such that it has been reported that he possessed five hundred pairs of
bulls for ploughing his fields and hundreds of slaves, who used to
cultivate his farms. His cargo carrying camels were three thousand in
number while his sheep totalled seven thousand.
In addition to this, Allah (SWT) had also granted him good health and
numerous children. On his part, Prophet Job / Ayyub (as) perpetually
praised and thanked his Lord, and when faced with two acts of
obedience, he would always choose the more difficult of the two.
But then, he became the object of Divine trials - not for having
committed any sin but rather for raising his rank and status - such
that Allah (SWT) took back all the bounties that He had given him and
afflicted his body with an incurable disease.
However, despite the severity of the adversity, when Prophet Job /
Ayyub (as) ever abandoned thanking, praising and remembering Allah
(SWT), the Satan got into the act. He began whispering into his wife's
mind as a result of which she started to complain of the hard times
that had befallen them and would moan: "Everyone has deserted us and
we do not possess anything."
Prophet Job / Ayyub (as) said: "For eighty years we had been receiving
the bounties of Allah (SWT) and so we should not complain for seven
years of hardships but instead continue to remember Him in all
circumstances!"
But his wife continued to complain and protest, and persistently
placed before him irrational ideas till eventually, enraged, he
hollered: "Go away from me such that I do not set my eyes upon you
ever again."
When his wife had left him, Prophet Job / Ayyub (as) found himself
alone and without a caretaker; going into prostration, he began
praying to his Lord and communicating with Him. On this occasion Allah
(SWT) answered the prayers of His servant, who had continued to praise
and thank Him, and once again granted him all the bounties!
Meanwhile his wife thought to herself: "Though he has driven me away,
it is inappropriate for me to leave him alone. He has none to look
after him and he may perish out of hunger." With this in mind she
returned to the place where she had left him but found him missing,
while in his place, sat a youth. As she began to weep, the youth asked
her: "Why do you weep?" She replied: I had left my old husband here
but I do not see him anymore. The youth said: "If you were to see him,
would you recognize him?" She said: "Yes."
Having answered him, she then looked at him hard and realised that he
possessed a great resemblance to her husband. The youth then said to
her: "I am the same Ayyub." (Anecdotes for Reflection, Vol 3, Dhikr)
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Regards,
NAJIMUDEEN M/
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*- Online Translator -*
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