Surah Saad, V.38:33 on Prophet David (mas-han means to pet, NOT slash)

[Heba E. Husseyn]

 


As-salam Alaikum everyone. 

Here is a very important correction of a mistranslation of the original Arabic word, mas-han, that occurs in Verse 33 of Surah Sad, Chapter 38.  You need to be aware of it immediately because this mistake changes the entire meaning of the actual Quranic narration.  The Arabic word "mas-han" as also confirmed by the Corpus Quran means "pass" or "(to) pass" conveying the sense of stroking or petting.  However, Pickthall and Shakir have wrongly translated it as "slashing" and "slash," respectively, while Sahih International translates it as "striking," which carries the same incorrect meaning as slashing or slash.  The mistranslation definitely caters to false tafsirs of Verse 38:33 by medieval imams that probably didn't circulate specifically as Ahadith but commentaries.  The translations of Yusuf Ali, Muhsin Khan and Taquddin Hilali are correct.  And of course, Abdel Haleem's is also correct. 

In ancient or medieval era owning beautiful horses was a status symbol denoting wealth and class, similar to owning a classy car (or cars) today.  The narration in the Quranic Verses 38:31-33 is about Prophet David (Daud), where Allah Almighty mentions that  one afternoon David watched some excellent race horses (or steeds, which most likely he owned).  Then suddenly he experienced a feeling of remorse that he was too involved in materialism or the good things of earthly life that took away his time from remembering Allah.  David was probably watching the horses through a window overlooking the field where the horses ran. When the horses ran out of his sight, he asked to bring them back, and then he stroked them by passing his hand over them.  This means he patted them as one would gently touch or stroke a pet with love and affection.  The central theme of this Quranic narration is to highlight Prophet David's conscience and realization that made him aware of the importance of never getting distracted from the remembrance of Allah, no matter what.

The bizarre tafsirs of imams claim that  Prophet David missed his Asr prayers after spending time with his horses and then he felt angry at the horses for being the cause of making him forget Allah and began slashing or striking them. In Pickthall's translation, it says slashing them with his sword; the word 'sword' is mentioned inside bracket which means it's completely incompatible with the Quranic view as the original Arabic Quranic word "mas-han" (meaning pass) implies passing your hand, not the sword or any such thing.  The imams of old apparently got the idea of Asr prayers from the mention of "afternoon" or "eventide" (meaning end of the day) in Verse 38:33.  However, the Verse makes no references to Asr prayers being missed by Prophet David.

What's vitally important to remember is that  Allah Almighty has always chosen sensible, rational, highly intelligent and gentle men as His messengers.  Allah NEVER chose anyone so unbalanced (as misinterpreted by the imams) who would hurt others (least of all innocent animals) for their own oversight or mistake. Such strange and misguided ideas only dwelt in the minds of the Hadith-category story tellers and confirmed liars who love to depict the Monotheistic Faith as something violent.  In fact, I once read a guy in one of the traditional online forums attributing the same action to Umar bin Khattab, the second righteous Caliph, claiming that on a certain occasion Umar slashed his horses with his sword because he got too engrossed with them and in the process missed his Asr prayer.  Seems like a copy-cat tale popping up from the misinterpretation of Verse 38:33.


For your information, translations by Yusuf Ali, Muhsin Khan, Hilali and Haleem are as follows:

"Behold, there were brought before him, at eventide coursers of the highest breeding, and swift of foot;
And he said, "Truly do I love the love of good, with a view to the glory of my Lord,"- until (the sun) was hidden in the veil (of night):
"Bring them back to me." then began he to pass his hand over (their) legs and their necks."
(38:31-33).  (Translation Yusuf Ali)

'When there were displayed before him, in the afternoon, well trained horses of the highest breed [for Jihad (holy fighting in Allah's Cause)].   
He said: "I did love the good (these horses) instead of remembering my Lord (in my 'Asr prayer)" till the time was over, and (the sun) had hidden in the veil (of night).   
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).'  (38:31-33).  (Translation Muhsin 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)].
And he said: "Alas! I did love the good (these horses) instead of remembering my Lord (in my 'Asr prayer)" till the time was over, and (the sun) had hidden in the veil (of night).
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).'  (38:31-33)  (Translation Taqiuddin Hilali).

"When well-bred light-footed horses were
paraded before him near the close of day, 32 he kept saying, ‘My love
of fine things is part of my remembering my Lord!’ until [the horses]
disappeared from sight– 33 ‘Bring them back!’ [he said] and started
to stroke their legs and necks."   (Translation Abdel Haleem).


