Al-Qur'an Surah Saba Verse 13

Mufti Taqi Usmani

They used to make for him whatever he wished of castles, images, basins as (large as) tanks, and big cookware fixed (in their places). “Do good, O family of Dawūd, in thankfulness. Very few from My slaves are thankful.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

They made for him whatever he desired of sanctuaries, statues,[[ Which was permissible at the time of Solomon (ﷺ). ]] basins as large as reservoirs, and cooking pots fixed ˹into the ground˺. ˹We ordered:˺ “Work gratefully, O  family of David!” ˹Only˺ a few of My servants are ˹truly˺ grateful.

Ruwwad Translation Center

They made for him whatever he wished of sanctuaries, images, basins as large as reservoirs, and huge fixed cooking pots. “Do [good deeds] in gratitude, O household of David!” But few of My slaves are grateful.”

A. J. Arberry

fashioning for him whatsoever he would -- places of worship, statues, porringers like water-troughs, and anchored cooking-pots. 'Labour, O House of David, in thankfulness; for few indeed are those that are thankful among My servants.'

Abdul Haleem

They made him whatever he wanted- palaces, statues, basins as large as water troughs, fixed cauldrons. We said, ‘Work thankfully, family of David, for few of my servants are truly thankful.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

They worked for him whatsoever he pleased, of lofty halls and statues and basins like cisterns and cauldrons Standing firm. Work ye, house of Da'ud! with thanksgiving; few of My bondmen are thankful.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They worked for him as he desired, (making) arches, images, basons as large as reservoirs, and (cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places); "Work ye, sons of David, with thanks! but few of My servants are grateful!"

Abul Ala Maududi

They made for him whatever he would desire: stately buildings, images, basins like water-troughs and huge, built-in-cauldrons: “Work, O house of David, in thankfulness (to your Lord). Few of My servants are truly thankful.”

Ahmed Ali

They made for him whatever he wished, synagogues and statues, dishes large as water-troughs, and cauldrons firmly fixed (on ovens; and We said): "O House of David, act, and give thanks." But few among My creatures are thankful.

Ahmed Raza Khan

They made for him whatever he wished – synagogues and statues, basins like ponds, and large pots built into the ground; “Be thankful, O the people of Dawud!” And few among My bondmen are grateful.

Ali Quli Qarai

They built for him as many temples as he wished, and figures, basins like cisterns, and caldrons fixed [in the ground]. ‘O House of David, act thankfully, and few of My servants are grateful.’

Ali Ünal

They made for him whatever he wished – sanctuaries, and figures (of inanimate objects), and carvings, as well as basins like ponds and boilers built into the ground. "Work, O family of David, in thankfulness to Me!" Few are the truly thankful among My servants.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Those (jinns -handy craftsmen) made for him (- Solomon) whatever he desired, places for worship and plans and basins (as large) as the tanks and large and heavy cooking pots well-set (on their trivets due to their large size). (And We said,) `Act gratefully, O people of David.´ Yet few are My people who are (really) grateful.

English Literal

They make/do for him what he wills/wants from the centers of the assemblies/sanctuaries and images/statues/pictures, and eye lids/fragments/pieces/small wells as the trough/tub , and pots anchors/firm (heavy) fixtures , David`s family do/work/make thanking/gratefulness, and little/few from My worshippers/slaves (is) the thankful/grateful (E).

Faridul Haque

They made for him whatever he wished - synagogues and statues, basins like ponds, and large pots built into the ground; “Be thankful, O the people of Dawud!” And few among My bondmen are grateful.

Hamid S. Aziz

And We made the wind (subservient) unto Solomon, which made a month´s journey in the morning and a month´s journey in the evening, and We made a fountain of molten copper to flow out for him, and of the Jinn (foreigners or ingenious skilled workers?) there were those who worked before him by the command of his Lord; and whoever turned aside from Our command from among them, We made him taste of the punishment of flaming Fire.

Hilali & Khan

They worked for him what he desired, (making) high rooms, images, basins as large as reservoirs, and (cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places). "Work you, O family of Dawud (David), with thanks!" But few of My slaves are grateful.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And (We made) the wind (subservient) to Solomon; it made a month’s journey in the morning and a month’s journey in the evening; and We made a fountain of molten brass to flow for him. And of the jinn there were those who worked before him by the command of his Lord. And whoever turned aside from Our command from among them, We made him taste of the chastisement of burning.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

They made for him what he pleased of fortresses and images, and bowls (large) as watering-troughs and cooking-pots that will not move from their place; give thanks, O family of Dawood! and very few of My servants are grateful.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

They made for him what he willed: synagogues and statues, basins like wells and boilers built into the ground. Give thanks, O House of David! Few of My bondmen are thankful.

