His saying, exalted and majestic is He:

"And has the news of the dispute reached you when they climbed over the wall into the prayer chamber?" "When they entered upon David and he was frightened of them, they said, 'Fear not. We are two disputants; one of us has wronged the other. So judge between us with truth and do not be unjust, and guide us to the sound path.'" "Indeed, this is my brother; he has ninety-nine sheep, and I have one sheep. So he said, 'Entrust her to me,' and he has been aggressive in his speech.'" "He said, 'He has certainly wronged you by asking for your sheep to add to his own. And indeed, many of the partners oppress one another, except for those who believe and do righteous deeds. And very few are they.' And David thought that We had certainly tried him, so he sought forgiveness of his Lord and fell down prostrating and turned in repentance."

This is an address to the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and it begins with a question in amazement at the story and to magnify it; for the meaning is: Has this astonishing matter reached you, which is a lesson? So it is as if this question is merely a preparation of the addressee's soul and a readiness for reception. And "the dispute" - is used in the same way as "justice and falsehood" - can be described with it for one, two, or many, and from it is the saying of Labid:

"And a dispute that counts the drops as if they were ** lions that are fierce against every blooming flower."

And this verse can imply that the ones who climbed over the wall were only two; for the essence of the dispute was only between two, so the pronouns in: "they climbed" and "they entered" and "they said" come in the form of a collective expression, and it is possible that he came with each group like a supporter or a companion, so it would apply to all of them as "a dispute," and the pronouns would be literal.

And "they climbed" means: they ascended its wall, and it is the plural of "wall," which is a piece of construction, and this is as you say: I climbed the wall or the camel when you ascended its hump. And "the prayer chamber" is the highest place in the palace or the mosque, and it is the place of worship, and the operative in the first "when" is "the news," and it is said: "has reached you," and the operative in the second is "they climbed," and it is said: it is a substitute for the first.

And His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "And he was frightened of them" can imply that his fright was from the intruders themselves so that they would not harm him, and he was frightened because they entered without permission and through the wall, and it is said that this was at night, as mentioned by Al-Tha'labi. And it is possible that his fright was from the fact that the people of his kingdom had despised him until some of them neglected to ask for permission, so his fright would be due to the corruption of conduct, not from the intruders, and it is possible that their saying: "Fear not" indicates that they understood his fright.

And here are stories that people have elaborated on, and the narrations regarding it have differed. It is necessary to mention from it what the interpretation of the verse cannot stand without. There is no disagreement among the people of interpretation that they were indeed angels whom Allah sent as a parable for Dawud, blessings and peace be upon him. They disputed with him regarding a matter that he had encountered in a similar situation. So he issued a ruling that was relevant to his case. When he realized and understood the intended meaning, he fell down and repented and sought forgiveness. As for his incident, it is narrated that he, blessings and peace be upon him, sat among a gathering of the Children of Israel and was impressed by his own deeds. What appeared from him indicated that he did not fear for himself the trial. It is said that he had a conversation with the two angels who were guarding him. He said, 'Test me one day, for even if you are absent from me, I will not commit an evil act.' Al-Suddi said: Dawud had divided his time: one day to judge between the people, one day for his worship, and one day for his own affairs. He was tempted on the day he was free for worship when he wished to be granted the same favor as Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Yaqub, blessings and peace be upon them, and he committed to being tested as they were tested. It is said that the reason is different from this, which is an elaboration that is not correct.

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, said: One day Dawud engaged in his worship, isolating himself in his prayer niche, praying and glorifying Allah, when a bird entered upon him through a window and landed before him. It is narrated that it was a beautiful bird, a dove. Dawud extended his hand to catch it, but it continued to entice him and he followed it until it ascended to the window from which it had entered. He climbed up to catch it, and the bird moved aside for him. Dawud looked and saw a woman bathing naked. He saw a beautiful sight and was captivated by it. Then she became aware of him and let her hair down over her body, covering herself with it, which increased his desire for her. Then he turned away and inquired about her, and he was informed that she was the wife of a man from his army named 'Uriah,' and that he was in a certain campaign. It is narrated that he wrote to the commander of that war to send a certain person to fight near the Ark, a place from which few escape. So he was sent and was martyred there. It is narrated that Dawud wrote that this man should be appointed over a group of men, and they would be sent into battles and difficult fronts of war until he was killed in the third wave of his attacks. It was reported that Dawud, blessings and peace be upon him, had ninety-nine wives. When the letter came to him about the killing of those who were killed in his war, he would mourn and grieve every time a man was mentioned. When the name of the man came, he said, 'Death has been decreed upon every soul.' Then he proposed to the woman and married her, and she became the mother of Sulayman, blessings and peace be upon him, according to what has been narrated from Qatadah. Then Allah, glorified and exalted is He, sent the dispute to him to rule that this was injustice. A group said that all of this was merely what Dawud intended and he did not do it, and the reproach is for the intention. Others said that the mistake was that he did not grieve for him as he grieved for others from the soldiers, as he had the matter of the woman.

