Dawud, peace be upon him, was a king and a prophet at once. Allah gave him the Zabur (Psalms) and a beautiful voice: when he recited, the mountains and birds joined in. He fasted much and stood much of the night in prayer, with love of Allah in his heart.
Allah gave Dawud a righteous son, Sulayman, who inherited both kingdom and prophethood. Allah gave him what He gave no one after him: the wind running at his command, jinn working before him, and the speech of birds made clear to him.
One day Sulayman marched with his army toward the valley of the ants. A little ant warned her people: go into your homes before Sulayman and his soldiers crush you unaware! Sulayman heard her, smiled, and said gently: my Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favour.
Both of them knew that kingship is really a service: the throne, the court and the armies all belong to Allah. Dawud made prayer beloved to him. Sulayman said: this is from my Lords favour to test whether I am grateful or ungrateful.
فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكٗا مِّن قَوۡلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوۡزِعۡنِيٓ أَنۡ أَشۡكُرَ نِعۡمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِيٓ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَيَّ وَأَنۡ أَعۡمَلَ صَٰلِحٗا تَرۡضَىٰهُ وَأَدۡخِلۡنِي بِرَحۡمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ
So he smiled, laughing at her words, and said: my Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favour which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and to do good that pleases You.
An-Naml 27:19
📚 Based on Sad 38:30–44 and An-Naml 27:15–19.