يا داوودُ إِنّا جَعَلناكَ خَليفَةً فِي الأَرضِ فَاحكُم بَينَ النّاسِ بِالحَقِّ وَلا تَتَّبِعِ الهَوىٰ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذينَ يَضِلّونَ عَن سَبيلِ اللَّهِ لَهُم عَذابٌ شَديدٌ بِما نَسوا يَومَ الحِسابِ

‘O David! Indeed We have made you a vicegerent on the earth. So judge between people with justice, and do not follow desire, or it will lead you astray from the way of Allah. Indeed those who stray from the way of Allah – there is a severe punishment for them because of their forgetting the Day of Reckoning.’

EXEGESIS

Khalīfah (vicegerent) is the one who looks after affairs instead of the ruler.^{‎[1]Tibyan, 8/556.} Obviously, the true meaning of vicegerent as the one who rules in the absence of the ruler is something that cannot hold true in the case of God, therefore it means the one who carries out God’s commands.^{‎[2]Razi, 26/386.}

Hawā (desire) is the desire of the soul towards its passions (shahwah).^{‎[3]Raghib, p. 849.} Here it means not to follow what your inclinations may take you to, if it is contrary to truth and justice.^{‎[4]Tibyan, 8/556.}

Ḥaqq (justice) is to agree and coincide with the truth.^{‎[5]Raghib, p. 246.} God is the ultimate truth, That, then, is Allah, your true (ḥaqq) Lord (10:32), and the truth comes to us from Him, This is the truth from your Lord (2:147). Actions that are in agreement with that truth are just actions, and the opposite of this is following one’s desires, Judge between them by what Allah has sent down, and do not follow their desires (5:49).

It has also been proposed that al-ḥaqq here could be referring to one of the names of God, in other words: judge according to what God, the truth, would judge.^{‎[6]Alusi, 12/179.}

EXPOSITION

Following the story of the contenders we were told of two additional merits of Prophet David (a) in the previous verse. Now we are told a third, which is the greatest of all the merits so far: O David! Indeed We have made you a vicegerent on the earth. Prophet David (a) is described as God’s vicegerent on the earth because God has entrusted duties of managing and looking after some of his creation.^{‎[7]Tibyan, 8/556; Baghawi, 4/66; Nemuneh, 19/262.} This is achieved by Prophet David (a) acting as prophet, king, and judge. Since such an immense responsibility is placed on his shoulders, God commands him, So judge between people with justice. So indicates that judging with justice is one of the necessary requirements of being a vicegerent of God. In verse 20 we read that God had already given Prophet David (a) wisdom and conclusive speech, both of which related to his capacity to act as a just judge. Since the position of vicegerency is such a significant one, it requires the utmost purity from the one who occupies it, and this is why God wished Prophet David (a) to ascend even higher in his closeness to truth and tested him with the contenders.

It has also been said that vicegerent here is not referring to being a vicegerent of God, but vicegerent of the prophets that came before Prophet David (a),^{‎[8]Tabrisi, 8/737; Tabari, 23/97.} in a way reminding him that he is following in the footsteps of those great men. Others have said that it means that Prophet David (a) was made a king, like kings before him.^{‎[9]Zamakhshari, 4/89.} Obviously, neither of these are in contradiction with what was mentioned earlier, and are simply aspects of the wide scope of the vicegerency given to Prophet David (a).

This is also foreshadowing the final story of this surah, the creation of Prophet Adam (a), and in effect we are told here the significance entailed in someone being God’s vicegerent and the duties it imposes on them.

