Surah Sad 38:27-40 - Quran Translation Commentary

(38:27) And We have not created the heaven and the earth and what is between them in vain.⁴² That is the assumption of those who have disbelieved. Woe then, unto those who have disbelieved for the Fire.⁴³

(38:28) Or, shall We make those who believed and acted righteously, like those who cause corruption in the land? Or, shall We treat the righteous like the wicked?⁴⁴

(38:29) A Book We have sent down to you, blessed, that they may ponder over its verses,⁴⁵ and so that those who are bestowed with reason may be reminded.⁴⁶

(38:30) And We bestowed Sulayman on Da’ud - an excellent slave⁴⁷ who was an unfailing penitent.⁴⁸

(38:31) When there were presented to him in the afternoon nobly-bred⁴⁹ swift footed steeds.⁵⁰

(38:32) He said, ‘Truly, I preferred lovable good things⁵¹ (over) My Lord’s remembrance⁵² – until they hid behind the veil (of darkness)⁵³ -

(38:33) Bring them back to me.’ Then he began to stroke (their) shanks and necks.⁵⁴

(38:34) Surely We tried Sulayman and cast on his chair a (mere) body;⁵⁵ then he returned penitent.

(38:35) He said, ‘My Lord, forgive me,⁵⁶ and bestow on me a kingdom that should not be the share of anyone after me.⁵⁷ Surely, You are the Great Bestower.’

(38:36) So We subjected the wind to him flowing gently by his command whithersoever he directed.⁵⁸

(38:37) (We also subjugated) the Shayatin to him (including) every builder and diver.

(38:38) And others bound together in fetters.⁵⁹

(38:39) This is Our bestowal, therefore, bestow or withhold, without account.⁶⁰

(38:40) And indeed, he has closeness to Us, and a fair resort.

Commentary

42. It is common observance that the pious suffer at the hands of corrupt individuals and societies. If there is no Day of Reckoning, then the obvious conclusion is that life on earth is entirely futile. The Day of Reckoning therefore, is a demand of reason. This connects this ayah with the previous one (Razi, Ibn Kathir reworded). See Asad’s comment below.

43. Asad discusses the issue of disbelief: “i.e., a deliberate rejection of the belief that the universe – and, in particular, human life – is imbued with meaning and purpose leads unavoidably – though sometimes imperceptibly – to a rejection of all moral imperatives, to spiritual blindness and, hence, to suffer in the life to come.”

44. Asad again: “By implication, belief in resurrection, judgment and life after death is postulated in this passage (verses 27-28) as a logical corollary – almost a premise – of all belief in God: for, since we see that many righteous people suffer all manner of misery and deprivations in this world, while, on the other hand, many of the wicked and depraved enjoy their lives in peace and affluence, we must either assume that God does not exist (because the concept of injustice is incompatible with that of Godhead), or – alternatively – that there is a hereafter in which both the righteous and the unrighteous will harvest in full what they had morally sown during their lives on earth.”

45. Hasan said, “By Allah, a man did not ponder over the Qur’an if he memorized its words, but wasted away its commands and prohibitions. One of them says, ‘I have read whole of the Qur’an,’ but, in actual fact, the Qur’an is not visible in his behavior and dealings” (Ibn Kathir).

46. “The creation of the heaven and earth, and what is between them is not a falsehood, and is not built on a false premise. It is 'the truth,' and has been established on the truth. It is from this truth that spring forth all the rights: the right of Khilafah in the earth, the right to judge between the people, the right to reshape people’s emotions and activities so that, not rendered equal are those who believe and live righteously and those who spread corruption in the earth, nor should the weight of the pious be equal to that of the wicked. The truth that this blessed Book has brought and which Allah has revealed in order that men of reason ponder over its content and so that men of reason may be reminded of the true basis upon which this universe is built: such truths as are imperceptible to the unbelievers, for, their nature does not match with the basic truths behind the construction of this world; moreover, they have evil ideas about their Lord, and, therefore, cannot attain to any of the noble characteristics of the truth – ‘That is the assumption of those who have disbelieved. Woe then, unto those who have disbelieved, because of the Fire.’

