It was also said that all of this took place by the command of Samuel, and some even asserted that he appointed David before the battle. Ibn Jarīr remarks: The majority view, however, is that he did not assume authority until after Goliath had been slain—and Allah knows best (1).

Ibn ʿAsākir narrates, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, that Goliath was killed near Qasr Umm Ḥakīm, and that the river flowing there is the one mentioned in the verse; Allah knows best.

Allah the Exalted says:
“We surely granted David a favor from Us: ‘O mountains, echo praises with him, and you birds as well!’ And We softened iron for him: ‘Fashion complete coats of mail and align the links with care, and do righteous deeds—for I am Seeing of all that you do.’” (Sabaʾ 34:10–11)

And He says:
“We compelled the mountains to join David in praise, and the birds as well—and We alone accomplished that. And We taught him the craft of armor-making for you, so that it might shield you in your warfare; will you then give thanks?” (al-Anbiyāʾ 21:79–80)

Allah thus aided him in forging coats of mail from iron to protect the warriors from their enemies, and He guided him to their manufacture and design, saying: “and align the links with care,” meaning: do not make the rivet so slender that it works loose, nor so thick that it snaps—so explained Mujāhid, Qatādah, al-Ḥakam, and ʿIkrimah (2)(3).

Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī, Qatādah, and al-Aʿmash stated that Allah had softened the iron for him to such an extent that he could twist it with his bare hands, needing neither fire nor hammer. Qatādah added: He was the first to fashion chain-mail; before that, armor had been made from solid plates.

Ibn Shūdhub relates that he would make one coat of mail each day and sell it for six thousand dirhams. It is authentically reported that “The best food a man can eat is that which he earns with his own hands, and the Prophet of Allah David used to live on what his own hands produced.” (4)

The Exalted also says:
“And remember Our servant David, the possessor of strength; indeed, he was ever-penitent. We subjected the mountains to join him in praise at evening and sunrise, and the birds gathered together—each of them constantly turning to Him. We strengthened his kingdom and endowed him with wisdom and decisive speech.” (Ṣād 38:17–20)

Ibn ʿAbbās and Mujāhid said that “possessor of strength” (dhā al-ayd) means strength in obedience—that is, he had great vigor in worship and righteous deeds. Qatādah said: He was given might in worship and understanding in the religion. He added: We have been told that he would stand in prayer by night and fast half of the days.

It is recorded in the two Ṣaḥīḥs that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The prayer most beloved to Allah is the prayer of David, and the fasting most beloved…”