Dawud (AS)
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
Dawud (AS) defeats Jalut
The story of Prophet Dawud (AS) follows the story of Musa (AS). From the story of Prophet Musa (AS), we learned how the Children of Israel (Bani Israel) escaped from Egypt, and were left wandering in the desert around Palestine.
Dawud (AS) was from the Children of Israel. When he was still very young, he joined the army of Bani Israel that was planning to fight the people of Jerusalem so that they could enter the holy land and live there.
At that time, the people of Jerusalem were a strong and mighty group of people called the Philistines. The Children of Israel were scared of fighting the Philistines; they had only a few hundred soldiers on their side and the Philistine army had thousands. The leader of the Philistine army was a huge and fiercely strong man called Jalut, also known as Goliath.
The Children of Israel were terrified when they saw Jalut’s strength and size. But Dawud (AS) was incredibly brave, even though he was still very young. He stepped forward and said “I will fight Jalut.” The leader of the army said, “You are too young.” He was reluctant to let Dawud (AS) fight Jalut and asked his soldiers if anyone else would volunteer. When no one else stepped forward, the leader finally agreed to let Dawud (AS) fight Jalut. When Jalut saw Dawud (AS) come towards him, he exclaimed “I will not fight such a young and weak boy.”
Dawud (AS) had no sword or spear, not even a shield. He only had a slingshot as a weapon. He prayed to Allah and asked for His help. Then he was ready to fight. He loaded the slingshot with a small stone. He pulled the sling back as far as it would go, aimed, and released it. The small stone went zooming through the air and hit Jalut directly on his forehead. Jalut fell to the ground, dead. A young boy, armed with nothing but a slingshot and a small stone asked for Allah’s help and defeated the mighty warrior Jalut, leader of the Philistines!
When the rest of his men saw their mighty hero slain, they took to their heels. The Bani Israel followed in hot pursuit, taking revenge for their years of suffering at the hands of their enemy. In this battle the Bani Israel regained the glory and honor that had been lost for a long time. Dawud (AS), his family and his friends finally entered the blessed city of Jerusalem.
Dawud (AS) as King of Jerusalem
Years later, Allah blessed Dawud (AS) with something wonderful. He made Dawud (AS) a Prophet, and the King of Jerusalem.
It is reported that Dawud (AS) fasted every other day. We learn from a hadith in which the Prophet (S) said: “The most beloved fasting to Allah was the fasting of the Prophet Dawud, who used to fast alternate days.
Dawud (AS) was sent special messages from Allah. These messages were put together in a book called the Zabur (Psalms). Allah also blessed Dawud (AS) with a beautiful and melodious voice. When he would recite the Zabur and glorify Allah, creatures such as the plants, birds, beasts, and even the mountains responded to his voice glorifying Allah.
Dawud (AS) had other blessings from Allah. He was renowned for his great wisdom, and ability to judge between people when they had disagreements.
Dawud had a son named Sulayman, who was intelligent and wise from childhood. When the following story took place, Sulayman was eleven years old.
One day Dawud, was sitting, as usual, solving the problems of his people when two men, one of whom had a field, came to him. The owner of the field said: “O dear Prophet! This man’s sheep came to my field at night and ate up the grapes and I have come to ask for compensation.” Dawud asked the owner of the sheep: “Is this true?” He said: “Yes, sir.” Dawud said: “I have decided that you give him your sheep in exchange for the field.” Solomon, to whom Allah had given wisdom in addition to what he had inherited from his father, spoke up: “I have another opinion. The owner of the sheep should take the field to cultivate until the grapes grow, while the other man should take the sheep and make use of their wool and milk until his field is repaired. If the grapes grow, and the field returns to its former state, then the field owner should take his field and give back the sheep to their owner.”
Dawud responded: “This is a sound judgment. Praise be to Allah for gifting you with wisdom. You are truly Sulayman the Wise.”
Another gift from Allah to Dawud (AS) was that when he held hard metal in his hand, it became soft and he could bend it any way he liked.
Dawud (AS) was the King of Jerusalem for 40 years. During this time, there was peace between the different tribes who lived in Palestine. He divided his working day into four parts: one to earn a living and to rest, one to pray to his Lord, one to listen to the complaints of his people, and the last part to deliver his sermons. He also appointed deputies to listen to his subjects’ complaints so that in his absence people’s problems might not be neglected. Although a king, he did not live on the income of his kingdom. Being well-experienced in the craft of weapon-making, he made and sold weapons and lived on that income.
Toward the end of his life, Dawud (AS) started to rebuild Masjid al-Aqsa. It is believed that the blessed Masjid had first been built by Adam (AS) after he had built the Ka’bah in Makkah, which was rebuilt by Ibrahim (AS).
After many years Masjid al-Aqsa lay in ruins and was rebuilt by Ibrahim (AS). After generations, when Dawud (AS) was King of Jerusalem, Masjid Al Aqsa was again in need of rebuilding. Rebuilding Masjid Al Aqsa was a huge project and, sadly, Dawud (AS) passed away before he could complete it. It was Dawud (AS)’s son, Sulayman (AS), who continued the work and completed rebuilding Masjid al-Aqsa. Dawud (AS) lived to be one hundred years old, and was buried in Jerusalem. May Allah’s peace be upon him.
Sulayman (AS)
Sulayman (as) was born and raised in the city of Jerusalem in Palestine. He was the son of Prophet Dawud (AS). Allah gifted him with miracles that no other Prophet had been gifted with before him or after him: He could understand and communicate with all kinds of animals, and he had command over the wind. He was also given the power to make the jinn work for him. Despite his immense worldly powers, he never forgot Allah, and was always grateful to Allah for all the great blessings that he had been granted.