“Allah’s laws for the people are just one part of a set of laws that govern the universe. The Book that He has sent down expounds the truth upon which the universe is established. The justice that is demanded of the vicegerents in the earth, and of the rulers, is only a part of the whole truth. People’s affairs will never be righted but when this part matches with the whole of the set of laws operating this universe. Any deviation from Allah’s laws and the truth, in vicegerency and in delivering justice, is a deviation from the Truth upon which the universe is built and run. This is a matter of great consequence. It should be obvious that any clash with the great overwhelming Truth will only result in the destruction of those that clash against it. The transgressing deviators, deviating from Allah’s ways and laws operating the universe, cannot thrive for long. It is not possible for such of them, with weak forces in their command, to stand up for long against the irresistible grinding force of the truth.

“This is what should the ponderers think over, and the men of reason should be reminded of” (Sayyid).

It is the irony of times that, as these words are being written at the end of 2011, the world, with the West in the forefront, faces a a melt-down - material, economic, social, political, and civilizational - and a predicted complete collapse within a decade or two, Sayyid's commentary is banned in the leading nations of the world! (Au.).

47. Although Jews and Christians also consider him as of the patriarchs, we could contrast this Qur’anic description with Biblical tributes:

He married Fir`awn’s daughter:

“Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh, king of Egypt; he took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the city of David...” (1Kings, 3: 1).

This and other pagan wives that Solomon had taken, corrupted his faith:

“Now, King Solomon loved many foreign women: the daughter of Pharaoh, and Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, ‘You shall not enter into marriage with them.’ Solomon clung to these in love. He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods. And the Lord was angry with Solomon.” (1 Kings, 11: 1-9).

Here is another tribute to Solomon from the Jews and Christians:

Solomon was cruel and oppressive, “And they sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came and said to Rehoboam (Solomon’s son who took control after his death: Au.), ‘Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore, lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke upon us, and we will serve you.’” (2 Chr. 10: 3-5).

Yet, when the Jews and Christians are told, “Your Scriptures have been corrupted, and, therefore, the world needs another incorruptible Scripture,” they stare at the Muslims anger and disbelief (Au.).

48. Ibn Abi Hatim preserved Mak-hul who reported that Sulayman was much devoted to Allah. When Allah (swt) had bestowed him to Da’ud (and he had grown) he asked him, “My little son, what is the best thing (in life)?” He replied, “Tranquility from Allah, and belief in Him.” He asked, “And what is the worst?” He replied, “Disbelief after belief.” He asked, “And which is the sweetest?” He answered, “Allah’s mercy among His slaves.” He asked, “And what is the coolest?” He answered, “Allah’s forgiveness of the people and people’s forgiveness of each other.” Da’ud remarked, “Then you are a Prophet” (Ibn Kathir); meaning perhaps, that “you are a Prophet in the making” (Au.).

49. “Safinat” (sing. “Safin”) has its root in “safinatun” meaning, to stand. It is used for a horse when it stands on its three legs, raising the front fourth, just touching its hoof to the ground. Obviously, a beautiful image. The same is stated in Jalalayn.

50. Note the description, write Zamakhshari and Razi: the steeds were a beautiful sight when standing, and the speediest when galloping.

Ibrahim al-Taymi has stated, writes Ibn Jarir, that these horses had wings. Ibn Kathir reminds us of a hadith in Abu Da’ud (but whose trustworthiness could not be established: Au.). It says: `A’isha reports that as the Prophet (saws) returned from Tabuk, or perhaps Khayber, the wind blew the curtain over a niche to disclose her dolls. He asked, “What are these `A’isha?” She told him they were her dolls. He saw among them a horse with wings made from cloth. He asked, “Whatever is this one in the middle?” She said, “A horse.” He asked, “And what is it over (its back)?” I said, “Wings”. He remarked, “A horse with wings?!” She replied, “Have you not heard that Sulayman had horses with wings?” She said, “The Prophet smiled until I could see his teeth” (Ibn Kathir).

(What dampens the report, Ibn Hajr writes in Fat-h that if we take earlier of the two campaigns, viz., Khayber, then `A’isha’s age at that time must have been at least fourteen: not an age in which girls play with dolls).

