454 Page Notes

38 Surah Sad (continued)

Page 454 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 454 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 454 of the Quran contains verses 17 through 26 of Surah Sad (Chapter 38). Following the intense confrontation with the Makkan elite on the previous page, Allah commands the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to be patient and redirects his focus to the historical legacy of Prophet Dawud (David).

This page chronicles Dawud’s unparalleled spiritual strength, the unique miracles granted to him (the singing mountains and birds), a mysterious trial involving two litigants scaling his sanctuary walls, his immediate repentance, and his divine appointment as a vicegerent (Khalifah) bound to absolute justice.

The Hadith and Sunnah provide rich, practical context for these verses, establishing Dawud as a pinnacle of physical and spiritual devotion.

1. The Spiritual Prowess of Dawud (Verses 17–20)

In verse 17, Allah says: "Bear with patience what they say, and remember Our servant Dawud, endued with strength (Dha-l-Ayd). Verily, he was ever oft-returning [in repentance]."

The Sunnah explicitly unpacks what this "strength" looked like in daily practice. It wasn't merely physical muscle; it was an extraordinary capacity for continuous Ibadah (worship) without burning out.

The Most Beloved Prayer and Fasting

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ held up the lifestyle of Dawud described on this page as the gold standard of balanced, rigorous devotion:

Narrated Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, "The most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of Dawud, and the most beloved fasting to Allah is the fasting of Dawud. He used to sleep for half of the night, stand in prayer for a third of it, and sleep for a sixth of it. And he used to fast alternate days; and he never fled when confronting the enemy." (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1131; Sahih Muslim, 1159).

The Discovery of the Mid-Morning Prayer (Salat ad-Duha)

Verses 18 and 19 describe how the mountains and birds were subjected to glorify Allah alongside Dawud "in the evening and after sunrise (al-Ishraq)." The Sunnah connects this directly to a specific ritual prayer:

Abdullah bin Abbas was asked whether the mid-morning prayer (Salat ad-Duha) had a baseline in the Quran. He replied that he used to look for it until he deeply analyzed this page of Surah Sad. He noted: "I found it in the statement of Allah, 'glorifying Our praises with him in the evening and after sunrise (al-Ishraq).' The prayer at sunrise is Salat ad-Duha." (Recorded by Ibn Jarir al-Tabari in his Tafsir; cited by Ibn Kathir).

2. The Prostration of Surah Sad (Verses 21–25)

Verses 21–24 recount the trial where two litigants unexpectedly scaled the walls of Dawud's private prayer chamber (Mihrab). Recognizing this event as a divine test of his judgment, verse 24 notes: "...and Dawud fell down prostrating and turned to Allah in repentance."

Is it a Mandatory Prostration of Recitation (Sajdah al-Tilawah)?

The Sunnah addresses the legal and ritual nature of the prostration found on this page. While standard prostrations in the Quran are acts of pure submission, Dawud’s prostration was explicitly an act of deep repentance.

Narrated Ibn Abbas: "The prostration in Surah Sad is not one of the mandatory prostrations (of recitation), but I saw the Prophet ﷺ prostrating when reciting it." (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1069).

To clarify why the Prophet ﷺ prostrated during this verse if it wasn't strictly mandatory, another authentic narration provides the baseline:

Said bin Jubair reported that Ibn Abbas said: "The Prophet Dawud prostrated as an expression of repentance, and we prostrate (at this verse) as a token of gratitude because Allah accepted his repentance." (Sunan an-Nasa'i, 957; Sunan al-Tirmidhi).

Furthermore, the Sunnah establishes that following the exact guidance of previous prophets is a direct divine command:

Mujahid narrated that he asked Ibn Abbas, "Should I prostrate in Surah Sad?" Ibn Abbas recited from Surah al-An'am: 'Those were the ones whom Allah guided, so follow their guidance' (6:90), and then said, "Dawud was among those whom your Prophet ﷺ was commanded to follow." (Sahih al-Bukhari, 4807).

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. I. (c. 846). Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Prostration during Quranic Recitation).

• Al-Tabari, I. J. (d. 923). Jami' al-Bayan 'an Ta'wil ay al-Qur'an (Commentary on Surah Sad).

• An-Nasa'i, A. S. (c. 915). Sunan an-Nasa'i (The Book of Al-Iftitah).

• Ibn Kathir, I. O. (d. 1373). Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim (Vol. 7, Exegesis of Surah Sad verses 17–26).

• Muslim, I. H. (c. 875). Sahih Muslim (Book of Fasting).

Page 454 of the Qur'an contains Surah Sad (Chapter 38), verses 17 through 26. This page transitions from the stubbornness of the Meccan polytheists to the historical example of Prophet Dawud (David). It highlights his immense physical and spiritual strength, the glorification of nature alongside his prayers, and his supreme test of judgment when two disputing litigants climbed over his private chamber walls.

