فَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوُودَ ذَا الْأَيْدِ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ ١٧ إِنَّا سَخَّرْنَا الْجِبَالَ مَعَهُ يُسَبِّحْنَ بِالْعَشِيِّ وَالْإِشْرَاقِ ١٨ وَالطَّيْرَ مَحْشُورَةً ۖ كُلٌّ لَّهُ أَوَّابٌ ١٩ وَشَدَدْنَا مُلْكَهُ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحِكْمَةَ وَفَصْلَ الْخِطَابِ ٢٠
Bear with patience whatever they say, and remember Our servant David who was endowed with strength. He always turned to Us. We caused the mountains to join him in extolling Our limitless glory in the evening and at sunrise, and likewise the birds in flocks: they all would echo his praise. We strengthened his kingdom; We endowed him with wisdom and decisive judgement. (Verses 17-20)
«اصبر...» هذا إشارةٌ إلى الطريق الذي سلكه جميع رسل الله.
‘Bear with patience...’ This is a reference to the road taken by all God’s messengers.
فهو يجمعهم معًا. فقد لقي كلٌّ منهم ذلك: عانى كلُّ واحد منهم، وابتُلي، وصبر في الشدة، كلٌّ على درجته في السُّلَّم الرفيع للنبوة. وكانت حياة كلٍّ منهم سلسلةً من الابتلاءات، يحمل كلٌّ منها قدرًا كبيرًا من الألم. وحتى حين كانت الأمور سارّةً ومريحة، كان ذلك يمثل صورةً أخرى من الابتلاء، ليتحقق أنهم يثبتون على الصبر في حال اليسر كما صبروا في حال الشدة. فكلتا الحالتين تحتاجان إلى الصبر والتحمل. وعندما نتأمل حياة جميع رسل الله، كما قصّها علينا القرآن الكريم، ندرك أن الصبر كان أبرز عنصر فيها. وفي حقيقة الأمر، كانت حياتهم سلسلةً طويلةً من المحن والاختبارات.
It groups them together. Everyone of them took it: everyone suffered, was tested and remained patient in adversity; each at his own step in the lofty ladder of prophethood. The life of each one of them was a series of tests, each bearing much pain. Even when things were pleasant and comfortable, this represented a different form of test so as to ensure that they remained patient when life was easy in the same way as they were patient in adversity. Both situations require endurance. When we contemplate the lives of all God’s messengers, as told to us in the Qur’ān, we realize that patience was the most prominent element. In essence, their lives were a long series of trials and tests.
كانت حياة رسل الله كتاباً مفتوحاً للبشرية جمعاء تقرؤه، كل صفحة فيه تتحدث عن الابتلاءات والمحن والصبر. وتُظهر السِّيَر كيف تنتصر النفس الإنسانية على الألم والضرورة، وكيف تسمو فوق كل ما يُعلِّق عليه العالم الحاضر قيمته، وكيف تنبذ الشهوات والفتن، لتحقيق التفاني الكامل لله، وبذلك تجتاز الاختبار الذي وضعه سبحانه. وهي تبيّن معنى اختيار الله على كل شيء، لكي تقول للناس:
The lives of God’s messengers were in fact an open book for all humanity to read, with every page speaking about trials, afflictions and patience. The records show how the human soul triumphs over pain and necessity. How it rises above all that to which the present world attaches value, and how it discards desires and temptations, so as to achieve full dedication to God, and in so doing passes the test He has set. It shows the meaning of choosing Him over everything else so as to say to mankind:
"هذا هو طريق الرفعة؛ إنه الطريق الوحيد المفضي إلى رضا الله." "فاصبر على ما يقولون." (الآية 17) قالوا كثيرًا، مثل: "إنه لساحرٌ كذّاب." (الآية 4) "أَجَعَلَ الآلهةَ إلهًا واحدًا؟ إنّ هذا لشيءٌ عُجاب." (الآية 5) "أَأُنزِلَ عليه الذِّكرُ من بيننا؟" (الآية 8) وقالوا أكثر من ذلك بكثير. يأمر الله نبيّه ﷺ أن يصبر على أقوالهم، ويخبره أن يعيش في قلبه وعقله مع صنف آخر من الناس: الصفوة المختارة، رسل الله الذين تربطه بهم صلةٌ وثيقة وقرابةٌ قريبة. وكان ﷺ يذكرهم كأنهم أقاربه الأدنون، فيقول: "رحم الله أخي يوسف"، و"أنا أولى الناس بعيسى ابن مريم"، وغير ذلك.