It was not an age, especially for `A’isha who had undergone precocious development to be playing with dolls, an occupation of Arab girls of age up to five or six. Sayyid Sulayman Nadwi has treated the report (cf. Sirat-e-`A’isha) as belonging to the Makkan phase (Au.).

51. The words:should be understood as,and the allusion by “khayr” is either to horses or material wealth (Ibn Jarir).

Imam Razi prefers the literal meaning viz., “I love the love of the good things,” or, in different words, “I approve of my love of good things (such as horses readied for Jihad).”

Horses are, remind Zamakhshari and Qurtubi, of the good things of this life. Our Prophet (saws) has said, (as in a hadith of Bukhari and several other collections: Au.),“Good is fastened to the forehead of horses until the Day of Judgment.”

In fact, many commentators have pointed out that in Arabic the word “khayr” is used both for material goods as well as – metaphorically - for horses.

52. Although it has been said by some of the Salaf that the allusion by Sulayman’s neglect of Allah’s remembrance was to the missing of Salah al-`Asr, the question remains open (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

While on this topic we might add the following. Ahmad has a narrative which says that Abu Qatadah and Abu Dahman used to travel to the Sacred House quite frequently. Once they met a Bedouin. He said, “The Prophet had takenmy hand in his and had taught me of what Allah the Great had taught him. He ended by saying,

Place the Arabic text here ????

‘You will not give up a thing in fear of Allah, but Allah will give you better than that’” (Ibn Kathir).

53. That is, writes Razi, Sulayman kept repeating the words until sunset. Qurtubi expresses the possibility that Sulayman set the horses loose in a race and kept following them until they disappeared in the darkness of the evening.

Some commentators have assumed that the pronoun in the word “rudduha” is for the sun. That is, the sun was brought back so that he could offer his `Asr Prayer. But expert exegetes have rejected it. In fact, another report of this pattern is taken around to the effect that the Prophet (saws) had ordered the sun back after it had set for the sake of `Ali who had not done his `Asr. But the narrative is fake and a Shi`ah invention (Qurtubi).

54. Although some earlier scholars have thought that the words: “he began to stroke (their) shanks and necks” allude to ordering them slaughtered, Ibn Jarir does not see any need for abandoning the apparent meaning. Qurtubi reports that when `Ali was told of this opinion of Ka`b, he said Ka`b had lied. (Ka`b is well-known for his narratives of Jewish origin: Alusi). Referring to the hadith of this connection as found in Tabarani’s Al-Kabir, Haythami remarked that it is weak (Au.).

A straightforward meaning of the passage is as follows: Allah instructed our Prophet to bear the rejection of his message with patience. He gave him the example first of Da’ud, and then, in this passage, of Sulayman. (Although given a matchless kingdom: Au.), the latter was interested in Jihad more than other modes of devotion. Accordingly, he had got prepared finest quality horses and was examining them until sunset. After the sunset he asked the stable-keepers to bring them back and began to stroke their shanks and necks to judge their strength and readiness. All the rest that has been said, he adds, (which we have cut out for brevity: Au.), does not fit into the context and cannot be attributed to a Prophet of such caliber as whose example our own Prophet was asked to follow.

A report coming from Ibn `Abbas, as presented by Mufti Shafi`, is close to the above in its essence (Au.).

55. Several narratives have come down explaining this particular ayah, but none reliable. They state in sum and substance that Sulayman carried a ring on his finger that he had inherited from Da’ud and which held the secret of his control over the kingdom, and, therefore, which he would never remove. However, a Jinn was somehow able to lay his hand on the ring. He changed his own form and assumed Sulayman’s resemblance. Then he disbanded him, expelled him, occupied his throne, and ruled over his kingdom for forty days, until Sulayman managed to regain his ring. None of the chains of these tales is trustworthy, and the stories, (of which there are many versions, with additions and deletions), are straight out of mythical collections, perhaps with origins in Jewish Scriptures (Au.).

Ibn Kathir thinks that (even Jews would not like to make up such stories about Sulayman, therefore) these must have been fabricated by the perverts of thought (zanadiqa) among them. But Asad thinks they are of Talmudic origin.

(We can assume that Ibn Kathir was not well informed of the contents of Jewish literature, else he would not have expressed such positive opinion about them: Au.).

