Do Muslims believe in David and Solomon?
Yes. Muslims believe David (Dawud) and his son Solomon (Sulayman) were both prophets of God, as well as kings. Islam teaches that God gave David the Psalms (the Zabur) and gave Solomon wisdom and a kingdom like no other. They are honored as righteous servants, not just as rulers.
Prophets and kings
In the Bible, David and Solomon are mainly remembered as kings of Israel. In Islam they are kings too, but first and foremost they are prophets. The Quran lists them among the messengers God sent: "And to David We gave the book [of Psalms]" (Quran 4:163). It also says, "And Solomon inherited David" (Quran 27:16), meaning his prophethood, knowledge and rule.
The Quran praises Solomon with words that Muslims love:
David in the Quran and Sunnah
- His praise of God: the mountains and birds joined him in glorifying God (Quran 34:10).
- His skill: God made iron soft for him, and he made armor (Quran 34:10).
- His worship: the Prophet ﷺ said, "The most beloved prayer to Allah is that of David and the most beloved fasts to Allah are those of David." David fasted every other day and prayed for part of the night (Sahih al-Bukhari 1131).
- His honest work: even as a king, "David used to eat from the earnings of his manual labor" (Sahih al-Bukhari 2072).
Solomon in the Quran
Solomon's story is full of wonders. He was taught "the language of birds" (Quran 27:16), and his army included jinn, people and birds (Quran 27:17). The Quran tells of his conversation with an ant, a hoopoe bird that brought him news, and the Queen of Sheba, who came to believe in God. He asked God for "a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me" (Quran 38:35), and his prayer was answered.
Where Islam differs
Some biblical stories describe serious sins by David and Solomon. Muslims believe prophets were protected from major sins, so they don't accept those accounts as they are told. The Quran does mention that both turned to God in repentance, which Muslims see as a sign of humility rather than of grave wrongdoing.
Muslims also don't follow the Psalms as scripture today, because they believe the Quran is the final, preserved revelation. You are still welcome to read them with respect. See Can I keep my Bible after becoming Muslim?
David is famous for his beautiful voice in praising God. If you're wondering what that means for music and singing today, see Can I still listen to music after becoming Muslim?
- David (Dawud) and Solomon (Sulayman) are prophets and kings in Islam.
- God gave David the Psalms (Zabur).
- David's fasting and night prayer are a model for Muslims.
- Muslims don't accept stories that portray them as committing major sins.
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