THE STORY OF THE PROPHET DAVID AND PROPHET SOLOMON - Decision Regarding Case between Field Owner and Goats Owner

The Prophet David has been blessed with a son named Solomon. Prophet David educated and guided Solomon to behave nobly. He taught him about how to worshiping Allah SWT, doing good, and how to thank Allah SWT for His gifts that have been given. Sulaiman grew to be a man of faith, smart, fair and wise. Allah SWT gave him the ability to be able to become a successor to the Prophet David.

Surah Al-Anbiya' verses 78-79:

وَدَاوُۥدَ وَسُلَيۡمَٰنَ إِذۡ يَحۡكُمَانِ فِي ٱلۡحَرۡثِ إِذۡ نَفَشَتۡ فِيهِ غَنَمُ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ وَكُنَّا لِحُكۡمِهِمۡ شَٰهِدِينَ  ٧٨ فَفَهَّمۡنَٰهَا سُلَيۡمَٰنَۚ وَكُلًّا ءَاتَيۡنَا حُكۡمٗا وَعِلۡمٗاۚ وَسَخَّرۡنَا مَعَ دَاوُۥدَ ٱلۡجِبَالَ يُسَبِّحۡنَ وَٱلطَّيۡرَۚ وَكُنَّا فَٰعِلِينَ  ٧٩

78.  And [mention] David and Solomon, when they judged concerning the field - when the sheep of a people overran it [at night], and We were witness to their judgement.

79.  And We gave understanding of the case to Solomon, and to each [of them] We gave judgement and knowledge. And We subjected the mountains to exalt [Us], along with David and [also] the birds. And We were doing [that].

One night, people were sleeping soundly, including farmers and cattle herders. At that time, there was a herd of goats coming out of their yard to someone else's field. They ate the plants so that the field became damaged.

In the morning, the field owner wakes up and does his usual activities. He headed to his field to check. He heard the sound of a goat in his field. After entering the field, he saw that the damaged plants had been eaten by a flock of goats still there.

Of course the field owner was angry and immediately met the goats owner. He mentioned that the owner of the goat had let his goats roam in other people's field. Disputes occurred between the two men.

The goats owner invites the field owner to meet the Prophet David to decide the case. Indeed, neither of them thought that would happen. Moments later, they arrived at David's palace. Both of them also came to the Prophet David who was on the schedule of deciding the case. Both explained the case at hand. After the Prophet David listened carefully, he gave a decision that the goats owner must give the goats to the field owner to replace the destroyed plants.

Solomon also heard and thought about the matter carefully. Allah SWT gave instructions to Solomon with a new decision. Sulaiman said that the goats owner handed over the goats to the field owner for a while, so that the field owner could benefit from the goats for his needs. The goats owner must also replant the plants in the field as before, then the goats become his own again.

The Prophet David was pleased with his son's decision. He agreed to Solomon's decision and from then on the people respected his decision. It is possible that the two decisions taken by David and Solomon were in accordance with the Shari'ah at that time. But the decision taken by Solomon was more appropriate. Allah SWT has given wisdom and knowledge to Solomon so that his position as a believer is higher.

Reference:

·   As Sayyid, Kamal and Anis, Selma (Translator). 2005. Kisah-kisah Terbaik Alquran. Jakarta: Pustaka Zahra.

·    Katsir, Ibnu and Hudzaifah, Lc., Abu (Translator). 2007. Kisah Para Nabi dan Rasul. Jakarta: Pustaka as-Sunnah.