Imam Razi points out that if we are to imagine for a moment that the Jinn have the power to assume the form and figure of Prophets, then, surely, that will pull down the entire religious structure. Nothing would remain believable thereafter. A variety of explanations therefore, could be offered to this passage, such as, (as proposed by Zamakhshari), it was Sulayman himself who was cast on the throne as if a mere body, perhaps because of a temporary sickness. Another possibility is that the hadith that speaks of Sulayman going into seventy of his wives in a night could be alluding to this ayah. The hadith (one of whose versions is in Bukhari: Au.) says,On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, the Prophet (saws) said, “Sulayman b. Da’ud, on whom be peace, said, ‘This night I shall go around visiting my hundred or ninety-nine wives. Every one of them shall beget a fighter in the way of Allah.’ One of his companion said, ‘Allah willing.’ But Sulayman did not say, ‘Allah willing.’ So, none of his wives bore child except one which ended in a stillbirth. By Allah in whose hand is my life, if he had said, ‘Allah willing,’ they would have all fought in the way of Allah.” Qurtubi also mentions this hadith as a possible explanation.

A contemporary commentator divided the hours of the night with the number of wives to demonstrate the impossibility of the event. We could as well divide the distance between the earth and the heaven by the hours of a night to prove the impossibility of a Prophet covering the distance at the speed obtained. Or, work out the total amount of water required for a hundred people to make ablution, and the impossibility of so much water flowing out of a body. What we cannot ignore is that at the primary and earthly level of investigation and interaction, we humans are required to use reason and logic. But that does not give us license to try and understand miracles with the help of mathematical calculations (Au.).

Sayyid accepts the authenticity of the above report but does not see it connected with the explanation of this verse. Mufti Shafi` also states that although the narrative is trustworthy, none of its version says that this explains the ayah under question. Imam Bukhari, for instance, quotes this hadith under several chapters, but not in Kitab al-Tafsir. In short, it is best to leave unexplained what the Qur’an and hadith left unexplained.

What Bukhari wrote in connection with the Shayatin is as follows:

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, the Prophet (saws) said, “Yesterday one of the giants of the Jinn suddenly appeared before me so as to distract me from the Prayer. But Allah empowered me over him, and I considered tying him up to one of the pillars of the mosque so that you could see him in the morning. But I remembered the supplication of Sulayman who said, ‘My Lord bestow on me a kingdom that should not be the share of anyone after me,’...” Rawh, the narrator after Abu Hurayrah added, “So, he returned him (the Jinn) frustrated.” The narrative is also in Muslim and Nasa’i.

Another report of Muslim (recounts another incident),Abu Darda’ has been recorded as saying that once the Prophet stood up for Prayers. We heard him say, “I seek Allah’s refuge from you.” Then he said, “I curse you with Allah’s curse” – three times. And he stretched his hand as if he was trying to seize something.

When he was out of the Prayer we asked, “Messenger of Allah, you said in the Prayer something we have not heard from you earlier. And we saw you stretching your hand?!” He replied, “Allah’s enemy Iblis came with a ball of fire to hurl it at my face. I said, ‘I seek Allah’s refuge from you’ three times. Then I said, ‘I curse you by the complete curse of Allah,’ but he did not retreat - three times. Then I thought I should seize him. By Allah, if not for our brother Sulayman’s supplication, he would have found himself tied up, an object of sport for children of Madinah” (Ibn Kathir).

A report in Ahmad adds that it was the Fajr Prayers, and that he got confused in his recitation. The report is as follows:Abu Sa`id al-Khudri says the Prophet (saws) stood up for Fajr Prayer while he was behind him. He started reciting but seemed to founder. When he was finished he said, “Had you seen me and Iblis, I seized him and kept squeezing his neck until I felt the wetness of his saliva between my thumb and index finger. If not for my brother Sulayman’s supplication, he would have found himself tied to one of the pillars of the mosque, an object of sport for children of Madinah. So, whosoever can see to it that no one comes between him and the Qiblah, let him do it” (Ibn Kathir).

Alusi, Thanwi and Shafi` add: A question might arise here about men’s power over Jinns. Can any human subjugate a Jinn unto himself. Apparently, the Qur’anic verse in question denies this. But, we must make a difference between a Prophet subjugating the Jinn and Shayatin, as species, and an individual subjugating one or two of them (the latter being possible: Au.). Alusi writes his personal experience of one of his assembly. When a certain man was provoked, he demonstrated that he had subjugated a Jinn.