The judge Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The narrators of the first account are more numerous. In the books of the Children of Israel regarding this story, there are images that are not appropriate. And it has been narrated by storytellers at the beginning of this verse. Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Whoever narrates what these storytellers have said regarding the matter of Dawud, peace be upon him, I will punish him with two punishments for the violation of the sanctity of one whom Allah has elevated in status.

And His saying, the Exalted: "Two disputants" [Al-Hajj: 19] means: We are two disputants. This is like the saying of the poet:

And say when you have crossed the land of 'Amir, And you have crossed the two tribes, Nahd and Kha'khama.

Two from the tribe of Jarm ibn Zabban, indeed they Refused to provide supplies in the battles of the weak.

And similar is the saying of the Arabs in the proverb: "A benefactor is a Fihili," and the meaning is: You are a benefactor. And from it is his saying, blessings and peace be upon him: "Returning and repenting."

And "bakhy" means: to transgress and to extend. From it is the saying of the poet:

But the young man, son of Badr, Transgressed, and transgression is his pasture and abode.

And His saying: "So judge between us with truth and do not be unjust" is a sternness towards the judge and a call for his justice. And this is not from doubt in him. From it is the saying of the man to the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him: "So judge between us by the Book of Allah." The majority read: "Do not be unjust" with the 'ta' pronounced with a damma and the first 'ta' with a kasra, meaning: And do not exceed in your judgment. Abu Raja and Qatadah read it with the 'ta' opened and the first 'ta' with a damma, which is the reading of Al-Hasan and Al-Jahdari. The meaning is: And do not stray far. It is said: Shatta if he strayed far, and Ashtatta if he caused another to stray far. And Zirr ibn Hubaysh read: "Do not stray" with the 'ta' pronounced with a damma and an 'alif' after the 'sheen.' And "the straight path" means: the middle of the road and its edge.

And His saying: "Indeed, this is my brother"; the grammatical analysis of "my brother" is an apposition. This is because what has occurred from these matters is a description like creation, character, and other attributes. It is indeed a pure adjective, and the agent in it is the same as the agent in the described. And what was among them that cannot be described by it is certainly a substitute, and the agent in it is repeated. You say: "Your brother Zayd came to me," so the meaning is: Your brother came to me, Zayd came to me, so it suffices to omit the agent in the substitute and the substituted from it, as in His saying, the Exalted: "Did they not see how many generations We destroyed before them that they will not return to them" [Yasin: 31]. And what was among them that cannot be described by it and needs to be clarified by it and runs in the manner of description is an apposition, and it is clear in the saying of the poet:

O victory, victory, victory.

For indeed, the narration in the second with the tanween indicates that the call is not repeated upon it, so it is not a substitute, and the apposition is correct in it.

And this brotherhood is borrowed; for they are two angels, but in terms of imagining them as human beings, they spoke of the brotherhood that exists between them in religion and faith. And Allah knows best.

And "the ewe" in this verse expresses a woman. The ewe in the speech of the Arabs refers to a female of wild cattle and to a female sheep. The Arabs use it to refer to a woman, and likewise with the sheep. Al-A'sha said:

So I struck the unguarded eye of his sheep, and I hit the heart of it and its spleen.

He meant: about his wife. And in the reading of Ibn Mas'ud: "and ninety female sheep." And Hafs read from Asim: "and I have" with the opening of the 'ya', while the others read it with its being silent, and both are good. And Al-Hasan and Al-A'raj read: "a sheep" with a kasra on the 'noon', and the majority are on its opening. And Al-Hasan read: "ninety and ninety" with the opening of the 'ta' in both, and it is a language. And His saying, glorified and exalted is He: "Give it to me in my care," means: return it to my guardianship. Ibn Kaysan said: the meaning is: make it my share.

His saying, glorified and exalted is He: "And He has honored me," means: He has overcome me. And from this is the saying of the Arabs: "Whoever honors, takes away." And Abu Haywah read with the lightening of the 'zay'. Abu Al-Fath said: He meant, honored me, so he omitted one of them for lightening, as Abu Zubayd said:

He has done well with him, so they are towards him like a flock.

Abu Hatim said: It was narrated with the lightening of the 'zay' from Asim. Ibn Mas'ud, Abu Al-Duha, and Ubaid Ibn Umayr read: "And He has challenged me," meaning: He has competed with me. And the meaning of His saying: "in the speech," means: he was more eloquent than me and stronger. So when I addressed him, his words were stronger than my words, and his strength was greater than my strength. It is narrated that David, peace be upon him, when he heard this argument, said to the other: What do you say? So he admitted and was obstinate. David said to him: If you do not return to the truth, I will surely break what is in your eyes. And he said to the second: "Indeed, he has wronged you," so he smiled at that, and they went and did not see him for a while. So he felt at that moment for the matter, and it is narrated that they went towards the sky in his view. And it was said: Rather, he clarified his action regarding that woman and her husband, and they said to him: We are but an example for you. And some people said: Indeed, David said: "Indeed, he has wronged you" before he heard the argument of the other, and this was his mistake, and this incident that is narrated never befell him.