Classical works of Tafsir (including Ibn Kathir, Al-Qurtubi, and Al-Tabari) connect these verses to several authentic Hadiths and principles of the Sunnah:

1. Verses 17–20: The Spiritual and Physical Strength of Dawud

"Be patient over what they say and remember Our servant, Dawud, the possessor of strength; indeed, he was one who repeatedly turned [to Allah]. Indeed, We subjected the mountains to praise with him, evening and morning. And the birds were gathered, all to him repeating [praise]. And We strengthened his kingdom and gave him wisdom and discernment in speech." (Surah Sad 38:17-20)

Relevant Hadith & Sunnah:

• The Ultimate Standard of Fasting and Prayer: Verse 17 calls Dawud "the possessor of strength" (Dhal-Ayd). The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ explicitly defined this strength not just as political or military power, but as unmatched spiritual endurance in worship.
  Sahih al-Bukhari (1131) & Sahih Muslim (1159): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of Dawud, and the most beloved fasting to Allah is the fasting of Dawud. He used to sleep for half the night, stand in prayer for a third of it, and sleep for a sixth of it. And he used to fast alternate days, and he never fled when he faced the enemy [the ultimate display of physical and spiritual strength]."

• The Beauty of His Voice: Verses 18 and 19 describe the mountains and birds echoing praises with Dawud because of the sheer beauty and power of his recitation of the Psalms (Zabur). The Prophet ﷺ referenced this unique musicality when praising his own companions:
  Sahih al-Bukhari (5048) & Sahih Muslim (793): The Prophet ﷺ passed by the companion Abu Musa al-Ash'ari while he was reciting the Qur'an at night. Mesmerized by his voice, the Prophet ﷺ told him the next day: "O Abu Musa! You have been given one of the musical wind-instruments (Mizmar) from the family of Dawud."

2. Verses 21–25: The Litigation and the Prostration of Dawud

"And has there come to you the news of the adversaries when they climbed over the wall of his private chamber?... [One said], 'Indeed this, my brother, has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe; so he said, "Entrust her to me," and he overpowered me in speech.' [Dawud] said, 'He has certainly wronged you in demanding your ewe...' And Dawud became certain that We had tried him, so he asked forgiveness of his Lord and fell down bowing (Sajada) and turned in repentance." (Surah Sad 38:21-25)

Relevant Hadith & Sunnah:

• The Prostration of Recitation (Sajdah al-Tilawah): Verse 24 concludes with Dawud falling down in prostration to seek forgiveness. This verse constitutes one of the designated physical prostrations required when reading the Qur'an. The Sunnah clarifies the exact nature and ruling of this specific Sajdah:
  Sahih al-Bukhari (4807): The companion Al-Awwam reported: I asked Ibn Abbas regarding the prostration in Surah Sad [verse 24]. Ibn Abbas replied: "It is not an absolute command [obligatory like a standard prayer], but I saw the Prophet ﷺ prostrating during its recitation."
  Sahih al-Bukhari (3422): In another narration, the companion Said ibn Jubayr reported that Ibn Abbas said: "Dawud prostrated as an act of repentance, and we prostrate out of gratitude [to commemorate Allah's forgiveness of Dawud]."

• The Etiquette of Judicial Discernment: Scholars of Islamic law use this passage to establish the Sunnah of judicial inquiry. Dawud initially passed a conceptual judgment based only on the first brother's complaint before fully hearing the cross-examination of the second. The Prophet ﷺ established a strict procedural Sunnah to prevent this judicial rush:
  Sunan Abi Dawud (3582) & Sunan al-Tirmidhi (1331): The Prophet ﷺ advised Ali ibn Abi Talib when appointing him as a judge: "When two litigants sit before you, do not judge for the first until you have heard the statement of the second, for it is more likely that the truth will become clear to you."

3. Verse 26: The Gravity of Just Governance

"O Dawud, indeed We have made you a successor (Khalifah) upon the earth, so judge between the people in truth and do not follow [your own] desire, as it will lead you astray from the way of Allah..." (Surah Sad 38:26)

Relevant Hadith & Sunnah:

• The Accountability of Leadership: This verse places an immense legal and moral burden on rulers. The Sunnah expands upon the severe consequences for those who breach this divine trust of governance.
  Sahih al-Bukhari (7151) & Sahih Muslim (142): The Prophet ﷺ said: "There is no governor who is appointed over a group of Muslims, and he dies while he was cheating or failing them, except that Allah will forbid him from entering Paradise."

• The Reward of the Just Ruler: Conversely, executing the command of verse 26 strictly yields the highest spiritual tier on the Day of Judgment:
  Sahih Muslim (1827): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Verily, those who are just in their governance will be upon pulpits of light in the presence of Allah, near the right hand of the Most Merciful—those who are just in their rulings, with their families, and over what they have been given authority."

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari. (Reference to Hadiths 1131, 3422, 4807, 5048, 7151).

• Al-Sijistani, Abu Dawud. (n.d.). Sunan Abi Dawud. (Reference to Hadith 3582).

• Al-Tirmidhi, M. (n.d.). Sunan al-Tirmidhi. (Reference to Hadith 1331).

• Ibn Kathir, I. (n.d.). Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim (Commentary on Surah Sad 38:17-26).

• Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim. (Reference to Hadiths 142, 793, 1159, 1827).

• Al-Tabari, I. J. (n.d.). Jami' al-Bayan 'an Ta'wil ay al-Qur'an (Tafsir al-Tabari).