8 February 2015 ~ Dawud and Jalut (Goliath) and Punishments in the Grave
Lives of the Prophets - Dawud kills Jalut*
Talut Leads an Army
Talut set about
organizing his army with strong faith and wisdom. He ordered that only men free
from responsibilities should join. Those engaged in building homes, men who
were about to be married and those occupied with business should not join. After
establishing a well-trained army, he decided to put them to the test. He told
them that along the route they would pass a river where they should drink only
a handful of water. To his disappointment, he discovered the majority of them
drank more water than they should have. He discharged them for disobedience and
kept only the few who had obeyed him, as they were the ones who proved their
sincerity: from 80,000 strong to 4,000. This resulted in a split in the army, but
he was not bothered. He believed in quality and not numbers; better a small
band of true believers he could rely on than a huge army of unreliable men.
Talut’s Army Sees the Enemy
Talut's men sighted
the enemy on the other side of the river. Their opponents appeared physically strong
and were armed with better weapons. They were led by the mighty warrior Goliath
(Jalut), known for his huge build and brute strength. A great number of Talut's
men ran away on seeing this strong force: 4,000 to about 310. The small band
that remained was willing to fight, whatever the outcome, for they had heard
that there had been many incidents in the past in which Allah had caused a small
force to defeat a larger one. With this small army when he faced king Jalut (Goliath),
who was a very big and gigantic person and no one in king Talut’s army wanted
to fight him in a single combat offered by Goliath. Once war commenced, Jalut
marched onto the battlefield and challenged the Bani Israel. But due to his awe
and terror, none in the Bani Israel had the courage to face him. There was a
young boy in Talut’s group, Dawud* who was accompanying his brothers and approached
the king and expressed his desire to fight. Talut refused to grant him
permission and informed him of Jalut’s strength compared to his own weakness.
However, after asking his army for a second and third time for a champion and
no-one else volunteered – Talut agreed to let Dawud* go. He did not have any
weapon with him except five stones and a small stick and a sling. Jalut laughed
upon seeing Dawud* and said he did not want to kill a child but Dawud* said he
would not hesitate to kill the giant king.
After arriving in the
battlefield, he loaded a stone in his sling, aimed it at Jalut and flung it at
him, taking Allah’s name. The stone hit Jalut on the forehead and Jalut fell on
the ground - he could not even reach for his sword. Goliath was dead. Fear
overtook the army of Goliath and they took to their back from the battlefield.
It was a fast victory.
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."
Yet, they drank
thereof, all, except a few of them. So when he had crossed it (the river), he
and those who believed with him, they said: "We have no power on this day
against Goliath and his hosts."
But those who knew
with certainty that they were to meet their Lord, said: "How often a small
group overcame a mighty host by Allah's Leave?" And Allah is with the
patient.
And when they
advanced to meet Goliath and his forces, they invoked. "Our Lord! Pour
forth on us patience and make us victorious over the disbelieving people."
"So they routed
them by Allah's Leave and David killed Goliath, and Allah gave him (David) the kingdom
(after the death of Talut) and wisdom, and taught him of that which He willed.
And if Allah did not check one set of people by means of another, the earth
would indeed be full of mischief. But Allah is full of Bounty to the Alamin
(mankind, jinns and all that exist). [TMQ 2:246-251]
Gifts of Dawud* (David)
We briefly touched
upon some of the miracles of Prophet Dawud* which we will talk more about
later, InshaAllah. Allah bestowed numerous favours on Prophet Dawud* in
addition to the kingdom. Apart from prophethood, knowledge, kingdom and a
divine book like ‘Zaboor’, he was also blessed with a good voice. When he was
engaged in Allah’s worship, the birds of the mountains and forests rushed
towards him and joined him in divine remembrance in their own language. Even
the mountains prayed along with him -mentioned in the Holy Quran are:
1. The mountain
glorified Allah, the Almighty, along with him.
2. The birds too
glorified Allah along with him.
3. Allah made iron
soft as wax for him.
4. Allah granted him
a huge, stable and secure kingdom.
5. Allah granted him
the Zaboor, which he recited with pleasant recitation. In this manner he
invited the people towards Allah.
6-pointed Star
We also discussed the
‘Star of David’ as a symbol for modern Jewry – but this is mainly traced backed
to the World Zionist Congress adopting the 6-pointed Star as their main
religious icon. However, this shape appears in many Islamic patterns and
geometry over a millennium before the Jewish community adopted it.
