Al-Qur'an Surah Sad Verse 33

Mufti Taqi Usmani

(Then he said,) “Bring them back to me” - and he started passing his hands over the shanks and the necks (of the horses).

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹He ordered,˺ “Bring them back to me!” Then he began to rub down their legs and necks.[[ Some commentators have a different interpretation, which is not supported by reliable sources. They maintain that Solomon kept watching these fine horses until the sun set, then he realized that he had missed the noon prayer because of his love for horses, so he killed them, striking at their legs and necks.]] 

Ruwwad Translation Center

[He ordered], “Bring them back to me,” and he began striking [their] shanks and necks.

A. J. Arberry

Return them to me!' And he began to stroke their shanks and necks.

Abdul Haleem

‘Bring them back!’ [he said] and started to stroke their legs and necks.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Bring them back Unto me; and he set about slashing their legs and necks.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Bring them back to me." then began he to pass his hand over (their) legs and their necks.

Abul Ala Maududi

(he ordered): “Bring these horses back to me,” and then he began to gently stroke their shanks and necks.

Ahmed Ali

"Bring them back to me," and he began to rub and stroke their shanks and necks.

Ahmed Raza Khan

He then ordered, “Bring them back to me”; and he began caressing their shins and necks.

Ali Quli Qarai

‘Bring it back for me!’ Then he [and others] began to wipe [their] legs and necks.

Ali Ünal

(He commanded): "Bring them back to me." Then, he rubbed down their legs and their necks.

Amatul Rahman Omar

(He said,) `Bring them back to me.´ Then (as they were brought) he began to stroke their hind legs and necks (with kindness).

English Literal

Return it on (to) me, so he started and continued with the shins/legs, and the necks rubbing/petting/anointing .

Faridul Haque

He then ordered, “Bring them back to me”; and he began caressing their shins and necks.

Hamid S. Aziz

(Then he said,) "Bring them back to me"; and he began to slash (or stroke) their legs and necks.

Hilali & Khan

Then he said "Bring them (horses) back to me." Then he began to pass his hand over their legs and their necks (till the end of the display).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So he said, I love the good things on account of the remembrance of my Lord -- until they were hidden behind the veil.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Bring them back to me; so he began to slash (their) legs and necks.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

(Then he said): Bring them back to me, and fell to slashing (with his sword their) legs and necks.

Muhammad Sarwar

He said, "Bring them back to me." Then he started to rub their legs and necks.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Bring them back to me' And he hacked their legs and necks (slaughtering them for Allah).

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Then he said: "Bring them back to me." Then he began to pass his hand over their legs and their necks.

Wahiduddin Khan

"Bring them back to me!" -- [he said] and began to stroke their legs and their necks.

Talal Itani

Bring them back to me.” And he began caressing their legs and necks.

Tafsir jalalayn

Bring them back to me!, that is, the horses that were displayed; and they so brought them back. Then he set about slashing, with his sword, [their] legs (al-sq is the plural of sq) and necks, in other words, he slaughtered them and cut off their legs as an offering [of atonement] to God, exalted be He, for having been distracted by them from the prayer. He gave all the meat thereof as voluntary alms and so God compensated him what was better and faster that these [horses], and this was the wind, which blew at his command as he wished.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Then he said;"Bring them (horses) back to me." Then he began to pass his hand over their legs and their necks.

Al-Hasan Al-Basri said,

"He said, `No, by Allah, you will not keep me from worshipping my Lord again,' then he ordered that they should be slaughtered."

This was also the view of Qatadah.

As-Suddi said,

"Their necks and hamstrings were struck with swords."

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

"He began patting the horses' heads and legs out of love for them."

This is the view that was favored by Ibn Jarir. He said,

"Because he would not punish an animal by cutting its hamstrings or destroy his own wealth for no other reason than that he had been distracted from his prayer by looking at it, and it was not the animals' fault."

This view which Ibn Jarir thought more correct is subject to further review, because such action may have been permissible according to their law, especially since he got angry for the sake of Allah for being distracted by these horses until the time for prayer had lapsed. Then, since he dispensed with them for the sake of Allah, Allah compensated him with something better, the wind which blew gently by his order wherever he willed. Its morning lasted a month's (journey), and its afternoon lasted a month's (journey). This was faster and better than horses.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Qatadah and Abu Ad-Dahma', who traveled a lot to the Ka`bah, said,

"We met a man from among the Bedouins who said to us;`The Messenger of Allah took my hand and started teaching me some of that which Allah had taught him. He said,

إِنَّكَ لَا تَدَعُ شَيْيًا اتِّقَاءَ اللهِ تَعَالَى إِلاَّ أَعْطَاكَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَيْرًا مِنْه

You do not give up anything for the sake of Allah, but Allah will give you something better than it."