‘This is the way to rise; it is the only way leading to God’s acceptance.’ “Bear with patience whatever they say.” (Verse 17) They said much, such as: “This is a sorcerer telling lies.” (Verse 4) “Does he make all the gods into one God? This is indeed most strange.” (Verse 5) “Was the message given to him alone out of all of us?” (Verse 8) Indeed they said much more. God directs the Prophet to bear their statements with patience, and tells him that in his mind and heart he should live with a different type of people: the select few, God’s messengers with whom he has a strong affinity and close relationship. Indeed, he used to refer to them as though they were his immediate relatives, saying: ‘May God have mercy on my brother Joseph,’ and ‘I have a stronger bond with my brother Moses,’ etc.
"فَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوُودَ ذَا الْأَيْدِ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ" {Bear with patience whatever they say, and remember Our servant David who was endowed with strength. He always turned to Us.} (الآية ١٧) يُشِيرُ هَذَا إِلَى دَاوُودَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ بِوَصْفِهِ رَجُلًا قَوِيًّا كَانَ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى اللَّهِ. وَقَدْ ذَكَرَتِ السُّورَةُ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ (الآيتَانِ ١٢-١٣) قَوْمَ نُوحٍ وَعَادًا وَثَمُودَ وَفِرْعَوْنَ وَقَوْمَ لُوطٍ وَأَصْحَابَ الْأَيْكَةِ، وَكُلُّهُمْ كَانُوا طُغَاةً، وَكَانَ هَذَا الطُّغْيَانُ هُوَ مَا أَعْطَاهُمْ إِحْسَاسَ الْقُوَّةِ. أَمَّا دَاوُودُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَكَانَ صَاحِبَ قُوَّةٍ، لَكِنَّهُ كَانَ دَائِمَ الرُّجُوعِ إِلَى اللَّهِ، يَتُوبُ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ، وَيُسَبِّحُ اللَّهَ وَيَعْبُدُهُ. وَقَدْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ وَهُوَ قَوِيٌّ حَقًّا، صَاحِبُ مُلْكٍ يَحْكُمُهُ.
“Bear with patience whatever they say, and remember Our servant David who was endowed with strength. He always turned to Us.” (Verse 17) David is referred to here as a strong person who turned to God. The sūrah earlier mentioned (Verses 12-13) the peoples of Noah, the `Ād, Thamūd, Pharaoh, Lot’s people and the community that lived in the wooded dale near Madyan. All of these were tyrannical, and it was such tyranny that gave them the impression of power. David, on the other hand, was a man of strength, but he always turned to God, repenting of his sins, glorifying God and worshipping Him. He did so when he was truly powerful, with a kingdom to rule.
في سورة البقرة نجد خبر داود في شبابه، حين كان جنديًا في جيش طالوت. وكان ذلك بعد زمن طويل من موسى عليه السلام. فقد طلب بنو إسرائيل من أحد أنبيائهم أن يُعيّن لهم ملكًا، وعاهدوه أن يقاتلوا في سبيل الله تحت قيادته. فبعث الله طالوت ملكًا عليهم، فقاد جيشهم لمواجهة جالوت وجيشه الجبار. وكان داود هو الذي قتل جالوت. ومنذ ذلك اليوم ارتفعت منزلته، حتى صار هو نفسه ملكًا بعد ذلك. ومع ذلك لم يُضلّه الملك، بل ظل يتوب إلى الله ويسبّحه ويعبده.
