A long time ago, in a beautiful land, there lived a brave young boy named Dawud. He was smart and loved Allah with all his heart. In those days, there was a great big giant named Jalut who scared everyone. Jalut was not a kind person, and he led a huge army that wanted to fight against the good people.
Talut leads the people
The good people had a good leader named Talut. He was strong and wise, and he tried to protect his people from Jalut. Talut gathered an army to defend his people, but Jalut's army was big and scary. Everyone was worried. But Talut reminded them to trust in Allah because Allah is the best protector.
A surprising hero
Dawud was just a young shepherd boy. He took care of sheep in the fields. But Dawud was also brave and had a big heart full of faith in Allah. When he heard about Jalut, he wanted to help.
Talut's army lined up to fight, but they needed someone who could face Jalut the giant. Everyone was afraid to challenge Jalut, but not Dawud. He stepped forward with courage and said, “With Allah’s help, I can do it!”
Dawud's faith and courage
Dawud carried only a slingshot and a few small stones. Jalut laughed when he saw Dawud. He thought, “How can this young boy defeat me?”
But Dawud was not afraid. He took one of his stones, put it in his slingshot, and swung it around. Then, with a prayer, he let the stone fly. It zipped through the air so fast and struck Jalut right on the forehead.
Jalut wobbled and fell to the ground. The giant was defeated! Dawud had won, not because he was the strongest, but because he had faith in Allah.
A new beginning for Dawud
After defeating Jalut, Dawud became very loved by the people. He was known for his wisdom, bravery, and strong faith in Allah. As time went on, Allah gave Dawud even more blessings. He taught him many things and made him a great leader.
One day, Dawud became the king of his people. But even as a king, he stayed kind, fair, and humble. He always remembered Allah and ruled with justice. His story reminds us that true strength comes from faith, and that Allah rewards those who trust in Him.
Questions to ponder
- Why was Dawud not afraid to face Jalut?
- What did Dawud use to defeat Jalut?
- What can we learn about trusting in Allah from this story?
The message of the story
No matter how big or scary a problem seems, if we trust in Allah, we can overcome it. Even the smallest person can do great things with courage and faith in their heart.
Verses from the Quran
Surah Al-Baqarah (2:246-251)
"Have you not seen those chiefs of the Children of Israel after Moses? They said to one of their prophets, “Appoint for us a king, ˹and˺ we will fight in the cause of Allah.” He said, “Are you not going to cower if ordered to fight?” They replied, “How could we refuse to fight in the cause of Allah, while we were driven out of our homes and ˹separated from˺ our children?” But when they were ordered to fight, they fled, except for a few of them. And Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of the wrongdoers."
"Their prophet told them, “Allah has appointed Talut to be your king.” They protested, “How can he be our king when some of us are more deserving of kingship than he, and he has not been blessed with vast riches?” He replied, “Allah has chosen him over you and blessed him with knowledge and stature. Allah grants kingship to whoever He wills. And Allah is All-Bountiful, All-Knowing.”"
"Their prophet further told them, “The sign of Talut's kingship is that the Ark will come to you—containing reassurance from your Lord and relics of the family of Moses and the family of Aaron, which will be carried by the angels. Surely in this is a sign for you, if you ˹truly˺ believe."
"When Talut marched forth with his army, he cautioned: “Allah will test you with a river. So whoever drinks ˹his fill˺ from it is not with me, and whoever does not taste it—except a sip from the hollow of his hands—is definitely with me.” They all drank ˹their fill˺ except for a few! When he and the ˹remaining˺ faithful with him crossed the river, they said, “Now we are no match for Jalut and his warriors.” But those ˹believers˺ who were certain they would meet Allah reasoned, “How many times has a small force vanquished a mighty army by the Will of Allah! And Allah is ˹always˺ with the steadfast."
"When they advanced to face Jalut and his warriors, they prayed, “Our Lord! Shower us with perseverance, make our steps firm, and give us victory over the disbelieving people."
"So they defeated them by Allah’s Will, and Dawus killed Jalut. And Allah blessed Dawud with kingship and wisdom and taught him what He willed. Had Allah not repelled a group of people by ˹the might of˺ another, corruption would have dominated the earth, but Allah is Gracious to all."