In many older Islamic
books it is known as the ‘Seal of Solomon / Suleiman’ but can be found as a
basic geometric pattern in mosques as it is constructed from a circle and six
additional overlapping circles in a rosette pattern. Joining some of the
intersects can give tessellation patterns of hexagons / diamonds and 6-pointed
stars:
Main Topic: Some Punishments in the Grave
The scholar Al-Qurtubi
says, “Realise that the punishment of the grave is not solely for the non-believers
and is not only for the hypocrites. It could also happen to the believer for
the shortcoming in their deeds.”
Specific Reasons for Punishment of the Grave
Theft and Stealing
Theft/stealing:
taking something that does not belong to you and cheating. There was a servant
with The Prophet* and they were out in battle with this servant preparing the
saddle for the Prophet* when he was hit by a stray arrow and died. The sahabah
began to say, “Congratulations for him! He has got Jannah.” Because he died on
the battlefield. The Prophet* said, “No, in the Name of Allah! The cloak which
he stole in Khaibar is wrapped around him and is burning him in the grave.”
It was just a piece
of cloth; he took it without permission. What about the ones who steal millions
of pounds? What about the ones who cheat and abuse the rights of the Muslims by
cheating? What will happen to these people? It is for what – a temporary
enjoyment in this life? That money has no barakah (blessing). Monetary
transactions are something that can cause you something great reward or
punishment; it depends on how you use it. It is a test and Allah wants to see
if you will be grateful or ungrateful.
Slander and neglecting tahaarah
The Prophet* passed
by two graves and said that the two men in these graves were being punished. The
Prophet* said they are not suffering because of something major. One of them
used to slander and the other would not purify and clean himself from urine
(make taharaarah properly). And they were being punished in their graves for
that. [Bukhari]
Debt
There are a few other
things that can cause punishment of the grave, such as debts. There is a hadith
in which one of the sahabah passed away. The Prophet* told his brother, “Go and
pay the debt of your brother because your brother is being held from Jannah
[because of] his debt.”
Excessive Weeping
If you pass away and
your family weeps excessively on you, that can cause some pain to you. When
‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab was injured and was passing away, Suhayb came and saw
‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab and started crying. ‘Umar said, “The dead person would
suffer because of the crying and weeping of his family.” He didn’t want anyone
crying for him. Tears falling down and crying is fine, but you should not be
excessive. Allah wants us to be patient. Tears would fall from the Prophet’s
eyes when a loved one would pass away, but he wouldn’t allow himself or any of
the Sahabah to cry excessively.
Neglecting Qur’an, the Adulterers, Riba and
Liars
Narrated Samura bin
Jundub: Allah’s Apostle very often used to ask his companions, “Did anyone of
you see a dream?” So dreams would be narrated to him by those whom Allah wished
to tell. One morning the Prophet said, “Last night two persons came to me (in a
dream) and woke me up and said to me, ‘Proceed!’
I set out with them
and we came across a man lying down, and behold, another man was standing over
his head, holding a big rock. Behold, he was throwing the rock at the man’s
head, injuring it. The rock rolled away and the thrower followed it and took it
back. By the time he reached the man, his head returned to the normal state.
The thrower then did the same as he had done before. I said to my two
companions, ‘Subhan Allah! Who are these two persons?’ They said, ‘Proceed!’
So we proceeded and
came to a man lying flat on his back and another man standing over his head
with an iron hook, and behold, he would put the hook in one side of the man’s
mouth and tear off that side of his face to the back (of the neck) and
similarly tear his nose from front to back and his eye from front to back. Then
he turned to the other side of the man’s face and did just as he had done with
the other side. He hardly completed this side when the other side returned to
its normal state. Then he returned to it to repeat what he had done before. I
said to my two companions, ‘Subhan Allah! Who are these two persons?’ They said
to me, ‘Proceed!’
So we proceeded and
came across something like a Tannur (a kind of baking oven, a pit usually
clay-lined for baking bread - cone-shoped).” I think the Prophet said, “In that
oven there was much noise and voices.” The Prophet added, “We looked into it
and found naked men and women, and behold, a flame of fire was reaching to them
from underneath, and when it reached them, they cried loudly. I asked them,
‘Who are these?’ They said to me, ‘Proceed!’
