Surah Sad, Ayah 26

October 30, 2025

يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ فَاحْكُم بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَىٰ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا نَسُوا يَوْمَ الْحِسَابِ

[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 Allah. Indeed, those who go astray from the way of Allah will have a severe punishment for having forgotten the Day of Account."

اے داؤد! ہم نے تمہیں زمین میں خلیفہ بنایا ہے، پس لوگوں کے درمیان حق کے ساتھ فیصلہ کرو اور خواہش کی پیروی نہ کرو کہ وہ تمہیں اللہ کے راستے سے بھٹکا دے۔ بے شک جو لوگ اللہ کے راستے سے بھٹک جاتے ہیں ان کے لیے سخت عذاب ہے اس وجہ سے کہ انہوں نے حساب کے دن کو بھلا دیا۔

Reflection

This verse addresses Prophet David as a ruler, establishing principles for just leadership. Allah appointed him as a "khalifah" (successor/steward) on earth, meaning a representative responsible for implementing divine justice. The command to "judge with truth" means making decisions based on justice and divine guidance, not personal preferences or biases. The warning against following desires (hawa) emphasizes that personal inclinations can lead even good leaders astray from Allah's path. The severe punishment mentioned is for those who forget the Day of Judgment and thus make decisions without considering their accountability to Allah. This teaches that leadership is a trust from Allah requiring justice and righteousness, that personal desires are dangerous for those in authority, that all decisions should be made with awareness of divine accountability, and that forgetting the afterlife leads to corruption and injustice. These principles apply to all forms of leadership and authority.

Context

This verse appears in Surah Sad, addressing Prophet David's role as a ruler. It establishes fundamental principles for just leadership and warns against the dangers of following personal desires in positions of authority.

Themes

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