Welcome to another episode of this series. To continue from where we left you a fortnight ago, let us enlighten our minds and souls by listening to ayah 20 of surah, Saad of the holy Qur'an, part of which we had explained in the previous episode of this series:

"We made his kingdom firm and gave him wisdom and conclusive speech."

In the previous episode, it was said that Prophet David used to supplicate with God and be in communion with Him. This trait had made the mountains, animals and birds accompany him in glorifying the Almighty Creator.

The ayah that we recited to you now says God granted kingdom and judgment to David, in addition to wisdom which had been granted to all divine messengers. In other words, David was among the divine messengers who had both prophethood and government. This is a clear indicative of the fact that religion and state can exist simultaneously. It denotes the principle that the divine messengers were not merely given the function of proclamation of divine orders and laws; but they were duty-bound to put those laws in practice wherever conditions were met. They were not hermits to seclude themselves from the society in a cave or temple and the like for just preaching and verbal admonishing. They would rather act as a ruler or judge to issue commandments and verdicts.

Thus, from the point of political power, David had a powerful government so that he could stand with full power against the enemies. And from the point of spiritual and ethical power and the strength of worship, it was such that he was vigilant and pious person, spending a great part of the night in worshipping Allah, and half of the days of the year he used to fast.

This ayah teaches us the following points:

1. Government should be based on wisdom and justice so that the rights of God and the people are observed.
2. Government and power are legitimate only when they are at the disposal of righteous divinely-authorised men.

Now let us listen to or read ayahs 21-25 of Surah Saad to get more familiar with the divine disposition of Prophet David (peace upon him).

"Has there not come to you the account of the contenders, when they scaled the war into the sanctuary?

“When they entered into the presence of David, he was alarmed by them. They said, 'Do not be afraid. We are two contenders: one of us has bullied the other. So judge justly between us, and do not exceed, and show us the right path.

“Indeed, this brother of mine has ninety-nine ewes, while I have only a single ewe, and yet he says, 'Commit it to my care,' and he browbeats me in speech.'

“He said, 'He has certainly wronged you by asking your ewe in addition to his ewes, and indeed many partners bully one another, except such as have faith and do righteous deeds, and few are they.' Then David understood that We had indeed tested him, whereat he pleaded with his Lord for forgiveness and fell down prostrate and repented.

“So, We forgave him that and indeed he has a station of nearness with Us and a good destination."

Ayah 20 stressed that God had granted the post of judgment to Prophet David. The next 5 ayahs give an example of his judgement implying that judgement is an extremely important and grave responsibility. As is clear by the ayahs, two contenders came to David for a just settlement of their dispute. Of course, they entered his presence, while he was in his prayer chamber, in a strange manner as they knew that David's guards wouldn't permit them. They scaled the walls of his fortified residence and stealthily appeared before him.

On seeing them, Prophet David became apprehensive, but they calmed him saying that they didn't intend to cause him any inconvenience.

This sudden appearance caused David just to listen to the words of the plaintiff and give the judgement, albeit to the best of his discretion, without listening to the remarks of the defendant. Interestingly, the defendant didn't protest to the verdict and both of them left the presence of David, satisfied.

After their departure, however, David began thinking, and though he knew he had made a just judgment, and his silence was the best evidence that the problem was the same that the complainant had mentioned. Yet the manners of the meeting required David not to hasten in his speech, and first he should personally ask the opposite party and then arbitrated. Thus, because of this action of his, he became regretful very much. Hence, he repented and his penitence was accepted in the Divine Court.

Here it should be noted that the act of judgment in the prayer room increases its value and sanctity. Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS), the divinely-designated vicegerent of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), during his caliphate, used to judge among people in the Principal Mosque of Kufah. Similarly, the place of David’s judgment was often in his prayer chamber.

From these 5 ayahs we learn the following points:

1. The parties to a lawsuit should ask the judge to give a verdict in accordance with justice; rather than pressuring the judge to issue the verdict to the benefit of one side.

2. Administration of justice in society will guide people to the right path and will make them immune against deviation.

3. Judgment requires calm environment and conditions. A judge shouldn't be in a state of excitement, fear, anxiety and so on; since such emotional or psychological states will cause incorrect judgment.

4. A healthy economy will be realized in the light of faith and righteous deeds. If the individuals of a society have feeble faith, they may violate each other's rights in pursuit of vested interests.      

AS/ME