Ṣād
Makkan Period
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
[1] Ṣād, and by the Qur’ān full of exhortation! [2] Nay, but the unbelievers are steeped in arrogance and stubborn defiance.1 [3] How many a nation did We destroy before them! (When they approached their doom) they cried out (for deliverance), but the time for deliverance was already past.
[4] They wondered that a warner had come to them from among themselves, and the deniers of the Truth said: “This is a sorcerer, and a big liar. [5] Has he made the gods one single God? This is truly astounding.” [6] And the elders among them went forth saying: “Go ahead and be steadfast in adhering to your deities. What is being said is with a design.”2 [7] We have not heard this in the religious community close to our time. This is nothing but a fabrication. [8] Has this Exhortation been sent down among us only to him, to the exclusion of all others?” Nay, they are in doubt regarding My Exhortation,3 and are saying all this because they have not yet had any taste of My chastisement. [9] Do they possess the treasures of your Lord, the Most Mighty, the Great Bestower? [10] Or do they possess the dominion of the heavens and the earth and of all that is in between them? If so, let them ascend the heights of the realm of causation and see!
[11] This is only a small army out of the several armies that will suffer defeat here.4 [12] Before them the people of Noah, ʿĀd, and Pharaoh of the tent-pegs gave the lie (to the Messengers) [13] and so did Thamūd and the people of Lot and the people of Aykah. These were all leagued together. [14] Each of them gave the lie to Messengers and My decree of chastisement came upon them. [15] They are waiting for nothing except a single Cry, after which there will be no second Cry. [16] They say: “Our Lord, hasten to us our share (of chastisement) before the Day of Reckoning.”
[17] (O Prophet), bear with patience what they say, and call to mind Our servant David, who was endowed with great strength and who constantly turned (to Allah). [18] With him We had subjected the mountains that they join him in celebrating Allah’s glory, evening and morning, [19] and the birds, too, in their flocks, and turn again and again to celebrating Allah’s glory. [20] And We strengthened his kingdom and endowed him with wisdom and decisive judgement. [21] Has the story of the litigants reached you – of those who entered his private chambers by climbing over the wall? [22] As they came upon David – and he was frightened of them – 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. [23] Behold, this is my brother; 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.5 [24] David said: “He has certainly wronged you in seeking to add your ewe to his ewes; 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). [25] Thereupon We forgave him6 his shortcoming and indeed (an exalted position of) nearness awaits him, and an excellent resort. [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.
[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. So woe from the Fire to all who deny the Truth. [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? [29] This is the Blessed Book that We have revealed to you, (O Muḥammad), that people with understanding may reflect over its verses and those with understanding derive a lesson.
[30] We bestowed upon David (an illustrious son), Solomon. How excellent a servant (of Ours he was)! Indeed he constantly turned to Us in devotion. [31] And when one evening well-trained and running horses of noble breed were brought to him [32] he said: “Lo! I have come to love this wealth on account of the remembrance of my Lord.” And when the horses disappeared, [33] (he ordered): “Bring these horses back to me,” and then he began to gently stroke their shanks and necks. [34] Surely We put Solomon to the test and cast upon his throne a mere body. Thereupon he penitently turned (to Us). [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.”7 [36] We subjected the wind to him, so that it blew gently at his bidding, wherever he directed it, [37] and We also subjected the devils to him – all kinds of builders and divers; [38] and others that were bound with chains. [39] “This is Our bestowal. So give or withhold as you wish without account.” [40] Indeed an exalted position of nearness awaits him and an excellent resort.
[41] And remember Our servant Job: when he cried to his Lord: “Behold, Satan has afflicted me with much hardship and suffering.”8 [42] (We commanded him): “Stamp your foot on earth, and here is cool water to wash with and to drink.” [43] And We granted to him his family and also the like of them, as a mercy from Us, and as a reminder to people of understanding, [44] (and We said to him): “Take in your hand a bundle of rushes and strike with it, and do not break your oath.”9 Indeed We found him steadfast. How excellent a servant (of Ours) he was. Indeed he constantly turned (to his Lord).
[45] And remember Our servants – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – they were endowed with great strength and vision. [46] Verily We exalted them in consideration of a sterling quality: their remembrance of the Abode of the Hereafter. [47] In Our sight they are among the chosen and excellent ones. [48] And remember Ishmael, Elisha, and Dhū al-Kifl. All were of the best.
[49] This was a remembrance. An excellent retreat awaits the God-fearing [50] – everlasting Gardens with gates wide open for them [51] wherein they shall recline, wherein they shall ask for abundant fruit and drinks, [52] and wherein there shall be with them well-matched, bashful mates. [53] All this is what you are promised for the Day of Judgement. [54] This is Our provision for you, never to end.
[55] All this (is for the God-fearing). But for the transgressors, an evil resort awaits them – [56] Hell, where they will be roasted. An evil place to dwell! [57] All this (is for them); so let them taste boiling water and pus, [58] and other sufferings of the kind. [59] (Observing their followers advancing to Hell they will say, among themselves: “This is a troop rushing in to you. There is no welcome for them. They are destined to roast in the Fire.”
[60] They will reply: “Rather, no welcome to you. (You will roast in Hell.) It is you who led us to this end. What an evil resort!” [61] They will say: “Our Lord, give two-fold punishment in the Fire to him who has led us to this.” [62] They will say to one another: “But why do not we see those whom we considered him among the wicked? [63] Is it that we mistakenly made fun of them; or have they disappeared from our sight?” [64] Verily all this is true. This is how the inmates of the Fire will dispute among themselves.
