This alongside all the other articles on the stories of the prophets has been taken from Ṣaḥīḥ Qiṣaṣ al Anbiyāʾ (Authentic Stories of the Prophets) by Salim ibn ʿId al Hilali who revised Ibn Kathir’s (Qiṣas al Anbiyāʾ) Stories of the Prophets by removing weak, fabricated, repeated reports and unreliable Isra’ili reports, he only kept the Quran verses, sound hadiths and reports from the Salaf.
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The Story of Ayyub عليه السلام
The Story of Ayyub in the Qur’an
The Trial of Ayyub عليه السلام and His Patience
If He Swore by Allah, He Would Be Answered
The Story of Dhu al Kifl, whom some claimed was the son of Ayyub عليه السلام
Summary
The Story of Ayyub عليه السلام
Ayyub عليه السلام was a prophet from the descendants of Ibrahim عليه السلام through Ishaq and his son al Is. The Qur’an names him clearly among those who received revelation, which shows his rank and prophethood.
Allah had given him great wealth in the land of al Bathna in the region of Huran, with livestock, servants, wide lands, many children and a large household. Then Allah removed his wealth and children and tried him in his own body with severe illness until no limb remained sound except his heart and his tongue, with which he remembered Allah by night and day.
People abandoned him and even his close companions became distant, and only his wife stayed by him. She remembered his past kindness, served him, earned wages to feed him and bore the hardship of poverty and service after a life of ease and honour. Ayyub عليه السلام remained patient, seeking reward and remembering Allah, until people began to mention his patience and his trial as an example.
The authentic Sunnah explains that his trial lasted eighteen years, and that even then he was careful about the name of Allah, offering expiation when he heard people mention Allah while arguing, disliking that Allah be mentioned except in truth.
When his trial reached its height, Allah commanded him to strike the ground with his foot. A spring of cold water burst forth, and he was ordered to wash in it and drink from it. Allah removed his inner and outer illness and returned to him health, strength and beauty, to the point that his own wife did not recognise him at first.
Allah then poured wealth upon him, sending gold and silver in abundance, including golden locusts, and Ayyub عليه السلام gathered them while affirming that he could never feel that he had enough of Allah’s mercy and blessing. Allah restored his family to him and gave him the like of them with them as a mercy and a reminder for the worshippers, and he lived on after that in strength upon the religion of al Hanifiyya (tawheed).
Ayyub عليه السلام had sworn in his illness that he would strike his wife one hundred times because of something she did while trying to help him. When Allah cured him, He gave him a way to fulfil his oath without injustice by commanding him to take in his hand a bundle containing many small twigs and strike her once with it, so that it counted as one hundred while not harming her.
In this there was a concession and mercy for a prophet who had taqwa (fear of Allah) and patience, and jurists took from this verse a principle in the chapters of oaths and vows. His wife’s name is not established from the verse, and those who tried to derive it directly from the word for mercy went beyond what the wording allows.
The Story and Status of Dhu al Kifl عليه السلام
After the mention of Ayyub عليه السلام, the text mentions Dhu al Kifl عليه السلام, because some people said that he was the son of Ayyub. Allah mentions him in the Qur’an together with Ismail and Idris as being among the patient, and says that He admitted them into His mercy and that they were among the righteous.
He also mentions him together with Ismail and al Yasa and says that all of them are among the best. From this praise, and from the way he is linked with these noble prophets, it appears that Dhu al Kifl عليه السلام was himself a prophet, and this is the famous view among the people of knowledge.
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The Story of Ayyub عليه السلام
The famous view is that Ayyub عليه السلام was from the descendants of Ibrahim عليه السلام. This is as we explained when speaking about the saying of Allah the Exalted:
وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِ دَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُوسُفَ وَمُوسَى وَهَارُونَ
“And from his descendants were Dawud, Sulayman, Ayyub, Yusuf, Musa and Harun.”
