Recount Our Servant Ayyoub...

Page V26 P184

Know that this is the third story mentioned in this Surah. David and Solomon were among those upon whom God bestowed abundant blessings and favors. Ayyoub (Job) was one whom God singled out for various afflictions and trials. The purpose of all these stories is to serve as a lesson. It is as if God Almighty is saying: "O Muhammad, be patient with the foolishness of your people, for among the people of this world, none had more blessings, wealth, and status than David and Solomon, peace be upon them, and none had more affliction and tribulation than Ayyoub. Reflect upon the states of these individuals to understand that worldly affairs do not remain constant for anyone, and that a wise person must be patient with hardships."

In this context, there are several issues to discuss:

The author of Al-Kashshaf states that {أَنَّى مَسَّنِي} (how affliction has touched me) is an apposition ('atf bayān) to Ayyoub, and the clause {أَنَّى مَسَّنِي} is a substitute (badal ishtimāl) for him, being a narration of his speech which prompted the call to God. If it were not narrated, it would have been stated as "that affliction touched him" because he is absent (in the narration).

It is also read with different vowel markings on {نَصَبٌ} (toil/distress), such as with a ḍamma or fatḥa on the nūn, and with or without sukūn on the ṣād. The meanings are the same as in pairs like rushd and rushd, or ʿadam and ʿadam, signifying fatigue, hardship, torment, and pain.

Know that two types of distress had afflicted him: intense sorrow due to the loss of blessings and the arrival of misfortunes, and severe physical pain. Since both types occurred, God Almighty mentioned two terms: {النَّصَبُ} (toil/distress) and {الْعَذَابُ} (torment).

There are two main views regarding the pains and diseases that afflicted his body:

The First View: They were caused by the action of Satan. The Second View: They were caused by the action of God.

The torment attributed to Satan in this verse is the torment of whispering (waswās) and casting corrupt thoughts.

Elaboration on the First View (Satan's Action)

It is narrated that Iblis (Satan) asked his Lord, "Are there any of Your servants who, if I were given power over them, would resist me?" God replied, "Yes, My servant Ayyoub." Satan began approaching him with his whispers, even though Ayyoub could see him clearly, yet Ayyoub paid him no heed. Satan then said, "My Lord, he has resisted me; grant me power over his wealth." Satan came to him saying, "So much and so much of your wealth has perished," to which Ayyoub replied, "God gave, and God took," and he praised God. Satan then said, "My Lord, Ayyoub does not care about his wealth; grant me power over his children." Satan caused the house to shake, and all his children perished. Satan informed him, but Ayyoub did not turn away. Satan then said, "My Lord, he does not care about his wealth or his children; grant me power over his body." God permitted this. Satan then blew upon Ayyoub's skin, and severe diseases and intense pains afflicted him. He remained in this tribulation for years, to the extent that the people of his town shunned him. He went out to the desert, and no one approached him. Satan came to his wife and said, "If your husband had asked me for help, I would have saved him from this affliction." The wife mentioned this to her husband, whereupon Ayyoub swore an oath to God that if God healed him, he would flog her one hundred lashes. It was at this juncture that he said: {أَنَّى مَسَّنِي الشَّيْطَانُ بِنَصَبٍ وَعَذَابٍ} (Indeed, affliction has touched me from Satan with distress and torment). God answered his supplication and revealed to him: {ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ} (Strike the ground with your foot). From beneath his foot, God caused a cool, pleasant spring to emerge. He bathed in it, and God removed all his ailments, both external and internal, and restored his family and wealth.

Elaboration on the Second View (God's Action)

This view holds that Satan has absolutely no power to inflict people with diseases and pains. The evidence for this is threefold:

If we permit that death, life, health, and sickness originate from Satan, then perhaps one's very life originated from Satan's action. Consequently, all the good things and happiness we possess might have come from Satan, leaving us no way to know that God alone is the Giver of life, death, health, and sickness.
If Satan had such power, why does he not strive to kill the Prophets and the Saints, or destroy their homes, or kill their children?
God recounts Satan saying: {وَمَا كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ إِلَّا أَنْ دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي} (And I had no authority over you except that I invited you, and you responded to me) (Ibrahim: 22). This explicitly states that his power over humans is limited only to casting whispers and corrupt thoughts. This supports the view that Satan was the one who cast those corrupt thoughts leading to distress.

