We start from where we left you last Friday and here is ayah 29 of Surah Saad.

• کِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَیْکَ مُبَارَکٌ لِّیَدَّبَّرُوا آیَاتِهِ وَلِیَتَذَکَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ

“[It is] a blessed Book that We have sent down to you, so that they may contemplate its signs, and that those who possess intellect may take admonition.”

Last week we said the entire system of creation is based on justice and righteousness which means social equilibrium should be our goal without which chaos would prevail, and hence God the All-Just and All-Merciful rewards the virtuous for their deeds and after much forgiveness punishes the unrepentant sinners.

The ayah that we recited to you means to say that the holy Qur’an is a Book that God revealed to Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) for guidance of all human beings including explanation of the purpose of creation so that we ponder deeply upon its signs and take admonition in order to ensure proper growth and sublimity of all human beings. Of course, those who ponder upon the timeless wisdom of the ayahs of the holy Qur’an and use their God-given gift of the intellect and reason to understand their meaning and purport, realize the dynamism of divine commandments and hence make their life meaningful.

In other words, the holy Qur’an is surely blessed. Its recitation and reflection upon its contents open up new vistas of sciences and help the intellectuals discover what hitherto appear as mysteries and secrets. The holy Qur’an is for contemplation and contemplation on its contents is for admonition, else it might happen that a person perceiving the scientific wonders and subtle essences of the Qur’an, may become proud and cause harm to himself. In short, the instructions of the holy Qur’an are eternal, its commandments are really deep and expressive, and its programmes are refreshing and leading for human beings on the way of the aim of creation.

From this ayah we learn that:

1. The goal of the holy Qur’an is to awaken our minds which becomes possible through contemplation on its contents rather than absent-minded recitation.
2. Divine revelation is in accordance with wisdom and nothing is found in the holy Qur’an that is opposed to reason.
3. The wise people, by pondering into the holy Qur’an, discover its mysteries and hidden bezels of knowledge.

Now listen to ayahs 30 to 33 of Surah Saad

• وَوَهَبْنَا لِدَاوُودَ سُلَیْمَانَ ۚ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ
• إِذْ عُرِضَ عَلَیْهِ بِالْعَشِیِّ الصَّافِنَاتُ الْجِیَادُ
• ‏ فَقَالَ إِنِّی أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَیْرِ عَن ذِکْرِ رَبِّی حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ ‎‏
•  رُدُّوهَا عَلَیَّ ۖ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًا بِالسُّوقِ وَالْأَعْنَاقِ

“And to David We gave Solomon —what an excellent servant! Indeed he was a penitent [soul].”

“When one evening there were displayed before him prancing steeds;”

“He said, ‘Indeed I have preferred the love of [worldly] niceties to the remembrance of my Lord until [the sun] disappeared behind the [night’s] veil.”

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

Here God means to say that He granted Prophet David a wise son like himself, named Solomon, who was granted both kingship and prophethood, and was a good servant of God Almighty, always being cognizant of the Divine Presence.

Then the ayahs refer to the greatness of Solomon's power and rule, and his watching of the parade of his army equipped with a fine breed of agile horses. When the horses and riders paraded before him, Solomon spoke to himself rather than becoming proud and arrogant, and said: I like these horses for the sake of God so as to preserve the security of the nation and the means of jihad against the enemies.

He and his entourage were so much engrossed in watching these fine horses until they disappeared from his eyes, and he called that the horses be once again paraded before him. This time he approached the horses, patted them, and gently stroke their heads and necks, as those who have knowledge of the beauty of the horses do.

Solomon then turned to God Almighty in all humbleness, saying that for a moment he had been so deeply engrossed in the niceties of the world, although these horses are nothing but the creation of the Lord Most High. He and those with him then began to wash themselves for the worship of Almighty God.

From these ayahs we learn that:

1. The highest position of man is servitude to God, as is evident by the repeated use of the word “abd” in the holy Qur’an for the prophets.
2. Special attention to security is among the tasks of the rulers of the community. Therefore, holding a ceremony like a parade and watching the military forces and equipment is a good thing. Because community leaders should be aware of the quantity and quality of combat forces and display their power to the enemies.
3. Power and rule, if it is in the hands of the righteous people, does not lead to oppression and wrongdoings, because such people sincerely strive in the path of God for the benefit of mankind.