Abstract
The
Quran states that Iron was made pliable for Prophet-King David. According to
archaeological and scriptural sources, the time when iron became pliable approximately matches the period of his reign.
Full Text
The
following are some ayaat about Prophet-King David in the Quran:
And We taught him (the) making (of) coats of armor for you to protect
you from your battle. Then will you (be) grateful?
And certainly, We gave
Dawood from Us Bounty.
"O mountains! Repeat praises with him, and the
birds."
And We made pliable for him
[the] iron, That make full coats of
mail and measure precisely [of] the links (of armor), and work righteousness.
Indeed, I Am of what you do All-Seer.
"O Dawood! Indeed, We [We] have made you a
vicegerent in the earth,
so judge between [the] men in truth and (do) not
follow the desire, for it will lead you astray from (the) way (of) Allah.
Indeed, those who go astray from (the) way (of) Allah, for them (is) a
punishment severe because they forgot (the) Day (of) Account."
[Al-Quran 38:26]
Certainly We sent
Our Messengers with clear proofs and We sent down with them the Scripture and the Balance that may establish the people justice.
And We sent down [the] iron, wherein (is) power
mighty and benefits for the people,
and so that Allah may make evident (he) who helps Him and His Messengers, unseen.
and so that Allah may make evident (he) who helps Him and His Messengers, unseen.
Indeed, Allah (is) All-Strong
All-Mighty.
Prophet-King
David was appointed ‘Khalifa’. Q34:11
describes the reason for making iron pliable as so that he is able to do ‘waiAAmaloo salihan’.
Though almost all translators translate
it as ‘work righteousness’, Q7:56 uses the same root for reform and contrasts it with corruption:
As I understand it, all bani Adam have inherited the responsibility of being khalifas of the Earth, each given the task of reform as per those he/she has been made in charge of, be it just his/her family, or society, or on a national or international level. Especially, divinely ordained khalifas, prophets and messengers are given the task of major reforms, as per inspired divine guidance. Both Adam and David were divinely-ordained khalifas. As khalifa, David was charged with removing corruption and bringing in reforms internationally. This meant he had to declare war against corruption, thus the need for military might.
وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَاحِهَا وَادْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
And (do) not cause corruption in the earth after its reformation. And call Him (in) fear and hope. Indeed, (the) Mercy of Allah (is) near for the good-doers.
[Al-Quran 7:56]
As I understand it, all bani Adam have inherited the responsibility of being khalifas of the Earth, each given the task of reform as per those he/she has been made in charge of, be it just his/her family, or society, or on a national or international level. Especially, divinely ordained khalifas, prophets and messengers are given the task of major reforms, as per inspired divine guidance. Both Adam and David were divinely-ordained khalifas. As khalifa, David was charged with removing corruption and bringing in reforms internationally. This meant he had to declare war against corruption, thus the need for military might.
According
to archaeological and scriptural sources, the time when iron became pliable approximately matches the period of Prophet-King David's reign.
Iron Age
According
to Wikipedia:
The
Iron Age is an archaeological era, referring to a period of time in the
prehistory and protohistory of the Old World (Afro-Eurasia) when the dominant
toolmaking material was iron. It is commonly preceded by the Bronze Age in
Europe and Asia and the Stone Age in Africa, with exceptions. Meteoric iron has
been used by humans since at least 3200 BC. Ancient iron production did not become
widespread until the ability to smelt iron ore, remove impurities and
regulate the amount of carbon in the alloy were developed. The start of the
Iron Age proper is considered by many to fall between around 1200 BC and 600
BC, depending on the region.
King David
According
to Wikipedia,
David in history, archeology and literature:
The Tel Dan Stele
The
Tel Dan Stele, an inscribed stone erected by a king of Damascus in the late 9th/early 8th centuries BCE to
commemorate his victory over two enemy kings, contains the phrase ביתדוד, bytdwd, which most scholars translate
as "House of David".
Other scholars, such as Anson Rainey have challenged this reading, but it is
likely that this is a reference to a dynasty of the Kingdom of Judah which
traced its ancestry to a founder named David. The Mesha Stele from Moab, dating
from approximately the same period, may also contain the name David in two
places, although this is less certain than the mention in the Tel Dan
inscription.
The Tel Dan Stele on display at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem
By Oren Rozen - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47055869
By Oren Rozen - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47055869
Chronology
…
Many
alternative chronologies have been suggested, and there is no ultimate
consensus between the different factions and scholarly disciplines concerned
with this period, as to when it began or when it ended.
Most
historians follow either of the older chronologies established by William F. Albright or Edwin
R. Thiele, or the newer chronology of Gershon
Galil, all of which are shown below. …
Albright/Thiele
dates
|
Galil
dates
|
Common/Biblical
name
|
Regnal
Name and style
|
Notes
|
|
c. 1000–962
|
c. 1008–970
|
Dawidh ben
Yishai, Melekh Ysra’el
|
Son-in-law
of Saul, brother-in-law of Ish-boseth
|
||
Iron Implements of the Ancients
As regards the use of iron by the ancients, we read in Genesis about the descendants of Cain, in the eighth generation since Adam:
Last updated on November 15, 2017
As regards the use of iron by the ancients, we read in Genesis about the descendants of Cain, in the eighth generation since Adam:
And Zillah, she also bore Tubal-cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of brass and iron; and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
[The Bible, Genesis 4:22]
![... But they denied My Messengers, so how was My Rejection? [Al-Quran 34:45]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixUH2dPMqOov28hB5_qpRuGFcgD_lZN8FR8F_EfEGow7nmbs4RvgITzEnP8vH7HTIY9ZUYIDDib7XbaH99BKVReJ38Lu_LLXosztO61dbrQaIds9vp5tDlEcxGfoWebn3Fq8Sxqagzs3o/s1600/Slide15.jpg)
