Prophet Dawood

It is related that a woman once went to the Prophet Dawood (David) (may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and said to him, "O Prophet of Allah, is your Lord just or unjust?" Prophet Dawood (may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Woe to you woman, indeed He is Most Just and never acts unjustly." He then asked her, "What is your story?"

The woman said to Prophet Dawood (may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), "I am a widow, I have three daughters, and I provide for them from what I spin with my needles and yard. Yesterday, I wrapped my yarn in a cloth and went with it to the marketplace, intending to sell it and use the proceeds to buy provisions for my children. But while I was walking to the marketplace, a bird suddenly swooped down and took my yarn and my cloth, after which it flew away. I sat there in a sad and miserable state, faced with the reality that I owned nothing that I could use to provide for my children."

As the woman was with Prophet Dawood (may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) telling him her story, someone knocked on the door asking permission to enter. Permission was given and ten men entered, they were all businessman, and each one of the ten men had 100 dinars in their hand. They said, "O Prophet of Allah, give this money to someone who is deserving of it." Prophet Dawood (may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) asked, "What prompted you to bring this money?"

They said, "O Prophet of Allah, we were travelling in a sea vessel, when the waves began to roar tempestuously, and our ship began to sink. Then suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a bird came and dropped a red cloth that contained yard inside of it. Using those materials, we worked to repair the hole in the ship that was causing us to sink. Not much time passed before the winds and waves calmed down and the hole was repaired. We then made an oath to Allah that each one of us would give 100 dinars in charity. This is that money, which you may give as a charity to whomsoever you please."

Prophet Dawood (may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and said to her, "A Lord Who does business for you on land and in the sea, yet you make Him out to be unjust!" then he gave the women the entire 1000 dinars and said, "Spend it on your children."

Moral

From this story we are reminded of a principle which is taught to us in a narration of the Prophet Muhammad (May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) in which he said: “How amazing is the affair of the believer. There is good for him in everything and that is for no one but the believer. If good times come his way, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him, and if hardship comes his way, he endures it patiently and that is better for him.” [Saheeh Muslim]