The past tense of the verb made you indicates that Prophet David (a) was given this lofty position already before the trial of the contenders.^{‎[10]Zamakhshari, 4/89. Mizan specifies that making Prophet David (a) the vicegerent in this verse refers to an actualisation of his position, moving him from just the honorary position of vicegerent to an actualised one whereby he was given the kingdom to rule over (Mizan, 17/195).} It also suggests that the trial he faced and the immense scrutiny his actions are placed under is because of this lofty position awarded to him.^{‎[11]It has also been said that this is not in fact addressed to Prophet David (a) but rather as a lesson to the reader, since Prophet David (a) as a prophet would certainly judge according to justice and truth (Muhit, 9/152). While this is true to an extent, it should also be addressed to Prophet David (a) because of the high standard that he was kept to. Tabatabai answers this by saying that even though someone may be infallible, this does not rob of them of their free will. Therefore, commands and prohibitions directed at them are equally valid (Mizan, 17/195; see also Fadlallah, 19/255).}

He is then advised, So judge between people with justice. Human beings are social creatures by nature, depending on cooperation for their survival and to thrive. A natural consequence of social interaction and cooperation is the transgressions against one another spoken of in the previous verse (and indeed many partners bully one another) and the disagreements and contentions that arise amongst people. The need for an arbiter, judge, and ruler is clear. This person must then judge according to truth and justice, or else he will judge according to his whims and desires.^{‎[12]Razi, 26/286.} The righteous judge must judge between the people by what Allah has shown (4:105). This is a reminder to Prophet Muhammad (s), going back to the command to Be patient in verse 17, that as a prophet he should never be hasty in judging people and nor should his followers.

In Prophet David’s (a) case his desire was to stand up for the poor and the oppressed, but even such noble desires should always be measured against the scale of truth and justice, hence why God exhorts him, and do not follow desire, or it will lead you astray from the way of Allah. This statement also aids our conclusion that the negligence of Prophet David (a) was in speaking out according to that desire when acting as a judge.^{‎[13]Alusi, 12/179.} This way of God is the same way of truth and justice mentioned earlier in the verse.^{‎[14]Mizan, 17/195.} The Quran constantly places desires and whims in opposition to the way of God. Desires call one to chase after earthly pleasures, which in turn distract one from seeking to attain the permanent joy of the hereafter. The more one moves towards one, the farther they go from the other.^{‎[15]Razi, 26/386-387.}

After mentioning the consequence of following desire – which leads one astray – we are then told the consequence of going astray, Indeed those who stray from the way of Allah – there is a severe punishment for them because of their forgetting the Day of Reckoning.

There are two alternatives to what this can mean. The first is that they have ignored the Day of Reckoning causing themselves to ‘forget’ it. Alternatively, it means that they have ignored their duties, ‘forgetting’ them, and because of that they will face a punishment on the Day of Reckoning.^{‎[16]Tibyan, 8/557.} In this case, the verse should be translated as: there is a severe punishment for them on the Day of Reckoning, because of their forgetting. Both meanings are equally valid. By immersing oneself in worldly pleasures, one will forget the Day of Reckoning and will ignore preparation for it.

It is good to note that forgetting here is not in the sense of mistakenly disremembering to do something, but rather to intentionally overlook it, our signs came to you, but you forgot them, and thus you will be forgotten today (20:126). The surah started with the Quran bearing the reminder, and now we are told of what happens to those who turn away from that and forget this reminder and follow the path of their desires.

Finally, this verse should at last lay to rest any doubts one may have about the falsehood of the vicious lies attributed to Prophet David (a) regarding the previous verses. Clearly, this verse should relate to the previous verses, and the matter of the two contenders should have been about teaching Prophet David (a) how to be a better judge.

Those who attribute such sins to Prophet David (a) must realise that it is in contradiction to the context and tone of all the previous verses that have been recounting the merits of Prophet David (a) and praising him as an exemplar. It only makes sense that the aforementioned story was also a praise of Prophet David (a), by showing the extreme rigour that God wished to instil in him as a judge, to always be completely impartial, the difficulty of which any wise person can comprehend. As we mentioned before, the story was about relating to the reader a great merit of Prophet David (a), an example of the impeccable sense of justice inspired in him by God. After this lesson had been learned, God declares that now Prophet David (a) is truly worthy of the title of being a vicegerent on the earth and all that it entails. As Rāzī poignantly puts it: ‘When the preceding verses [to the story] were praising David (a) and glorifying him, and the succeeding verses were similarly doing that, if [we assume that] the middle ones are relating demerits and flaws, it is as if one were to say: “So-and-so has a great station and high rank in the obedience of God, he murders and commits adultery and steals, and certainly God has made him a vicegerent on earth and one who judges with veracity.”’^{‎[17]Razi, 26/379.}

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. From Imam Ali (a): ‘O people, the most frightening of things that I fear for you are two: following desires and far-reaching hopes. Following desires will bar you from the truth (ḥaqq), and far-reaching hopes will make you forget the hereafter.’^{‎[18]Nahj, sermon 42.}

Note: Far-reaching hopes refers to hopes that one creates for themselves in this life, about things they wish to achieve, possess, or accomplish. Often these are inspired by the Devil (see the commentary on verse 4:119 for more).

