Prophet Dawud (David) – Biographies of the Salaf

Table of Contents

His name and birth

Dawud (Arabic: دَاوُوْد, romanized: Dāwūd [daːwuːd]), is a prophet and messenger of Allah (The Only God).

Prophet Dawud (AS) also known as David in Jewish scriptures, was born in the 10th Century, in Jerusalem. He was known for defeating Goliath and becoming the King of Israel. The name of Prophet Dawood (AS) has been mentioned in the Quran for 16 times.

The holy book Zabur (Psalms) was revealed on Prophet Dawud (AS)

The Zabur was revealed on Prophet Dawood (AS) by Allah SWT, Just like Tawrat (Torah) was revealed onto Musa (AS) and Injil (Gospel) on Prophet Isa (AS) and Similarly Prophet Muhammad PBUH received Quran as the last Holy book from Allah SWT.

Some interesting points about Prophet Dawud [AS](2)

Dawud (عليه السلام) is mentioned by name 16 times in the Holy Quran.
Dawud (عليه السلام) ruled the Children of Israel [Banu Israil] for forty years, seven years in Hebron (al-Khalil) and thirty-three in Jerusalem, which became known as the City of Dawud.
According to Jewish and Christian belief (ref: Who’s Who in the Bible by Peter Calvocoressi), Dawud (عليه السلام) [David] committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. Bathsheba became pregnant and David sent for Uriah, who was with the Israelite army at the siege of Rabbah, so that he might lie with his wife and so conceal the identity of the child’s father. Uriah refused to do so while his companions were in the field of battle and David sent him back to Joab, the commander, with a message instructing him to abandon Uriah on the battlefield, “that he may be struck down, and die.“ In Islam, Dawud (عليه السلام) is regarded as one of the great Prophets, to whom the Zabur (Psalms) were revealed by Allah (ﷻ). The Islamic tradition includes many elements from the Jewish/Christian history of David, such as his battle with the giant Goliath, but completely rejects the Biblical portrayal of him as an adulterer and murderer.
Dawud (عليه السلام) was the first person skilled in making armour from iron. Allah (ﷻ) mentions in Surah Saba in the Holy Quran:“And certainly We gave Dawud bounty from Us (and said), ‘O mountains! Repeat Our praises with him, and the birds you too’. And we softened for him iron, (saying) ‘Make wide coats of mail, and measure well the links and do righteous deeds. Surely I am Seer of what you do.” [34:10-11]
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The most loved Salat (prayer) in the sight of Allah is the Salat of Dawud and the most loved of Saum (fasting) in the sight of Allah is the Saum of Dawud. He used to sleep for the first half of the night and offer prayer for one-third of it and sleep (again) for one-sixth of it. And he used to observe fast on alternate days. And when he encountered an enemy he never fled.” [Bukhari]
Allah (ﷻ) had given him a very sweet voice such as not had been given to anyone before. When he used to recite the Zabur (Psalms) human beings, jinn, birds and animals stood devotedly listening to him.(1)

The Story of Prophet Dawud [AS] according to Ibn Katheer

According to genealogists, his name was Dawood ibn Eesha ibn ‘Owayd ibn ‘Abar ibn Salmoon ibn Nahshoon ibn ‘Awainadeb ibn Iram ibn Hasroon ibn faras ibn Yahoodha ibn Ya’qoob ibn Ishaq ibn Ibraheem.

Muhammad ibn Ishaq reported from scholars that Wahb ibn Munabbih said: “Dawood (David) was short, had blue eyes, fine hair and a clean heart.”

After Dawood [AS] killed Jaloot (Goliath), the children of Israel began to love him. They preferred that he be their king. After the end of Taloot, Dawood [AS] became the king. Thus Allah granted Dawood [AS] both the kingdom and Prophethood together, the best of this world and the Hereafter. Prior to this, nobody had ever been given kingship and Prophethood at a time, and thus Allah combined it for the first time in Prophet Dawood. Allah said:

فَهَزَمُوهُم بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَتَلَ دَاوُۥدُ جَالُوتَ وَءَاتَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُلْكَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَهُۥ مِمَّا يَشَآءُ ۗ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلنَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍۢ لَّفَسَدَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ٢٥١

So they defeated them by Allah’s Will, and David killed Goliath. And Allah blessed David with kingship and wisdom and taught him what He willed. Had Allah not repelled a group of people by ˹the might of˺ another, corruption would have dominated the earth, but Allah is Gracious to all. (2:251)

That is, if it were not that Allah appointed kings, the strong among mankind would have overpowered the weak. It is reported from the third Caliph ‘Uthman ibn Affan [R] that he said: “Verily Allah forbids some things to the people by way of kings that he does not forbid by the Qur’an.”

