Islamic Timeline of RevelationOpen in flowchart →Prophet Ayyub (AS)
أيوب
The prophet of patience, tested with severe illness and loss of family and wealth. He called upon Allah without complaint, and Allah restored him, praising him as 'an excellent servant'.
Biography
The Quran relates that Ayyub called to his Lord: 'Indeed, adversity has touched me, and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful' (21:83). Allah responded, removed his affliction, and gave him back his family and the like of them with them, as a mercy and a reminder (21:84; 38:43).
He was told to strike the ground with his foot, and a cool spring emerged for washing and drinking (38:42). He was also told to take a bundle of grass and strike with it so as not to break his oath (38:44), which jurists cite in discussions of oaths. Allah concludes: 'We found him patient; an excellent servant; indeed he was one who repeatedly turned back to Allah' (38:44).
Sahih Bukhari 279 narrates that while Ayyub was bathing naked, golden locusts fell upon him and he began gathering them; Allah asked whether He had not made him free of need of that, and he replied that he could never be free of need of Allah's blessing.
Genealogists place him among the descendants of Ishaq through 'Ays (Esau); this is tradition. Popular stories that his body was infested with worms, that people expelled him from the town, or that his illness lasted a specific number of years (e.g. 18) come from Israiliyat and weak reports.
Sources & explanation
📜 Hadith verified on sunnah.com
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Sahih al-Bukhari 279 Sahih
While Ayyub was bathing, golden locusts fell on him and he gathered them; Allah said 'Have I not made you rich?' and he said 'I am never free of need of Your blessing'.
💬 Explanation Unverified
Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza's perspective
Methodological note (not a direct quote): Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza's widely known approach is to build narratives primarily on the Quran and Sahih Hadith, to set aside Israiliyat (Judeo-Christian lore absorbed into later tafsir) and weak or fabricated narrations, and to avoid sectarian framing. Applied to this node: The core is 21:83-84, 38:41-44 and Sahih Bukhari 279; exaggerated popular stories of his illness are treated as unauthentic Israiliyat.
Further references
- Quran 21:83-84
- Quran 38:41-44
- Sahih Bukhari 279
Connections
Comes from
- Prophet Ishaq (AS) ancestor of — Via 'Ays (Esau) per genealogists