Dawud and Sulayman: The Ever-Returning Servant Whose Giving Never Ceases

Occasion: Transcription of a Fajr khatira delivered on July 21, 2026 Source: A transcription of a video khatira by Dr. Ahmed Abouseif — Watch the original video on YouTube

After a supplication in which he asked Allah for the best of this day and the best of what follows it, and that He set right for us our religion, our world and our Hereafter, and extend to us the provision that holds our well-being and the faith with which our certainty is fulfilled, the Doctor moved on to the verses that were recited in the Fajr prayer.

A Bounty Left Indefinite for Magnification

﴿وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ مِنَّا فَضْلًا﴾ (And We certainly gave David from Us bounty).^[1] The word "bounty" came in the indefinite form, and the indefinite here is for magnification and generality; so Allah's bounty upon Dāwūd was very great. We may hear "We gave so-and-so bounty," and the mind goes first to abundant wealth, plush houses and farms, that is, to worldly things. But Allah says: ﴿يَا جِبَالُ أَوِّبِي مَعَهُ وَالطَّيْرَ﴾ (O mountains, repeat [Allah's praises] with him, and the birds); the mountains return in praise with Dāwūd, because he is an "awwāb," and the awwāb is constant in remembrance of Allah, not distracted from it by anything else. So the greatest degree of bounty given to Dāwūd was that he was an awwāb.

The Rememberer Who Is Never Idle

And this great rememberer, whose tongue never slackens from the remembrance of Allah, was not idle, sitting in his house, sitting in his prayer niche, but was a skilled craftsman: ﴿وَأَلَنَّا لَهُ الْحَدِيدَ ۝ أَنِ اعْمَلْ سَابِغَاتٍ وَقَدِّرْ فِي السَّرْدِ ۖ وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا ۖ إِنِّي بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ﴾ (And We made iron soft for him: Make full coats of mail and measure well the links, and work righteousness. Indeed, I am of what you do All-Seeing).^[2]

And the word "All-Seeing" shows you the level of unveiling with which the Lord of the worlds, glorified be He, observes the very finest details of your life. Many people neglect some small items; when he files his tax report he overlooks some small things, because he thinks they will not notice them, they are simple means. And unfortunately some of creation deal with Allah by the same logic: small details He will not pay attention to. But you are dealing with Him who said: ﴿إِنِّي بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ﴾ (Indeed, I am of what you do All-Seeing).

From Dāwūd to Sulaymān

This is a model that produced Sulaymān for us: the worker who travels the earth, who wastes not a moment of his life, and who invests every kind of capability in his hand. This personality bore fruit for us in this world in Sulaymān, and Allah's giving continues to renew for us through Dāwūd, the mountains and birds glorifying with him, an awwāb who moved the universe around him to be awwāb too. Then look at the divine giving in its fruit: ﴿وَلِسُلَيْمَانَ الرِّيحَ غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ ۖ وَأَسَلْنَا لَهُ عَيْنَ الْقِطْرِ ۖ وَمِنَ الْجِنِّ مَن يَعْمَلُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ ۖ وَمَن يَزِغْ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ أَمْرِنَا نُذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ السَّعِيرِ ۝ يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُ مَا يَشَاءُ مِن مَّحَارِيبَ وَتَمَاثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍ كَالْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ رَّاسِيَاتٍ﴾ (And to Solomon [We subjected] the wind: its morning journey was a month and its afternoon journey a month, and We made a spring of molten brass flow for him. And among the jinn were those who worked before him by the permission of his Lord. And whoever deviated among them from Our command, We would make him taste of the punishment of the Blaze. They made for him what he willed of elevated chambers, statues, basins like reservoirs, and stationary kettles).^[3]

Imagine that the means of the universe are subjected to you; what would your highest ambition be then? To take a photo with the national team players? What a disappointment! A poor man who is delighted with husks. So look at what Sulaymān willed: elevated chambers, basins and kettles, generosity, chivalry and respect for humanity, and subjecting the universe with all its capabilities in the way of Allah. And why? Because he himself was in the way of Allah. Whoever senses his own worth, that he lives in this world for Allah, subjects everything in his hands of capabilities for Allah.

