38:41 Saad (The letter Saad)

أي: { وَاذْكُرْ } في هذا الكتاب ذي الذكر { عَبْدَنَا أَيُّوبَ } بأحسن الذكر، وأثن عليه بأحسن الثناء، حين أصابه الضر، فصبر على ضره، فلم يشتك لغير ربه، ولا لجأ إلا إليه.فـ { نَادَى رَبَّهُ } داعيا، وإليه لا إلى غيره شاكيا، فقال: رب { أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الشَّيْطَانُ بِنُصْبٍ وَعَذَابٍ } أي: بأمر مشق متعب معذب، وكان سلط على جسده فنفخ فيه حتى تقرح، ثم تقيح بعد ذلك واشتد به الأمر، وكذلك هلك أهله وماله.

يذكر تبارك وتعالى عبده ورسوله أيوب عليه الصلاة والسلام وما كان ابتلاه تعالى به من الضر في جسده وماله وولده حتى لم يبق من جسده مغرز إبرة سليما سوى قلبه ولم يبق له من الدنيا شيء يستعين به على مرضه وما هو فيه غير أن زوجته حفظت وده لإيمانها بالله تعالى ورسوله فكات تخدم الناس بالأجرة وتطعمه وتخدمه نحوا من ثماني عشرة سنة وقد كان قبل ذلك في مال جزيل وأولاد وسعة طائله من الدنيا فسلب جميع ذلك حتى آل به الحال إلى أن ألقي على مزبلة من مزابل البلدة هذه المدة بكمالها ورفضه القريب والبعيد سوى زوجته رضي الله عنها فإنها كانت لا مفارقه صباحا ومساء إلا بسبب خدمة الناس ثم تعود إليه قريبا فلما طال المطال واشتد الحال وانتهى القدر وتم الأجل المقدر تضرع إلى رب العالمين وإله المرسلين فقال "إني مسني الضر وأنت أرحم الراحمين" وفي هذه الآية الكريمة قال "واذكر عبدنا أيوب إذ نادى ربه أني مسني الشيطان بنصب وعذاب " قيل بنصب في بدني وعذاب في مالي وولدي فعند ذلك استجاب له أرحم الراحمين وأمره أن يقوم من مقامه وأن يركض الأرض برجله ففعل فأنبع الله تعالى عينا وأمره أن يغتسل منها فأذهبت جميع ما كان في بدنه من الأذى ثم أمره فضرب الأرض فى مكان آخر فأنبع له عينا أخرى وأمره أن يشرب منها فأذهبت جميع ما كان في باطنه من السوء وتكاملت العافية ظاهرا وباطنا ولهذا قال تبارك وتعالى "اركض برجلك هذا مغتسل بارد وشراب " قال ابن جرير وابن أبي حاتم جميعا حدثنا يونس بن عبد الأعلى أخبرنا ابن وهب أخبرني نافع بن يزيد عن عقيل عن ابن شهاب عن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه قال: إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: " إن نبي الله أيوب عليه الصلاة والسلام لبث به بلاؤه ثماني عشرة سنة فرفضه القريب والبعيد إلا رجلين كانا من أخص إخوانه به كانا يغدوان إليه ويروحان فقال أحدهما لصاحبه تعلم والله لقد أذنب أيوب ذنبا ما أذنبه أحد من العالمين قال له صاحبه وما ذاك ؟ قال منذ ثماني عشرة سنة لم يرحمه الله تعالى فيكشف ما به فلما راحا إليه لم يصبر الرجل حتى ذكر ذلك له فقال أيوب عليه الصلاة والسلام لا أدري ما تقول غير أن الله عز وجل يعلم أني كنت أمر على الرجلين يتنازعان فيذكران الله تعالى فأرجع إلى بيتي فأكفر عنهما كراهية أن يذكر الله تعالى إلا في حق وقال وكان يخرج إلى حاجته فإذا قضاها أمسكت امرأته بيده حتى يبلغ فلما كان ذات يوم أبطأ عليها فأوحى الله تبارك وتعالى إلى أيوب عليه الصلاة والسلام "أن اركض برجلك هذا مغتسل بارد وشراب" فاستبطأته فالتفتت تنظر فأقبل عليها قد أذهب الله ما به من البلاء وهو على أحسن ما كان فلما رأته قالت أي بارك الله فيك هل رأيت نبي الله هذا المبتلى ؟ فوالله القدير على ذلك ما رأيت رجلا أشبه به منك إذ كان صحيحا قال فإني أنا هو قال وكان له أنذران أندر للقمح وأندر للشعير فبعث الله تعالى سحابتين فلما كانت إحداهما على أندر القمح أفرغت فيه الذهب حتى فاض وأفرغت الأخرى في أندر الشعير حتى فاض "هذا لفظ ابن جرير رحمه الله وقال الإمام أحمد حدثنا عبد الرزاق حدثنا معمر عن همام بن منبه قال: هذا ما حدثنا أبو هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " بينما أيوب يغتسل عريانا خر عليه جراد من ذهب فجعل أيوب عليه الصلاة والسلام يحثو في ثوبه فناداه ربه عز وجل يا أيوب ألم أكن أغنيتك عما ترى قال عليه الصلاة والسلام بلى يا رب ولكن لا غنى بي عن بركتك "انفرد بإخراجه البخاري من حديث عبد الرزاق به ولهذا قال تبارك وتعالى "ووهبنا له أهله ومثلهم معهم رحمة منا وذكرى لأولي الألباب" قال الحسن وقتادة أحياهم الله تعالى له بأعيانهم وزادهم مثلهم معهم وقوله عز وجل "رحمة منا" أي به على صبره وثباته وإنابته وتواضعه واستكانته "وذكرى لأولي الألباب" أي لذوي العقول ليعلموا أن عاقبة الصبر الفرج والمخرج والراحة.

