Commentary

The event relating to Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) has been introduced here to comfort and prompt the Holy Prophet (علیہ السلام) ، so that he would also observe patience. This event has appeared with details in our commentary on Surah Al-Anbiya' (Ma’ ariful-Qur’ an, Volume V1). A few significant notes are being added here.

In the opening verse (41), it was said: مَسَّنِيَ الشَّيْطَانُ بِنُصْبٍ وَعَذَابٍ : (The Shaitan has inflicted weariness and pain upon me). Some early commentators have given details as to how the Shaitan had caused this affliction and pain. They say that the disease from which Sayyidna (علیہ السلام) suffered had overtaken him under the influence of the Shaitan. What happened was that once the angels praised Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) in a manner that made the Shaitan envy him. He prayed to Allah Ta’ ala that he be given such control over his body, wealth and children that allowed him to do whatever he liked with him. Allah Ta’ ala too intended to test Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) ، therefore, the Shaitan was given this right, and he made him suffer from this disease.

But, discerning commentators have refuted this story by saying that, in terms of the clear statement of the noble Qur'an, the Shaitan cannot gain control over the blessed prophets, therefore, it is not possible that he could have made him suffer from this disease.

Some others have explained the Shaitan having afflicted pain by saying that the Shaitan used to plant all sorts of scruples in the heart of Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) while he was very sick which hurt him all the more. This is what he has mentioned here. But, the best explanation of this verse is what Maulana Ashraf Thanavi (رح) has given in Bayan-ul-Qur'an. This is being reproduced here from the Khulasa-e-Tafsir in Ma’ ariful-Qur'an:

'This affliction and pain, according to the saying of some commentators, is what Imam Ahmad has reported from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ in his Kitabu-z-zuhd, in which it has been stated that the Shaitan had once met the wife of Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) in the guise of a physician during the days of his sickness. Since he had posed himself as a physician, she requested him to treat her husband. He agreed subject to the condition that once he got cured, she would tell him that she was the one who cured him, and assured her that he wanted no more in return. She mentioned this to Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) . He said, "0 my simple wife, he was the Shaitan. Now, I solemnly resolve that, should Allah Ta’ ala make me get well again, I am going to beat you with one hundred sticks of branches.' So, he was particularly shocked that Shaitan had become so high-handed that he wanted to make his own wife say words that evidently amount to shirk, though they may not prove to be so if subjected to interpretation. Though, Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) had made prayers for the removal of his affliction earlier as well, yet after this incident, he turned back to Him in plaint and prayer more fervently, and his prayer was answered: (Reported by Ahmad).

The nature of the ailment of Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام)

The Qur'an tells us only this much that Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) was afflicted with a serious disease, but nothing was said about the nature of this disease. Even in Ahadith, no details about it have been reported from the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Nevertheless, from some reports attributed to the Sahabah, it appears that blisters had erupted all over his body, and people had put him off on a dirt-heap out of nausea. But, some discerning commentators have refused to accept these attributed reports as correct. They say that diseases can afflict the blessed prophets, but they are not made to suffer from such diseases as would make people nauseated with it. Hence, this sort of disease cannot be attributed to Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) . Instead, they say, it was some common disease. Therefore, reports in which blisters have been attributed to Sayyidna Ayyub (علیہ السلام) or in which it has been said that he was put off on a dirt-heap are not trustworthy, neither in terms of the authenticity of the report, nor rationally (abridged from Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani and Ahkam-ul-Qur’ an).