[65] Tell them, (O Prophet): “I am nothing but a warner. There is no deity but Allah, the One, the Supreme, [66] the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is in between them, the Most Mighty, the Most Forgiving.” [67] Say: “This is a tiding of tremendous import [68] from which you are turning away.”
[69] (Tell them): “I had no knowledge of the High Council when they were disputing. [70] I am told (about matters) by means of revelation only because I am a clear warner.” [71] When your Lord said to the angels: “Verily I am creating a human being from clay. [72] After I have created him and breathed into him of My spirit, fall you down, prostrating yourselves to him.” [73] Then the angels, all of them, prostrated themselves before Adam [74] except Iblīs. He waxed proud and became one of the unbelievers. [75] The Lord said: “O Iblīs, what prevented you from prostrating yourself before him whom I created of My Two Hands. Are you waxing proud, or fancy yourself to be too exalted?” [76] He replied: “I am nobler than he. You created me from fire and created him from clay.”
[77] He said: “Get out of here; surely you are accursed, [78] and My curse shall remain upon you till the Day of Resurrection.” [79] Satan said: “My Lord, then grant me respite till the Day that they are raised up.” [80] He said: “You are of those who have been granted respite [81] till the Day whose Hour I know.” [82] (Iblīs) said: “By Your glory, I shall mislead them all [83] except those of Your servants, the chosen ones from amongst them.” [84] He (i.e. Allah) said: “This is the Truth – and I only speak the Truth – [85] I will certainly fill the Gehenna with you and with all those among them who follow you.”
[86] (O Prophet), tell them: “I do not ask you for any recompense for the performance of this task; nor am I given to affectation. [87] This is nothing but an Admonition for all people the world over. [88] You will know the truth of the matter after a while.”
1. The unbelievers do not disbelieve because of any defect or flaw in the religious faith that was being preached to them. Instead, their disbelief stemmed from their excessive arrogance and obduracy.
2. The nobles of that unbelieving nation asserted that there was something fishy about the whole enterprise. They stressed that the real purpose of the call to Islam was to make people follow Muḥammad (peace be on him), and that this was to be a stepping stone to the establishment of his hegemony over them.
3. In effect what God says here is that the unbelievers were not simply giving the lie to the Prophet (peace be on him). What is more, they were guilty of giving the lie to God. They were not simply casting doubts about the veracity of the Prophet (peace be on him) but were rather doubting the Truth of God’s teachings.
4. “Here” alludes to the city of Makkah. It is stressed here that the very spot where people were engaged in malicious invectives against Islam would be the site where they would suffer utter defeat. The time would soon arrive when those very people, their heads downcast with the infamy of defeat, would stand before the Prophet (peace be on him) whom they had belittled for years, refusing to recognise his genuine prophethood.
5. The complainant did not say that the other person had seized his ewe. He rather said that the other person had asked for it, desiring that it should be handed over to him. Now since that person held great power and eminence he was able to exert considerable pressure on the ewe’s owner.
6. What is said here indicates a few things. First, that there had indeed occurred some lapse on David’s part. Second, that this lapse somehow resembled the case of the ewes. Hence, while pronouncing his judgement on the case, David instantly thought that he was being tested. Third, the lapse was not so grave that David could not be forgiven; nor that the forgivance be conditional upon David’s removal from his high position. According to the Qur’ān, after he “… fell down, bowing and penitently turning (to Him),” he was not only forgiven, but also assured that his high rank in the Hereafter was secure.
7. It appears from the context that the thrust of the discourse is that even such high-ranking Prophets and God’s favourite servants like David and Solomon were not spared being called to account. We do not know for sure the details of the specific ways in which Solomon was put to the test (see v. 34) above. It is pertinent to note, however, that the Qur’ān commentators are not agreed about the ways in which he was tested. It is significant, though, that the Prophet Solomon (peace be on him) prayed as follows: “My Lord, forgive me and bestow upon me a kingdom such as none other after me will deserve.” If this prayer is read in the light of Israeli history, one feels that Solomon had probably desired that his son should succeed him so that governmental power and authority in the future would perpetually vest in his progeny. Presumably, it is this temptation that is described by God as a test which Solomon faced. Later on Solomon realised this when his heir Rehoboam grew to be a worthless young man whose life-style clearly showed that he would scarcely be able to hold together the Prophet David’s and Solomon’s kingdom for any length of time. The statement that: “We … cast upon his throne a mere body …” (v. 34), probably means that his son, whom he sought as his successor, was a good-for-nothing.
8. This does not mean that Satan had afflicted Job with illness and had brought distress upon him. It rather means that Job suffered a severe illness as well as lost his wealth, possessions and family, all of which greatly agonised him. What was even more agonising was that Satan began to capitalise on Job’s straitened circumstances. He pestered Solomon with insidious promptings, urging him to be ungrateful to God and to eschew his patience.
9. When one reflects on these words it is evident that during his illness Job swore, in a fit of annoyance, that he would strike someone, (according to some reports, his own wife), with a certain number of lashes. After God restored him to health and the annoyance that he had felt during the illness dissipated, he became disconcerted with the idea of honouring that oath. His dilemma being that if he were to fulfil the oath, he would inflict pain on an innocent person; and if he did not, he would commit a sin. God removed this perplexity by directing him to pick up a broom containing as many pieces of straw as the number of lashes he had sworn to deliver and then commanded him to strike the person with the broom just once. This would, on the one hand, enable him to fulfil the oath, and on the other hand it would also make it possible for him to avoid causing unwarranted harm to the innocent.