If someone argues: "Why can't it be said that God is the Actor of these events, but according to Satan's solicitation?" We reply: If it must be acknowledged that the Creator of those pains and diseases is God Almighty, then what is the benefit of making Satan an intermediary in this?

Rather, the truth is that the meaning of {أَنَّى مَسَّنِي الشَّيْطَانُ بِنَصَبٍ وَعَذَابٍ} is that due to the casting of corrupt whispers and internal thoughts, he was being subjected to various forms of torment and hardship.

Those who hold this second view differ on how these whispers manifested:

First Opinion: His illness was severely painful and prolonged. People shunned him, and he lost all his wealth. His wife had to serve others to earn sustenance for him. Eventually, people's aversion became so great that they prevented his wife from entering their homes or serving them. Satan would remind him of his past blessings and the current calamities. While he tried to repel these whispers, when they grew strong in his heart, he feared and supplicated to God, saying: {أَنَّى مَسَّنِي الشَّيْطَانُ بِنَصَبٍ وَعَذَابٍ}, because the more intense these thoughts were, the more severe the pain in his heart became.
Second Opinion: Since the illness was prolonged, Satan came to him and instilled despair regarding his Lord, beautifying for him the idea of showing impatience. He feared the confirmation of this despairing thought in his heart, so he supplicated to God, saying: {أَنَّى مَسَّنِي الشَّيْطَانُ}.
Third Opinion: When Satan told his wife that if her husband had obeyed him, he would have removed the afflictions, the wife mentioned this to Ayyoub. Ayyoub suspected that Satan was tempting his faith, which distressed him greatly, so he supplicated to God, saying: {أَنَّى مَسَّنِي الشَّيْطَانُ بِنَصَبٍ وَعَذَابٍ}.
Fourth Opinion: It is narrated from the Prophet (PBUH) that Ayyoub remained in tribulation for eighteen years until relatives and strangers abandoned him, except for two men. One said to the other, "Ayyoub has committed a sin that no one else in creation has committed; were it not for it, he would not have fallen into such a tribulation." When this was mentioned to Ayyoub, he said, "I do not know what you are saying, except that God knows I used to pass by two men quarreling and mentioning God, so I would return to my house, feeling aversion to them, hating that God be mentioned except in truth."
Fifth Opinion: It is said that his wife used to serve people, taking sustenance, which she brought to Ayyoub. One day, they did not employ her at all. Some women asked her to cut off one of her braids in exchange for sustenance, which she did. The next day, she did the same, until she had no braids left. Ayyoub, when he wanted to move on his bed, used to hold onto those braids. When he found no braids, harmful thoughts afflicted his heart, and his grief intensified. At that point, he said: {أَنَّى مَسَّنِي الشَّيْطَانُ بِنَصَبٍ وَعَذَابٍ}.
Sixth Opinion: One day he said, "My Lord, You know that whenever two matters confronted me, I preferred Your obedience. When You gave me wealth, I was a guardian for widows, a helper for travelers, and a father to orphans!" A voice called from a cloud, "O Ayyoub, to whom did that success belong?" Ayyoub took dust and placed it on his head, saying, "To You, O Lord." Then he feared the first thought and said: {مَسَّنِي الشَّيْطَانُ بِنَصَبٍ وَعَذَابٍ}.

