Dawood and the Giant

Dawood and the Giant is an interactive Islamic story for children aged 5 to 8 about how the young Prophet Dawood (AS) faced the giant Jalut with nothing but a sling, a stone and his trust in Allah.

Children march with King Talut's small army, cross the river where only the patient soldiers stay, and stand beside Dawood as the giant laughs at him. They choose the stone, swing the sling and see how Allah gives victory to the ones who trust Him, however small they are.

The story teaches courage, patience and tawakkul: doing your best and leaving the result to Allah. It is based on Surah Al-Baqarah and has been reviewed by Islamic scholars.

Many years after Prophet Musa (AS), the Children of Israel asked Allah for a king to lead them. Allah chose Talut, a wise and strong man, and he gathered an army to face their enemy, the army of the giant Jalut.

On the way, Talut told his soldiers: "Allah will test you with a river. Whoever drinks deeply from it is not with me, but whoever takes only a handful may stay." Most of the soldiers drank their fill. Only a small group was patient and took just a handful.

The giant

When the small army saw Jalut and his soldiers, some of them were afraid. Jalut was huge, and his army was many times bigger than theirs. But the believers said: "How many times has a small group beaten a large one, by Allah's permission? Allah is with the patient."

Among them was a young man called Dawood. He had no armour and no sword, only a sling and some smooth stones. He stepped forward, trusting in Allah, and swung his sling. The stone flew straight and struck Jalut, and the giant fell.

A king and a prophet

Allah gave the believers victory that day. Later, Allah made Dawood a king and a prophet, and taught him wisdom. Dawood praised Allah with a beautiful voice, and the mountains and the birds praised Allah with him.

• Surah Al-Baqarah 2:249-251: The river test, the small army's trust in Allah, and Dawood defeating Jalut.