A Good Man from Our Country

In Egypt we have an example always on people's tongues: a good man, glory be to the Creator, the All-Knowing, who had a partner, we ask Allah's mercy for all. They agreed from the start of their affairs that everything in their hands had ten percent in it for Allah, so any trade they entered, Allah had this share in it. And the good man would earn great profit, while his partner's side was lesser, so his partner said to him: what is this story, do you recite over things, or did you say the name of Allah over them? So they exchanged what was in hand, and what had been with the good man rose higher, and what had been with the other came down to little.

And the point: what was this man doing? He would not let a single night of his life pass except while setting out in the way of Allah. He used to build Azhari institutes in poor villages, and he would hold a fundraising party there, literally, saying to the people: who will bring the iron? Who will bring the cement? Who will bring the doors? Who will bring the locks? And all the money would be gathered. And he would bring with him a shaykh and a reciter from the Noble Qur'an radio station to create an atmosphere in the area and honor the people.

And among the amusing things told about him is that they gathered in the morning to go to some place, and they came in to him in his office and he had finished some work and signatures, then he took a corner and prayed two rak'ahs, while the people sat waiting, then he prayed, then he prayed, then he prayed. One of them said to him: what is with you, Hajj? Do you want to enter Paradise from its nine gates? He said to him: they are eight! He said: then you are making yourself a new gate, brother. This is of course an exaggeration, but it holds an analogy that bears fruit in the souls of those who seek to work: that among people there are those who make for themselves a new gate in Paradise.

Giving Without Limit

We are still in need of more within ourselves. The gifts of the Lord of the worlds to creation never end, so how can our deeds end in return? What comes to you from the Lord of the worlds has no end, so how can you say in worship: this is my last, I will not do more than this? My dear man, if you set a limit for yourself in giving to Allah, beware that your recompense may be of the kind of your deed. You said: two rak'ahs and that is all. So imagine it being said to you: this small amount of health is enough for you and will not be increased. Could you bear this divine decision? And you said: I will not spend more than this, so the recompense will be of the kind of the deed. Could anyone bear this decision from the Lord of the worlds, glorified and exalted be He, if the giving stopped?

And one of the righteous used to spend so much that the people around him would say to him: you are mad, how can you spend all this, and your children and dependents? He would say to them: listen, I have accustomed Allah's servants to a habit, and Allah has accustomed me to a habit, and I fear that I would cut off my habit toward Allah and He would cut off His habit toward me. A philosophy of utmost simplicity, and a very simple dialogue within this soul: as much as I give, He gives, and my giving does not equal His giving. So what do I give? Trifles to begin with. However much you give, it will not reach the level of ten breaths you take in through your nostrils, which enter the chest and then come out with the same soundness and safety, we ask Allah for safety.

The End of Dominion

﴿يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُ مَا يَشَاءُ﴾ (They made for him what he willed): and his will did not exceed the will of the Lord of the worlds, glorified be He. And with all this domination, dominion and might: ﴿فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَوْتِهِ إِلَّا دَابَّةُ الْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُ﴾ (And when We decreed for him death, nothing showed them his death except a creature of the earth eating his staff); he died while standing. This small creature came eating the staff, so the staff fell from his hand to the ground and he fell, ﴿فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ﴾ (And when he fell, it became clear to the jinn).^[4] Glory be to the All-Powerful! How weak we are!

Look at yourself in the mirror: the two hairs, your fine appearance, and the world in order. But we do not know that we can fall, and if one of us falls, nothing of him is left. Our Lord, seal our lives with good, help us against the desires of our souls, and make difficulties easy before us.

--- ^[1]: Editor's documentation: Saba': 10; the speaker followed the verse with ﴿يَا جِبَالُ أَوِّبِي مَعَهُ وَالطَّيْرَ﴾, which is from the same verse. ^[2]: Editor's documentation: Saba': 10–11. ^[3]: Editor's documentation: Saba': 12–13. ^[4]: Editor's documentation: Saba': 14; the speaker stopped at ﴿فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ﴾.