وَالطَّيرَ مَحشورَةً ۖ كُلٌّ لَهُ أَوّابٌ

And the birds [as well], mustered [in flocks], all echoing him [in a chorus].

EXEGESIS

Maḥshūrah (mustered) comes from ḥashr, meaning to gather and collect. Here it means they were all collected from every whence to be placed at Prophet David’s (a) disposal,^{‎[1]Tibyan, 8/550. Ibn Kathir, 7/50, interestingly claims that it means the birds were ‘suspended (maḥbūsah) in the sky’.} or that they returned to him to praise God in congregation.

Awwāb (echoing him) was discussed in the commentary on verse 17, and it means to turn obediently towards someone. In this case, the birds were disposed to Prophet David (a) just as the mountains mentioned in the previous verse, all submitting obediently to his will by divine grace.^{‎[2]Tibyan, 8/550; Tabari, 23/87; Ibn Kathir, 7/50.} The translation echoing him should be understood as an interpretation, since the birds and mountains would obediently join in the praise of God whenever Prophet David (a) did so. A more literal translation would read: they all (the mountains and birds) turned to him (David), obediently. This means that Prophet David (a) had command over the mountains and birds, as we previously explained.

We could also mention that some have understood that to him (lahū) in this verse is referring to God and not Prophet David (a). In this case, the verses would mean: David, the mountains, and the birds, all turned obediently to God.^{‎[3]Zamakhshari, 4/79; Mizan, 17/190.} This is a fine interpretation, but in the context of this being a recounting of the merits of Prophet David (a), what was mentioned before seems more appropriate.

EXPOSITION

This is the sixth merit of Prophet David (a) mentioned in the surah. In addition to the mountains, the birds too submitted obediently to his command, gathering to wherever he commanded them to gather.

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Some exegetes have mentioned that it is possible that some birds had a capacity for thinking, placed in them by God, and this is the meaning of their obeying Prophet David’s (a) commands.^{‎[4]Tibyan, 8/550; Tabrisi, 8/731-732; Razi, 26/375. This opinion is attributed to Jubbāʾī.} This is a strange view since it assumes that birds, or animals in general, have no capacity of thinking, while even ordinary human beings who tame animals know of that capacity, otherwise it would have been impossible to tame them. See the commentary on verses 27:20-22.

[1] Tibyan, 8/550. Ibn Kathir, 7/50, interestingly claims that it means the birds were ‘suspended (maḥbūsah) in the sky’.
[2] Tibyan, 8/550; Tabari, 23/87; Ibn Kathir, 7/50.
[3] Zamakhshari, 4/79; Mizan, 17/190.
[4] Tibyan, 8/550; Tabrisi, 8/731-732; Razi, 26/375. This opinion is attributed to Jubbāʾī.