Al-Zuhd - Ahmad Ibn Hanbal - (62)

ʿAbdullāh narrated to us—my father narrated to me—Hāshim informed us—Ṣāliḥ informed us—from Abū ʿImrān al-Jawnī—from Abū al-Jald:

The Prophet David (peace be upon him) once ordered a herald to announce, “Prayer in congregation!” The people streamed out, expecting that he would spend the day giving them exhortation, guidance, and heartfelt supplications. When he took his place he simply said, “O Allah, forgive us,” and then dismissed the assembly.

As the last of the crowd met those at the front, they asked, “What happened?” The others replied, “The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) offered only one prayer and then departed.” They exclaimed, “Glory be to Allah! We had hoped today would be devoted to worship, supplication, admonition, and instruction—yet he uttered only a single supplication.”

Allah thereupon revealed to David: “Convey from Me to your people—for they have underestimated the value of your prayer—that whomever I forgive, I set aright his affairs in both the Hereafter and this world.”

٣٧٧ - حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنِي أبِي، أَخْبَرَنَا هَاشِمٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا صَالِحٌ، عَنْ أَبِي عِمْرَانَ الْجَوْنِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي الْجَلْدِ أَنَّ دَاوُدَ، النَّبِيَّ ﷺ أَمَرَ مُنَادِيًا، فَنَادَى: الصَّلَاةُ جَامِعَةٌ فَخَرَجَ النَّاسُ، وَهُمْ يَرَوْنَ أَنَّهُ سَيَكُونُ مِنْهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ مَوْعِظَةٌ وَتَأْدِيبٌ وَدُعَاءٌ، فَلَمَّا وَافَى مَكَانَهُ قَالَ: «اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَنَا» وَانْصَرَفَ، فَاسْتَقْبَلَ آخَرُ النَّاسِ أَوَائِلَهُمْ؛ قَالُوا: مَا لَكُمْ؟ قَالُوا: إِنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) إِنَّمَا دَعَا بِدَعْوَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ قَالُوا: سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ كُنَّا نَرْجُو أَنْ يَكُونَ هَذَا الْيَوْمُ يَوْمَ عِبَادَةٍ وَدُعَاءٍ وَمَوْعِظَةٍ وَتَأْدِيبٍ، فَمَا دَعَا إِلَّا بِدَعْوَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، قَالُوا: فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ أَبْلِغْ عَنِّي قَوْمَكَ؛ فَإِنَّهُمْ قَدِ اسْتَقَلُّوا دُعَاءَكَ: إِنِّي مَنْ أَغْفِرْ لَهُ أُصْلِحْ لَهُ أَمْرَ آخِرَتِهِ وَدُنْيَاهُ "