Also for your information again, the mistranslations of Pickthall, Shakir and Sahih International are as follows:

"When there were shown to him at eventide lightfooted coursers
And he said: Lo! I have preferred the good things (of the world) to the remembrance of my Lord; till they were taken out of sight behind the curtain.
(Then he said): Bring them back to me, and fell to slashing (with his sword their) legs and necks."  (38:31-33).   (Translation Muhammad M. Pickthall).

'When there were brought to him in the evening (horses) still when standing, swift when running--
Then he said: Surely I preferred the good things to the remembrance of my Lord-- until the sun set and time for Asr prayer was over, (he said):
Bring them back to me; so he began to slash (their) legs and necks.'  (38:31-33) Translation M.H. Shakir.

'[Mention] when there were exhibited before him in the afternoon the poised [standing] racehorses.  And he said, "Indeed, I gave preference to the love of good [things] over the remembrance of my Lord until the sun disappeared into the curtain [of darkness]."  [He said], "Return them to me," and set about striking [their] legs and necks.'  (38:31-33)  (Translation Sahih International which is supposed to be a standard translation catering to the hadith mindset to the maximum).


To make it easier for you to analyze the mistake in the translation by Pickthall, Shakir and Sahih International, following is the word by word translation of Verses 38:31-33) from Corpus Quran.

idh = When

uriḍa = were displayed

ʿalayhi = to him

bil-ʿashiyi = in the afternoon

l-ṣāfinātu  =  excellent bred steeds (horses).

l-jiyādu = excellent bred steeds (horses).

faqāla  =  And he said,

innī  =  "Indeed, I

aḥbabtu  =  (I) preferred

ḥubba  =  (the) love

l-khayri  =  (of) the good

ʿan  =   over

dhik'ri  =  (the) remembrance

rabbī   =  (of) my Lord."

ḥattā  =  Until

tawārat  =  they were hidden

bil-ḥijābi  =   in the veil;

ruddūhā  =  "Return them

ʿalayya   =   to me."

faṭafiqa  =  Then he began

masḥan  =   (to) pass (his hand)

bil-sūqi  =  over the legs

wal-aʿnāqi  =  and the necks.


After carefully reading the word by word translation from original Arabic to English taken from Corpus Quran of Verses 38:31-33 of Surah Sad, the entire running translation of Verses 38:31-33 from Corpus Quran in English would be:  'When were displayed to him in the afternoon excellent bred steeds.  excellent bred steeds.  And he said, "Indeed, (I) preferred (the) love (of) the good over (the) remembrance (of) my Lord."  Until they were hidden in the veil;  "Return them to me."  Then he began (to) pass (his hand) over the legs and the necks.'

Please note the Arabic word "masḥan" in the original Quran means (to) pass, it does NOT mean slashing.


Maududi also does not agree with those weird tafsirs that claim Prophet David missed his Asr prayers and then began striking his horses with his sword.  Actually according to Maududi, even one of the Hadiths narrated by Ibn Abbas mentions about passing the hand over the horses with love and affection.  Quoting Maududi as below:

QUOTE -
"There is a difference of opinion among the commentators about the translation and commentary of these verses .... The third section of the commentators interprets these verses as any unbiased person would interpret them from these words. According to this commentary, what actually happened was this: When a squadron of fine, well-bred horses was presented before the Prophet Solomon, he said: "I love this wealth not for the sake of personal glory or desire but for the cause of raising the Word of my Lord." Then he ordered that the horses run a race, and they disappeared from sight. Then he ordered that they be brought back, and when they were brought back, according to Ibn `Abbas: "He started passing his hand on their necks and shanks with love."  This same commentary is correct in our opinion, because it corresponds to the words of the Qur'an ..."
UNQUOTE -

What needs to be added to Maududi's tafsir is Ibn Abbas didn't do anyone a favor through his opinion .  The word "mas-han" is directly stated in the Quran which  in the context of Verse 38:33 explicitly means 'pass' the hand or 'stroke' the horses with the hand 'over the legs and the necks' (in original Quranic Arabic bil-sūqi and wal-aʿnāqi).  So there really isn't any scope for mistranslation and it's unpleasantly surprising that Pickthall of all persons actually did pick the wrong English word to translate "mas-han" in Verse 38:33.

