Which Surah and Juz is Quran 38:26 from?

This ayah is from Surah Saad (The letter Saad), the 38th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 23.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 38:26?

Yes — there are 3 hadiths related to this ayah from Sahih Muslim, Sahih al-Bukhari.

What tafsir is available for Quran 38:26?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Kathir, Al-Jalalayn — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

What topics does Quran 38:26 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Prophet Dawud, Allah, Al-Haqq, Justice, Prophethood.

Ayah 25

فَغَفَرْنَا لَهُۥ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَإِنَّ لَهُۥ عِندَنَا...

38:26Saad

Q: What does Quran 38:26 mean?

Quran 38:26 (Surah Saad, Ayah 26) translates to: "[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."

Ayah 27

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْن...

يَٰدَاوُۥدُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَٰكَ خَلِيفَةًۭ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌۭ شَدِيدٌۢ بِمَا نَسُوا۟ يَوْمَ ٱلْحِسَابِ

Yaa Daawoodu innaa ja'alnaaka khaleefatan fil ardi fahkum bainan naasi bilhaqqi wa laa tattabi'il hawaa fayudillaka 'an sabeelil laah; innal lazeena yadilloona 'an sabeelil laah; lahum 'azaabun shadeedum bimaa nasoo Yawmal Hisaab

[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.

Themes in this ayah

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Justice & honesty95 Day of Judgment77 Paradise & Hell69

Scores run 0–100: how strongly this ayah speaks to a theme. 70+ is central, 50+ is clear, under 50 is weak.

13 other themes with weak connections

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38:26Ayah 188

4 ayahs in Saad are strongly about justice and honesty. This is one of them.

← Previous on Justice & honesty38:24[David] said, "He has certainly wronged you in demanding your ewe [in addition] to his ewes. And indeed, many associates oppress one another,Next on Justice & honesty →38:44[We said], "And take in your hand a bunch [of grass] and strike with it and do not break your oath." Indeed, We found him patient, an excellent servant.

Tafsir

Scholars largely agree on this ayah

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 38:26→

‘O David! We have indeed made you a vicegerent on the earth managing the affairs of people; so judge justly between people and do not follow desire that is the desires of the soul that it then lead you astray from the way of God that is to say from the proofs that indicate the truth of His Oneness. Truly those who go astray from the way of God in other words from belief in God — for them there will be a severe chastisement because of their forgetting the Day of Reckoning’ as a result of their having neglected faith. For had they been certain of the truth of the Day of Reckoning they would have first been believers in this world.

The world is sweet and green (alluring) and verily Allah is going to install you as vicegerent in it in order to see how you act. So avoid the allurement of women: verily, the first trial for the people of Isra'il was caused by women. And in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Ibn Bashshar the words are:" So that He should see how you act."

Sahih Muslim #4465Through the same chain of transmitters Shu'ba has narrated the same tradition in which he says that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said (to Sa'd):Sahih

You have adjudged according to the command of God. And once he said: you have adjudged by the decision of a king.

Sahih al-Bukhari #1998Narrated Abu Huraira:Sahih

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) David used not to eat except from the earnings of his manual labor."