Tafseer of The letter Saad · Saad · 38:30
And to David We gave Solomon. An excellent servant, indeed he was one repeatedly turning back [to Allah].
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the word of the Exalted: wa-wahabnā li-Dāwūda Sulaymāna niʿma l-ʿabdu innahu awwāb ("And We bestowed upon Dāwūd Sulaymān; how excellent a servant; indeed, he was ever-returning [to Allah]") (30)
The Exalted, whose remembrance is exalted, says: wa-wahabnā li-Dāwūda Sulaymān ("And We bestowed upon Dāwūd Sulaymān"), his son, as a child. niʿma l-ʿabd ("how excellent a servant"): He says: how excellent a servant was Sulaymān. innahu awwāb ("indeed, he was ever-returning"): He says: indeed, he constantly returned to obedience to Allah, ever-returning to Him from that in himself which He detested. And it has been said: by it was meant that he abundantly remembered Allah and rendered obedience.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās niʿma l-ʿabdu innahu awwāb ("how excellent a servant; indeed, he was ever-returning"): he said: al-awwāb is the one who abundantly utters the glorification (tasbīḥ).
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda niʿma l-ʿabdu innahu awwāb: he said: he was obedient to Allah, abundant in prayer (ṣalāh).
Muḥammad related to us, saying: Aḥmad related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, concerning his word niʿma l-ʿabdu innahu awwāb: he said: the one who abundantly utters the glorification.
And the one who utters the glorification may do so in the prayer and in the remembrance (dhikr). And we have already expounded the meaning of al-awwāb, and we have previously mentioned the disagreement of the scholars of exegesis concerning it, in a manner that makes it unnecessary to repeat here.
