What Was Prophet Ayoub Tried With, and How Was He Healed?
بمَ ابتُلي أيوب عليه السلام، وكيف شُفي؟
He was put to trial when Allah Almighty caused him to be sick and all his children died and his friends left him. His wife remained with him, taking care of him. After he had endured and been patient for many long years, he called on his Lord, asking Allah Almighty to heal him. Allah Almighty commanded Ayoub pbuh to hit the ground with his foot, after which cold water gushed out, then He commanded him to drink from it and to wash his body. When he did that, he was cured by the Will of Allah.
(And remember Our servant Job, when he cried out to his Lord, “Satan has afflicted me with distress and suffering.” ˹We responded,˺ “Stomp your foot: ˹now˺ here is a cool ˹and refreshing˺ spring for washing and drinking.” And We gave him back his family, twice as many, as a mercy from Us and a lesson for people of reason.) Sad 38:41-43
Note: The quotation above includes “And We gave him back his family, twice as many”, which is verse 43; the reference in the original answer, 38:41-42, has been extended to 38:41-43.
(And ˹remember˺ when Job cried out to his Lord, “I have been touched with adversity, and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful.” So We answered his prayer and removed his adversity, and gave him back his family, twice as many, as a mercy from Us and a lesson for the ˹devoted˺ worshippers.) Al-Anbiya 21:83-84
مرض أيوب عليه السلام ومات كل أولاده وتركه أصحابه، وبقيت معه زوجته ترعاه.
بعد أن تحمل وصبر سنين طويلة نادى ربه يطلب من الله تعالى أن يشفيه.
أمره الله أن يضرب الأرض برجله فأخرج له ماء باردا وأمره أن يشرب منه وأن يغتسل فبرئ بإذن الله.
قال الله تعالى: (وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا أَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الشَّيْطَانُ بِنُصْبٍ وَعَذَابٍ. ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ ۖ هَـٰذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ. وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُم مَّعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ) (ص 38: 41-43)
ملاحظة: يشمل النص المقتبس قوله تعالى (وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُم مَّعَهُمْ) وهو من الآية الثالثة والأربعين، وكانت الإحالة في الجواب الأصلي تنتهي بالآية الثانية والأربعين، فصححت.
وقال تعالى: (وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ. فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ فَكَشَفْنَا مَا بِهِ مِن ضُرٍّ. وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُم مَّعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَابِدِينَ) (الأنبياء 21: 83-84)
1. A Trial in Layers, Not a Single Blow | بلاءٌ متراكب لا مصيبة واحدة
Ayoub’s affliction was not one loss but several compounding at once: prolonged illness, the loss of his children as described in tafsir reports, and the departure of many people. Ibn Kathir cites a report from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that near and far abandoned him except two of his closest brothers, who visited him morning and evening, while his wife remained to care for him. This layering is part of why his patience became the reference point it did: it was tested on more than one front simultaneously, over years, not resolved quickly.
لم يكن بلاء أيوب عليه السلام مصيبة واحدة، بل مصائب اجتمعت عليه: مرض طويل، وفقد أولاده كما تذكر روايات التفسير، وانصراف كثير من الناس عنه. ونقل ابن كثير رواية عن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه أن القريب والبعيد رفضوه إلا رجلين من أخص إخوانه كانا يغدوان إليه ويروحان، وبقيت زوجته ترعاه. ومن أجل هذا التراكب صار صبره مضرب المثل، إذ امتُحن من أكثر من جهة في وقت واحد، سنين طويلة، لا مدة يسيرة.
2. Naming Satan, Not Allah, as the Source of Harm | نسبة الأذى إلى الشيطان لا إلى الله
In his own words, Ayoub says Satan afflicted him with distress and suffering. Even while crying out from real and severe pain, he does not attribute the harm itself to Allah, only his need and reliance to Him. Al-Qurtubi explains that evil is not ascribed to Allah in speech, even though He created all things, as a courtesy Allah taught His servants, and he cites Ibrahim’s words, “And He ˹alone˺ heals me when I am sick” (26:80). This belongs to what a believer says when calamity strikes.
