Advice to Rulers and Leaders
This is advice from Allah, may He be exalted, to those who are in positions of authority. They should rule according to the truth and justice revealed from Him, they should not turn away from it and be led astray from the path of Allah. Allah has issued a stern warning of a severe punishment to those who go astray from His path and forget the Day of Resurrection. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibrahim Abu Zur`ah, who read the Scripture, reported that Al-Walid bin `Abd Al-Malik said to him: "Does anyone have the right to question the Khalifah You have read the first Scripture and the Qur'an, and you have understood them." He replied, "May I speak, O Commander of the faithful" He said, "Speak, for you are under the protection of Allah." I said, "O Commander of the faithful, are you more dear to Allah, or Dawud, peace be upon him For Allah gave him both prophethood and rulership, then He warned him in His Book:
يدَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَـكَ خَلِيفَةً فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَى فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ
(O Dawud ! Verily, We have placed you as a successor on the earth; so judge you between men in truth (and justice) and follow not your desire -- for it will mislead you from the path of Allah)." `Ikrimah said:
لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدُ بِمَا نَسُواْ يَوْمَ الْحِسَابِ
((Those shall) have a severe torment, because they forgot the Day of Reckoning.) "They will have a severe punishment on the Day of Reckoning because of what they forgot. " As-Suddi said, "They will have a severe punishment because of what they neglected to do for the sake of the Day of Reckoning." This interpretation is more in accordance with the apparent meaning of the Ayah. And Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is the Guide to the Truth.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged, English).