ﲗ ﲘ ﲙ ﲚ ﲛ ﲜ ﲝ ﲞ ﲟ ﲠ ﲡ ﲢ ﲣ ﲤ ﲥ ﲦ ﲧ ﲨ ﲩ ﲪ ﲫ ﲬ ﲭ ﲮ ﲯ ﲰ ﲱ ﲲ ﲳ ﲴ ﲵ ﲶ ﲷ ﲸ ﲹ ﲺ ﲻ
[David] said, "He has certainly wronged you in demanding your ewe [in addition] to his ewes. And indeed, many associates oppress one another, except for those who believe and do righteous deeds - and few are they." And David became certain that We had tried him, and he asked forgiveness of his Lord and fell down bowing [in prostration] and turned in repentance [to Allah].
Tafsir
Verse range: 38:24
The Question: The word su’al (questioning/requesting) is a verbal noun (masdar) annexed to the object, as in His saying: {min du‘a’ al-khayr} (41:49). It implies the meaning of annexation, making it transitive, as if it were said: "by adding your ewe to his ewes by way of request and demand."
If you ask: How did he hasten to believe one of the two litigants and wrong the other before hearing his side? I say: He did not say that until after the other party confessed, though it is not narrated in the Quran because it is understood. It is reported that the man said, "I want to take it from him to complete my hundred ewes." David replied, "If you attempt that, we shall strike this and this of you," pointing to the tip of the nose and the forehead. The man replied, "O David, you are more deserving of having this and this struck from you, for you have done such and such." David looked, saw no one, and realized the trial he had fallen into.
{الخلطاء} (The Partners): Those who mix their wealth. The singular is khalit. This is khulta (partnership). It has become a technical term regarding livestock. Al-Shafi‘i (may Allah have mercy on him) considers it: if two men are partners in livestock that is undivided, or if each has separate livestock but their resting place, watering place, milking spot, shepherd, dog, and breeding males are shared, they pay zakat as one entity. If they have forty sheep, they owe one. If there are three of them and they have 120, each owning 40, they owe one, just as if it belonged to one person.
According to Abu Hanifa, khulta is not considered; the partner and the individual are the same. Thus, for forty sheep between two partners, he says there is nothing due, and for 120 between three, there are three sheep due.
If you ask: What do you say regarding this khulta? I say: They owe one sheep. According to Al-Shafi‘i, the owner of the single ewe must pay 1/100th of the value of the sheep. According to Abu Hanifa, he owes nothing.
If you ask: What was the purpose of mentioning the state of the khulata’ (partners) in that context? I say: It was intended as a good exhortation, encouraging the emulation of righteous partners—for whom the ruling was given—and to make the injustice and aggression common among most of them hateful to them, while expressing regret for their state and consoling the oppressed for what his partner did to him, showing him that he has an example in most partners.
{ليبغي} (To oppress): It is recited with a fatha on the ya’, assuming the light nun (nuna al-khafifa) which is then omitted, as in the verse: "Strike away from yourself the worries, the one who comes by night..." It is the response to an omitted oath. It is also recited li-yabghi with the ya’ omitted, sufficing with the kasra.
{وقليل ما هم} (And few are they): The "ma" is for ambiguity, expressing wonder at their scarcity. If you wish to verify its benefit and position, remove it—as in the verse of Imru’ al-Qays: "And a conversation, despite its brevity..."—and see if any meaning remains.
{أنما فتناه} (That We have tested him): Since the dominant assumption approaches certainty, it is borrowed for it. It means: David knew and was certain that "We have tested him"—that is, We have inevitably tried him with the wife of Uriah: will he remain steadfast or slip? It is also recited fattannahu with a shadda for emphasis.
{وخر راكعاً} (And he fell down bowing): The raki‘ (bowing) is used to represent the sajid (prostrating) because one bends and humbles oneself like the one prostrating. Abu Hanifa and his companions use this as evidence for the prostration of recitation, that bowing can take the place of prostration. Al-Hasan says: because one cannot be prostrating until one bows. It is also possible that he sought forgiveness from Allah for his sin and entered into two units of prayer for repentance; thus, the meaning is "he fell down bowing," i.e., praying, because bowing is used to represent prayer.
{وأناب} (And he turned): He returned to Allah Almighty with repentance and disavowal of the sin. It is reported that he remained prostrating for forty days and nights, not raising his head except for obligatory prayer or necessity, and his tears did not cease until grass grew from his tears to his head. He drank no water that was not two-thirds tears. He exhausted himself, desiring Allah’s pardon until he nearly perished, becoming so occupied with this that he neglected his kingdom, allowing his son, Isha, to rise against him and claim the throne. When Allah forgave him, he fought his son and defeated him. It is also said he tattooed his sin on his palm so he would not forget it.
Regarding the litigants: It is said they were humans, and the dispute was real. Either they were partners in sheep, or one was wealthy with many wives and concubines, while the other was poor with only one wife, and the wealthy one pressured him to give her up. David’s fear upon their entry at an improper time was that they were assassins. David’s only sin was that he believed one against the other and judged him before questioning the other.
