Al-Qur'an Surah Sad Verse 22

Mufti Taqi Usmani

When they entered upon Dawūd, and he was scared of them, they said, “Be not scared. We are two litigants; one of us has wronged the other, so decide between us with truth, and do not cross the limits, and guide us to the right path.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

When they came into David’s presence, he was startled by them. They said, “Have no fear. ˹We are merely˺ two in a dispute: one of us has wronged the other. So judge between us with truth—do not go beyond ˹it˺—and guide us to the right way.

Ruwwad Translation Center

When they entered upon David, he was frightened. They said, “Do not be afraid. We are two adversaries: one of us has wronged the other, so judge between us with fairness, and do not be unjust, and guide us to the straight path.

A. J. Arberry

when they entered upon David, and he took fright at them; and they said, 'Fear not; two disputants we are -- one of us has injured the other; so judge between us justly, and transgress not, and guide us to the right path.'

Abdul Haleem

When they reached David, he took fright, but they said, ‘Do not be afraid. We are two litigants, one of whom has wronged the other: judge between us fairly- do not be unjust- and guide us to the right path.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

When they went in unto Da-ud, he was frightened at them. They said: fear not we are two contending parties; one of us hath oppressed the other, so judge between us with truth, and be not iniquitious, and guide us unto the even path.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When they entered the presence of David, and he was terrified of them, they said; "Fear not; we are two disputants, one of whom has wronged the other; Decide now between us with truth, and treat us not with injustice, but guide us to the even Path..

Abul Ala Maududi

As they came upon David -- and he was frightened of them -- they said: “Be not afraid. We are just two litigants: one of us has committed excess against the other. So judge rightly between us, and be not unjust; and guide us to the Right Way.

Ahmed Ali

When they came before David, he was frightened of them. "Do not be afraid," they said. "The two of us are disputing the wrong one has done the other. So judge between us with equity, and do not be unjust, and guide us to the right path.

Ahmed Raza Khan

When they entered upon David, so he feared them – they said, “Do not fear! We are two disputants, one of whom has wronged the other, therefore judge fairly between us and do not judge unjustly – and show us the right way.”

Ali Quli Qarai

When they entered into the presence of David, he was alarmed by them. They said, ‘Do not be afraid. [We are only] two contenders: one of us has bullied the other. So judge justly between us, and do not exceed [the bounds of justice], and show us the right path.’

Ali Ünal

When they entered in upon David, and so he was taken aback by them. They said: "Do not be alarmed! (We are) two litigating parties; one party trespassed against the right of the other. So judge between us with truth; do not be unjust; and guide us to the level path."

Amatul Rahman Omar

When they intruded upon David and (found that) he had become alert (on account of) them, they said, (by way of an excuse,) `Have no fear. We are two parties litigants. One of us has transgressed against the other, therefore judge between us as justice demands, and delay not (by giving the date of decision,) and guide us (in our litigation) to the fair way.

English Literal

When they entered on (to) David, so He was frightened/terrified from them, they said: "Do not fear (we are) two disputers/adversaries/arguers, some of us oppressed/transgressed on some (over each other), so judge/rule between us with the truth/just , and do not be unjust , and guide us to the road`s/way`s middle/straightness ."

Faridul Haque

When they entered upon David, so he feared them - they said, “Do not fear! We are two disputants, one of whom has wronged the other, therefore judge fairly between us and do not judge unjustly - and show us the right way.”

Hamid S. Aziz

When they entered in upon David and he was frightened by them, they said, "Fear not; we are two litigants, of whom one has acted wrongfully towards the other, therefore decide between us with justice, and do not act unjustly, and guide us to the right (fair, even) way.

Hilali & Khan

When they entered in upon Dawud (David), he was terrified of them, they said: "Fear not! (We are) two litigants, one of whom has wronged the other, therefore judge between us with truth, and treat us not with injustice, and guide us to the Right Way.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And has the story of the adversaries come to thee? When they made an entry into the private chamber by climbing the wall --

Mohammad Habib Shakir

When they entered in upon Dawood and he was frightened at them, they said: Fear not; two litigants, of whom one has acted wrongfully towards the other, therefore decide between us with justice, and do not act unjustly, and guide us to the right way.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

How they burst in upon David, and he was afraid of them. They said: Be not afraid! (We are) two litigants, one of whom hath wronged the other, therefor judge aright between us; be not unjust; and show us the fair way.

Muhammad Sarwar

and entered where David was (praying). He was frightened, so they said, "Do not be afraid. We are only two disputing parties of which one of us has transgressed against the other. Judge between us with truth and justice and guide us to the right path".

Qaribullah & Darwish

they went to David whereupon he was afraid of them, but they said: 'Do not be afraid, we are two that have a dispute, one of us has wronged the other. Judge between us justly, and do not transgress, and guide us to the Right Path.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

When they entered in upon Dawud, he was terrified of them. They said: "Fear not! (We are) two litigants, one of us has wronged the other, therefore judge between us with truth, and treat us not with injustice, and guide us to the right way.

Wahiduddin Khan

When they reached David, he took fright, but they said, "Do not be afraid. We are two disputants, one of whom has wronged the other: judge between us fairly, do not be unjust, and guide us to the right path.

Talal Itani

When they entered upon David, and he was startled by them. They said, “Do not fear. Two disputants; one of us has wronged the other; so judge between us fairly, and do not be biased, and guide us to the straight way.”

Tafsir jalalayn

When they entered upon David, and he was frightened by them. And they said, `Do not fear; we are, two disputants (some say that this means `two groups', in order to agree with the plural person [of the verb dakhal, `they entered']; others say, `two individuals' with the plural person actually denoting these two; al- khasm may refer to a one or more individuals. These two were angels who had come in the form of two disputants, between whom there [was supposed to have] occurred the situation mentioned -- [but] only hypothetically -- in order to alert David, peace be upon him, to what he had done; he had ninety nine women but desired the woman of a man who had only her and no other. He [David] had married her and consummated the marriage. One of us has infringed upon the [rights of the] other, so judge justly between us and do not transgress, [do not] be unjust, and guide us, direct us, to the right path', the correct way.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

إِذْ دَخَلُوا عَلَى دَاوُودَ

And has the news of the litigants reached you? When they climbed over the wall into (his) Mihrab (private chamber of worship); When they entered in upon Dawud,

In discussing this passage, the scholars of Tafsir mention a story which is mostly based upon Isra'iliyat narrations. Nothing has been reported about this from the Infallible Prophet that we could accept as true. But Ibn Abi Hatim narrated a Hadith whose chain of narration cannot be regarded as Sahih because it is reported by Yazid Ar-Raqashi from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him. Although Yazid was one of the righteous, his Hadiths are regarded as weak by the Imams. So, it is better to speak briefly of this story and refer knowledge of it to Allah, may He be exalted. For the Qur'an is true and what it contains is also true.

فَفَزِعَ مِنْهُمْ

he was terrified of them.

This was because he was in his Mihrab (private chamber). That was the noblest part of his house, where he commanded that no one should enter upon him that day. So, he did not realize that these two people had climbed the fence surrounding his Mihrab (private chamber) to ask him about their case.

قَالُوا لَاا تَخَفْ خَصْمَانِ بَغَى بَعْضُنَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ فَاحْكُم بَيْنَنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَاا تُشْطِطْ وَاهْدِنَا إِلَى سَوَاء الصِّرَاطِ