Job in Islam

Nabī
Ayūb (Alayhi assalam)
أيوب
אִיּוֹב‎ ʾIyyôḇ
Biography
Burial(See #Associated places)
Quranic narratives
Mention by nameYes
Surah (Chapters)4, 6, 21, 38
Āyāt
verse:
  • 4:163
  • 6:84
  • 21:83
  • 38:41–44
Number of mentions4
Prophethood
Known forEnduring severe trials while remaining faithful to Allah
PredecessorYusuf
SuccessorShu'ayb
StatusProphet
Other equivalentJob
Footnotes

Job (Arabic: أيوب, romanizedAyūb) is known as a prophet in Islam and is mentioned in the Quran.[1][2] Job's story in Islam is parallel to the Hebrew Bible's story, although the main emphasis is on Job remaining steadfast to God; there is no mention of Job's discussions with friends in the Qur'anic text, but later Muslim literature states that Job had brothers, who argued with the man about the cause of his affliction. Some Muslim commentators also spoke of Job as being the ancestor of the Romans.[3] Islamic literature also comments on Job's time and place of prophetic ministry, saying that he came after Joseph in the prophetic series and that he preached to his own people rather than being sent to a specified community. Tradition further recounts that Job will be the leader in Heaven of the group of "those who patiently endured".[4]

  1. ^ Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary, note 2739: "Job (Ayūb) was a prosperous man, with faith in Allah, living somewhere in the north-east corner of Arabia. He suffers from a number of calamities: his cattle are destroyed, his servants slain by the sword, his family crushed under his roof, and his wealth is lost. But he holds fast to his faith in Allah. As a further calamity he is covered with loathsome sores from head to foot. He loses his peace of mind, and he curses the day he was born. His false friends come and attribute his afflictions to sin. These "Job's comforters" are no comforters at all, and he further loses his balance of mind, but Allah recalls to him all His mercies, and he resumes his humility and gives up self-justification. He is restored to prosperity, with twice as much as he had before; his brethren and friends come back to him; he had a new family of seven sons and three fair daughters. He lived to a good old age, and saw four generations of descendants. All this is recorded in the Book of Job in the Old Testament. Of all the Hebrew writings, the Hebrew of this Book comes nearest to Arabic."
  2. ^ "Surah An-Nisa - 163". Quran.com. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
  3. ^ Brandon M. Wheeler, Historical Dictionary of Prophets in Islam and Judaism, Job, p. 171.
  4. ^ Encyclopedia of Islam, A. Jefferey, Ayyub