And so we proceeded
and came across a river.” I think he said, “…. red like blood.” The Prophet
added, “And behold, in the river there was a man swimming, and on the bank
there was a man who had collected many stones. Behold, while the other man was
swimming, he went near him. The former opened his mouth and the latter (on the
bank) threw a stone into his mouth whereupon he went swimming again. He
returned and every time the performance was repeated, I asked my two companions,
‘Who are these (two) persons?’ They replied, ‘Proceed! Proceed!’
And we proceeded till
we came to a man with a repulsive appearance, the most repulsive appearance,
you ever saw a man having! Beside him there was a fire and he was kindling it
and running around it. I asked my companions, ‘Who is this (man)? They said to
me, ‘Proceed! Proceed!’
So we proceeded till
we reached a garden of deep green dense vegetation, having all sorts of spring colours.
In the midst of the garden there was a very tall man and I could hardly see his
head because of his great height, and around him there were children in such a
large number as I have never seen. I said to my companions, ‘Who is this?’ They
replied, ‘Proceed! Proceed!’
So we proceeded till
we came to a majestic huge garden, greater and better than I have ever seen! My
two companions said to me, ‘Go up’ and I went up. The Prophet added, “So we
ascended till we reached a city built of gold and silver bricks and we went to
its gate and asked (the gatekeeper) to open the gate, and it was opened and we
entered the city and found in it, men with one side of their bodies as handsome
as the handsomest person you have ever seen, and the other side as ugly as the
ugliest person you have ever seen. My two companions ordered those men to throw
themselves into the river. Behold, there was a river flowing across (the city),
and its water was like milk in whiteness. Those men went and threw themselves
in it and then returned to us after the ugliness (of their bodies) had
disappeared and they became in the best shape.”
The Prophet further
added, “My two companions (angels) said to me, ‘This place is the Eden
Paradise, and that is your place.’ I raised up my sight, and behold, there I
saw a palace like a white cloud! My two companions said to me, ‘That (palace)
is your place.’ I said to them, ‘May Allah bless you both! Let me enter it.’
They replied, ‘As for now, you will not enter it, but you shall enter it (one
day).’
I said to them, ‘I have seen many wonders tonight. What does all that
mean which I have seen?’ They replied, ‘We will inform you: As for the
first man you came upon whose head was being injured with the rock, he
is the symbol of the one who studies the Qur'an and then neither recites
it nor acts on its orders, and sleeps, neglecting the enjoined prayers.
...As for the man you came upon whose sides of mouth, nostrils and eyes were torn off from front to back, he is the symbol of the man who goes out of his house in the morning and tells so many lies that it spreads all over the world.
...And those naked men and women whom you saw in a construction resembling an oven, they are the adulterers and the adulteresses;
...And the man whom you saw swimming in the river and given a stone to swallow, is the eater of usury (Riba)
...and the bad looking man whom you saw near the fire kindling it and going round it, is Malik, the gatekeeper of Hell
...and the tall man whom you saw in the garden, is Abraham and the children around him are those children who die with Al-Fitra (the Islamic Faith)”
...The narrator added: Some Muslims asked the Prophet, “O Allah’s Apostle! What about the children of pagans?” The Prophet replied, “And also the children of pagans.”
...The Prophet added, “My two companions added, ‘The men you saw half handsome and half ugly were those persons who had mixed an act that was good with another that was bad, but Allah forgave them.’” (Bukhari 9/87/171)
...As for the man you came upon whose sides of mouth, nostrils and eyes were torn off from front to back, he is the symbol of the man who goes out of his house in the morning and tells so many lies that it spreads all over the world.
...And those naked men and women whom you saw in a construction resembling an oven, they are the adulterers and the adulteresses;
...And the man whom you saw swimming in the river and given a stone to swallow, is the eater of usury (Riba)
...and the bad looking man whom you saw near the fire kindling it and going round it, is Malik, the gatekeeper of Hell
...and the tall man whom you saw in the garden, is Abraham and the children around him are those children who die with Al-Fitra (the Islamic Faith)”
...The narrator added: Some Muslims asked the Prophet, “O Allah’s Apostle! What about the children of pagans?” The Prophet replied, “And also the children of pagans.”
...The Prophet added, “My two companions added, ‘The men you saw half handsome and half ugly were those persons who had mixed an act that was good with another that was bad, but Allah forgave them.’” (Bukhari 9/87/171)
