Quran Universe
34:10

۞وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا دَاوُۥدَ مِنَّا فَضۡلٗاۖ يَٰجِبَالُ أَوِّبِي مَعَهُۥ وَٱلطَّيۡرَۖ وَأَلَنَّا لَهُ ٱلۡحَدِيدَ

Walaqad atayna dawooda minna fadlan ya jibalu awwibee maAAahu waalttayra waalanna lahu alhadeeda

And We certainly gave David from Us bounty. [We said], "O mountains, repeat [Our] praises with him, and the birds [as well]." And We made pliable for him iron,

Word by word
  1. ۞وَلَقَدۡAnd certainly
  2. ءَاتَيۡنَاWe gave
  3. دَاوُۥدَDawood
  4. مِنَّاfrom Us
  5. فَضۡلٗاۖBounty
  6. يَٰجِبَالُO mountains
  7. أَوِّبِيRepeat praises
  8. مَعَهُۥwith him
  9. وَٱلطَّيۡرَۖand the birds
  10. وَأَلَنَّاAnd We made pliable
  11. لَهُfor him
  12. ٱلۡحَدِيدَ[the] iron
Saba · 34:10Makkah

Mountains and birds praised with Dawud, and iron softened.

Gifts given to a grateful prophet

Allah's gifts to Dawud
a mighty voicemountains echo his praise
the birdsstopped to join him
soft irontwisted like thread
What power is for
pride
praiseeverything joined him

Saba's introduction contrasts Dawud and Sulayman, who stayed grateful despite great power, with the people of Saba, who grew proud. Dawud had a voice so beautiful the mountains and birds repeated Allah's praise with him. The Prophet ﷺ once heard Abu Musa reciting and said he had been given one of the melodies of Dawud's family.

You have a talent: a good voice, quick hands, a way with words. The world tells you to monetize it, show it off. Dawud's gift was used to praise Allah, and creation joined in.

My talents are mine to use for my own name.

My gifts are from Allah, and they shine brightest when used to praise Him.

Try this

Use one skill you have today for Allah's sake, even something small like reciting beautifully.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And indeed We bestowed grace on Dawud from Us (saying): "O you mountains! Glorify with him! And you birds (also)! And We made the iron soft for him. (10)Saying: "Make you perfect coats of mail, and balance well the rings of chain armor [Sard], and work you (men) righteousness. Truly, I am All-Seer of what you do. (11)

The Favors which Allah bestowed upon Dawud

Here Allah tells us how He blessed His servant and Messenger Dawud (David), peace be upon him, and what He gave him of His great bounty, giving him both prophethood and kingship, and huge numbers of troops. And he blessed him with a mighty voice. Such that when he glorified Allah, the firm, solid, high mountains joined him in glorifying Allah, and the free-roaming birds, who go out in the morning and come back in the evening, stopped for him, and he was able to speak all languages.

In the Sahih it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard the voice of Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari, may Allah be pleased with him, reciting at night, and he stopped and listened to his recitation, then he said:

لَقَدْ أُوتِيَ هٰذَا مِزْمَارًا مِنْ مَزَامِيرِ آلِ دَاوُدَ

(This man has been given one of the sweet melodious voices of the Prophet Dawud.) Abu 'Uthman An-Nahdi said, "I never heard any cymbal, stringed instrument or chord that was more beautiful than the voice of Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari, may Allah be pleased with him."

 أَوِّبِي

(Glorify) means, glorify Allah. This was the view of Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid and others. The root of this word [Ta'wib] means to repeat or respond, so the mountains and birds were commanded to repeat after him.

وَأَلَنَّا لَهُ الْحَدِيدَ

(And We made the iron soft for him.) Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Qatadah, Al-A'mash and others said, "He did not need to heat it in the fire or beat it with a hammer; he could simply twist it in his hands, like a thread." Allah said:

أَنِ اعْمَلْ سَابِغَاتٍ

(Saying: "Make you perfect coats of mail..."), which means chain mail. Qatadah said, "He was the first person ever to make chain mail; before that, they used to wear plated armor."

وَقَدِّرْ فِي السَّرْدِ

(and balance well the rings of chain armor [Sard],) This is how Allah taught His Prophet Dawud, peace be upon him, to make coats of mail. Mujahid said concerning the Ayah:

وَقَدِّرْ فِي السَّرْدِ

(and balance well the rings of chain armor [Sard],) "Do not make the rivets too loose that the rings (of chain mail) will shake, or make them too tight that they will not be able to move at all, but make it just right." 'Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that 'Ibn 'Abbas said, "Sard refers to a ring of iron." Some of them said, "Chain mail is called Masrud if it is held together with rivets."

وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا ۖ 

and work you (men) righteousness. means, with regard to what Allah has given you of blessings.

إِنِّي بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

(Truly, I am All-Seer of what you do.) means, watching you and seeing all that you do and say; nothing of that is hidden at all.