They mentioned other sayings as well. God knows the reality of the matter best. I heard some Jews say that Moses, son of Imran (PBUH), has a separate book concerning the incident of Ayyoub. The essence of that book is that Ayyoub was a man of intense obedience to God, persistent in worship, exaggerating in honoring God's command and showing compassion to God's creation. Then he fell into severe tribulation and great hardship. Was this due to a wisdom, or not? If it was due to wisdom, it is known that he committed no prior offense that would warrant this punishment in return. If it was for abundant reward, the Wise, Merciful God is capable of conveying all good and benefit to him without the mediation of such long pains and unpleasant diseases. In that case, those diseases and afflictions serve no purpose. These are clear and evident statements, indicating that the actions of the Glorified One are pure from being conditioned by considerations of benefit and harm. The clear truth is that {لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ} (He is not questioned about what He does, while they are questioned) (Al-Anbiya: 23).

The wording of the verse indicates that this distress and torment originated from Satan. On the first view, this torment refers to the diseases that afflicted his body. On the second view, it refers to the sorrows in his heart due to the casting of whispers. In either case, it necessitates affirming the action to Satan. Our scholars (may God have mercy on them) responded by saying: We do not deny attributing the action to Satan, but we say that the servant's action is created by God, according to the known details.

Regarding God's saying: {ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ} (Strike the ground with your foot), the meaning is that when he complained about Satan, it was as if he asked his Lord to remove this affliction from him. God answered him by saying: {ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ}. Rakḍ means a strong push with the foot, as in the rakḍ of a horse. The interpretation is: We said to him, "Strike the ground with your foot." It is said that he struck the ground with his foot, and a spring gushed forth. Then it was said: {هَٰذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ} (This is a washing cool [water] and a drink). This means this is water with which you wash, and your inside will be healed. The literal meaning suggests that one spring of water gushed forth, from which he washed and drank. Commentators say two springs gushed forth: he washed from one and drank from the other, and the ailment left him externally and internally by God's permission. Another view is that he struck the ground with his right foot, and a hot spring emerged, from which he washed, and then with his left foot, and a cool spring emerged, from which he drank.

Then God Almighty said: {وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ أَهْلَهُ} (And We gave him back his family). It is said that they were the same family members, plus others like them. Another view is that they were different people similar to them. The first view is preferable because it is the apparent meaning, and one should not deviate from it without necessity. They differed further: some said it means God removed sickness from them, and they returned healthy. Others said they were present with him after being absent, and they gathered after being dispersed. Some said he was able to have intimacy with them, and they were able to serve him.

Regarding {وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ} (And the like of them with them), the closest interpretation is that God allowed him to enjoy his share and his wealth, strengthened him so that his offspring increased, and his family became double what it was, or even more. Al-Hasan (may God have mercy on him) said the meaning of the gift of family is that God revived them after they had died.

Then God said: {رَحْمَةً مِنَّا} (as a mercy from Us). This means We did all these actions as a matter of grace and mercy, not as an obligation.

Then God said: {وَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ} (And a reminder for those of understanding). This means We first subjected him to tribulation, and he was patient. Then We removed the tribulation and brought him to blessings and favors, to alert those of understanding that whoever is patient achieves success. This is intended to draw attention to what was stated at the beginning of the discourse, which is God's command to Muhammad: {اصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوُودَ} (Be patient over what they say, and remember Our servant David...). The Mu'tazila argue that God's saying: {رَحْمَةً مِنَّا * وَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ} means We only did this for these purposes and objectives, which indicates that God's actions and rulings are conditioned by purposes and interests. The discussion on this matter has been covered previously.