Muhammad Sarwar

They would make for him anything that he wanted like fortresses, statues, large basins like reservoirs, and huge immovable cooking pots. It was said, "Family of David, worship and act gratefully. Only few of my servants are grateful."

Qaribullah & Darwish

They made for him whatever he wanted, arches, statues, bowls as basins, and fixed cauldrons. (We said:) 'Give thanks, House of David and work' Yet only a few of My worshipers are thankful.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

They worked for him as he desired on Maharib, Tamathil, large basins like Jawab and Qudur Rasiyat. "Work you, O family of Dawud, with thanks!" But few of My servants are grateful.

Wahiduddin Khan

They made for him whatever he desired: palaces and statues, basins like reservoirs, and large cooking vessels fixed in their places. We said, "Give thanks, house of David, for few of My servants are truly grateful."

Talal Itani

They made for him whatever he wished: sanctuaries, statues, bowls like pools, and heavy cauldrons. “O House of David, work with appreciation,” but a few of My servants are appreciative.

Tafsir jalalayn

They fashioned for him whatever he wished; lofty shrines (mahrb are high edifices which are ascended by stairs) and statues (tamthl is the plural of timthl, which is any thing which you fashion as a likeness [of another]), in other words, brass, crystal or marble figures -- the use of figures was not prohibited according to his Law; and basins (jifn is the plural of jafna) like cisterns (jawbin is the plural of jbiya, which is a large basin) -- around each `basin' a thousand men would gather to eat -- and cauldrons built into the ground, fixed with foundations, and cannot be moved from their places; these were made from the [rocks of the] mountains of Yemen, and to which one ascended by climbing up a ladder. And We said; `Work, O, House of David, in obedience to God, in thankfulness, to Him for what He has given you. And few indeed of My servants are thankful', labouring in obedience to Me in thanks for My favours.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُ مَا يَشَاء مِن مَّحَارِيبَ وَتَمَاثِيلَ

They worked for him as he desired on Maharib, Tamathil,
Maharib refers to beautiful structures, the best and innermost part of a dwelling.

Ibn Zayd said,

"This means dwellings."

With regard to "Tamathil," Atiyah Al-Awfi, Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi said that;
Tamathil means pictures.

وَجِفَانٍ كَالْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ رَّاسِيَاتٍ

large basins like Jawab and Qudur Rasiyat.
Jawab, the plural form of Jabiyah, refers to cisterns or tanks in which water is held, and Qudur Rasiyat are cauldrons that stay in one place and are not moved around because of their great size.

This was the view of Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak and others.

اعْمَلُوا الَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرًا

Work you, O family of Dawud, with thanks!

means, `We said to them;Work with thanks for the blessings that We have bestowed upon you in this world and the Hereafter.'

This indicates that thanks may be expressed by actions as much as by words and intentions.

Abu Abdur-Rahman Al-Hubuli said,

"Prayer is thanks, fasting is thanks, every good deed that you do for the sake of Allah is thanks, and the best of thanks is praise."

This was recorded by Ibn Jarir. In the Two Sahihs, it is reported that the Messenger of Allah said;

إِنَّ أَحَبَّ الصَّلَةِ إِلَى اللهِ تَعَالَى صَلَةُ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَنَامُ نِصْفَ اللَّيْلِ وَيَقُومُ ثُلُثَهُ وَيَنَامُ سُدُسَهُ

وَأَحَبَّ الصِّيَامِ إِلَى اللهِ تَعَالَى صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا وَلَاأ يَفِرُّ إِذَا لَاأقَى

The most beloved of prayer to Allah is the prayer of Dawud. He used to sleep for half the night, stand in prayer for a third of it and sleep for a sixth of it.

The most beloved of fasting to Allah is the fasting of Dawud. He used to fast for a day then not fast for a day, and he never fled the battlefield.

Ibn Abi Hatim narrated that Fudayl said concerning the Ayah;
اعْمَلُوا الَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرًا
(Work you, O family of Dawud, with thanks!)

Dawud said, "O Lord! How can I thank you when thanks itself is a blessing from You!"

He said;"Now you have truly given thanks to Me, for you have realized that it is a blessing from Me."

وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ



But few of My servants are grateful.

This is a reflection of reality