Two disputants came upon David while he was absorbed in his prayers, not at the time when he sat to judge. They asked him to apply justice and to guide them to an equitable judgement.
One of the disputants said that he had one ewe and that his friend had ninety-nine. The one who had many ewes said to his friend: “Commit your ewe to my charge; I will add her to mine and care for her. David said to the speaker: “Your friend has wronged you in asking for your one ewe to be added to his ewes
It seems that David made a hasty judgement before he had heard the argument of the second disputer.
A judge should not be affected by the appearance of things. He should give the other disputant a chance to defend himself.
And when the disputants disappeared — it seems that they were angels sent by God — he knew that God had wanted to try him. He asked for His forgiveness and fell down in prostration and repentance about his hasty judgment.
(Has the story of the two plaintiffs, who scaled the ˹wall of David’s˺ sanctuary, reached you ˹O Prophet˺?)
(When they came into David’s presence, he was startled by them. They said, “Have no fear. ˹We are merely˺ two in a dispute: one of us has wronged the other. So judge between us with truth—do not go beyond ˹it˺—and guide us to the right way.)
(This is my brother. He has ninety-nine sheep while I have ˹only˺ one. David ˹eventually˺ ruled, “He has definitely wronged you in demanding ˹to add˺ your sheep to his. And certainly, many partners wrong each other, except those who believe and do good—but how few are they!” Then David realized that We had tested him so he asked for his Lord’s forgiveness, fell down in prostration, and turned ˹to Him in repentance˺.) Sad 38: 21-24
(˹We instructed him:˺ “O David! We have surely made you an authority in the land, so judge between people with truth. And do not follow ˹your˺ desires or they will lead you astray from Allah’s Way. Surely those who go astray from Allah’s Way will suffer a severe punishment for neglecting the Day of Reckoning.”) Sad 38: 26
الخُصُومِ تَسَلَّقُوا سُورَ الغُرْفَةِ التِي كَانَ دَاوُدُ يَتَعَبَّدُ رَبَّهُ فِيهَا (المِحْرَابَ)، وَدَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ السُّورِ، لاَ مِنَ البَابِ، وَهُوَ مُنْشَغِلٌ بِالعِبَادَ وَقَالاَ لَهُ إِنَّهُمَا خَصْمَانِ تَجَاوَزَ أَحَدُهُمَا عَلَى الآخَرِ، وَقَدْ جَاءَا إِلَيْهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمَا بِالحَقِّ والعَدْلِ
وَقَالَ أَحَدُ الخَصْمَينِ لِدَاوُدَ: إِنَّهُ يَمْلِكُ شَاةً وَاحِدَةً وَإِنَّ صَاحِبَهُ يَمْلِكُ تِسْعاً وَتِسْعِينَ شَاةً (نَعْجَةً)، فَقَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ مَالِكُ النِّعَاجِ الكَثِيرَةِ: أَعْطِنِي نَعْجَتَكَ لأَضُمَّهَا إِلَى نِعَاجِي، وَأْكْفُلَهَا لَكَ، . ) فَقَالَ دَاوُدُ لِلْمُتَكَلِّمِ مِنَ الخَصْمَين: إِنَّ صَاحِبَكَ قَدْ ظَلَمَكَ وَجَارَ عَلَيْكَ إِذْ طَلَبَ مِنْكَ نَعْجَتَكَ الوَحِيدَةَ لِيَضُمَّهَا إِلَى نِعَاجِهِ.
وَيَبْدُو أَنَّ دَاوُدَ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلامَ، أَصْدَرَ حُكْمَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْمَعَ حُجَّةَ الخَصْمِ الآخَرِ
الحَكَمَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ لاَ يُؤْخَذَ بِظَاهِرِ القَوْلِ، وَأَنَّ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَمْنَحَ الخَصْمَ الآخَرَ فُرْصَةً لِلدِّفَاعِ عَنْ نَفْسِه وَلَمَّا تَوَارَى الخَصْمَانِ –
وَيَبْدُوا أَنَّهُمَا كَانَا مَلَكَيْنِ مُرْسَلَينِ إِلَيْهِ مِن اللهِ تَعَالَى – أَدْرَكَ دَاوُدُ أَنَّ اللهَ أَرَادَ اخْتِبَارَهُ وَفِتْنَتَهُ، فَاسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُ، وَخَرَّ سَاجِداً تَائِباً.
(وَهَلْ أَتَاكَ نَبَأُ الْخَصْمِ إِذْ تَسَوَّرُوا الْمِحْرَابَ”)
(إِذْ دَخَلُواْ عَلَىٰ دَاوُودَ فَفَزِعَ مِنْهُمْ قَالُواْ لاَ تَخَفْ خَصْمَانِ بَغَىٰ بَعْضُنَا عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ فَٱحْكُمْ بَيْنَنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلاَ تُشْطِطْ وَٱهْدِنَآ إِلَىٰ سَوَآءِ ٱلصِّرَاطِ.)
إنَّ هَـٰذَا أَخِي لَهُ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً وَلِيَ نَعْجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فَقَالَ أَكْفِلْنِيهَا وَعَزَّنِي فِي الْخِطَابِ ﴿٢٣﴾ قَالَ لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَىٰ نِعَاجِهِ وَإِنَّ كَثِيراً مِّنَ ٱلْخُلَطَآءِ لَيَبْغِيۤ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ إِلاَّ ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّالِحَاتِ وَقَلِيلٌ مَّا هُمْ وَظَنَّ دَاوُودُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ فَٱسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعاً وَأَنَابَ) ص 38: 21-24
( يٰدَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي ٱلأَرْضِ فَٱحْكُمْ بَيْنَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدُ بِمَا نَسُواْ يَوْمَ ٱلْحِسَابِ( ص 38)):