Surah Sad, Ayah 26
Quran 38:26 · The Letter "Saad" · Makki · Para 23 · Page 454
یٰدَاوٗدُ اِنَّا جَعَلْنٰكَ خَلِیْفَةً فِی الْاَرْضِ فَاحْكُمْ بَیْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوٰی فَیُضِلَّكَ عَنْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰهِ ؕ اِنَّ الَّذِیْنَ یَضِلُّوْنَ عَنْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِیْدٌۢ بِمَا نَسُوْا یَوْمَ الْحِسَابِ ۟۠
Transliteration
Ya dawoodu inna jaAAalnakakhaleefatan fee al-ardi fahkum bayna annasibilhaqqi wala tattabiAAi alhawa fayudillakaAAan sabeeli Allahi inna allatheena yadilloonaAAan sabeeli Allahi lahum AAathabun shadeedun bimanasoo yawma alhisab
Saheeh International
[We said], "O David, indeed We have made you a successor 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 Allāh." Indeed, those who go astray from the way of Allāh will have a severe punishment for having forgotten the Day of Account.
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
O David, I made you a deputy on earth to execute worldly and religious rulings and judgments, so judge between people with justice. And do not follow desires in your judgement between people, by inclining towards one of the disputants due to relationship or friendship, or by turning away from him due to enmity, whereby desires will misguide you from Allah’s straight path. Those who go astray from Allah’s straight path will have a severe punishment due to their forgetting the day of reckoning, because if they were to remember it and fear it they would not incline to their desires.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
O Dawud! Verily, We have placed you as a successor on the earth; so judge you between men in truth (and justice) and follow not your desire – for it will mislead you from the path of Allah. Verily, those who wander astray from the path of Allah (shall) have a severe torment, because they forgot the Day of Reckoni (26)
Advice to Rulers and Leaders
This is advice from Allah, may He be exalted, to those who are in positions of authority. They should rule according to the truth and justice revealed from Him, they should not turn away from it and be led astray from the path of Allah. Allah has issued a stern warning of a severe punishment to those who go astray from His path and forget the Day of Resurrection.
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibrahim Abu Zur'ah, who read the Scripture, reported that Al-Walid bin 'Abd Al-Malik said to him: "Does anyone have the right to question the Khalifah? You have read the first Scripture and the Qur'an, and you have understood them." He replied, "May I speak, O Commander of the faithful?" He said, "Speak, for you are under the protection of Allah." I said, "O Commander of the faithful, are you more dear to Allah, or Dawud, peace be upon him For Allah gave him both prophethood and rulership, then He warned him in His Book:
يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَىٰ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ
(O Dawud ! Verily, We have placed you as a successor on the earth; so judge you between men in truth (and justice) and follow not your desire – for it will mislead you from the path of Allah)." 'Ikrimah said:
لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا نَسُوا يَوْمَ الْحِسَابِ
((Those shall) have a severe torment, because they forgot the Day of Reckoning.) "They will have a severe punishment on the Day of Reckoning because of what they forgot. " As-Suddi said, "They will have a severe punishment because of what they neglected to do for the sake of the Day of Reckoning." This interpretation is more in accordance with the apparent meaning of the Ayah. And Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is the Guide to the Truth.