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Prophet / MessengerPhase 1 · Adam to IsaMain personality

Prophet Dawud (AS)

داود

c. 1000 BCE (approximate; disputed) date disputed

The prophet-king of the Children of Israel who slew Jalut (Goliath), received the Zabur (Psalms), and was given wisdom and judgement. Mountains and birds glorified Allah with him, and iron was softened for him.

Biography

During the campaign of Talut (Saul) against Jalut (Goliath), the young Dawud killed Jalut; Allah gave him kingship and wisdom and taught him what He willed (2:251). He received the Zabur (4:163; 17:55).

The mountains and birds were made to glorify Allah with him (21:79; 34:10; 38:18-19), and iron was made soft for him so he could craft coats of mail (34:10-11; 21:80). He was made a khalifah on earth and commanded to judge with truth and not follow desire (38:26). The Quran narrates two litigants climbing into his prayer chamber; after judging, he realised it was a test, sought forgiveness and fell down bowing in repentance (38:21-25).

The Prophet ﷺ said the most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of Dawud and the most beloved fast is the fast of Dawud: he slept half the night, prayed a third and slept a sixth, and fasted alternate days (Sahih Bukhari 1131). He also said Dawud used to eat only from the earnings of his own hands (Sahih Bukhari 2072).

The Biblical story of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11) is rejected by many Muslim scholars as Israiliyat incompatible with prophethood; some weak reports inserted it into the tafsir of 38:21-25. Historically, a Davidic dynasty around the 10th-9th centuries BCE is attested by references such as the Tel Dan inscription ('House of David'), though the extent of his kingdom is debated by archaeologists.

Sources & explanation

۞ Qur'an

2:251 4:163 5:78 6:84 17:55 21:78 21:79 21:80 27:15 27:16 34:10 34:11 34:13 38:17 38:18 38:19 38:20 38:21 38:22 38:23 38:24 38:25 38:26 38:30

Links open quran.com.

📜 Hadith verified on sunnah.com

  • Sahih al-Bukhari 1131 Sahih

    The most beloved prayer and fast to Allah were those of Dawud: he slept half the night, prayed a third, and fasted alternate days.

  • Sahih al-Bukhari 2072 Sahih

    Nobody has ever eaten better food than what he earned by his own hands; Allah's prophet Dawud used to eat from the earnings of his own manual labour.

  • Sahih al-Bukhari 3417 Sahih

    The recitation of the Zabur was made easy for Dawud; he would finish it while his riding animals were being saddled.

💬 Explanation Unverified

Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza's perspective

Methodological note (not a direct quote): Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza's widely known approach is to build narratives primarily on the Quran and Sahih Hadith, to set aside Israiliyat (Judeo-Christian lore absorbed into later tafsir) and weak or fabricated narrations, and to avoid sectarian framing. Applied to this node: Quranic praise of Dawud and the Sahih Hadith on his worship and labour are primary; the Bathsheba story inserted into the tafsir of 38:21-25 is a standard example of Israiliyat to reject.

Empires in their lifetime

  • United Kingdom of Israel c. 1047 – c. 930 BCE
    King of the united monarchy; the Quran says Allah gave him kingship and wisdom (2:251).

Further references

  • Quran 2:251
  • Quran 4:163
  • Quran 34:10-11
  • Quran 38:17-26
  • Sahih Bukhari 1131
  • Sahih Bukhari 2072

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