قال أيوب عليه السلام: (أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الشَّيْطَانُ بِنُصْبٍ وَعَذَابٍ) (ص 38: 41)، فهو مع شدة ما يجد من الألم لم ينسب الأذى إلى الله، وإنما رفع إليه حاجته وتوكّل عليه. وبيّن القرطبي أن الشر لا يُنسب إلى الله في الكلام وإن كان خالق كل شيء، أدبًا أدّب الله به عباده، واستشهد بقول إبراهيم عليه السلام: (وَإِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِ) (الشعراء 26: 80). وهذا من أدب المؤمن إذا نزلت به المصيبة.
3. The Same Story Told Twice, Two Different Emphases | القصة نفسها في موضعين بوجهين
Surah Sad has Ayoub naming Satan’s affliction directly, while Surah Al-Anbiya has him instead emphasizing Allah’s mercy, “You are the Most Merciful of the merciful.” Both accounts end with the same outcome, but the Quran preserves two distinct emphases of the same cry, one naming the trial, the other naming his trust in the One who could end it.
ذكر الله تعالى في سورة ص نسبة أيوب الأذى إلى الشيطان، وذكر في سورة الأنبياء ثناءه على رحمة ربه: (وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ) (الأنبياء 21: 83). والخبران ينتهيان إلى النتيجة نفسها، فجاء النداء الواحد على وجهين: أحدهما يذكر البلاء، والآخر يعبّر عن ثقته بمن يقدر وحده على كشفه.
4. A Spring That Healed and Cleansed at Once | عينٌ شفت وطهّرت معًا
The spring that appeared when Ayoub struck the ground served two purposes at once, described explicitly as something to wash with and something to drink. Ibn Kathir relates that he washed from the spring that gushed out, which removed the harm from his body, then struck the ground in another place and drank from a second spring, which removed what was within him, so that his health was made whole outwardly and inwardly.
جمعت العين التي نبعت حين ركض أيوب عليه السلام الأرض برجله غرضين، كما قال تعالى: (هَٰذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ) (ص 38: 42). وذكر ابن كثير أنه اغتسل من العين التي نبعت فأذهبت ما كان في بدنه من الأذى، ثم ضرب الأرض في مكان آخر فنبعت عين أخرى شرب منها فأذهبت ما كان في باطنه من السوء، فتكاملت العافية ظاهرًا وباطنًا.
5. His Family Restored and Increased | وُهب أهله ومثلهم معهم
Ibn Kathir reports from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), and likewise from Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), Mujahid, al-Hasan and Qatada, that his family themselves were returned to him, along with as many again. He also reports from Mujahid and Nawf al-Bikali that they were kept for him in Paradise and he was given their like in this world.
نقل ابن كثير عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما، ومثله عن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه ومجاهد، وبه قال الحسن وقتادة، أن أهله رُدّوا عليه بأعيانهم ومثلهم معهم. ونقل كذلك عن مجاهد ونوف البكالي أنهم تُركوا له في الجنة، وأُعطي مثلهم في الدنيا.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What was Ayoub tried with?
Severe illness, the loss of his children as described in tafsir reports, and abandonment by many people, while his wife cared for him and two companions continued to visit.
How did Ayoub describe the cause of his suffering?
He said Satan had afflicted him with distress and suffering, without attributing the harm itself to Allah.
How was Ayoub healed?
Allah commanded him to strike the ground with his foot, and a cool spring appeared for him to wash with and drink.
What did Allah give Ayoub after his healing?
Allah gave him his family and the like of them with them, as a mercy (21:84). Ibn Kathir reports that many early scholars took this to mean his own family were returned to him, while others said they were kept for him in Paradise and he was given their like in this world.
Which verses of the Quran record this story?
Surah Sad 38:41-43 and Surah Al-Anbiya 21:83-84.