Tafsir of Sad 38:18

This is a new commencement (isti'naf) to clarify the story of Dawood, peace be upon him. It is suggested that it serves to provide a reason for his strength in religion and his constant returning to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. The particle ma'a (with) relates to sakhkharna (We subjected/subjugated), and its preference over the lam (as in "for him") is because the subjugation of the mountains for him was not by way of delegating total authority over them to him—as was the case with the subjugation of the wind and other things for Sulayman, peace be upon him—but rather by way of them following him in the worship of Allah, the Exalted.

The aforementioned adverbial phrase is placed after "the mountains," whereas in Surat al-Anbiya it is placed before, as in: Wa sakhkharna ma'a Dawuda al-jibala (And We subjected the mountains with Dawood). Some scholars have stated that this is because Dawood and Sulayman were mentioned there, so it was brought forward to hasten the identification, which is not the case here.

It is also suggested that it relates to His saying, the Almighty: Yusabbihna (they glorify), which is closer in proximity regarding the verse in al-Anbiya. Their glorification is a sanctification by an articulate tongue befitting them, similar to the glorification of pebbles heard in the palm of the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. It is also said: It is a sanctification by the tongue of state (lisan al-hal), though its restriction to the two times mentioned afterwards rejects this, as their glorification in state has no specific connection to these two times, nor is there any specific connection to it being "with him."

It is also said the meaning is: "They travel with him," based on yusabbihna being from sibaha (swimming/movement). The sentence is a state (hal) from "the mountains." The shift away from musabbihat (glorifiers), despite the base rule for a state being the singular/active participle, is to indicate the renewal of glorification, moment after moment, similar to the verse by al-A’sha: "By my life, many eyes have gazed towards the light of a fire on a high, burning ridge."

It is also suggested that it is a new commencement to explain the manner of the subjugation, and its pairing with mahshurah (gathered) here serves to indicate the state of being. Bi-l-'ashi (in the evening) is, as al-Raghib stated: from the decline of the sun until the morning; meaning they glorify during this time, and this does not provide a definitive text for it being occupied entirely by glorification.

[Wa-l-ishraq]: Meaning: and at the time of ishraq. Tha'lab said: It is said the sun sharqat (rose) if it appears, and ashraqat if it radiates light. Thus, the time of ishraq is the time of its elevation from the horizon and the clarity of its rays, which is the "lesser duha." It is reported from Umm Hani bint Abi Talib that the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, performed the Duha prayer and said: "This is the prayer of Ishraq."

'Abd al-Razzaq and 'Abd ibn Humayd extracted from 'Ata' al-Khurasani that Ibn 'Abbas said: "I always had some hesitation regarding the Duha prayer until I read this verse: Yusabbihna bi-l-'ashi wa-l-ishraq." In another narration from him, he said: "I did not recognize the Duha prayer except through this verse."

The way of understanding his report from the verse is: every glorification mentioned in the Qur'an is, according to him, a prayer, unless what is intended is amazement or declaring transcendence. Since it was a prayer for Dawood, peace be upon him, and it was narrated by way of praise, its legislation is known from it. In al-Kashshaf, the reasoning is that the verse indicates his specific devotion, peace be upon him, to these two times with glorification, and it is known from the report that he used to pray, glorifying during them; thus, the Qur'an recounts what he was upon, even if its manner was not mentioned. Therefore, the verse contains a mention of the Duha prayer, and that is what is sought. Or we say: the glorification of the mountains is different from the glorification of Dawood, peace be upon him, because the former is metaphorical, so the glorification of Dawood is also carried as metaphorical, because a metaphor is more appropriate to be paired with a metaphor.

This is rebutted by saying: If it is known from the report, how can it be said he took it from the verse? And metaphorical meaning should be minimized as much as possible. This is based on ma'ahu (with him) being related to yusabbihna, so that he, peace be upon him, is the one glorifying—that is, praying—otherwise, the glorification of the mountains provides no evidence for the prayer. Furthermore, in that case, it combines two metaphorical meanings, unless one asserts this or interprets it to mean "they venerate," and considers the veneration of each as carried upon what befits it. After all, it is not free from some obscurity. Al-Khafaji favored the first, but I see it as not being free from obscurity either.

