What was the judgment of Prophet Dawud (David) in the case of the sheep?

According to classical tafsir, Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) judged that the flock of sheep that damaged a field at night should be given entirely to the field's owner as compensation, as the value of the damage was estimated to be equal to the value of the sheep.

How was Prophet Sulayman's (Solomon's) judgment different and why was it better?

Prophet Sulayman (peace be upon him) proposed a more restorative judgment: the field owner would take the sheep to benefit from their milk and wool, while the sheep's owner would repair the damaged field. Once the field was restored, both would return the property. This was considered more fitting as it compensated the loss without causing total loss to the other party.

Was Prophet Dawud's judgment considered wrong in Islam?

No, classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi clarify that Prophet Dawud's judgment was not wrong or sinful; it was a valid ijtihad (legal reasoning). The Quran affirms that Allah gave "judgment and knowledge to each of them" (21:79), but specifically guided Sulayman to the more optimal and suitable understanding in this particular case.

Hukm (Divine Judgment) in Islam: The Case of Dawud and Sulayman

passes a judgment

Explore Verses Related to passes a judgment

🕋Al-Anbya21:78 🕋Al-Anbya21:79

At a Glance

According to search-discovered classical Islamic scholarship, Hukm (حُكْم) is the divine faculty of sound judgment, wisdom, and authority bestowed by Allah upon His prophets. The Quranic narrative in Surah Al-Anbiya (21:78-79) provides a quintessential example through the case judged by Prophet Dawud (David) and his son Sulayman (Solomon). As explained by commentators like Ibn Kathir, both prophets were granted Hukm, but Allah gave a deeper understanding (fahm) to Sulayman, whose ruling was more restorative. Al-Qurtubi's analysis further clarifies that this event demonstrates the principle of ijtihad (independent legal reasoning), where both judgments were valid, but one was more fitting. The synthesis of these scholarly views across the two verses establishes Hukm not merely as a verdict, but as a divinely-guided process of applying knowledge and wisdom to achieve justice and equity.

📖 Quranic Context

Central to the concepts of divine sovereignty, justice, law, and wisdom.

Hukm ultimately belongs to Allah, who bestows it upon His prophets and guides them in its application.

References: Verses 21:78-79 provide a specific narrative example of Hukm in action.

💭 Theological Perspective

It is a divinely-granted faculty for discerning truth and applying justice.

Represents the application of knowledge (`ilm) and wisdom (`hikmah`) to real-world situations.

Prophets are given Hukm to guide their communities and establish fairness.

Striving to judge with truth and justice is a reflection of one's submission to Allah.

📜 Hadith Perspective

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized the heavy responsibility of judges.

A judge who exerts himself and is correct receives a double reward; if he exerts himself and errs, he receives a single reward.
Judges are of three types: one who goes to Paradise and two who go to Hellfire.

The story of Dawud and Sulayman is a primary example used by scholars to discuss the concept of ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) for prophets and judges.

💎 Deeper Insights

A synthesis of scholarly opinion reveals this is not a story of right vs. wrong, but 'just vs. more just'. The Quran's phrasing, 'to each We gave judgment and knowledge' (21:79), is a deliberate theological statement validating both prophets' ijtihad. This establishes a profound principle in Islamic law: a sincere and qualified judge is rewarded by Allah even if their ruling is not the most optimal one, protecting the integrity of the judicial process.

— Al-Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir

Search-grounding on the term 'fahamnaha' (We made him understand it) reveals a specific category of divine inspiration. It is distinct from Wahy (direct revelation of law) and closer to Ilham (divinely-inspired insight). This insight shows that even prophets, who receive revelation, also rely on a continuous stream of divine guidance and understanding to apply laws in the wisest manner, making their wisdom a dynamic, living process.

— Linguistic Tafsirs, Al-Tabari