So how did someone as careful and cautious as Pickthall make such an obvious blunder in his translation?  I first thought this mistake was perhaps contained in the English translation of Maulana Muhammad Ali, and Pickthall being his contemporary and very good friend who was influenced by him, followed the same translation. But upon checking Maulana Muhammad Ali's translation of Verse 38:33, I found that he has used the word "stroke" to translate "mas-han" not slash or strike.  However, Maulana Muhammad Ali who first translated the Quran in 1917, revised it in 1951, and Pickthall passed away in 1936.  The one I checked was the 1951 edition.  I'm still not able to find his 1917 version except one copy on a PDF format which was taking forever to load so I quit. It's highly possible the Maulana's 1917 edition contains that incorrect translation from where Pickthall borrowed it.   That's my presumption.  If any of you are able to find Maulana Muhammad Ali's 1917 translation particularly of Surah 38, please put it up for our information.

[Ruhi_Rose]

It is indeed a careless mistake by Pickthall.  I'm glad you have presented a detailed analysis which is very simple, clear and articulate.  I totally agree that the translation error is such that it changes the meaning of the narration, rather falsely distorts the character of Prophet David.  It's a bit like you're watching a thriller on TV, you get engrossed and when the movie is over you realize you've missed your prayer time.  Instead of reprimanding yourself and learning to be more responsible in future, you get mad and in a fit of anger you break the TV.  LOL! 

I'll pass this on to my husband.  He too will welcome the correction as he also reads Pickthall translations. 

Many thanks Sister Heba.  It's really good work and very useful concentration on a very important point.  We will be on the lookout if we can find Muhammad Ali's old translation of 1917, InshAllah.  I'm also eager to know how or why Pickthall chose this incorrect word when even Yusuf Ali hasn't.

Walaykum As-Salam.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

It's a bit like you're watching a thriller on TV, you get engrossed and when the movie is over you realize you've missed your prayer time.  Instead of reprimanding yourself and learning to be more responsible in future, you get mad and in a fit of anger you break the TV.  LOL! 

Exactly, that's an apt example.  Would any of the messengers of Allah ever behave that way?  Never! 
 

It's really good work and very useful concentration on a very important point. 

Actually Sister Zeynab and Br. TS had contacted me on email and discussed it.  They were checking it out too.  It was urgent matter which had to be clarified otherwise it would give readers of Quran translations a wrong impression.  So I completed my analysis yesterday and put it up.  Alhumdulilah.

[Ruhi_Rose]

Actually Sister Zeynab and Br. TS had contacted me on email and discussed it.  They were checking it out too.  It was urgent matter which had to be clarified otherwise it would give readers of Quran translations a wrong impression.  So I completed my analysis yesterday and put it up.  Alhumdulilah.[/font]

Ah, okay .. MashAllah.   I found it extremely helpful, and I'm glad I now know it.

[Zainab_M]

Walaikum As-Salaam dear Sister Heba.  Many, many thanks for so promptly and articulately putting up this very important post.  The correct and original meaning of Verse 38:33 must now be very clear to all readers who refer to Pickthall, Shakir or Sahih International for reading the English translation of the Noble Quran. 

As we discussed earlier, it also surprises me how Pickthall could make such an obvious mistake.  Your suggestion that it might have had something to do with Maulana Muhammad Ali's old translation of 1917 might be a possibility.  I would expect Pickthall to know that the Glorious Quran must be translated in accordance with the independent meaning it reflects, not on the basis of being influenced by colleagues or mentors or hadith.  However, this is the only bit of Picktahll's blunder I've found after reading his translations over and over many times for years.  Therefore, the translation of Verse 38:33 set aside (for which we have already put up the correct translation via Corpus Quran and other translators), the rest of Pickthall's translation an be comfortably accepted as correct. 

[Heba E. Husseyn]

You're most welcomed sis    

Yes, the possible misunderstanding that could arise from that incorrect translation has now been cleared.

I agree, the rest of Pickthall's English translation seems reliable.   

[N. Truth Seeker]

Very, very good.  I'm printing this out for we're having our first discussion session this month in Ramadan today afternoon.  This is the main topic as some guys are bent upon the Hadith explanation that the horses were slashed.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Oh really?  MashAllah.  Hope you find this thread useful, InshAllah.

Have you folks also shortened your Ramadan timings at work?  I guess you'll also be treating them for Iftar 

[N. Truth Seeker]

InshAllah yes, these details will be very helpful.

O yes, our Ramadan timings are much shorter, until 1.00 p.m.  .... and yeah, it's gonna will discussion session then Iftar.