Download PDF: Hazrat Ayyoob’s – peace be upon Him – Test – A Quranic Story

Hazrat Ayyoob – peace be upon Him – is from the descendants of Hazrat Ishaaq – peace be upon Him – and his mother is from the descendants of Hazrat Loot – peace be upon Him.  Allah Almighty had blessed him with all kinds of bounties.  He was extremely handsome and also had an abundance of wealth and children, cattle and farms etc.  When Allah Almighty put him through a test, his house collapsed and all his children were stuck inside and died and all the animals including hundreds of camels and goats all died.  All his farms and gardens were also ruined.  In short, he had nothing left.  Whenever anyone gave him the sad news of the ruins he would recite Allah’s praises and say, “What was mine?  All was His and returned to its rightful owner.  It was by me for as long as He willed for it to remain that way, and when He decided to take it away He did.  I am pleased in His pleasure in any condition.”

After that, he fell ill and blisters appeared on his blessed body.  Everyone left him save his wife Rahmat Bint Afraeem who was the granddaughter of Hazrat Yusuf – peace be upon Him – and used to serve him.  He was in this situation for years after years.  He was enduring severe pain from the blisters and wounds on his body.

 

Note:

The famous misconception among the people, that he, Allah forbid!, suffered with the leprosy, and hence, there are unreliable narrations in a lot of unauthentic books and story tales, but one must remember that all these things are absolutely absurd and false, for it is unanimously agreed upon fact that all the Nabis were free from all the diseases people think ill of them, for their goal is to guide the people, so it’s understandable that if people will think ill of their diseases and run away from them then how would they succeed in their goal?  In short, Hazrat Ayyoob – peace be upon Him – never suffered with leprosy but some pimples and blisters appeared on his body which caused him years of pain and suffering and was constantly patient and grateful, and then by the command of Allah Almighty, he made Du’a in the following manner:

اَنِّیۡ مَسَّنِیَ الضُّرُّ وَ اَنۡتَ اَرْحَمُ الرّٰحِمِیۡنَ ﴿ۚۖ۸۳﴾

Distress has touched me and You are the Most Merciful of the ones who show mercy.

(Al-Ambiya 21, Verse 83)

When he passed Allah’s test and succeeded in it, his Du’a was answered and the Most Merciful Allah Almighty commanded him to kick his foot onto the ground.  When he did so, a spring began to flow from the ground and by Allah’s command he had a bath with water from it which took away all his illness.  And when he walked 40 steps he was once again commanded to kick his foot onto the ground, and when he did so, another spring began to flow, the water of which was very cold, sweet and delicious.  When he drank that water his inner aspects were illuminated and he gained a perfect recovery and noor, and Allah Almighty once again brought his children back to life and granted his wife youth once again and returned his cattle, wealth and all the things he had lost in past and even more than that.

In his state of illness once, when he called his wife she responded to his call and appeared very late.  He was angry at it and swore to whip her 100 lashes.  Allah Almighty stated, “O Ayyoob!  Hit her with a broom once and this is how your oath will be fulfilled.”  Hence, Allah Almighty has mentioned this incident in the Quran as follows:

اُرْکُضْ بِرِجْلِکَ ۚ ہٰذَا مُغْتَسَلٌۢ بَارِدٌ وَّ شَرَابٌ ﴿۴۲﴾

We said, ‘strike your foot on the ground, here is the cool, stream for bathing and for drinking.’

 

وَ وَہَبْنَا لَہٗۤ اَہۡلَہٗ وَ مِثْلَہُمۡ مَّعَہُمْ رَحْمَۃً مِّنَّا وَ ذِکْرٰی لِاُولِی الْاَلْبٰبِ ﴿۴۳﴾

And We bestowed him his family and others like them in addition to them as a mercy from Us and as admonition to the people of understanding.
وَ خُذْ بِیَدِکَ ضِغْثًا فَاضْرِبۡ بِّہٖ وَلَا تَحْنَثْ ؕ اِنَّا وَجَدْنٰہُ صَابِرًا ؕ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ ؕ اِنَّہٗۤ اَوَّابٌ ﴿۴۴﴾

And We said, ‘take in your hand a broom of dry grass and strike there and break not your oath. Undoubtedly, We found him steadfast, What an excellent bondman was he? Verily he is of returning.

(Saad 38, Verse 42-44)

As a conclusion, Hazrat Ayyoob – peace be upon Him – was fully successful in this test and passed it, and Allah Almighty in return, blessed him in every aspect of his life and praised him in the Holy Quran with the title of “Awwaab” and crowned him with excellence.

 

Lesson:

This incident teaches us that the pious servants of Allah Almighty also go through difficult tests and when they succeed in the test Allah Almighty appoints them on high stations and elevates their status so high which none can fathom.  We also learnt from this incident that to have patience at the time of test and to be pleased in the pleasure of Allah Almighty brings forth great fruitful results and happy ending.

And Allah Almighty Knows Best!

(Ajaibul Quran p. 181-183)