٔابٍ Faghafarn a lahu tha lika wainna lahu AAindan a lazulf a wa h usna ma a b in
And thereupon We forgave him that [sin]: and, verily, nearness to Us awaits him [in the life to come], and the most beauteous of all goals!
  - Mohammad Asad
So We forgave his error. He will enjoy a place of nearness with Us and an excellent abode!
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
So We forgave that for him. And he will indeed have 'a status of' closeness to Us and an honourable destination!
  - Mustafa Khattab
So We forgave him that; and lo! he had access to Our presence and a happy journey's end.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
So We forgave him this (lapse): he enjoyed indeed a Near Approach to Us and a beautiful place of (final) Return.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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