Verses 73–81
21. Al-Anbiyaa · The Prophets
Makkan112 verses
وَجَعَلْنَٰهُمْ أَئِمَّةًۭ يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْهِمْ فِعْلَ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ وَإِقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَإِيتَآءَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةِ ۖ وَكَانُوا۟ لَنَا عَٰبِدِينَ
21:73We made them imams, guiding by Our command, and We revealed to them [concerning] the performance of good deeds, the maintenance of prayers, and the giving of zakat, and they used to worship Us.1
وَلُوطًا ءَاتَيْنَٰهُ حُكْمًۭا وَعِلْمًۭا وَنَجَّيْنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلْقَرْيَةِ ٱلَّتِى كَانَت تَّعْمَلُ ٱلْخَبَٰٓئِثَ ۗ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ قَوْمَ سَوْءٍۢ فَٰسِقِينَ
21:74We gave judgement and knowledge to Lot, and We delivered him from the town which used to commit vicious acts. Indeed, they were an evil and depraved lot.
وَأَدْخَلْنَٰهُ فِى رَحْمَتِنَآ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ
21:75And We admitted him into Our mercy. Indeed, he was one of the righteous.
وَنُوحًا إِذْ نَادَىٰ مِن قَبْلُ فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ فَنَجَّيْنَٰهُ وَأَهْلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلْكَرْبِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
21:76And before that Noah, when he called out, We responded to him and delivered him and his family from the great agony.
وَنَصَرْنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ قَوْمَ سَوْءٍۢ فَأَغْرَقْنَٰهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
21:77And We helped him against the people who denied Our signs. They were indeed an evil lot; so We drowned them all.
وَدَاوُۥدَ وَسُلَيْمَٰنَ إِذْ يَحْكُمَانِ فِى ٱلْحَرْثِ إِذْ نَفَشَتْ فِيهِ غَنَمُ ٱلْقَوْمِ وَكُنَّا لِحُكْمِهِمْ شَٰهِدِينَ
21:78And [remember] David and Solomon when they gave judgement concerning the tillage when the sheep of some people strayed into it by night, and We were witness to their judgement.2
فَفَهَّمْنَٰهَا سُلَيْمَٰنَ ۚ وَكُلًّا ءَاتَيْنَا حُكْمًۭا وَعِلْمًۭا ۚ وَسَخَّرْنَا مَعَ دَاوُۥدَ ٱلْجِبَالَ يُسَبِّحْنَ وَٱلطَّيْرَ ۚ وَكُنَّا فَٰعِلِينَ
21:79We gave its understanding to Solomon, and to each We gave judgement and knowledge. We disposed the mountains and the birds to glorify [Us] with David, and We have been the doer [of these things].
وَعَلَّمْنَٰهُ صَنْعَةَ لَبُوسٍۢ لَّكُمْ لِتُحْصِنَكُم مِّنۢ بَأْسِكُمْ ۖ فَهَلْ أَنتُمْ شَٰكِرُونَ
21:80We taught him the making of coats of mail for you, to protect you from your [own] violence. Will you then be grateful?
وَلِسُلَيْمَٰنَ ٱلرِّيحَ عَاصِفَةًۭ تَجْرِى بِأَمْرِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلَّتِى بَٰرَكْنَا فِيهَا ۚ وَكُنَّا بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَٰلِمِينَ
21:81And [We disposed] for Solomon the tempestuous wind which blew by his command toward the land which We have blessed, and We have knowledge of all things.3
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 78
1.A famous incident is as follows: One night, the goats of a man entered the field of another man and damaged it. In the morning this case was filed in the court of Dawood (a.s.). He estimated the loss and gave judgment that goats should be given to the owner of the field. Sulaiman (a.s.) said O father! It would be better that the owner of the field would make some profit by the goats and the owner of the goats repair his field and then the goats should return to their owner. Dawood (a.s.) liked his decision and then people started discussing that how could there be a difference created between these two prophets. Allah declared about their power and solved their problem that the fundamental law was same and that Dawood (a.s.) stated his decision while after that Allah, to express Sulaiman’s (a.s.) status of knowledge, cancelled Dawood’s (a.s.) decision and announced the dignity of knowledge of Sulaiman (a.s.) so that he could be nominated as Dawood’s (a.s.) deputy and Caliph and no disturbance would be created in the community and these examples are present only to confirm a Prophet thus there is nothing surprising in the matter of two Prophets.
Verse 79
2.Birds collected together to listen to the voice of Dawood (a.s.) and his voice was having an effect upon them but it is a surprise that there is no effect of Holy Quran on people and they increase in deviation day by day.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
Benefit
The condition of “guided by Our Commands” with regard to Imamate is there to separate it from leadership of falsehood, where instead of guidance and obedience there is invitation towards Hell.
- 1
Five things are necessary for Imamate of the people: I) He should guide by Allah’s command 2) He should do good 3) Should establish prayer 4) Should pay Zakat 5) Should continue to worship Allah in all circumstances and there should be nothing against divine will.
- 2
Harth - A farm or an Orchard. Nafash - The grazing of the animals at night without. Shepherd.
- 3
Laboos - Armour. It is well-known about Dawood (a.s.) that one day he asked a passer-by what he thought of Dawood. The man replied that he was a very fine person indeed provided he does not take his personal expenses from the public treasury. Dawood (a.s.) decided not to take anything from the Baitul Maal for himself in the future. The Almighty liked this so much that he rewarded Dawood (a.s) with the power to soften metals with his hand. He used to make armours and sell them for his personal upkeep.
Benefit
Please note that the difference of opinion between Dawood (a.s.) and Sulaiman (a.s.) is regaining the compensation of the loss.