The Lessons of Prophet Ayoub (Job) p.b.u.h. Part 1

"If You remove his wealth then You will find that his tongue will no longer mention Your name and his praying will stop."**

These were the words spoken by Iblis to Allah (by Satan to God) with reference to one of Allah's most devoted servants, Prophet Ayoub (Job in English).

How many of us sing the praises of Allah whilst everything is going good, but the minute a problem happens, or we are met with some difficulty we begin to complain and say "Oh why me, why is this happening to me?" or "Why is God doing this/letting-this-happen to me?".

Allah tells us in the Quran:

Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, "We believe", and that they will not be tested?
(Holy Quran, 29:2)

Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: "When (will come) the help of Allah?" Ah! Verily, the help of Allah is (always) near!

(Holy Quran, 2:214)

We will be tried and we will be tested. And some of us will waver and doubt ourselves and what is happening in our lives. But then we have to dust ourselves off, put it down to Allah's will or Qadr (which we shall look at in more detail in another post), and carry on.

Ayoub (pbuh) was one of the richest men in his community. He had lands, cattle, wealth and riches more than any normal person. And yet, he was humble, and never haughty or selfish. He gave much in charity and bought many slaves only for the purpose of freeing them. Those around him, his family friends, and servants all benefitted from his good nature. So much so that even the angels remarked that Ayoub was, of his time, the best among mankind.

Iblis, as usual, was less complimentary, and said to Allah:

"If You remove his wealth then You will find that his tongue will no longer mention Your name and his praying will stop."

Allah told Iblis that Ayoub worshipped his Lord from his heart and not because he had the benefits of riches and material things. But in order to prove this to Iblis...

...with Allah's permission*, Iblis and his helpers set about to take away everything that Ayoub(pbuh)had. They took away his lands, his cattle, destroyed all his wealth. Yet still, Ayoub's faith remained strong. Instead of thinking that Allah was punishing him, or that his many prayers were going unanswered, Ayoub remained steadfast and put his trust in Allah:

"What Allah has taken away from me belongs to Him. I was only its trustee for a while. He gives to whom He wills and withholds from whom He wills."

Iblis was annoyed to no end. How could Ayoub still remain faithful after all his wealth was gone? So he set about really putting the screws on Ayoub (pbuh).

He gathered his helpers and they went and shook Ayoub's house so much that the building crashed, killing all of Ayoub's children. Surely now, thought Iblis, Ayoub would reject Allah. Ayoub's response:

"Allah sometimes gives and sometimes takes. He is sometimes pleased and sometimes displeased with our deeds. Whether a thing is beneficial or harmful to me, I will remain firm in my belief and remain thankful to my Creator."

Iblis became very worried. What could he do to cast doubt in Ayoub's heart? His health, I will take away his health! And so, with Allah's permission*, he did. He filled Ayoub's body with disease and afflicted it with pain, the likes of which reduced Ayoub (pbuh) to almost skin and bones.

He had lost his wealth, his cattle, his lands, his riches, even his children, none of his friends came to visit him anymore, and now his health...

Ayoub was in a terrible state, but he had the loving companionship of his wife, which gave him a little strength. He continued to utter praises to his Lord, remaining steadfast in his faith.

Iblis was becoming desperate. He went to Ayoub's wife in the guise of a man, and tried to take her down memory lane, making her nostalgic about the times when life was good.

Suddenly, the painful memory of years of hardship overcame her, and she burst into tears. She said to Ayoub: "How long are you going to bear this torture from our Lord? Are we to remain without wealth, children or friends forever? Why don't you call upon Allah to remove this suffering?"

Ayoub: "Iblis must have whispered to you and made you dissatisfied. Tell me, how long did I enjoy good health and riches?"
Ayoub's Wife "For eighty years."
Ayoub: "How long am I suffering like this?"
Ayoub's wife: "For seven years.''
Ayoub: "In that case I am ashamed to call on my Lord to remove the hardship, for I have not suffered longer than the years of good health and plenty. It seems your faith has weakened and you are dissatisfied with the fate of Allah. If I ever regain health, I swear I will punish you with a hundred strokes! From this day onward, I forbid myself to eat or drink anything from your hand. Leave me alone and let my Lord do with me as He pleases."

Imagine that! He is is an state of such weakness and pain, and his loving wife who has stood by him through all the suffering, had a moment of tears. In his frustration at her lack of faith, he even ordered her to leave.

She didn't want to leave him, but she did as he asked her, probably sobbing as she went.

And then he was alone. No one was left. No friends. No servants. No children. No wife. No health. No money. Nothing.

Iblis rubbed his hands in glee. I have destroyed him. I took everything from him. He was the greatest of men. And I have reduced him to nothing. He has not a penny to his name, he is little more than a corpse waiting to die, and no one to hear his cries of pain.

But... Iblis was wrong.

There was someone. There had always been someone. And now it was this to this someone that Ayoub, turned:

"Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy."

Yeah that's right... Allah.







*We will look in greater detail in another post at Allah's Qadr, which will show us why sometimes Allah gives permission for bad things to happen.

**Read the story of Prophet Ayoub in greater detail here. I used it as a source to write the above post.