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Qurṭubī uses this verse as proof that a judge is not allowed to rule according to his knowledge.^{‎[19]Qurtubi, 15/191-192. This is a matter of much debate amongst jurists. One of its applications is that, for example, if a certain crime requires two witnesses for a specific punishment to be carried out against the one who committed it, and the only witness happens to be the judge himself, is he allowed to sentence the defendant based on only his knowledge? See also the event relating to Khuzaymah ibn Thābit.} Others have used it as proof that the earth can never be devoid of a vicegerent, however that is not established by this verse, rather through other textual evidences.^{‎[20]Muhit, 9/152.}

Makārim Shīrāzī has offered that do not follow desire could also mean the desires of other people. In other words, one should not let public opinion sway them from the path of justice. While it is true that government should be based on the will of the people, this does not mean that in every issue the whims of the majority should be followed. ^{‎[21]Nemuneh, 19/263. He adds that Islamic governance is made up of these two elements. The principles are Islamic, and the governance is public.}

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. David said to Michal: It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel – I will celebrate before the Lord.^{‎[22]2 Samuel 6:21.}
2. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.^{‎[23]2 Samuel 7:16.}
3. Now then, tell my servant David, this is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel.^{‎[24]1 Chronicles 17:7.}
4. David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people.^{‎[25]2 Samuel 8:15.}
5. These are the last words of David: The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse, the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, the hero of Israel’s songs: The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; his word was on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: When one rules over people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.^{‎[26]2 Samuel 23:1-4.}

[1] Tibyan, 8/556.
[2] Razi, 26/386.
[3] Raghib, p. 849.
[4] Tibyan, 8/556.
[5] Raghib, p. 246.
[6] Alusi, 12/179.
[7] Tibyan, 8/556; Baghawi, 4/66; Nemuneh, 19/262.
[8] Tabrisi, 8/737; Tabari, 23/97.
[9] Zamakhshari, 4/89.
[10] Zamakhshari, 4/89. Mizan specifies that making Prophet David (a) the vicegerent in this verse refers to an actualisation of his position, moving him from just the honorary position of vicegerent to an actualised one whereby he was given the kingdom to rule over (Mizan, 17/195).
[11] It has also been said that this is not in fact addressed to Prophet David (a) but rather as a lesson to the reader, since Prophet David (a) as a prophet would certainly judge according to justice and truth (Muhit, 9/152). While this is true to an extent, it should also be addressed to Prophet David (a) because of the high standard that he was kept to. Tabatabai answers this by saying that even though someone may be infallible, this does not rob of them of their free will. Therefore, commands and prohibitions directed at them are equally valid (Mizan, 17/195; see also Fadlallah, 19/255).
[12] Razi, 26/286.
[13] Alusi, 12/179.
[14] Mizan, 17/195.
[15] Razi, 26/386-387.
[16] Tibyan, 8/557.
[17] Razi, 26/379.
[18] Nahj, sermon 42.
[19] Qurtubi, 15/191-192. This is a matter of much debate amongst jurists. One of its applications is that, for example, if a certain crime requires two witnesses for a specific punishment to be carried out against the one who committed it, and the only witness happens to be the judge himself, is he allowed to sentence the defendant based on only his knowledge? See also the event relating to Khuzaymah ibn Thābit.
[20] Muhit, 9/152.
[21] Nemuneh, 19/263. He adds that Islamic governance is made up of these two elements. The principles are Islamic, and the governance is public.
[22] 2 Samuel 6:21.
[23] 2 Samuel 7:16.
[24] 1 Chronicles 17:7.
[25] 2 Samuel 8:15.
[26] 2 Samuel 23:1-4.