Ayyub

Here Allah tells us about His servant and Messenger Ayyub (Job) and how He tested him. These tests afflicted his body, his wealth and his children, until there was no part of his body that was healthy except his heart. Then he had nothing left in this world which he could use to help him deal with his sickness or the predicament he was in, besides his wife, who retained her devotion to him because of her faith in Allah and His Messenger. She used to work for people as a paid servant, and she fed and served him (Ayyub) for nearly eighteen years. Before that, he was very rich and had many children, being well off in worldly terms. All of that had been taken away until he ended up being thrown into the city dump where he stayed all this time, shunned by relatives and strangers alike, with the exception of his wife -- may Allah be pleased with her. She did not leave him, morning and evening, except for when she was serving people, then she would come straight back to him. When this had gone on for a long time, and things had gotten very bad, and the time allotted by divine decree had come to an end, Ayyub prayed to the Lord of the worlds, the God of the Messengers, and said:

أَنِّى مَسَّنِىَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

(Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy.) (21:83). And according to this Ayah:

وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَآ أَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ أَنِّى مَسَّنِىَ الشَّيْطَـنُ بِنُصْبٍ وَعَذَابٍ

(And remember Our servant Ayyub, when he invoked his Lord (saying): "Verily, Shaytan has afflicted me with distress and torment!") It was said that "distress" referred to bodily afflictions and "torment" referred to the loss of his wealth and children. Then the Most Merciful of those who show mercy responded to him, telling him to stand up and strike the ground with his foot. He did this, and Allah caused a spring of water to flow. He commanded him to wash in it, and all the pain and affliction in his body disappeared. Then He commanded him to strike the ground in a different place, and Allah caused another spring to flow, and Ayyub was commanded to drink from it. Then all his internal problems disappeared, and he became healthy again, inside and out. Allah says:

ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ هَـذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ

(Strike the ground with your foot. This is (a spring of) water to wash in, cool and a (refreshing) drink.) Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«إِنَّ نَبِيَّ اللهِ أَيُّوبَ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ لَبِثَ بِهِ بَلَاؤُهُ ثَمَانِيَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً، فَرَفَضَهُ الْقَرِيبُ وَالْبَعِيدُ، إِلَّا رَجُلَيْنِ كَانَا مِنْ أَخَصِّ إِخْوَانِهِ بِهِ، كَانَا يَغْدُوَانِ إِلَيْهِ وَيَرُوحَانِ، فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ: تَعْلَمُ وَاللهِ لَقَدْ أَذْنَبَ أَيُّوبُ ذَنْبًا مَا أَذْنَبَهُ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْعَالَمِينَ، قَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ: وَمَا ذَاكَ؟ قَالَ: مُنْذُ ثَمَانِيَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً لَمْ يَرْحَمْهُ اللهُ فَيَكْشِفَ مَا بِهِ، فَلَمَّا رَاحَا إِلَيْهِ لَمْ يَصْبِرِ الرَّجُلُ حَتْى ذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لَهُ، فَقَالَ أَيُّوبُ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ: لَا أَدْرِي مَا تَقُولُ، غَيْرَ أَنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي كُنْتُ أَمُرُّ عَلَى الرَّجُلَيْنِ يَتَنَازَعَانِ فَيَذْكُرَانِ اللهَ تَعَالَى، فَأَرْجِعُ إِلَى بَيْتِي فَأُكَفِّرُ عَنْهُمَا كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنْ يُذْكَرَ اللهُ تَعَالَى إِلَّا فِي حَقَ، قَالَ: وَكَانَ يَخْرُجُ إِلَى حَاجَتِهِ،فَإِذَا قَضَاهَا أَمْسَكَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ بِيَدِهِ حَتْى يَبْلُغَ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ أَبْطَأَ عَلَيْهَا، فَأَوْحَى اللهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى إِلَى أَيُّوبَ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ أَن

ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ هَـذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ

فَاسْتَبْطَأَتْهُ (فَتَلَقَّتْهُ) تَنْظُرُ، فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهَا وَقَدْ أَذْهَبَ اللهُ مَا بِهِ مِنَ الْبَلَاءِ وَهُوَ عَلَى أَحْسَنِ مَا كَانَ، فَلَمَّا رَأَتْهُ قَالَتْ: أَيْ بَارَكَ اللهُ فِيكَ، هَلْ رَأَيْتَ نَبِيَّ اللهِ هَذَا الْمُبْتَلَى، فَوَاللهِ عَلَى ذَلِكَ مَا رَأَيْتُ رَجُلًا أَشْبَهَ بِهِ مِنْكَ إِذْ كَانَ صَحِيحًا. قَالَ: فَإِنِّي أَنَا هُوَ، قَالَ: وَكَانَ لَهُ أَنْدَرَانِ: أَنْدَرٌ لِلْقَمْحِ وَأَنْدَرٌ لِلشَّعِيرِ، فَبَعَثَ اللهُ تَعَالَى سَحَابَتَيْنِ فَلَمَّا كَانَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى أَنْدَرِ الْقَمْحِ، أَفْرَغَتْ فِيهِ الذَّهَبَ حَتْى فَاضَ، وَأَفْرَغَتِ الْأُخْرَى فِي أَنْدَرِ الشَّعِيرِ حَتْى فَاض»

(Allah's Prophet Ayyub, peace be upon him, suffered for eighteen years from his affliction and was shunned by relatives and strangers alike, besides two men who were the closest of his brothers to him. They used to visit him every morning and every evening. One of them said to his companion, "You know, by Allah, that Ayyub committed a great sin which nobody in the world ever committed." His companion said, "Why are you saying that" He said, "For eighteen years he has been suffering and Allah has not had mercy on him and relieve his suffering." When he went to him the next morning, the (second) man could not wait to tell this to Ayyub. Ayyub, peace be upon him, said, "I do not know what you are talking about, but Allah knows if I passed by two men who were arguing and they mentioned the Name of Allah, I would go back home and offer expiation lest they had mentioned the Name of Allah in an improper manner. " Whenever he went out to answer the call of nature, when he finished, his wife would take his hand until he came back home. One day he took a long time, and Allah had revealed to Ayyub, (Strike the ground with your foot. This is (a spring of) water to wash in, cool and a (refreshing) drink.) She thought that he had taken too long, so she turned to look at him, and saw that Allah had taken away the afflictions he had been suffering, and he looked better than he had ever looked. When she saw him, she said, "May Allah bless you! Have you seen Allah's Prophet, the one who is sorely tested By Allah, I have never seen a man who looks more like him than you, if he were healthy." He said, "I am he." He had two threshing floors, one for wheat and one for barley. Allah sent two clouds, and when one of them reached the threshing floor of the wheat, it rained gold until it was full. The other rained gold on the threshing floor of the barley until it was full.) This is the wording of Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«بَيْنَمَا أَيُّوبُ يَغْتَسِلُ عُرْيَانًا خَرَّ عَلَيْهِ جَرَادٌ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ فَجَعَلَ أَيُّوبُ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ يَحْثُو فِي ثَوْبِهِ، فَنَادَاهُ رَبُّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَا أَيُّوبُ، أَلَمْ أَكُنْ أَغْنَيْتُكَ عَمَّا تَرَى قَالَ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ: بَلَى يَا رَبِّ، وَلَكِنْ لَا غِنى بِي عَنْ بَرَكَتِك»

(While Ayyub was bathing naked, locusts of gold fell upon him. Ayyub, peace be upon him, began gathering them in his garment. Then his Lord called to him, "O Ayyub, have I not made you so rich that you have no need of what you see" He, peace be upon him, said, "Yes, O Lord! But I cannot do without Your blessing!") This was only recorded by Al-Bukhari.

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَّعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا وَذِكْرَى لاٌّوْلِى الاٌّلْبَـبِ

(And We gave him (back) his family, and along with them the like thereof, as a mercy from Us, and a reminder for those who understand.) Al-Hasan and Qatadah said, "Allah brought his family themselves back to life, and added others like them."

رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا

(as a mercy from Us,) means, in return for his patience, steadfastness, repentance, humility and constant turning to Allah.

وَذِكْرَى لاٌّوْلِى الاٌّلْبَـبِ

(and a reminder for those who understand.) means, for those who understand that the consequence of patience is a solution and a way out.