Al-Jalabi said: In this regard, it is permissible to say that singling out these two times for mention indicates their distinctness with added honor; thus, that honor serves as a reason for designating them for prayer and worship, for the virtue of times and places has an effect on the virtue of the worship performed in them. This, in my opinion, is clearer than what preceded, and it is sensed by what al-Tabarani extracted in al-Awsat and Ibn Mardawayh from Ibn 'Abbas, who said: "I used to pass by this verse (Yusabbihna bi-l-'ashi wa-l-ishraq) and did not know what it was until Umm Hani told me that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, prayed the Duha prayer on the day of the conquest of Makkah, eight rak'ahs. Ibn 'Abbas then said: 'I had suspected that there was a prayer for this time,' because of His saying, the Exalted: Yusabbihna bi-l-'ashi wa-l-ishraq."

Furthermore, they have a long discussion regarding the Duha prayer. The truth is its sunnah status. Many authentic and famous hadiths have been reported regarding it, as Sheikh Wali al-Din ibn al-'Iraqi said, to the point that Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari said they have reached the level of tawatur. Among them is the hadith of Umm Hani found in the Sahihayn. It has been claimed that that prayer was a prayer of gratitude for that great conquest which happened to coincide with that time, not that it was a worship specifically for that time without a cause, or that it was a make-up for what had occupied the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, that night from his regular devotion—this contradicts the apparent meaning of the aforementioned report from her.

Likewise, what Abu Dawud narrated via Kurayb from her, that she said: "He prayed the Duha voluntary prayer," and Muslim in the book of Purification via Abu Murra from her as well, in which it states: "Then he prayed eight rak'ahs of the Duha voluntary prayer." And Ibn 'Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhid via 'Ikrimah ibn Khalid that she said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, came to Makkah and prayed eight rak'ahs, so I said: 'What is this prayer?' He said: 'This is the Duha prayer.'"

Those who argued for the negation used the hadith of 'Aishah: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, would leave a deed while he loves to perform it, fearing that people would perform it and then it would be made obligatory upon them. And the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, never performed the Duha voluntary prayer, but I perform it," narrated by al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, and Abu Malik. Those who affirm it interpreted this as a negation of her having seen him do it, since it is reported from her by Muslim, Ahmad, and Ibn Majah that she said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, used to pray Duha four rak'ahs and add whatever Allah, the Exalted, willed."

It is also witnessed that he, peace be upon him, used to pray it, according to what al-Hakim stated, by Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, Abu Sa'id, Zayd ibn Arqam, Abu Hurayrah, Buraydah al-Aslami, Abu al-Darda', 'Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa, 'Utban ibn Malik, 'Utbah ibn al-Sulami, Nu'aym ibn Hammam al-Ghatafi, Abu Umamah al-Bahili, Umm Hani, and Umm Salamah. Among the well-known principles is that the affirmer is prioritized over the negator, especially since the narrations of affirmation are far more numerous than the narrations of negation, and interpreting them is easier than interpreting the others.

The Shafi'is mentioned that it is the best voluntary prayer after the rawatib (regular sunnah prayers). However, al-Nawawi, in his commentary on al-Muhadhdhab, placed the Tarawih prayer before it, placing it in excellence between the rawatib and the Duha. The school of thought according to them is that it was obligatory upon him, peace be upon him, and that this was one of his specific characteristics, peace be upon him. They argued with what Ibn al-'Arabi extracted via his chain from 'Ikrimah from Ibn 'Abbas, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "The sacrifice was written upon me and not written upon you, and I was commanded to perform the Duha prayer and you were not commanded to do it." It was also narrated by al-Daraqutni. Sheikh and Hafiz Abu al-Fadl ibn Hajar said: "It has not been established in an authentic report," and in the reports, there is that which disturbs the assertion of that opinion.

He mentioned that its minimum is two rak'ahs, due to the report in al-Bukhari from Abu Hurayrah that he, peace be upon him, enjoined him to perform them and not leave them. The minimum of its perfection is four, as it is authentic that he, peace be upon him, used to pray Duha four and add whatever he willed—then six, then eight—and its maximum is twelve rak'ahs, due to a weak report which is acted upon in such matters. Many went to the opinion that the maximum is eight. They mentioned that it is from twelve, and a small amount of action may be superior to a large amount, so what your reward necessitates is according to your exertion; it is a general rule.

Ibn Hajar al-Haytami, may he be shown mercy, explicitly stated the distinction between the Duha prayer and the Ishraq prayer. He said: "Among that which is not legislated in congregation is two rak'ahs following the sunrise (ishraq) after the time of prohibition has expired, and it is other than the Duha." I have presented to you that which suggests their unity, and other reports indicate it as well. It is held correct to apply the name "Prayer of the Awwabin" to the Duha prayer, just as it is applied to the well-known prayer after Maghrib. This is the completion of the discussion regarding it in the books of jurisprudence and hadith.