Regarding {وَخُذْ بِـيَدِكَ ضِغْثًا} (And take in your hand a bundle [of straws]), this is connected to the command to strike the ground (irkuḍ). Ḍighth is a small bundle of dry grass, basil, or similar material. Know that this statement indicates a prior oath he made. It is narrated that he swore an oath concerning his family. They differed on the reason for this oath. What is said—that it was due to his desire for Satan's obedience—is remote. Also remote is what is narrated that she cut her braids because one in dire need of food is permitted to do so. Rather, the closest explanation is that she disobeyed him in some important matter. She was sent on an errand and delayed, so he swore during his illness that he would strike her one hundred times if he recovered. Since serving him was a good deed, God absolved his oath with the easiest thing for Him and for her. Sometimes, in the case of Ayyoub (PBUH), the grief in the hearts of the Ummah of Muhammad (PBUH) was immense. They said that God's statement {نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ} (Excellent is the servant) regarding Solomon was a great honor. If we needed a kingdom like Solomon's, we could not achieve this level of honor. If we needed to endure a tribulation like Ayyoub's, we could not achieve it. So, what is the way to attain it? Then God revealed: {نِعْمَ الْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ النَّصِيرُ} (Excellent is the Master, and excellent is the Helper) (Al-Anfal: 40). This means: If you are not {نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ} (Excellent is the Servant), then I am {نِعْمَ الْمَوْلَىٰ} (Excellent is the Master). If there is excess from you, there is bounty from Me. If there is shortcoming from you, there is mercy and facilitation from Me.

Chapter 7: Recount Our Servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Possessors of Strength and Insight. Indeed, We purified them with a pure quality: the remembrance of the Home [of the Hereafter]. And indeed, they are, in Our sight, among the chosen, the excellent. And remember Ishmael, Elisha, and Dhul-Kifl; all were among the excellent.

{وَاذْكُرْ عِبَادَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ أُولِي الْأَيْدِي وَالْأَبْصَارِ} (And remember Our servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, those with [strong] hands and [true] insight).

{أُولِي الْأَيْدِي} (Possessors of Hands): This refers to strength in worship and action, meaning they exerted themselves in obedience.

{وَالْأَبْصَارِ} (And Insight): This refers to insight into the truth (baṣīrah), meaning they understood the reality of things and the truth of God's oneness.

{إِنَّا أَخْلَصْنَاهُمْ بِخَالِصَةٍ ذِكْرَى الدَّارِ} (Indeed, We purified them with a pure quality: the remembrance of the Home [of the Hereafter]).

This means We singled them out for a unique characteristic: their constant remembrance of the Eternal Abode (Paradise/the Hereafter) and their striving for it, neglecting the transient world.

{وَإِنَّهُمْ عِنْدَنَا لَمِنَ الْمُصْطَفَيْنَ الْأَخْيَارِ} (And indeed, they are, in Our sight, among the chosen, the excellent).

They are chosen from among the chosen, the best of the best.

{وَاذْكُرْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَذَا الْكِفْلِ وَكُلٌّ مِّنَ الْأَخْيَارِ} (And remember Ishmael, Elisha, and Dhul-Kifl; all were among the excellent).

These individuals were also among the righteous and chosen ones.

Page V26 P185

...He bathed from it, and God removed all his ailments, both external and internal, and restored his family and wealth.

...The fourth opinion, narrated from the Prophet (PBUH)...

...The fifth opinion: It is said that his wife used to serve people... When he found no braids, harmful thoughts afflicted his heart, and his grief intensified. At that point, he said: {أَنَّى مَسَّنِي الشَّيْطَانُ بِنَصَبٍ وَعَذَابٍ}.

...The sixth opinion: One day he said, "My Lord, You know that whenever two matters confronted me, I preferred Your obedience... Then he feared the first thought and said: {مَسَّنِي الشَّيْطَانُ بِنَصَبٍ وَعَذَابٍ}."

They mentioned other sayings as well. God knows the reality of the matter best. I heard some Jews say that Moses, son of Imran (PBUH), has a separate book concerning the incident of Ayyoub... These are clear and evident statements, indicating that the actions of the Glorified One are pure from being conditioned by considerations of benefit and harm. The clear truth is that {لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ} (He is not questioned about what He does, while they are questioned) (Al-Anbiya: 23).

The wording of the verse indicates that this distress and torment originated from Satan. On the first view, this torment refers to the diseases that afflicted his body. On the second view, it refers to the sorrows in his heart due to the casting of whispers. In either case, it necessitates affirming the action to Satan. Our scholars (may God have mercy on them) responded by saying: We do not deny attributing the action to Satan, but we say that the servant's action is created by God, according to the known details.