Ibn Jareer said that when Jaloot (Goliath) challenged Taloot to come forward and fight by saying, “Come forward to me and I will come to you,” Taloot tried to gather the people to fight. Then Dawood [AS] stepped forward and thus killed Jaloot.

Wahb ibn Munabbih said that after this incident, the people began to love Dawood [AS] a lot, so much so that they left Taloot. In fact, they even removed Taloot from kingship and appointed Dawood as their king in his place. In another version of the story, it is said that Dawood was appointed as a king on the orders of Prophet Shamweel [AS]. Ibn Jareer said that the opinion of the majority of scholars is that Dawood came to power after Jaloot was killed. And Allah knows best.

Allah said:

۞ وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ مِنَّا فَضْلًۭا ۖ يَـٰجِبَالُ أَوِّبِى مَعَهُۥ وَٱلطَّيْرَ ۖ وَأَلَنَّا لَهُ ٱلْحَدِيدَ ١٠
Indeed, We granted David a ˹great˺ privilege from Us, ˹commanding:˺ “O mountains! Echo his hymns! And the birds as well.” We made iron mouldable for him,

أَنِ ٱعْمَلْ سَـٰبِغَـٰتٍۢ وَقَدِّرْ فِى ٱلسَّرْدِ ۖ وَٱعْمَلُوا۟ صَـٰلِحًا ۖ إِنِّى بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌۭ ١١
instructing: “Make full-length armour, ˹perfectly˺ balancing the links. And work righteousness ˹O family of David!˺. Indeed, I am All-Seeing of what you do.”
(34:10-11)

And:

وَعِلْمًۭا ۚ وَسَخَّرْنَا مَعَ دَاوُۥدَ ٱلْجِبَالَ يُسَبِّحْنَ وَٱلطَّيْرَ ۚ وَكُنَّا فَـٰعِلِينَ ٧٩
We subjected the mountains as well as the birds to hymn ˹Our praises˺ along with David. It is We Who did ˹it all˺.

وَعَلَّمْنَـٰهُ صَنْعَةَ لَبُوسٍۢ لَّكُمْ لِتُحْصِنَكُم مِّنۢ بَأْسِكُمْ ۖ فَهَلْ أَنتُمْ شَـٰكِرُونَ ٨٠
We taught him the art of making body armour to protect you in battle. Will you then be grateful?

(21:79-80)

Allah helped him in making metal shields in order to fortify themselves from their enemies. He also guided him to the manner in which it should be made.

Hasan al-Basri, Qatadah and al-Amash said: “Allah softened the iron for Dawood [AS] such that he could work with it in his hand without needing any fire or hammer.”

It is authentically established in a hadith that:

“The best and purest food a man could eat is that which is earned by him. And verily the Prophet of Allah Dawood used to eat from what he earned with his hands.”

Allah said:

“…And remember our slave Dawood, endued with power. Verily, he was ever oft-returning in all matters and in repentance. Verily, We made the mountains to glorify Our praises with him in the afternoon and after sunrise. And so did the birds assemble, all obedient to him [to praise Allah]. We made his kingdom strong and gave him Prophethood and sound judgment.” (38: 17-20)

Ibn ‘Abbas and Mujahid said: “‘The endued with power’ means that he had strength in acts of worship and in doing good deeds.”

Qatadah said: “He was given strength to perform acts of worship and was also given an understanding of Islam.”

Imam Bukhari and Muslim reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him said:

“The most beloved prayers to Allah is the prayer of Dawood, and the most beloved of fasts to Allah are the fasts of Dawood; he used to sleep for half the night, then stand up in prayer for the next one-third of the night, and then he used to sleep for the rest one-sixth. He used to fast on alternate days; and whenever he met his enemy in battle, he never backed off.”

Ref: