Dear brothers and sisters, we have started reciting the stories of prophets sequentially, staring from before Adam’s (PBUH) creation. (The Series of The Beginning of Creation). After Adam (PBUH), we talked about prophets Idris (Enoch), Nuh (Noah), Hud, Saleh, Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma’il (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Yaqub (Jacob), and Yusuf (Joseph), (peace be upon them all). We will continue, by telling the story of prophet Dawud (David) (Peace be upon him).

Some tyrants ruled over the blessed land (Palestine), after the death of Prophet Musa (Moses) (PBUH). This happened as believers turned into a lost generation, who cared only for their own worldly affairs and good, without caring to stand up for Allah's (SWT) religion.

Allah (SWT)says what can be translated as, “Have you not thought about the group of the Children of Israel after (the time of) Musa? When they said to a Prophet of theirs, “Appoint for us a king and we will fight in Allâh’s Way” (TMQ, 2:246) (1). The mission of the prophets of the People of Israel was only to preach and guide people. They were not to lead fights with the exception of our prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who was the only one to perform all tasks by himself. “He said, “Would you then refrain from fighting, if fighting was prescribed for you?” (TMQ, 2:246).

Allah (SWT) addresses the People of Israel saying that they are only people of slogans, and are not true believers, while true believers can only liberate that land. “They said, “Why should we not fight in Allah’s Way while we have been driven out of our homes and our children (families have been taken as captives)?” (TMQ, 2:246). Note we see this same thing nowadays by many recklessly enthusiastic youth, who do not even perform al fajr prayer (the dawn’s prayer). We are in dire need of long faith training.

“But when fighting was ordered for them, they turned away, all except a few of them. And Allah is All-Aware of the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers).” (TMQ, 2:246). They originally numbered thousands, but they had been reduced to a few thousand.

“And their Prophet (Samuel) said to them, “Indeed Allah has appointed Talut (Saul) as a king over you.” They said, “How can he be a king over us when we are fitter than him for the kingdom, and he has not been given enough wealth.” He said: “Verily, Allah has chosen him above you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allah grants His kingdom to whom He wills. And Allah is All Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower” (TMQ, 2:247).

“Then when Talut set out with the army, he said: “Verily! Allah will try you by a river. So whoever drinks thereof, he is not of me, and whoever tastes it not, he is of me, except him who takes (thereof) in the hollow of his hand.” (TMQ, 2:249). This was a test for their will. And notice this stream might be represented nowadays by dissolute pictures or inappropriate shows on TV. You have to fight yourself first before fighting your enemies. “Yet, they drank thereof, all, except a few of them.” (TMQ, 2:249). And that was the third time. “So when he had crossed it (the river), he and those who believed with him, they said: “We have no power this day against Jalut (Goliath) and his hosts.” (TMQ, 2:249).

“They turned away, all except a few of them.” (TMQ, 2:246). They started with thirty thousand fighters, but they ended up with 313, the same number of Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) companions in the battle of Badr, those men who have made history and changed the fate of earth.

“But those who knew with certainty that they were going to meet Allah, said: “How often a small group overcame a mighty host by Allah’s Leave?” And Allah is with As-Sabirun (the patient). And when they advanced to meet Jalut and his forces, they invoked: “Our Lord! Pour forth on us patience, and set firm our feet and make us victorious over the disbelieving people. So they routed them by Allah’s Leave and Dawud killed Jalut” (TMQ, 2:249-251).

Well, is this the story of Dawud (PBUH) or Talut? It is Dawud’s (PBUH) story. Although the main story is Talut’s, Dawud’s (PBUH) story starts from this point. An eighteen-year-old shepherd, Dawud (PBUH) was one of Talut's soldiers in this battle. He was not a man of slogans; he stood firm and loyal, until Allah (SWT) chose him to bring victory to His religion. This shows that if you are an honest believer, Allah (SWT) will help you succeed, even if no one else believes in you.

Dawud (PBUH) then became the great prophet, with whom the mountains and birds would praise Allah (SWT) and eulogize. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Allah gave him the kingdom [after the death of Talut and Samuel] and Al-Hikmah (Prophethood), and taught him of that which He willed.” (TMQ, 2:251). We find that Jerusalem (the al-Aqsa mosque in Palestine) which was built by Adam (PBUH) forty years after building the K’aba in Makkah, as mentioned in Bukhari's book for Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) authentic Ahadith, sank in Nuh’s (PBUH) flood. The prophets succeeded each other in the following order: Ibrahim (Abraham) (many centuries separate him and Nuh), Isma’il, Ishaq, Yaqub and his sons, Musa and Harun (Aaron), and then the prophets who followed them and preceded Dawud (peace be upon them all). Dawud (PBUH) wanted to reconstruct Jerusalem which should be controlled by believers at all times. And in this day, believers are the followers of prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the last of prophets.

Allah (SWT) said to Dawud (PBUH), “Dawud, I have a great mosque in this place, and as you are now constructing the earth, reconstruct my great mosque.” Allah (SWT) located for him the place, which was the house of one of the Jews who was one of Talut’s triumphant soldiers, but whose faith started to get weak. Dawud (PBUH) told the man, “Allah ordered me to construct a great mosque on this land, and I want to buy this house from you so I can construct the mosque.” The man replied, “O prophet of Allah! Price the house”, Dawud (PBUH) said, “No, you price it”. The Jew said, “The price I set for it is that you fill it with sheep for me”. Dawud (PBUH) agreed, because as a prophet, he wanted to obey Allah (SWT) and had to do what it takes. When the Jew saw that Dawud (PBUH) bought the house without argument, he said “O prophet of Allah! For the sake of Allah, tell me which is better for Allah, is it the mosque or my house?” Dawud (PBUH) said, “the mosque”, so the Jew said, “Then let me refrain from our selling agreement”. Dawud (PBUH) agreed, and so the previous conversation between them was repeated. Yet, this time the man asked Dawud (PBUH) to fill his house with camels, because they are more expensive than sheep. When Dawud (PBUH) agreed again, the man repeated the same thing and started anew, asking Dawud (PBUH) to fill his house this time with horses. At this point, Dawud (PBUH) found that it was an endless situation, at which point he told the man, “I swear by Allah that if you asked for my whole reign so that I would be able to build Allah's mosque, I would give it all to you”. The man replied, “I swear to Allah, if I could rule as a king, I would take all of your powers.” Look at the nature of these Jews who claimed that Jerusalem belongs to them? It is even said that Dawud's (PBUH) wealth had all been spent as the construction of the mosque was finished. It was completed at the time of Solaiman (Solomon) (PBUH).

Dawud (PBUH) was the first prophet of the People of Israel who was also a king. In this story, a great meaning is highlighted, as Dawud (PBUH) was one of the few prophets who began as loyal fighters for the sake of Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) then chose him, granted him the prophecy, and gave him power and wisdom. This shows that there are many people who are loyal to Allah (SWT), worshipping Him honestly, and are rewarded as Allah (SWT) grants them His blessings and goodness far beyond their imagination. Allah (SWT) set them to perform great deeds that no one would ever think they could do. There is something else to be taken here. While you might think that your capabilities and potentials are weak and limited, and that you can do little to help Islam, when you dedicate yourself faithfully to Allah (SWT), He enables you to achieve amazing things achieved only by great and innovative people. For example, a young person might be unable to recite the Holy Qur’an properly (tajweed), and it might be the first time for him to attend a religious lecture, but through his honesty and diligence, he can be a great supporter for Islam. Don’t underestimate yourself and your capabilities. Just depend on Allah (SWT), communicate with Him, learn and work harder, then you will find Allah (SWT) raising your capabilities and effectiveness.

I would like to highlight some other point: some people attend religious lectures, sitting beside each other, and listening to the same words; yet, there is a very big difference between them, why? One of them comes and his intention is only to satisfy Allah (SWT), while the other comes only to watch. It might be the first time for one to attend, yet, he is more aware and derives more benefit than someone else who has been attending lectures for years where this has just been a routine. You must set your intention faithfully to Allah (SWT) and continue to renew it.

When we talk about prophet Dawud (PBUH), we must talk about the great worship that he performed. He enjoyed worshipping Allah (SWT). You should measure how far you are from this level of worship. When you hear about and see the way he loved to worship Allah (SWT), an important question poses itself: why are we so far away from Allah (SWT)? Do we perform Qiyam prayer (night prayer)? You may find some people who do not even know what Qiyam is. For clarification, the worship of the Qiyam applies to any worship performed after the prayer of al- ishaa (the prayer of night) until al- fajr (the prayer of sunrise). Allah (SWT) favors worshipping in the last third of the night, before al –fajr by two and half or three hours, when Allah (SWT) descends to the first heaven, in a way that suits His glory, and says, “Is there anyone asking for My forgiveness so that I would forgive him? Is there anyone in need for anything so that I would give it to him? Is there anyone repenting so that I would accept his repentance?” (Hadith Qudsi)

How many people today perform this Qiyam worship, whether by waking up at late at night or by performing a short prayer? Or has this kind of worship vanished?

Who maintains Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) Sunnah, the morning and evening eulogy (adhkar), gives alms daily, or keeps praising Allah (SWT) on a daily basis even for five or ten minutes? Frankly speaking, I feel as if we need someone to push us to worship, because we lack enthusiasm and willingness. Is there anybody who maintains fasting every Monday and Thursday? Do you remember when was the last time it was that you cried from fear of Allah (SWT)? Or when was your last humble prostration? When was the last time you enjoyed the taste of faith and humbleness while praying before Allah (SWT), and you wished it would never end? When was the last time you prayed in a group of Muslims, and prayed to Allah (SWT) to help you keep the level of faith that you had during this prayer? In short, when was the last time you felt close to Allah (SWT) and sensed the great pleasure of being humble to Him?

This introduction helps because when reading about the worship of Dawud (PBUH), we will all weep where we are today. When I was preparing this lecture, I felt sorry for my delinquency compared to Dawud's (PBUH) amazing worship.

Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) used to say while prostrating, “my hearing, my sight, my brain, my bones and my nerves are all humble to You”. The Prophet's (PBUH) companions (Sahaba) said, “When the Prophet read the Holy Qur’an, we used to hear his voice crying as if a boiler was humming. One could hear his heart beats as he shook, being so much affected by the holy verses.” The humming of a boiler is like water boiling in a pot

The Prophet's companion Anas Ibn-Malek said, “One day I prayed behind Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and as I entered the Masjid at night, and saw a column that wasn’t there before. I wondered where this came from, so I got closer and found out it was the Prophet (PBUH)”. The Prophet (PBUH) stood so straight and steady, that Anas thought he was a trunk. “I thought this was my chance to pray behind him. He began reciting Surat Al-Baqarah (the Cow chapter). I said to myself surely he’ll prostrate after finishing one hundred verses, but he finished the whole surah. He then began reciting Surat An-Nisa (the Women chapter), and I thought surely he’ll prostrate after finishing one hundred verses, but he finished reading all of it. He followed this by reciting Surat Al-‘Imran (the Family of Imran chapter), and again, I thought surely he’ll prostrate after finishing one hundred verses, but, he finished it all. While reciting, when he would read a verse reminding of Hellfire, he (PBUH) would say, ' O My Lord! I seek your protection from Hellfire’. And when he came to a verse reminding of the mercy of Allah, I heard him saying, 'O My Lord! I ask for Your forgiveness and Your mercy'. And when he read a verse reminding of the gifts and graces of Allah he said, 'Thanks be to You, Allah'“.

Can you imagine this level at which our Prophet (PBUH) worshipped Allah (SWT)! What about us nowadays? We are now so busy with our lives. Months and years just pass, while we fail to maintain Sunnah, or Qiyam. We rarely keep praising Allah (SWT), and we do not read the Holy Qur’an except in Ramadan (the month of fasting). Until when will we stay like this?

I remember the words of the Sheikh Ibn-Tymeiah: “There is a paradise in life; those who cannot get an entrance to it, have no entrance to Paradise in the Hereafter”. When he was asked, “What Paradise is this?” he replied, “Praising Allah and being close to Him”.

The worship of prophet Dawud (PBUH) reminded me of all those meanings, and also made me wonder sadly how many times we pray in the mosque? Do we pray all of our prayers, or do we even pray three or four of them at the mosque? And when was the last time your heart was attached to Allah (SWT) and soaring high with pleasure? One of the companions' followers said, “Sometimes I think that if people in Paradise can feel the pleasure and sweetness I feel now, being close to Allah, it would be more than enough to satisfy them”

One of my friends once told me, “When I was in college, my worship was great and I was so close to Allah (SWT), I was humble in front of Him and my heart was so gentle. But when I graduated and got married, I became busy with my life and my children, and so my worship became routine. One night, I had a vision, and I saw a man saying to me, “Do you still remember the sweetness of the faith you tasted before?” I said, “Yes, I do”. The man asked me, “Do you want to feel that again?” I said, “Yes”. He then opened my heart and put something in it, then he closed it again” My friend said that while he was sleeping he felt the pleasure and sweetness he used to feel when he was eighteen years old, when he maintained praying in the mosque and praying al Qiyam with humbleness.

Now dear brother, how many times have you recited the Holy Qur’an and found yourself unable to stop, enjoying it while your body is shaking, sweetly reacting the verses down to the deep contemplation of the meanings? I am trying to give a boost to the youth who are new to piety. If you do not taste this great pleasure now, when will you do this?

Beginnings always carry a unique sweetness, which cannot be regained later in the same initial level. The first year in worshipping and piety pushes you with power for the rest of your life, until you die. From my personal experience, I have been pious for many years, but I can’t regain the feelings I had in the first two weeks. The first year in worshipping pushes you forward, until death, making you feel that you own the whole world in your hands, although you may have no financial capabilities. Yet, you have begun to know the right path of guidance, which you will follow in your life and afterlife.

A delegation from Yemen came to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and when they heard the Holy Qur’an, they cried. Abu-Bakr said, “We used to cry in the same way before our hearts got hard “, and he cried, himself, although he was the most tenderhearted and he had the strongest faith following the prophets.

Abu-Sa’id Al-Khodary said, “I went to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and said, “O Messenger of Allah! I had a strange vision. I saw myself praying behind a tree and reciting the Holy Qur’an and the tree stood humbly as I prayed, until I read a verse with a prostration place. I prostrated and saw the tree prostrating as I did. I heard it saying, ‘O Allah! Reward me for it, and eliminate a sin by it. Keep it as a support for me, and accept it from me as You accepted it from Your slave Dawud (PBUH).’”

Imagine that even the tree at the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) knew prophet Dawud (PBUH). Even objects could be humble for Allah (SWT), and asks Him to accept its prostration as He accepted Dawud's (PBUH). This proves the greatness of his prostration, the greatness reported even by trees until the age of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Do you see the difference between the visions of the Prophet's companions and our desire related dreams nowadays? Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says, “The most honest one sees the most honest vision.”

Scholars say, “Lucky is he who has one right and honest prostration for the sake of Allah”. When will we get to this level? When can you prostrate and feel that your heart belongs no longer to this life, but to Allah (SWT)? When can you feel nothing around, fearing no one when crying or prostrating for a long time? It is really strange that the tree mentioned the prostration of Dawud (PBUH) specifically, although all prophets prostrated to Allah (SWT). It seems that Dawud's (PBUH) prostration was honest and loyal to an extent beyond imagination. You would be lucky if you could prostrate like Dawud (PBUH) did.

Ibn- Al-Qayem said, “Even If people get satisfied with life only, you should try to get satisfied with only Allah. Even if people are consumed by life, you try to be consumed with Allah. And even if people only get close to people who have connections and can help them only in life, you should try to get close to Allah”

I hope you can taste the real meaning of these words and not just consider it talk.

Abu-Mussa Al-Asha’ary recounted that one night he was sitting at the Prophet’s (PBUH) mosque, reciting the Holy Qur’an with a very sweet voice. He had the sweetest voice among the Prophet's companions, and he recited the Holy Qur’an while contemplating its meanings. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) entered and said, “I have heard your reciting the Holy Qur’an. You have got one of Dawud's flutes”. The flute is a musical instrument, for Dawud (PBUH) had a sweet voice. When he recited the Psalms (the Holy Book he had from Allah), he greatly affected the whole universe with his voice. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) meant that Abu-Mussa's vocal cord resembled Dawud's (PBUH). Imagine then how he recited Qur’an! Have you ever read the Holy Qur’an with that passion, even if your voice is not as sweet?

Abdullah Ibn-Amr Ibnul-Aass said, “I once met Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and he told me, 'O Abdullah! I have heard that you fast and recite the Holy Qur’an every night'“. At that time, the Holy Qur’an was not yet completely revealed, and Abdullah was twenty-two. The Prophet's word “I have heard,” means that he did this frequently, until it was known and was reported to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Of course Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would set the right model for him, but still his enthusiasm, energy and willingness were so high. . Why can’t we do even a little part of what he did? If someone wants to pray at night (Qiyam prayer), Satan get in the way, with thoughts related to laziness, “I will pray after dinner, no let it be after watching T.V…. etc”. I mean that whenever you want to do something to get closer to Allah (SWT), Satan tries to take you away from the right path. Why would you let him defeat you and take you away from praising Allah (SWT) and praying?

Returning to the previous Hadith, Abdullah Ibn-Amr said to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), “Yes, messenger of Allah, I do”. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Don’t do that, but fast then eat, and pray then sleep”. Look at the balance that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) preached. The goal was to create balanced Muslims. He told him to take it easy, but we are actually so far away from that point of balance, and we need to exert more efforts to get to it. As for reading the Holy Qur’an, the Prophet (PBUH) told him to finish it in thirty days, but he said that he could finish it in less days. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “So finish it in twenty”, to which Abdullah replied, “I can finish in less time than that “. When the Prophet (PBUH) told him to finish it in fifteen days, Abdullah said, “Let me enjoy my days of youth and recite the Holy Qur’an”, (nowadays enjoying youth means having affairs with girls). The Prophet (PBUH) replied, “Finish it in ten days”, he said, “I can finish in less time than this “, and the Prophet (PBUH) said “So finish it in five or three but not less than that”. With regard to fasting, the Prophet (PBUH) said to Abdullah, “If you fast three days each month, that will be as if you’ve fasted your whole life, because Allah’s (SWT) reward is multiplied by ten”. Look at how the Prophet (PBUH) simplifies matters. Abdullah said, “I am capable of more “, so the Prophet (PBUH) said, “Fast for a day and break fast for two days”(meaning fasting Monday and Thursday).” Abdullah still said, “I am capable of more “, so the Prophet (PBUH) said, “Fast every other day. This is Dawud’s way of fasting, which is the best way”. Abdullah said, “I am capable of more “, to which the Prophet (PBUH) said, “There is nothing better than this, Abdullah”. (Hadith Sahih, Narrated by Muslim, Al-Masnad al-Sahih, 1162).

There might be some youth that are very enthusiastic in worshipping Allah (SWT), yet they become busy after marriage and after having children. One of the companions’ followers once said, “I am afraid not to be rewarded for my worship”, so people asked him “why wouldn’t you be rewarded?”, and he said, “Because I enjoy it and I am not working harder at it”. Certainly, this is a high level of piety. Another follower once said, “I have been tired for a year from Qiyam prayers, but I have enjoyed it for twenty years”.

At the end of the conversation between Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Abdullah Ibn-Amr, the Prophet (PBUH) told him, “Abdullah, someday you will be older and you will not be able to do what you are doing now”. Later in life, Abdullah said, “ I am now old and I can’t do what I used to do when I was young. I wish I had done what the Prophet (PBUH) told me to do”.

Balance is required in worship, but at the same time negligence is forbidden. Each worship has a taste and a pleasure felt in the heart, that’s why Allah (SWT) commanded us to perform it. Is it possible that Allah (SWT) ordered us to perform any worshipping that has no effect on your heart and soul? If you can’t feel that pleasure or effect, you should empty your heart from sins and other things distracting your concentration. We feel this during Ramadan (the month of fasting), as we pray al-taraweeh (prayer after al- ishaa usually performed in Ramadan), and enjoy doing it. These are the same prayers that are performed even after Ramadan.

Let’s continue with Dawud (PBUH). Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “The best fasting for Allah is Dawud’s; he used to fast every other day. The best prayer for Allah is Dawud’s; he used to sleep half the night. Of the remaining portion, two thirds of the night was used for prayer and one third for laying down. (i.e. he used to pray for 3 hours and a half every night”. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 3420). If you can perform Qiyam prayers even if for twenty minutes, after the prayer of al- ishaa, you would be performing the best worship for Allah (SWT) after the obligatory prayers.

As for the obligatory prayers, you can perform one raka’a (one unit) by reading one page of the Holy Qur’an, or equivalently, an eighth of a chapter in 2 raka’as. By being honest and persistent in praying Qiyam, you will get closer to Allah (SWT). After a week or two, Qiyam paryers will be the sweetest pleasure in your life. You will long for the night to be alone with Allah (SWT), praying to Him and asking for His forgiveness, until you meet Him satisfied by your worship on the Day of Resurrection, so he would send you to His Paradise.

It was reported by the Prophet’s companions (or their followers), that Allah (SWT) said to Dawud (PBUH), “Dawud, I have slaves whom I love, and who love me. I miss them and they miss me. If you do as they do, I will love you”. Dawud (PBUH) said, “O Allah! Who are they?” and Allah (SWT) said, “They watch and maintain the time of the prayers, and they miss Me as the birds miss their nests. When the night comes, and each one is alone with his lover, they come to Me praying with great humbleness, asking Me by My words and, getting closer to Me by numerating My gifts. Some of them are weeping, some are crying, and some are complaining. I see what they are suffering for Me, and I hear what they are saying to be closer to Me. My first gift for them is My light that I throw unto them. Hence, they talk to earth inhabitants about me, as I talk to Heaven habitants about them”. Imagine how much you are missing out on, if you haven’t tasted such sweetness before. Even if you enjoy the whole world with all its pleasures, and do not sense being close to Allah (SWT), you will never experience the best of life. Allah (SWT) says to Dawud (PBUH), “My second gift to them is that if the seven earths and seven skies vouch for them on the Day of Judgment, it will to their benefit. The third gift is that I’ll look at them. Do you know Dawud what I would give if I looked at someone?”

After all that shouldn’t we pray Qiyam prayers? Shouldn’t we imitate Dawud (PBUH) and the Prophet Muhammad’s companions? Shouldn’t we save ourselves from the drowning materialism, and get ourselves away from TV and internet at night? Allah (SWT) said to Dawud (PBUH), “O Dawud! If those who are running away from Me knew how much I long for their return, and how much I want them to repent, they would suffer from longing to Me. O Dawud! This is how I long for the return of those running away, can you imagine how much I love those hurrying to me?”

1) TMQ=Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah:Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.

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