Regarding God's saying: {ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ} (Strike the ground with your foot), the meaning is that when he complained about Satan, it was as if he asked his Lord to remove this affliction from him. God answered him by saying: {ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ}. Rakḍ means a strong push with the foot, as in the rakḍ of a horse. The interpretation is: We said to him, "Strike the ground with your foot." It is said that he struck the ground with his foot, and a spring gushed forth. Then it was said: {هَٰذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ} (This is a washing cool [water] and a drink). This means this is water with which you wash, and your inside will be healed. The literal meaning suggests that one spring of water gushed forth, from which he washed and drank. Commentators say two springs gushed forth: he washed from one and drank from the other, and the ailment left him externally and internally by God's permission. Another view is that he struck the ground with his right foot, and a hot spring emerged, from which he washed, and then with his left foot, and a cool spring emerged, from which he drank.

Then God Almighty said: {وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ أَهْلَهُ} (And We gave him back his family). It is said that they were the same family members, plus others like them. Another view is that they were different people similar to them. The first view is preferable because it is the apparent meaning, and one should not deviate from it without necessity. They differed further: some said it means God removed sickness from them, and they returned healthy. Others said they were present with him after being absent, and they gathered after being dispersed. Some said he was able to have intimacy with them, and they were able to serve him.

Regarding {وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ} (And the like of them with them), the closest interpretation is that God allowed him to enjoy his share and his wealth, strengthened him so that his offspring increased, and his family became double what it was, or even more. Al-Hasan (may God have mercy on him) said the meaning of the gift of family is that God revived them after they had died.

Then God said: {رَحْمَةً مِنَّا} (as a mercy from Us). This means We did all these actions as a matter of grace and mercy, not as an obligation.

Then God said: {وَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ} (And a reminder for those of understanding). This means We first subjected him to tribulation, and he was patient. Then We removed the tribulation and brought him to blessings and favors, to alert those of understanding that whoever is patient achieves success. This is intended to draw attention to what was stated at the beginning of the discourse, which is God's command to Muhammad: {اصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوُودَ} (Be patient over what they say, and remember Our servant David...). The Mu'tazila argue that God's saying: {رَحْمَةً مِنَّا * وَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ} means We only did this for these purposes and objectives, which indicates that God's actions and rulings are conditioned by purposes and interests. The discussion on this matter has been covered previously.

Regarding {وَخُذْ بِـيَدِكَ ضِغْثًا} (And take in your hand a bundle [of straws]), this is connected to the command to strike the ground (irkuḍ). Ḍighth is a small bundle of dry grass, basil, or similar material. Know that this statement indicates a prior oath he made. It is narrated that he swore an oath concerning his family. They differed on the reason for this oath. What is said—that it was due to his desire for Satan's obedience—is remote. Also remote is what is narrated that she cut her braids because one in dire need of food is permitted to do so. Rather, the closest explanation is that she disobeyed him in some important matter. She was sent on an errand and delayed, so he swore during his illness that he would strike her one hundred times if he recovered. Since serving him was a good deed, God absolved his oath with the easiest thing for Him and for her. Sometimes, in the case of Ayyoub (PBUH), the grief in the hearts of the Ummah of Muhammad (PBUH) was immense. They said that God's statement {نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ} (Excellent is the servant) regarding Solomon was a great honor. If we needed a kingdom like Solomon's, we could not achieve this level of honor. If we needed to endure a tribulation like Ayyoub's, we could not achieve it. So, what is the way to attain it? Then God revealed: {نِعْمَ الْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ النَّصِيرُ} (Excellent is the Master, and excellent is the Helper) (Al-Anfal: 40). This means: If you are not {نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ} (Excellent is the Servant), then I am {نِعْمَ الْمَوْلَىٰ} (Excellent is the Master). If there is excess from you, there is bounty from Me. If there is shortcoming from you, there is mercy and facilitation from Me.

Page V26 P187