Journey of prophets in Islam

AYYUB (A.S) JOB PART-2

For years Ayyub continued to suffer through his condition, with none but Rahma by his side to take care of him. They had no money and no income, so his wife took up a job to provide for him. But the people of the city did not allow Rahma to work for long for they feared that she would afflict them with the same illness as her husband. Ayyub meanwhile, continued to pray to Allah to give him the strength and patience to endure this pain and suffering.

There are different opinions on how long he suffered but (we know) it lasted until he was like a skeleton. His wife once said to him, "O Ayyub! Perhaps you should pray to your Lord to give you relief?" He answered, "I lived happily for seventy years in sound health. Is it now wrong that I show patience for the sake of Allah for another seventy years?"

The people got tired with serving Job through this extremely long illness, except his wife who remained patient with him. One day, she could not find anything to feed her husband. She did something that she should not have done. She cut her hair and sold it to the wife of a rich man. Job's wife used that money to buy food for Prophet Job.

When she offered the food to her husband Job, he asked her, "From where did you get the money to buy this food?" Job's wife said, "Do not ask, and just eat". However, Prophet Job insisted to know from where she got the money. Then, she told her husband Job how she had cut her hair and had sold it to buy that food.

Prophet Job became angry with her, for the sake of God. It was forbidden in the rules of Prophet Job, as it is forbidden in the rules now, for a woman to cut her hair and sell it to someone who will use that hair to braid it into her own hair. Both the one who sells it and the one who buys it and uses it are sinful. Prophet Muhammad said that in a hadith. Prophet Job swore that when he got cured from his sickness, that he would whip his wife one hundred lashes because of her doing this.

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Feeling helpless Ayyub turned to Allah seeking His mercy. "Truly adversity has afflicted me and You are Most Merciful of all who show mercy." (Surah 21: Verse 83), he prayed. 

Allah accepted his prayer. The Holy Quran affirms:

"Then We heard his prayer and removed that adversity from which he suffered, and We gave him his household and the like thereof along with them, a mercy from Our store and remembrance for the worshipers." (Surah 21: Verse 84)

Then Allah commanded "Strike the ground with your foot: This is a spring of water to wash in and cool and a refreshing drink."

Ayyub immediately performed Allah's bidding. As he struck the ground with his foot, cold water gushed at his feet.

As commanded, Ayyub drank and washed his entire body using the water. Within a short while, Ayyub's blisters disappeared, his skin renewed completely and his internal organs began functioning. Indeed, Ayyub was completely cured by the grace of Allah!

The Prophet Ayyub  was one of the celebrated Prophets. His example illustrates: that those who remain patient under the stress of all circumstances, are never deprived of high rewards.

Rahma, who could not stand to be away from her husband any longer, returned home; as she entered their home, she was greeted by Ayyub whom she did not recognize.

She asked him, "Where is Ayyub? Who are you? You look very similar to him." He replied smiling, "It's me!" Overjoyed, she immediately embraced him and thanked Allah for His mercy.

Ayyub remembered his promise to punish his wife with a hundred strokes once he regained his health. He did not want to hurt his beloved wife, nor did he want to break his oath to Allah; so Allah, the Most Wise, instructed Ayyub, "Take in your hand a bundle of thin grass and strike therewith your wife, and break not your oath."

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Imam Ahmad has transmitted a hadith from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:

While Ayyub was having a bath and was naked, golden locusts fell on him. He started gathering them in his clothes. So his Lord called to him, 'O Ayyub! Have I not enriched you enough to be satisfied?' He said, 'Indeed my Lord but I cannot dispense with Your blessing!"

[Ahmad 314, Al-Bukhari 279]

Ibn 'Abbas said that Allah returned her to her youth and share birth to twenty-six male children. 

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The story of Prophet Ayyub is one adversity mixed with patience. It is easy to be a faithful servant of Allah when everything is going well but his faith never faltered during difficult times which is what makes him a remarkable being.

Ibn Jarir and other scholars have said that Prophet  Ayyub was ninety-three years old when he died but some say he lived longer than that.

Al-Layth has transmitted from Mujahid (in meaning) that on the Day of Resurrection Allah will present Sulayman before the rich, Yusuf before the handsome and Ayyub before those afflicted with hardship.

When he died he entrusted his office of Prophet hood to his son Humal and after him his other son Bishr became a Prophet. Many consider that his son Bishr is Dhu'l-Kifl.

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QURANIC VERSES MENTIONING AYYUB

"And [for] their taking of usury while they had been forbidden from it, and their consuming of the people's wealth unjustly. And we have prepared for the disbelievers among them a painful punishment. Abiding eternally therein. The punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved. Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. And we revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the book [of Psalms]."    (Surah Nisa Ayat 161-163)

"They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice – those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided. And that was Our [conclusive] argument which We gave Abraham against his people. We raise by degrees whom We will. Indeed, your Lord is Wise and Knowing. And We gave to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – all [of them] We guided. And Noah, We guided before; and among his descendants, David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the doers of good"    (Surah Anam Ayat 82-84).

"And [mention] Job, when he called to his Lord, "Indeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful." So We responded to him and removed what afflicted him of adversity. And We gave him [back] his family and the like thereof with them as mercy from Us and a reminder for the worshipers [of Allah]."   (Surah Anbiya Ayat 83-84)

"And remember Our servant Job, when he called to his Lord, "Indeed, Satan has touched me with hardship and torment." [So he was told], "Strike [the ground] with your foot; this is a [spring for] a cool bath and drink." And We granted him his family and a like [number] with them as mercy from Us and a reminder for those of understanding. [We said], "And take in your hand a bunch [of grass] and strike with it and do not break your oath." Indeed, We found him patient, an excellent servant. Indeed, he was one repeatedly turning back [to Allah]. And remember Our servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – those of strength and [religious] vision. Indeed, We chose them for an exclusive quality: remembrance of the home [of the Hereafter]."  (Surah Sad 41-46)

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