The judge Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is weak from several angles; because it contradicts the numerous narrations. Also, his saying: "Indeed, he has wronged you" means that your truth appeared with evidence or with confession, and this is from the eloquence of the judge which brings the crooked back to the truth, and makes him understand what is with the judge from insight. And Al-Thalabi said: There was in the incident a confession from the one being accused which was omitted for brevity, and for this reason David, peace be upon him, said: "Indeed, he has wronged you."

And His saying, peace be upon him: "By asking about your sheep," he added the pronoun to the object. And "the mixed ones": the partners and those who share in properties and matters. And this saying from David is a sermon and an exposition of a principle of truth; to warn against falling into opposition to the truth. And "what" in His saying: "And few are they" is an additional confirming.

And His saying: "And David thought" means: he felt and knew. And a group said: "thought" here means: he was certain.

The judge Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

And the assumption in the speech of the Arabs is merely a pause between two beliefs, one of which predominates over the other. The Arabs apply it to knowledge that is not based on the senses and does not have complete certainty at all. However, people mix this up and say: 'assumed' meaning: 'was certain.' We do not find in the speech of the Arabs any evidence that includes saying: 'Zayd saw such and such and assumed it.' Look at His saying, the Exalted: ﴿So they assumed that they would be seized by it﴾ [Al-Kahf: 53], and at the saying of Durayd ibn al-Simmah:

I said to them, assume with two thousand armed men, Their swords are in the Persian who is adorned.

And to this verse: ﴿And David assumed﴾, for you find between it and certainty a degree. If we suppose that the people of the Fire had entered it and experienced it, it would not be said: 'So they assumed,' nor would that be correct. If Gabriel had informed David of this trial, he would not have expressed it with 'assumed.' The Arabs express it as knowledge that approaches certainty but is not, and has not yet reached the senses.

And the majority of people read: ﴿We tested him﴾ with the opening of the 't' and the doubling of the 'n', meaning: we tried him and tested him. Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, and Abu Raji' and al-Hasan - with a difference from him - read: 'We severely tested him' with the doubling of the 't' and the 'n', meaning the intensity of the testing. Abu Amr - in the narration of Ali ibn Nasr - read: 'We tested him' with the lightening of the 't' and the 'n', meaning that the action is for the two parties, meaning we tested him regarding our matter, and this is the reading of Qatadah. Al-Dahhak read: 'We tested him.'

And His saying, the Exalted: ﴿And he fell down in prostration and repented﴾, means: he threw himself towards the ground, humbling and submitting. Bowing and prostration are the lowering and throwing oneself towards the ground, and the legislations specified them in known forms. Some said: it is said: 'He fell then bowed,' even if he did not reach the ground. Al-Hasan ibn al-Fadl said: the meaning is: he fell from his bowing, meaning: he prostrated after having been in bowing. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said: 'I saw myself writing Surah Sad, and when I reached this verse, the pen prostrated. I saw myself in another dream and a tree reading Sad, and when it reached here, it prostrated and said: O Allah, record for me a reward with it, and remove from me a burden with it, and grant me gratitude with it, and accept it from me as You accepted from Your servant David.' The Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said: 'And you prostrated, you, O Abu Sa'id?' I said: No. He said: 'You were more deserving of the prostration than the tree.' Then the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, recited the verses until he reached: 'And he repented,' and he prostrated, and said as the tree said.

It is narrated from Mujahid that Dawud, peace be upon him, remained in that prayer position, prostrated on the ground, weeping and calling upon Allah for forty mornings until the grass grew from his tears. Other narrations have been reported that are not confirmed in authenticity. It is reported that when Allah forgave him regarding the matter of the woman, he said: 'O my Lord, how will I deal with the blood of her husband when he comes to seek me on the Day of Resurrection?' Allah revealed to him: 'I will grant him to you, O Dawud, and I will make him willingly forgive you.' At that moment, Dawud, peace be upon him, was pleased, and his soul found peace. It is narrated from Ata al-Khurasani and Mujahid that Dawud, peace be upon him, engraved his sin on his palm, so he would always see it and present it to the people at all times during his sermons, words, gestures, and actions, in humility before Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, and in acknowledgment. He would wander the earth and cry out: 'My God, when I remember my sin, the earth constricts upon me despite its vastness, and when I remember Your mercy, my spirit returns to me. Glorified are You, my God, I came to the doctors of religion to cure my ailment, and all of them directed me to You.' He would include in the opening of his sermons seeking forgiveness for the sinners, and he did not raise his head to the sky after his sin out of shame until he passed away. May Allah, the Exalted, send blessings and peace upon our Prophet and upon him and all the prophets.