Did Dawood (peace be upon him) play a flute?
Question

                I would like to ask about the ruling on songs according to my description: 

Birds’ warbling is a kind of music, waterfalls, rains and wind sounds are also kinds of music, how can we ever avoid listening to these sounds? Prophet Dawood as well used to mention Allah by playing a flute. I do not mean here the songs that arouse desires or the very loud music; I mean quiet music and normal words. Please answer my question in detail.
Praise be to Allah.We have previously stated 
    the ruling that it is haraam to listen to music. The evidence for that is 
    quoted in the answer to question no. 
    5000. We have also explained that it is 
    invalid to draw an analogy between music and the sound of birdsong or 
    running water, in the answer to question no. 
    96219. 
The view that Dawood (peace 
    be upon him) used to seek forgiveness by playing the flute is a view for 
    which there is no basis, rather what is meant by the words of the Prophet 
     (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari , 
    “You have been given a beautiful voice (mizmaar, lit. flute) like the 
    beautiful voices of the family of Dawood” (narrated by al-Bukhaari (5048) 
    and Muslim (793) is that he had a beautiful voice, and the beauty of his 
    voice was likened to the sound of the flute. 
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have 
    mercy on him) said in Sharh Muslim: The words of the Prophet  
    (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) concerning Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari 
    – “he has been given a beautiful voice (mizmaar) like the beautiful voices 
    of the family of Dawood” – The scholars said: What is meant by mizmaar (lit. 
    flute) here is a beautiful voice.  
The original meaning of the 
    word zamr is singing, and phrase “the family of Dawood” refers to Dawood 
    himself. The phrase “the family of So and so” may apply to the person 
    himself. Dawood  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had a very 
    beautiful voice. End quote. 
Al-‘Iraaqi said in Tarh 
    al-Tathreeb (3/104): What it meant by mizmaar here is a beautiful voice. 
    The original meaning is the instrument that is blown into (wind instrument). 
    The beauty and sweetness of his voice is likened to the sound of the flute. 
    … He had an extremely beautiful voice in recitation. End quote. 
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said in
    Fath al-Baari: What is meant by mizmaar is a beautiful voice. The 
    basic meaning is the instrument and the word is used of the voice as a 
    simile. End quote. 
This is like when Abu Bakr 
    (may Allaah be pleased with him) described singing as the flutes or musical 
    instruments of the Shaytaan, as al-Bukhaari (3931) and Muslim (892) narrated 
    from ‘Aa’ishah that Abu Bakr entered upon her when the Prophet  (peace 
    and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was with her on the day of (Eid) 
    al-Fitr or Adha, and there were two young girls singing lines of poetry that 
    were said by the Ansaar on the day of Bu’aath. Abu Bakr said: Flutes of the 
    Shaytaan! The Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 
    “Let them be, O Abu Bakr, for every people has its Eid and our Eid is this 
    day.”  
The two young girls did not 
    have a flute or musical instrument with them, but he (may Allaah be pleased 
    with him) called singing the flute of the shaytaan, likening it to that 
    because he found it displeasing. 
And Allaah knows best.