English Translation of Al-Quran
[38].Surah Suad
Ayat 18. Verily, Allah made the mountains to glorify Our Praises with him [Dawud AS (David)] in the ‘Ashi (i.e. after the mid-day till sunset) and Ishraq (i.e. after the sunrise till mid-day).
Ayat 19. And (so did) the birds assembled: all with him [Dawud AS (David)] did turn (to Allah i.e. glorified His Praises).
Tafseer of Surah Suad Ayat 18. It was Allah that made the hills declare, in unison with him, Our Praises, at eventide and at break of day, 21:79. All nature sings in unison and celebrates the praises of Allah. David was given the gift of music and psalmody, and therefore the hills and birds are expressed as singing Allah’s praises in unison with him. The special hours when the hills and groves echo the songs of birds are in the evening and at dawn, when also the birds gather together, for those are respectively their roosting hours and the hours of their concerted flight for the day. Ayat 19. And the birds gathered (in assemblies): all with him did turn (to Allah). Note the mutual echo between this verse and verse 17 of this Surah. The Arabic awwab is common to both, and it furnishes the rhyme or rhythm of the greater part of this Surah, thus echoing the main theme: ‘Turn to Allah in Prayer and Praise, for that is more than any worldly power or wisdom.’
English Translation of Hadith
Hazrat Abu Qatadah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ [SAWW](PBUH) was asked about the observance of Saum (fasting) on the day of `Arafah. He said, “It is expiation for the sins of the preceding year and the current year.”
[Muslim Book 006, Chapter 33, Hadith # 2603].
Lesson: as mentioned in this Hadith the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah is called Yaum-Arafah. On this day, pilgrims stop and stand in prayers at Arafat which is the most important ritual of Hajj, so much so that Hajj is deemed incomplete without it. On that day, the pilgrims are engaged in the remembrance of Allah and prayers as that is their most important worship on that day. For this reason, Saum is not desirable for them, but for other people, Saum has a special merit. The importance and merit of this Saum can be judged from the fact that it expiates sins for two consecutive years: the previous year and the current year. But these sins relate only to the minor sins, not the major ones, or become a means of elevation of one’s status.