Al-Qur'an Surah Sad Verse 31

Mufti Taqi Usmani

(Worth remembering is the incident) when the swift horses of high breeding were presented before him in the evening.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹Remember˺ when the well-trained, swift horses were paraded before him in the evening.

Ruwwad Translation Center

One evening, well-trained and swift horses of noble breed were presented before him.

A. J. Arberry

When in the evening were presented to him the standing steeds,

Abdul Haleem

When well-bred light-footed horses were paraded before him near the close of day,

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Recall what time there were presented Unto him, at eventide, s coursers swift-footed.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Behold, there were brought before him, at eventide coursers of the highest breeding, and swift of foot;

Abul Ala Maududi

And when one evening well-trained and running horses of noble breed were brought to him

Ahmed Ali

When they brought fleet-footed chargers in the evening to show him,

Ahmed Raza Khan

When fast footed steeds were presented to him at evening.

Ali Quli Qarai

One evening when there were displayed before him prancing steeds,

Ali Ünal

Once, in the afternoon, there were brought before him nobly-bred horses (trained for fighting in God’s cause, steady when standing, swift when running).

Amatul Rahman Omar

(Think of the time) when towards the close of the day, steeds of the noblest breed and swift of foot were brought before him.

English Literal

When the horses standing on three legs and the edge of the fourth hoof touching the ground (of) the beautiful necks were displayed/exhibited/showed on (to) him at the evening/first darkness .

Faridul Haque

When fast footed steeds were presented to him at evening.

Hamid S. Aziz

Lo! There were brought to him. in the evening, horses still when standing, swift when running.

Hilali & Khan

When there were displayed before him, in the afternoon, well trained horses of the highest breed [for Jihad (holy fighting in Allah's Cause)].

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And We gave to David Solomon. Most excellent the servant! Surely he ever turned (to Allah).

Mohammad Habib Shakir

When there were brought to him in the evening (horses) still when standing, swift when running--

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

When there were shown to him at eventide lightfooted coursers

Muhammad Sarwar

When the noble galloping horses were displayed to him one evening,

Qaribullah & Darwish

When his dressage steeds were presented to him in the evening,

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

When there were displayed before him, in the afternoon, well trained horses of the highest breed.

Wahiduddin Khan

When well-bred horses, which were fleet of foot were paraded before him near the close of day,

Talal Itani

When the beautiful horses were paraded before him in the evening.

Tafsir jalalayn

When one evening -- which is the period after midday -- there were displayed before him the prancing steeds (al-sfint, `horses', is the plural of sfina, which denotes [a horse] standing on three legs with the fourth supported on the edge of the hoof, and derives from [the verb] safana, yasfinu sufnan; al-jiyd is the plural of jawd, which is a `racer'; the meaning is that these [horses] are such that when they are halted they stand still and when they run they surpass [others] in speed). One thousand horses were displayed before him after he had performed the midday prayer, for he had wanted to use them in a holy struggle (jihd) against an enemy. But when the display reached the nine-hundredth [horse], the sun set and he had not performed the afternoon prayer. So he was greatly distressed.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

When there were displayed before him, in the afternoon, well trained horses of the highest breed.

means, these well trained horses were shown to Suleiman, peace be upon him, in his capacity as king and ruler.

Mujahid said,

"They were the kind of horses which stand on three legs and raise the fourth, and they were swift horses."

This was also the view of several others among the Salaf.

Abu Dawud recorded that A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said,

"The Messenger of Allah came back from the campaign of Tabuk or Khyber, and there was a curtain covering her room. The wind came and lifted the curtain, revealing some toys belonging to A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her.

The Prophet said;What is this, O `A'ishah?

She, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "My toys."

Among them he saw a horse with two wings made of cloth. He said;

مَا هَذَا الَّذِي أَرَى وَسَطَهُنَّ

What is this that I see in the midst of them?

She, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "A horse."

The Messenger of Allah said,

مَا هَذَا الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ

And what is this on it?

She, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "Wings."

The Messenger of Allah said,

فَرَسٌ لَهُ جَنَاحَانِ

A horse with two wings?

She, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "Did you not hear that Suleiman, peace be upon him, had a horse that had wings"

She, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "The Messenger of Allah smiled so broadly that I could see his molars."

And Allah tells further that,

فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبِّي حَتَّى تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