Once, Sulayman (AS) was marching through a valley with his magnificent army of Jinn, men and birds. The army came to a valley which happened to be the home of ants. Seeing this great army, one ant said to the others, “Hide in your homes, before Sulayman (AS) and his army crush you unknowingly under their feet.” Sulayman (AS) understood what the ant had said. He smiled to himself and thanked Allah for all the special gifts he had been given. The Qur’an tells many stories about him and his amazing achievements.
The Story of Hud-hud (hoopoe) and the Wondrous Throne.
One of the stories tells us that Sulayman (AS) had jinn and birds serving in his army as well as men. They were all kept in order and ranks, and Sulayman (AS) demanded strict discipline among them. That is why he was very upset one day to find that one bird, the hoopoe, was absent without his consent. However, the hoopoe soon appeared to explain his absence. He had been scouting for Sulayman (AS) in areas where Sulayman (AS) had not yet scouted. He brought with him an account of the kingdom of Saba (Sheba).
The hoopoe reported that the kingdom of Saba was ruled by a rich and powerful queen. She and her people worshipped the sun and other idols instead of Allah. To test the truth of the hoopoe’s story, Sulayman (AS) sent a letter to the queen, greeting her and requesting her to submit to Allah.
The queen consulted with her ministers. They informed her that the country had the strength to wage a war, but they entrusted her with the decision of whether to use her armies or seek a peaceful settlement. The queen was reluctant to expose her country to the destruction and waste that would accompany a war. Instead she decided to try to please Sulayman (AS) by sending him expensive gifts. Her chiefs and ministers agreed with her decision.
When the messengers of the queen delivered the queen’s gifts to Sulayman (AS), he rejected the gifts. He said that the gifts which he had received from Allah were infinitely better than those which she had sent. He sent the messengers back with the gifts and a message to the queen that she had better submit or he would send armies which would thoroughly destroy her nation.
While Sulayman (AS) was awaiting the arrival of the queen, when she would come to him in submission, he desired that her throne be brought to him. A very strong jinn offered to bring it within a matter of moments. One who had knowledge of the Book said he could bring it within the twinkling of an eye.
When the throne had been placed before him, Sulayman (AS) praised and thanked Allah. Sulayman (AS) did not desire the conquest of the queen of Saba to enhance his personal power. He desired that her throne be transformed from a seat of no faith to a seat of faith in Allah, that she would lead her people in submission to Allah, not to Sulayman (AS).
Sulayman (AS) had the queen’s throne disguised in order to test whether she would accept it in its changed condition. When she arrived, she was asked whether it was her own throne. She confirmed that it was something like it.
When the queen was asked to enter the palace, she tucked up her skirts, because she thought she had to pass through a pool of water. Sulayman (AS), not wishing to humiliate the queen, informed her that what she had mistaken for water was actually smooth slabs of glass which paved the courtyard. The queen acknowledged her misperceptions and submitted in Islam, to Allah (SWT), the Lord of the Worlds.
Sulayman and Masjid al-Aqsa
One of most beloved things to Sulayman (AS) was Masjid al-Aqsa. Masjid Al-Aqsa was first built by Adam (AS). It fell into ruins and was later rebuilt by Prophet Ibrahim (AS). After many generations, it again fell into ruins. When Prophet Dawud (AS) became King of Jerusalem, he began to rebuild the Masjid, but died before it was completed. Sulayman (AS) and his army of helpers continued the work of Dawud (AS) and finished rebuilding the blessed Masjid.
Whilst he was rebuilding Masjid al-Aqsa, Sulayman (AS) made a special du’a to Allah and asked for three things: First, he asked to be wise, so that whatever decision he made between people who were arguing, Allah would be pleased with the decision made by him. Second, he asked for a kingdom such that no one before or after him would have. Finally, he asked Allah to forgive the sins of any person who visits Masjid Al-Aqsa and to make that person as pure as the day he or she was born.
The death of Sulayman (AS)
The rebuilding of the Masjid continued. Sulayman (AS) also built the Dome of the Rock, which is a beautiful building with a golden dome, opposite Masjid al-Aqsa. As time went on, Sulayman (AS) knew that his time in this world was coming to an end, and he worried that the Masjid would remain unfinished after he passed away. One day, Sulayman (AS) leaned on his walking stick, watching the workers rebuild Masjid al-Aqsa. Whilst he was watching, Sulayman (AS) passed away. But even though his soul was gone, Sulayman (AS) remained upright, propped up on his walking stick.
No one realized that Sulayman (AS) was no longer with them, and thinking that he still watched them, the workers continued to build. The work on Masjid al-Aqsa continued without any interruption, and the rebuilding was complete.
Eventually, ants began to eat away at the bottom of Sulayman (AS)’s walking stick. The little ants ate and ate until the stick could not hold Sulayman (AS) up anymore. When the stick fell out of his hand, the body of Sulayman (AS) who had passed away fell to the ground. May Allah’s peace be upon him.
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Resources and References:
Imam Ibn Kathir – Stories of the Prophets
Mufti Menk – Lessons from the Stories of the Prophets in the Qur’an (https://muslimahlifestyle.com/lessons-stories-prophets-quraan-mufti-menk-creation-of-aadam-as/)
Anwar Al-Awlaki – The Lives of the Prophets (https://www.kalamullah.com/anwar-alawlaki.html)
Aisha Stacey – The Religion of Islam (islamreligion.com)