(al Anam 84)
The correct understanding is that the pronoun in this verse returns to Ibrahim عليه السلام and not to Nuh عليه السلام.
He is also one of the prophets clearly mentioned as having received revelation in Surat an Nisa, in His saying the Exalted:
إِنَّا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ كَمَا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى نُوحٍ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالْأَسْبَاطِ وَعِيسَىٰ وَأَيُّوبَ
“Indeed We have revealed to you as We revealed to Nuh and the prophets after him, and We revealed to Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq, Yaqub, the descendants, Isa and Ayyub.”
(an Nisa 163)
The correct view is that he was from the offspring of al Is the son of Ishaq عليهما السلام. For this reason we mention his story here, and after his story, if Allah wills, we will follow it with the prophets of Banu Israel. In Him is our trust and upon Him is our reliance.
The Story of Ayyub in the Qur’an
Allah the Exalted said:
وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ فَكَشَفْنَا مَا بِهِ مِنْ ضُرٍّ وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِنْ عِندِنَا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَابِدِينَ
“And remember Ayyub when he called upon his Lord, ‘Harm has touched me, and You are the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.’ So We answered him and removed the harm that was upon him, and We gave him his family and the like of them with them, as a mercy from Us and a reminder for those who worship.”
(al Anbiya 83–84)
And He the Exalted said:
وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا أَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الشَّيْطَانُ بِنُصْبٍ وَعَذَابٍ ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ ۖ هَٰذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ وَخُذْ بِيَدِكَ ضِغْثًا فَاضْرِبْ بِهِ وَلَا تَحْنَثْ ۗ إِنَّا وَجَدْنَاهُ صَابِرًا ۚ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ
“And remember Our slave Ayyub when he called upon his Lord, ‘Shaytan has touched me with hardship and torment.’ ‘Strike the ground with your foot; this is a cool place to wash and a drink.’ And We gave him his family and the like of them with them, as a mercy from Us and a reminder for people of understanding. And take in your hand a bundle of twigs and strike with it, and do not break your oath. Indeed We found him patient. Excellent is the slave. Indeed he was one who often turned back to Allah.”
(Sad 41–44)
The Trial of Ayyub عليه السلام and His Patience
The scholars of tafsir, history and others said that Ayyub عليه السلام was a man who had a great deal of wealth of every kind. He had livestock, servants, grazing animals and wide lands in the land of al Bathna in the region of Huran. Ibn Asakir mentioned that all of that land belonged to him. (Reported by Ibn Asakir in Tarikh Dimashq 58/10.)
He also had many children and many members of his household. Then all of that was taken away from him. He was then tried in his own body with many different kinds of affliction.
No limb remained sound except his heart and his tongue, with which he remembered Allah the Mighty and Majestic. Through all of this he remained patient, seeking reward, remembering Allah the Mighty and Majestic by night and by day, morning and evening.
His illness lasted so long that those who used to sit with him became tired of him, those who had been close to him felt lonely and distant from him, and people cut off from him. No one remained who showed him gentle care except his wife.
She fulfilled his right, remembered his past kindness to her and his mercy towards her. She would go back and forth to him, tending to his condition, helping him to fulfil his needs, and taking care of what benefited him.
Her state grew weak and her wealth became little, until she used to work for people for wages so that she could feed him and look after his needs. May Allah be pleased with her and grant her His good pleasure.
She remained patient with him over what had come upon both of them: the loss of wealth and children, and what affected her in particular of the calamity of her husband, the hardship of poverty and serving people after a life of ease, blessing, servants and honour. Truly we belong to Allah and to Him we return.
All of this only increased Ayyub عليه السلام in patience, seeking reward, praise and thanks. People even began to use his patience as an example, and they also used what happened to him of so many kinds of afflictions as an example.
The scholars differed about how long his trial lasted, mentioning many views, but the correct one is what has come in the authentic Sunnah.
Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Indeed the Prophet of Allah Ayyub remained under his trial for eighteen years. The near and far all abandoned him, except for two of his brothers who were among his closest companions. They used to come to him morning and evening.
One of them said to his companion, ‘Do you know? By Allah, Ayyub must have committed a sin that no one among all the people of the world has committed.’
His companion said, ‘What is that?’ He replied, ‘For eighteen years his Lord has not had mercy on him to remove what is upon him.’ When they went to him, that man could not hold back until he mentioned this to him.
Ayyub said, ‘I do not know what you are saying. But Allah the Mighty and Majestic knows that when I used to pass by two men who were arguing and mentioning Allah, I would return to my family and offer expiation for them both, out of dislike that Allah should be mentioned except in truth.’
He meaning Anas said, ‘He would go out to fulfil his need, and when he had done so his wife would hold his hand until he returned. Then one day she was late in coming to him, so Allah revealed to Ayyub in his place, “Strike the ground with your foot; this is a cool place to wash and a drink.”
She thought he was taking too long, so she went to meet him and look for him. He came towards her, and Allah had removed from him what he had of affliction. He was in the best shape he had ever been in.
When she saw him she said, “May Allah bless you. Have you seen the prophet of Allah, this one who is so sorely tried? By Allah, the One who has power over that, I have never seen a man more like him than you when he was healthy.” He said, “I am that man.”‘
He continued, ‘He had two threshing floors, one for wheat and one for barley. Allah sent two clouds. One of them hovered over the threshing floor of wheat and poured down gold until it overflowed, and the other hovered over the threshing floor of barley and poured down silver until it overflowed.'” (Authentic. Reported by Ibn Abi Hatim 8/13698/2460, Ibn Jarir in Jami al Bayan 107/23–108, Abu Yala 862, al Bazzar 1849 Mukhtasar az Zawaid, Ibn Hibban 2898, al Hakim 581/2 and Abu Naim in al Hilya 374/3.
It is an authentic hadith. Al Hakim, al Dhahabi, Abu Naim and al Haythami in al Majma 211/8 all judged it authentic, as Albani in as Silsila as Sahihah 17.) (There is no reason to find its raising to the Prophet ﷺ strange, and there is no proof that it is only a statement of a companion.)
Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated from the Prophet ﷺ that when Allah cured Ayyub عليه السلام, He sent upon him a shower of locusts of gold. He began to gather them in his hand and place them in his garment.
It was said to him, “O Ayyub, are you not satisfied?” He said, “My Lord, who can be satisfied with Your mercy?” (Authentic. Reported by Ibn Abi Hatim 2461/8/13700, Ahmad 2/304 and 2/490 and 2/511, Ibn Hibban 6230, at Tiyalisi 2455 and al Hakim 582/2 with a sound chain according to the conditions of al Bukhari and Muslim.)
As for His saying the Exalted, “Strike the ground with your foot,” it means, strike the earth with your foot. He did what he was commanded. Allah caused a spring of cold water to gush forth. He was commanded to wash in it and drink from it. Allah removed from him what he had been feeling of pain, harm, illness and sickness, both in his outer body and inside himself.
After all of that He replaced it with complete health inwardly and outwardly, complete beauty and abundant wealth.
Allah poured wealth upon him in a continuous flood like rain, in the form of locusts of gold. He also gave him back his family, as He said the Exalted:
وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ
“And We gave him his family and the like of them with them.”
(al Anbiya 84)
It was said that Allah brought them back to life in their very persons. It was also said that He granted him reward for those who had passed away and gave him others in their place in this world, and then joined all of them together for him in the Abode of the Hereafter.
As for His saying the Exalted, “as a mercy from Us,” it means that We lifted from him his hardship and removed from him the harm that afflicted him, as a mercy from Us to him, out of tenderness and goodness.
“And a reminder for the worshippers” means a lesson and reminder for anyone who is tested in his body, his wealth or his children. Such a person has in the Prophet of Allah Ayyub عليه السلام a model to follow, for Allah tested him with something even greater than that, yet he remained patient and sought reward until Allah relieved him.
