Ayyub (peace be upon him), known in English as Job, was a prophet of Allah (﷾). The Qur'an names him among the prophets whom Allah (﷾) guided and inspired, and tells his story in only a few verses. He is remembered for his patience. Qur’an 4:163Qur’an 6:84
The Qur'an tells us little about him; this is what it says. It does not give his country, his years or the details of his trial, and this guide adds none of them. It follows the Qur'an, with two authentic sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).
At a glance
- He was a prophet, named among those whom Allah (﷾) guided and inspired.
- Distress and suffering came upon him, and he cried to his Lord.
- His prayer was short: "Thou art the Most Merciful of those that are merciful."
- Allah (﷾) listened, removed his distress, and gave him back his people, doubled.
- The Qur'an calls him "full of patience and constancy".
- The trial
Distress and suffering come upon him. Qur’an 21:83Qur’an 38:41
- The prayer
He cries to his Lord, and calls Him the Most Merciful of those who show mercy. Qur’an 21:83Qur’an 38:41
- The answer
Allah (﷾) listens, removes his distress, and gives him cool water to wash in and to drink. Qur’an 21:84Qur’an 38:42
- The gift
Allah (﷾) gives him back his people and doubles their number, as a reminder for all who serve Him. Qur’an 21:84Qur’an 38:43
- Allah's (﷾) praise
Allah (﷾) says He found him full of patience and constancy, and always turning back to Him. Qur’an 38:44
The Qur'an gives no dates for Ayyub's life, so these are the stages of his story.
A trial, and a prayer
The Qur'an tells Ayyub's trial in a few lines. It does not say how long it lasted. It tells us what matters most: what he said, and to whom he turned. In Surah al-Anbiya, Allah (﷾) tells the Prophet (ﷺ) to remember Ayyub, when he cried to his Lord: Qur’an 21:83
Truly distress has seized me, but Thou art the Most Merciful of those that are merciful.
Notice how short it is. He does not list what he wants. He tells Allah (﷾) how things are, and he names Allah as the Most Merciful. That was his whole prayer.
In Surah Sad, the Qur'an gives his words in another form. He spoke of the touch of the Evil One, Satan. The Qur'an does not explain how, so we say no more than it says: Qur’an 38:41
The Evil One has afflicted me with distress and suffering!
Allah's (﷾) answer
Allah (﷾) listened to him, and answered: Qur’an 21:84
So We listened to him: We removed the distress that was on him, and We restored his people to him, and doubled their number,- as a Grace from Ourselves, and a thing for commemoration, for all who serve Us.
In Surah Sad, Allah (﷾) gives more of the answer. He told Ayyub what to do, and gave him cool, refreshing water to wash in and to drink: Qur’an 38:42
Strike with thy foot: here is (water) wherein to wash, cool and refreshing, and (water) to drink.
Then Allah (﷾) gave him back his people, and doubled their number. The Qur'an says why: it was a grace from Allah (﷾), and a reminder for everyone who has understanding. The Arabic word for "people" here is ahl: his family and household. Qur’an 38:43
The Prophet (ﷺ) told of one more moment from Ayyub's life. He said that a swarm of golden locusts fell on Ayyub while he was bathing, and Ayyub began to gather them in his garment. His Lord called to him: had He not made him rich enough not to need what he saw? Ayyub said yes, but he could not do without Allah's (﷾) blessing. Even with gold in his hands, he still wanted Allah's (﷾) blessing. Sahih al-Bukhari 3391
And this is how Allah (﷾) describes him:
Truly We found him full of patience and constancy. How excellent in Our service! ever did he turn (to Us)!
Patience here is not silence. Ayyub cried out to his Lord. Patience is to take your pain to Allah (﷾), and never to despair of Him.
How the Bible tells it differently
The Bible has a whole book about Job. The heart of it is the same. A righteous man is tested with great suffering, and in the end he is given back more than he lost. But some details are different. Muslims believe that Allah (﷾) revealed the Torah to Musa, and the Injil to Isa: the Gospel Jesus himself preached in his lifetime. The Injil is not the New Testament. The four New Testament Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, were written by others, decades after Jesus was raised up. None of them names its author: the names were attached later. And the Torah we have today is not exactly as it was revealed. So where the Bible tells a story just as the Qur'an does, we believe it. Where it differs from the Qur'an or contradicts it, we do not. Where the Qur'an says nothing, we neither believe it nor deny it, as the Prophet (ﷺ) taught. Here are the main differences, with the verses. Job 42:10 (KJV)Qur’an 5:48Qur’an 5:46Which of the four Gospels did Jesus preach from?Who wrote the Gospels?Sahih al-Bukhari 4485How should a Muslim read the Bible?
The reason for the test. In its first chapter, the Book of Job tells of a scene in heaven. Satan answers the Lord that Job fears God (﷾) only because God (﷾) protects him. He says that if Job lost it all, "he will curse thee to thy face". The Lord replies, "Behold, all that he hath is in thy power". In the Qur'an, Ayyub says only that the Evil One has afflicted him. Allah (﷾) says that what followed was a grace from Him and a reminder. The Qur'an tells nothing of a conversation between Allah (﷾) and Satan about Ayyub. Job 1:6–12 (KJV)Qur’an 38:41Qur’an 21:84Why does God allow suffering?
How Job speaks. The Book of Job says that after his first losses "Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly". But later it says Job "cursed his day", saying "Let the day perish wherein I was born". He also wishes he could come before God (﷾) and "fill my mouth with arguments". In the Qur'an, Ayyub cries to his Lord, "Thou art the Most Merciful of those that are merciful". Allah (﷾) calls him full of patience and constancy. Job 1:22 (KJV)Job 3:1–3 (KJV)Job 23:3–4 (KJV)Qur’an 21:83Qur’an 38:44
The ending. Both accounts end with a gift. In the Book of Job, "the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before", and Job lived another hundred and forty years. The Qur'an says Allah (﷾) gave back his people and doubled their number. It gives no figures and no years. Job 42:10 (KJV)Job 42:16 (KJV)Qur’an 21:84Qur’an 38:43
What we can learn
Ayyub's story speaks to anyone who is in pain or has lost something dear.
- Take your pain to Allah (﷾). Ayyub told his Lord how things were, in one sentence, and called Him the Most Merciful of those who show mercy. Qur’an 21:83
- Patience is not silence. Ayyub cried out to Allah (﷾). Patience is to cry to Him, and not to despair of Him. Qur’an 38:44Is grieving or crying over a loss a lack of faith?
- There is good in every state. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that the believer's affairs are all good. If something good comes, the believer is thankful. If hardship comes, the believer is patient, and there is good in that too. Sahih Muslim 2999
- Allah (﷾) listens. "So We listened to him." The trial was not the end of Ayyub's story. Allah (﷾) says He made it a reminder for everyone who serves Him. Qur’an 21:84
- A test does not mean Allah (﷾) is angry. Ayyub was a prophet, "excellent in Our service", and he was tested. Hardship alone does not show that Allah (﷾) is displeased. Qur’an 38:44Why does God allow suffering?
Allah (﷾) made Ayyub's story a reminder for all who serve Him. When pain comes, it is there for you. Qur’an 21:84