Critique of the Entry of David (A.S) in the Leiden Encyclopedia of the Quran (EQ)

The entry of David (A.S) in the Leiden Encyclopedia of Quran was written by Isaac Hasson, a professor at the University of Jerusalem. The present study, after translating the entry with a descriptive-analytical method and with a critical approach, has criticized and evaluated the author’s point of view to clarify the Orientalists’ view on religious teachings and especially the Holy Quran and on the other hand to provide the audience with the opportunity to get acquainted with pure Islamic teachings by criticizing and evaluating the Orientalists’ works. In this article, verses of the Quran and authentic Islamic narrations have been used to explain the scientific and practical life of Prophet David (A.S). The author of the article has mentioned some of the contents of the Quran about David, which are among its positive points, such as: He is the great prophet of God, God has given him knowledge, wisdom and rule along with the book of Psalms. The position of the Caliph of God and the “final decisive speech”, the obedience of mountains and birds in the matter of praising God, the softening of iron by him. It is Divine grace to him. However, the author has considered the secret indications of the Quran as the reason for the entrance of the myth and its acceptance by Muslims and has attributed false accusations against David to Islamic sources. The request for forgiveness of Prophet David (A.S) in the Quran is related to the myth of his marriage, but pure Islamic sources do not mention any myths and false accusations against David (A.S) and there are rational and narrative reasons for the infallibility of David (A.S). False myths and slanders are among the Israelites mentioned in the present Torah. David’s request for forgiveness is related to the Divine test, not the myth of his marriage; therefore, what has been accused and rejected by the Holy Quran and the Muslims’ suspicion of the holy texts are the false accusations that have been made against David in the Bible