We might point out another difference: Sulayman’s subjugation was complete. He could even chain them - by Allah's leave. But ordinary humans do not enjoy such powers: Au.].

Another narrative, continues Ibn Kathir, in Ahmad has `Abdullah al-Daylami saying,“I entered upon `Abdullah ibn `Amr while he was in an orchard of his called Al-Waht in Ta’if. He had his hand in the hand of a Qurayshi youth who was alleged to be drinking wine. I said to him, ‘I have received a report from you which says, “Whoever took in a gulp of wine, will have Allah not accepting his repentance for forty days; and that the wretched is one who was wretched in his mother’s womb; and that whoever went to Bayt al-Maqdis with no other motive but to Pray in it, came out of his sins like the day his mother gave him birth.”

When the youth heard about wine-drinking, he withdrew his hand and left.

`Abdullah ibn `Amr said, “I do not allow anyone to fasten upon me what I have not said. I (have actually) heard the Prophet (saws) say, ‘Whoever of my Ummah took a drink of wine, will have Allah not accepting his Prayers for forty days. If he repented, Allah will forgive. But if he returned, his forty days of Prayers will not be accepted. If he repented, Allah will forgive. But if he returned, his forty days of Prayers will not be accepted. If he repented, Allah will forgive. ‘If he repeated,’ (the narrator added) I do not know the third or fourth time, ‘it is becoming of Allah that He should make him drink a mixture of puss and blood of the inhabitants of the Fire.’” Then he (`Abdullah ibn `Amr said), “I (also) heard the Prophet say, ‘Allah created His creation in darkness. Then He cast His Light upon them. So whoever received of His Nur that day is well-guided, but he who missed it, missed the way. I say that the Pen has dried upon the knowledge of Allah.’ And I also heard him say, ‘Sulayman asked Allah for three things. He granted him two and we hope the third will be granted to us also: He asked Him for a judgment that would agree with His own judgment. He granted it to him. He asked Him for a kingdom that will not be the share of any after him. He granted him. And he asked that if anyone came out of his house intending nothing but Prayers in this mosque, will come out of his sins like the day his mother gave him birth. And we hope that Allah would have granted him this (also).”

The above is supported in parts by a hadith in Nas a’i and Ibn Majah (Ibn Kathir).

56. Our own Prophet (saws) had said that he sought Allah’s forgiveness seventy times a day (Razi).

57. This tells us by implication, says Razi, that seeking Allah’s forgiveness can be the key to obtaining His blessings. Nuh (asws) had advised the same thing to his people when he said (11: 52):“O my people! Seek forgiveness of your Lord and then turn to him (in repentance). He will open up the sky in torrents upon you.”

A few others have thought however, that Sulayman wished it as a miracle of his own that he could use to strengthen his Message. Accordingly, he was given power over the Jinn, one of his specialties, which our own Prophet respected, when he refrained from tying up one of them to the mosque post.

58. This is how most of the Salaf explained the word “asab.” Zamakhshari, Imam Razi and Qurtubi quote a piece from Asma`i, the grammarian to prove the point. Zamakhshari offers another example.

59. Just as the Jinn are invisible, their chains would also have been invisible (Shafi`).

60. That is, Allah (swt) had allowed Sulayman to manage his kingdom the way he wished, giving whom he wished, and withholding from whom he wished without the fear of accounting in the Hereafter. This is because Allah had combined in him both a plentifully rich kingdom as well as Prophethood. Now, a rich kingship requires expension. But the fear of accounting comes as a restraining factor, especially for a Prophet. In consequence, the benefits of kingship are severely curtailed. Therefore, Sulayman was assured that there would be no accounting for what he gave or what he withheld (Alusi and Thanwi in different words).

It was in any case known that a Prophet would never intentionally spend in a wrong cause (Ruh, Shafi`).

Our Prophet was given the choice. He was asked to choose between being “a slave and Messenger” or, “a king and Prophet.” He looked at Jibril as if consulting him who advised him to be “a slave and Messenger” (Ibn Kathir).