In Sūrah 2, The Cow, we have an account of David in his youth, when he was a soldier in Saul’s army. At the time, which was long after Moses. The Israelites asked one of their prophets to assign one of them as king and they promised that they would fight for God’s cause under his leadership. God appointed Saul as their king and he marshalled them to face Goliath’s mighty army. It was David who killed Goliath. From that day, his standing was enhanced, such that, in turn, he became king. Yet having a throne did not lead him astray. He continued to turn to God in repentance, glorifying and worshipping Him.
ماعدا النبوّة والمُلك، وهب الله داوود قلبًا واعيًا وصوتًا عذبًا، فكان يستعملهما أحسن استعمال حين يُنشد مزاميره وتسابيحه. وكان يغرق في عبادته إلى حدّ تزول معه الحواجز بينه وبين الكون، فتردّد الجبال تسبيحه، وتجتمع الطيور حوله، كلها تُسبّح الربّ الخالق: ﴿إِنَّا سَخَّرْنَا الْجِبَالَ مَعَهُ يُسَبِّحْنَ بِالْعَشِيِّ وَالْإِشْرَاقِ * وَالطَّيْرَ مَحْشُورَةً ۖ كُلٌّ لَّهُ أَوَّابٌ﴾ (الآيتان 18-19). وقد يُذهَل الناس إذا سمعوا أن الجبال، وهي كائنات جامدة، تشارك داوود في تسبيحه المتواصل لله وهو يُنشد أناشيد الحمد، بل إن الطيور أيضًا تتجمّع حوله، فتستمع وتشارك في الترنيم مع أناشيده. وسبب دهشتهم أن ذلك مخالف لكلّ ما اعتادوه، إذ لا يعرفون إلا أن الإنسان والطير والجبال تنتمي إلى عوالم منفصلة تمامًا.
Apart from prophethood and a kingdom, God also blessed David with an alert heart and a melodious voice, which he used to good effect as he sang his psalms and hymns. He would be so absorbed in his devotion that barriers between him and the universe would disappear and the mountains would echo his glorification, while birds gathered around him, all glorifying the Lord Creator. “We caused the mountains to join him in extolling Our limitless glory in the evening and at sunrise, and likewise the birds in flocks: they all would echo his praise.” (Verses 18-19) People may be speechless when they hear that the mountains, inanimate entities, should join David in his constant glorification of God as he chants his songs of praise. Not only that but the birds also flock to him, listen and join in with the chorus to his hymns. Their surprise results from the fact that it runs counter to everything they have been used to. They only know that man, birds and mountains belong to totally separate realms.
ومع ذلك، فلماذا ينبغي لأحد أن يتعجب؟ إن هذه المخلوقات كلها، على اختلاف أجناسها وأشكالها وصورها وخصائصها، تشترك في حقيقة واحدة أساسية: فهي تتوجه إلى الرب الذي خلق الكون كله بجميع موجوداته الحية وغير الحية.
Yet, why should anyone be surprised? All these creatures, different as their races, shapes, forms and characteristics are, share in one fundamental fact: they turn to the Lord who created the whole universe with all its animate and inanimate objects.
عندما تبلغ صلة الإنسان بربه درجةً سامية من الصفاء، تزول الحواجز بين مختلف العناصر. والأمر كله بسيط: فقد منح الله عبده داود هذه الخصيصة الفريدة، وجعل الجبال تشاركه في تسبيح الله وتمجيده صباحًا ومساءً، وجمع الطيور حوله لتردّد تسبيحه. وكان ذلك مجرد عطاءٍ إضافي بفضل من الله ورحمته.
When man’s relation with his Lord attains sublime purity, barriers between different elements are removed. The whole matter is simple: God gave His servant David this unique characteristic, and caused the mountains to join him in extolling His glory morning and evening, and gathered the birds around him to echo his praises. This was simply an additional gift by virtue of God’s grace.