Whoever tries to take from this the name of his wife, saying that she was called Rahma because of this verse, has gone very far in his guess and has aimed very wide of the mark.
Ayyub عليه السلام lived after that for seventy years in the land of Rome upon the religion of al Hanifiyya, then the people changed the religion of Ibrahim عليه السلام after him.
If He Swore by Allah, He Would Be Answered
As for His saying the Exalted:
وَخُذْ بِيَدِكَ ضِغْثًا فَاضْرِبْ بِهِ وَلَا تَحْنَثْ ۗ إِنَّا وَجَدْنَاهُ صَابِرًا ۚ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ
“And take in your hand a bundle of twigs and strike with it, and do not break your oath. Indeed We found him patient. Excellent is the slave. Indeed he was one who often turned back to Allah.”
(Sad 44)
This was a concession from Allah the Exalted to His slave and messenger Ayyub عليه السلام regarding his oath that he had sworn, that he would strike his wife one hundred lashes.
It was said that he swore that because she sold her own braids of hair. It was also said that Shaytan confronted her in the form of a doctor who described a treatment for Ayyub, so she came to him and told him of that. He realised that this was Shaytan, so he swore that he would strike her one hundred lashes.
When Allah the Mighty and Majestic cured him, He gave him a verdict that he should take a bundle, which is like a palm branch that gathers many small stalks together, and strike her once with it. That would count as if he had struck her one hundred times, and thus he would fulfil his oath and not break it.
This is a way out and a relief for one who has taqwa of Allah and obeys Him, especially in the case of his wife who was patient, seeking reward, bearing hardship, truthful, dutiful and wise. May Allah be pleased with her. For this reason Allah followed this concession and explained the cause for it with His saying:
“Indeed We found him patient. Excellent is the slave. Indeed he was one who often turned back to Allah.”
Many jurists have used this concession in the chapter of oaths and vows. Others expanded it so much that they wrote books on legal devices for escaping from oaths, beginning those books with this noble verse, and they mentioned in them many strange and unusual things. We will mention some of that in the Book of Rulings, when we come to it if Allah the Exalted wills.
The Story of Dhu al Kifl, whom some claimed was the son of Ayyub عليه السلام
We now mention the story of Dhu al Kifl, for some people said that he was the son of Ayyub عليه السلام.
Allah the Exalted said, after the story of Ayyub in Surat al Anbiya:
وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِدْرِيسَ وَذَا الْكِفْلِ كُلٌّ مِّنَ الصَّابِرِينَ وَأَدْخَلْنَاهُمْ فِي رَحْمَتِنَا إِنَّهُم مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
“And remember Ismail, Idris and Dhu al Kifl. All of them were among the patient. And We admitted them into Our mercy. Indeed they were among the righteous.”
(al Anbiya 85–86)
And He the Exalted said after the story of Ayyub also, in Surat Sad:
وَاذْكُرْ عِبَادَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ أُولِي الْأَيْدِي وَالْأَبْصَارِ إِنَّا أَخْلَصْنَاهُم بِخَالِصَةٍ ذِكْرَى الدَّارِ وَإِنَّهُمْ عِندَنَا لَمِنَ الْمُصْطَفَيْنَ الْأَخْيَارِ وَاذْكُرْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَذَا الْكِفْلِ وَكُلٌّ مِّنَ الْأَخْيَارِ
“And remember Our slaves Ibrahim, Ishaq and Yaqub, those of strength and insight. Indeed We distinguished them with a special quality, the remembrance of the Home of the Hereafter. They are, in Our sight, among the chosen and the best. And remember Ismail, al Yasa and Dhu al Kifl. All are among the best.”
(Sad 45–48)
From the way he is mentioned in the mighty Qur’an, praised and linked together with these noble prophets, it appears that he was a prophet, upon whom be prayers and peace from his Lord. This is the famous view.
