David in Islam


The biblical David, who was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the second king of the United Kingdom of Israel and Judah, reigning –970 BCE, is also venerated in Islam as a prophet and messenger of God, and as a righteous, divinely-anointed monarch of the ancient United Kingdom of Israel, which itself is revered in Islam. Additionally, Muslims also honor David for having received the divine revelation of the Psalms. Mentioned sixteen times in the Quran, David appears in the Islamic scripture as a link in the chain of prophets who preceded Muhammad. Although he is not usually considered one of the "law-giving" prophets, "he is far from a marginal figure" in Islamic thought. In later Islamic traditions, he is praised for his rigor in prayer and fasting. He is also presented as the prototypical just ruler and as a symbol of God's authority on earth, having been at once a king and a prophet. David is particularly important to the religious architecture of Islamic Jerusalem.

Name

The Quranic Arabic form of David is Dāwud or Dāwūd, differing from Koine Δαυίδ and Dawīd. These forms appear in the Quran sixteen times.

Narrative in the Quran

David's narrative in the Quran, in many respects, parallels that given in the Bible. He is named a prophet and also a messenger, David is included in lists of those who received revelation or guidance from God. In both lists his name appears next to that of his son Solomon. Elsewhere, the Quran explains that God gave to both of them the gifts of "sound judgment" and "knowledge". Yet the Quran also ascribes to David merits that distinguish him from Solomon: David killed Goliath and received a divine revelation named the Psalms, presumably a reference to the Psalms or the Psalter. The mountains and the birds praised God along with David. God made David a "vicegerent", a title that the Quran otherwise gives only to Adam. This title suggests that, to the Quran, David was something more than a messenger: he was a divinely guided leader who established God’s rule on earth. This role is also suggested by 2:251: "God gave him authority and wisdom and taught him what He willed. If God did not drive back some people by others, the earth would become corrupt."
Among the things taught to David was the ability to make armour, a suggestion that David’s military exploits were the act of God. It is also important that the Quranic reference to David's "wisdom" was sometimes explained by the classical exegetes as the gift of prophecy. The Quran also connects David and Jesus, by insisting that both cursed those Israelites who did not believe. Moreover, according to the Quran, David was given the ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood when dispensing justice. Furthermore, there is the allusion to a test David was put through, wherein he prayed and repented and God forgave him. Surat Sad is also called "the sūra of David" Exegetes explain that since David prostrated when asking God to forgive him, Muhammad was ordered to imitate him and to perform a prostration when reading this chapter.

Religious significance

David is one of the few Islamic Prophets who received Kingship as well. While other prophets preached during the reign of kings, David, in his time, was the king. Thus, he received an extremely large task, of making sure that the people of Israel were not only held in check spiritually but that the country itself remained strong as well. His place as both leader and prophet is revered by all Muslims as one of extremely high rank. The figure of David, together with that of his prophetic son, Solomon, are iconic of people who ruled justly over their land. God frequently mentions David's high rank as a prophet and messenger in the Quran. He is often mentioned alongside other prophets to emphasize how great he was. For example, God says:
When the Caliph 'Umar visited Jerusalem, the Patriarch Sophronius accompanied him on the Temple Mount, while he searched for the Mihrab Dawud to perform a prayer. Later commentators identified this site with the Tower of David. In a hadith, the prayer and fasting of David is mentioned to be dear to God.

The Book of David

The Zabur is the holy book attributed to David by God, just as Musa received the Tawrat, Isa received the Injil and Muhammad received the Quran. In the current Hebrew Bible, the Zabur is known as the Psalms. However, like other scriptures of the past, the Psalms are believed to have been corrupted over time, with some of the original message now gone. Nonetheless, Muslims are told to treat the present Psalms with immense respect because, in their original form, they too were an inspired Book of God. The Quran states:
The term Zabur is the Arabic equivalent of the Hebrew Zimra, meaning "song/music." It, along with Zamir and Mizmor, is a derivative of Zamar, meaning "sing", "sing praise", "make music". Thus, David is also usually attributed the gifts of music and song.

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