"وَشَدَدْنَا مُلْكَهُ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحِكْمَةَ وَفَصْلَ الْخِطَابِ" (الآية ٢٠). وهكذا كان ملكُه قويًّا راسخًا. وكان يُدير حكومته بالحكمة والرؤية الواضحة الحاسمة. ومعنى "فصل الخطاب" أن آراءه كانت واضحةً لا يعتريها التردد. وإذا اقترن ذلك بالحكمة، صار الحكم في عالم الناس حكمًا محكمًا متقنًا. غير أن ذلك لم يُعفِ داود ﷺ من أن يتعرّض للابتلاءات والمحن. ومع ذلك، ظل الله تعالى يرعاه ويسدِّد خطاه:
“We strengthened his kingdom; We endowed him with wisdom and decisive judgement.” (Verse 20) Thus, his kingdom was strong and well established. He administered his government with wisdom and clear, decisive vision. The phrase ‘decisive judgement’ means that his views were clear, not subject to hesitation. When this is coupled with wisdom, it makes for perfect government within man’s world. However, this did not spare David from being subjected to tests and trials. Nevertheless, God continued to take care of him and guided his footsteps:
هل سمعتَ قصة المتخاصمَين اللذين تسوّرا جدار المحراب؟
Have you heard the story of the litigants who surmounted the walls of the sanctuary?
وَإِذْ دَخَلُوا عَلَى دَاوُودَ فَفَزِعَ مِنْهُمْ، قَالُوا: لَا تَخَفْ، خَصْمَانِ بَغَى بَعْضُنَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ، فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تُشْطِطْ وَاهْدِنَا إِلَىٰ سَوَاءِ الصِّرَاطِ. إِنَّ هَٰذَا أَخِي، لَهُ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً وَلِيَ نَعْجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ، فَقَالَ أَكْفِلْنِيهَا وَعَزَّنِي فِي الْخِطَابِ. قَالَ لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَىٰ نِعَاجِهِ، وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْخُلَطَاءِ لَيَبْغِي بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ. وَظَنَّ دَاوُودُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ فَاسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا وَأَنَابَ.
When they went in to David, he was alarmed. They said: Have no fear. We are but two litigants: one of us has wronged the other; so judge between us with justice, and do not be unfair. Show us the way to rectitude. This is my brother: he has ninety-nine ewes and I have only one ewe. Yet he said: “Let me take charge of her,” and has been hard on me in his speech.’ Said [David]: Re has certainly wronged you by demanding that your ewe be added to his ewes! Thus do many partners wrong one another, except for those who believe and do righteous deeds, but how few are they!’ Then David realized that We were only testing him. He prayed for his Lord’s forgiveness, fill down in prostration and turned to God in repentance. (Verses 21-24)
تُبيِّن هذه الآيات ابتلاءً تعرّض له داود عليه السلام. كان داود يخصِّص جزءًا من وقته لتدبير شؤون مملكته والفصل في خصومات الناس، وكان يصرف بقية وقته إلى عبادته، مفضِّلًا الخلوة عند ترتيله مزاميره. وكان إذا دخل المحراب لم يكن يُسمح لأحد بالدخول عليه.
These verses tell of a test to which David was subjected. David used to devote some of his time to conducting the affairs of his kingdom and to judge in people’s disputes. The rest of his time he devoted to his worship, preferring seclusion when he sang his psalms. When he went into the sanctuary, no one was allowed in.
One day, داود علیہ السلام was surprised when he saw two people climbing over the wall into the sanctuary. He was alarmed. No good believer or trustworthy person would enter in this way. Therefore, they immediately tried to reassure him, saying that they were in dispute and wanted him to judge between them in fairness, showing them the way to justice. One of them immediately started putting his case forward, saying that the other man, his brother, had 99 ewes while he only had one. Yet he insisted on taking charge of his single ewe, placing it with his 99.
Note: the honorific "علیہ السلام" is an Arabic-script honorific for a prophet, which the rules permit as a written-out form in Arabic; I have kept the English original's text otherwise unchanged.
One day, David was surprised when he saw two people climbing over the wall into the sanctuary. He was alarmed. No good believer or trustworthy person would enter in this way. Therefore, they immediately tried to reassure him, saying that they were in dispute and wanted him to judge between them in fairness, showing them the way to justice. One of them immediately started putting his case forward, saying that the other man, his brother, had 99 ewes while he only had one. Yet he insisted on taking charge of his single ewe, placing it with his 99.
كما قال أحد المتخاصمين، فإن القضية قضية ظلم فاحش لا يمكن السكوت عنه. ولهذا شرع داود فورًا في إصدار حكمه دون أن يكلّم الرجل الآخر أو يطلب منه أن يعرض روايته للقصة. بل قال للرجل الأول إن الآخر قد ظلم في مطالبه، وإن كثيرًا من الناس يتصرفون على هذا النحو، إلا الذين هم مؤمنون صالحون ويعملون الأعمال الصالحة.
As stated by one of the disputants, the case is one of gross injustice that cannot be condoned. Hence, David immediately started to give his judgement without speaking to the other man or asking him to give his side of the story. Instead, he told the first man that the other had been unfair in his demands, and that many people behave in this way, except those who are good believers and do righteous deeds.
لكن هذه قليلة العدد.
These, however, are few in number.
يبدو أنّ الرجلين اختفيا في هذه المرحلة. والحقيقة أنهما كانا مَلَكَين جاءا ليَختبرا داود، النبي الذي جعله الله في موقع السلطة للحكم بين الناس بالعدل، والتأكد من الحق قبل إصدار الحكم. لقد عرضا عليه القضية بطريقة مؤثرة جدًا، تدعو إلى التعاطف الفوري. غير أنّ القاضي يجب ألّا يدع العاطفة تتولى زمام الأمر، ولا ينبغي أن يكون متعجّلًا. والأهم من ذلك أنه لا ينبغي أن يعتمد على أقوال طرف واحد دون أن يمنح الطرف الآخر فرصة عرض قضيته وتقديم بيّنته. فقد تبدو بعض جوانب القضية، إن لم تكن كلها، في ضوء مختلف بعد ذلك. وبعبارة أخرى، كثيرًا ما تكون المظاهر خادعة أو ناقصة.
It seems that at this stage the two men disappeared. In fact, they were two angels who had come to test David, the prophet God had placed in a position of authority to judge between people in fairness, making sure who is right before passing judgement. They had put the case to him in a very sentimental way, one that invited immediate sympathy. However, a judge must not allow sentiment to take charge. He must not be hasty. Above all, he must not rely on the statement of one party, without allowing the other party to present his case and submit his evidence. Some aspects of the case, if not all of it, may then be seen in a different light. In other words, appearances can often be deceptive or incomplete.
في هذه المرحلة أدرك داوود أن هذا كان ابتلاءً: «فَظَنَّ دَاوُودُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ». (الآية 24) وظهرت طيبته مرة أخرى، لأنه كان رجلاً مستعدًّا دائمًا لقبول ما هو حق: «فَاسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا وَأَنَابَ». (الآية 24)
At this point David realized that this was a test: “Then David realized that We were only testing him.” (Verse 24) His good nature surfaced again, because he was a man always ready to accept what is right: “He prayed for his Lord’s forgiveness, fell down in prostration and turned to God in repentance.” (Verse 24)
فاستجاب الله توبته: «فَغَفَرْنَا لَهُ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِندَنَا لَزُلْفَىٰ وَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ». (الآية 25) وقد تلقّى بعض المفسّرين للقرآن الكريم بعض الروايات الإسرائيلية، فأكثروا من ذكرها، ولا يمكن قبول هذه الروايات لأنها متعارضة ومتناقضة مع طبيعة النبوّة. وحتى الروايات التي حاولت تهذيب هذه الأساطير تقبل بعض أجزائها. والحقيقة أن هذه الأساطير لا تستحقّ الاعتبار، لأنها لا تتّفق مع قول الله تعالى في شأن داود: «وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِندَنَا لَزُلْفَىٰ وَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ». (الآية 25)
God’s response was to accept his repentance: “We forgave him that, and in the life to come he is to he close to Us and will be well received.” (Verse 25) Some commentators on the Qur’ān picked up some Israelite reports and made much of these which cannot he acceptable because they are incompatible and irreconcilable with the nature of prophethood. Even the reports that tried to moderate these legends accept certain parts of them. The fact is that these legends do not merit consideration, because they cannot fit with God’s assertion in reference to David: “He is to be close to Us and will he well received.” (Verse 25)
تُبيّن التعليقاتُ القرآنيةُ التي تأتي بعد القصة طبيعةَ الابتلاء، وتحدّد المنهجَ الذي يريد الله تعالى أن يسلكه عبدُه الذي جعل إليه الحكمَ بين الناس.
The Qur’ānic comments given after the story explain the nature of the test and specify the line God wants His servant to whom He assigned judgement between people to take:
يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ فَاحْكُم بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَىٰ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ
David! We have made you a vicegerent on earth: judge, then, between people with justice, and do not follow vain desire, lest it leads you astray from the path of God.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا نَسُوا يَوْمَ الْحِسَابِ۔ (الآية ٢٦)
Those who go astray from the path of God will have a severe punishment for having ignored the Day of Reckoning. (Verse 26)
فَيَكُونُ الأَمْرُ إِذَنْ مَسْأَلَةَ أَنَّ دَاوُدَ قَدْ أُعْطِيَ مَنْصِبَ الخِلَافَةِ فِي الأَرْضِ، وَهُوَ مَنْصِبٌ يُطْلَبُ مِنْهُ بِمُقْتَضَاهُ أَنْ يَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالعَدْلِ. وَقَدْ قِيلَ لَهُ أَلَّا يَتَّبِعَ الهَوَى، وَهَذَا يَعْنِي، فِي حَقِّ النَّبِيِّ، أَلَّا يَتَعَجَّلَ فِي رَدِّ فِعْلِهِ الأَوَّلِ؛ لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ قَدْ يُؤَدِّي بِسُهُولَةٍ إِلَى الضَّلَالِ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللهِ. بَلْ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَتَأَكَّدَ مِنْ جَمِيعِ الوَقَائِعِ قَبْلَ إِصْدَارِ الحُكْمِ. وَتُعْطِي الجُمْلَةُ الخِتَامِيَّةُ فِي الآيَةِ قَاعِدَةً عَامَّةً تَنْطَبِقُ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالَاتِ الضَّلَالِ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللهِ، فَتُعَرِّضُ صَاحِبَهَا لِعَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ يَوْمَ الحِسَابِ.
It is then a case of David being given the position of vicegerent on earth, one whereby he is required to judge between people in all fairness. He is told not to follow vain desires, which means in the case of a prophet, not to be hasty in one’s first reaction. For this can easily lead to going astray from God’s path. Rather, he must make sure of all the facts before passing judgement. The concluding sentence in the verse gives a general rule that applies to all cases of going astray from God’s path. It exposes the person concerned to severe punishment on the Day of Reckoning.
من مظاہرِ عنایتِ الٰہی اپنے بندے داؤد علیہ السلام پر یہ تھی کہ اُس نے پہلی ہی رکاوٹ پر اُن کی توجہ مبذول کرائی، اور پہلی ہی لغزش پر، جب وہ ابھی اُس کی طرف ایک قدم بھی نہ بڑھا چکے تھے، انہیں انجامِ کار سے خبردار کر کے صحیح راستے پر واپس ڈال دیا۔ اللہ تعالیٰ اپنے منتخب بندوں پر ایسا ہی فضل فرماتا ہے۔ چونکہ وہ انسان ہوتے ہیں، اس لیے جب وہ راستے کے ناہموار حصے سے گزرتے ہیں تو پھسل بھی سکتے ہیں، مگر اللہ اُن کا ہاتھ تھام کر انہیں دوبارہ سیدھی راہ پر لے آتا ہے اور توبہ کرنے کا طریقہ سکھاتا ہے۔ پھر وہ اُنہیں معاف فرما دیتا ہے اور اُن پر اس سے بھی بڑھ کر انعامات و عنایات فرماتا ہے۔
One aspect of the care God took of His servant David is that He drew his attention at the first hurdle, and put him back on the right track at the first rash move, warning him of the ultimate result, when he had not even made one step towards it. Such is God’s favour that He bestows on His chosen servants. Since they are human, they may slip when they travel an uneven patch of the road, but God takes them by the hand putting them back on course and teaching them how to repent. Then He forgives them and bestows even greater favours on them.