وَخُذْ بِيَدِكَ ضِغْثاً فَاضْرِب بِّهِ وَلاَ تَحْنَثْ

(And take in your hand a bundle of thin grass and strike therewith (your wife), and break not your oath.) Ayyub, peace be upon him, got angry with his wife and was upset about something she had done, so he swore an oath that if Allah healed him, he would strike her with one hundred blows. When Allah healed him, how could her service, mercy, compassion and kindness be repaid with a beating So Allah showed him a way out, which was to take a bundle of thin grass, with one hundred stems, and hit her with it once. Thus he fulfilled his oath and avoided breaking his vow. This was the solution and way out for one who had Taqwa of Allah and turned to Him in repentance. Allah says:

إِنَّا وَجَدْنَـهُ صَابِراً نِّعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ

(Truly, We found him patient. How excellent a servant! Verily, he was ever oft-returning in repentance (to Us)!) Allah praised and commanded him, saying,

نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ

(How excellent a servant! Verily, he was ever oft-returning in repentance (to Us)!) Allah says:

فَإِذَا بَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ فَارِقُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ وَأَشْهِدُواْ ذَوَى عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ وَأَقِيمُواْ الشَّهَـدَةَ لِلَّهِ ذَلِكُمْ يُوعَظُ بِهِ مَن كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً - وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَـلِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدْراً

(And whosoever has Taqwa of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things.) (65:2-3)

And mention also Our servant Job when he called out to his Lord saying ‘Lo! Satan has afflicted me with hardship harm and suffering’ pain he attributes all this to Satan even though all things are from God to show reverence in his call to Him exalted be He.

Commentary

The event relating to Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) has been introduced here to comfort and prompt the Holy Prophet (علیہ السلام) ، so that he would also observe patience. This event has appeared with details in our commentary on Surah Al-Anbiya' (Ma’ ariful-Qur’ an, Volume V1). A few significant notes are being added here.

In the opening verse (41), it was said: مَسَّنِيَ الشَّيْطَانُ بِنُصْبٍ وَعَذَابٍ : (The Shaitan has inflicted weariness and pain upon me). Some early commentators have given details as to how the Shaitan had caused this affliction and pain. They say that the disease from which Sayyidna (علیہ السلام) suffered had overtaken him under the influence of the Shaitan. What happened was that once the angels praised Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) in a manner that made the Shaitan envy him. He prayed to Allah Ta’ ala that he be given such control over his body, wealth and children that allowed him to do whatever he liked with him. Allah Ta’ ala too intended to test Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) ، therefore, the Shaitan was given this right, and he made him suffer from this disease.

But, discerning commentators have refuted this story by saying that, in terms of the clear statement of the noble Qur'an, the Shaitan cannot gain control over the blessed prophets, therefore, it is not possible that he could have made him suffer from this disease.

Some others have explained the Shaitan having afflicted pain by saying that the Shaitan used to plant all sorts of scruples in the heart of Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) while he was very sick which hurt him all the more. This is what he has mentioned here. But, the best explanation of this verse is what Maulana Ashraf Thanavi (رح) has given in Bayan-ul-Qur'an. This is being reproduced here from the Khulasa-e-Tafsir in Ma’ ariful-Qur'an:

'This affliction and pain, according to the saying of some commentators, is what Imam Ahmad has reported from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ in his Kitabu-z-zuhd, in which it has been stated that the Shaitan had once met the wife of Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) in the guise of a physician during the days of his sickness. Since he had posed himself as a physician, she requested him to treat her husband. He agreed subject to the condition that once he got cured, she would tell him that she was the one who cured him, and assured her that he wanted no more in return. She mentioned this to Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) . He said, "0 my simple wife, he was the Shaitan. Now, I solemnly resolve that, should Allah Ta’ ala make me get well again, I am going to beat you with one hundred sticks of branches.' So, he was particularly shocked that Shaitan had become so high-handed that he wanted to make his own wife say words that evidently amount to shirk, though they may not prove to be so if subjected to interpretation. Though, Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) had made prayers for the removal of his affliction earlier as well, yet after this incident, he turned back to Him in plaint and prayer more fervently, and his prayer was answered: (Reported by Ahmad).

The nature of the ailment of Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام)

The Qur'an tells us only this much that Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) was afflicted with a serious disease, but nothing was said about the nature of this disease. Even in Ahadith, no details about it have been reported from the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Nevertheless, from some reports attributed to the Sahabah, it appears that blisters had erupted all over his body, and people had put him off on a dirt-heap out of nausea. But, some discerning commentators have refused to accept these attributed reports as correct. They say that diseases can afflict the blessed prophets, but they are not made to suffer from such diseases as would make people nauseated with it. Hence, this sort of disease cannot be attributed to Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) . Instead, they say, it was some common disease. Therefore, reports in which blisters have been attributed to Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) or in which it has been said that he was put off on a dirt-heap are not trustworthy, neither in terms of the authenticity of the report, nor rationally (abridged from Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani and Ahkam-ul-Qur’ an).