The Qur’an

“The Affliction of Job”

Sura 38

Suad

41. And remember Our servant Ayyub, when he called upon his Lord: The Shaitan has afflicted me with toil and torment.
42. Urge with your foot; here is a cool washing-place and a drink.
43. And We gave him his family and the like of them with them, as a mercy from Us, and as a reminder to those possessed of understanding.
44. And take in your hand a green branch and beat her with It and do not break your oath; surely We found him patient; most excellent the servant! Surely he was frequent m returning (to Allah).

The Bible

“The Affliction Of Job”

Job

Chapter 1

1. There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
2. And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
3. His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
4. And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
5. And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
6. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
7. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
8. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
9. Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
10. Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
12. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
13. And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:
14. And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
15. And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
16. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
17. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
18. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:
19. And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
20. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
21. And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
22. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Job

Chapter 2

 1. Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
2. And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
3. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
4. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
5. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
6. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
7. So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
9. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
10. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
11. Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.
12. And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
13. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

Job

Chapter 3

1. After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.
2. And Job spake, and said,
3. Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.
4. Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

Job

Chapter 4

1. Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

17. Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

Job

Chapter 5

15. But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
16. So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.
17. Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

Job

Chapter 6

1. But Job answered and said,
2. Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!
3. For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.
4. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

Job

Chapter 7

17. What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
18. And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
19. How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
20. I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

Job

Chapter 8

1. Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
2. How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?
3. Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
4. If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;
5. If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;
6. If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

20. Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:
21. Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

Job

Chapter 9

1. Then Job answered and said,
2. I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?
3. If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
4. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

16. If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.
17. For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18. He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
19. If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
20. If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
21. Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22. This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

Job

Chapter 10

7. Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.

Job

Chapter 11

1. Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
2. Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?
3. Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?
4. For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.
5. But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

Job

Chapter 27

1. Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
2. As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
3. All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
4. My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
5. God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
6. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

 Job

Chapter 32

1. So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
2. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.

3. And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.

Job

Chapter 34

5. For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.
6. Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression.
7. What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?
8. Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
9. For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.
10. Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
11. For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
12. Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

Job

Chapter 38

1. Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
2. Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3. Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
4. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
5. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
6. Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
7. When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Job

Chapter 40

7. Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
8. Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?
9. Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

Job

Chapter 42

1. Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
2. I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
3. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
4. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
6. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
7. And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
8. Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
9. So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job.
10. And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
11. Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
12. So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
13. He had also seven sons and three daughters.
14. And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Keren-happuch.
15. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
16. After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.
17. So Job died, being old and full of days.

COMMENTARY

In the Qur’an:

1. Job asked God to help him in his affliction. God responded to him: “…Strike with thy foot: here is (water) wherein to wash, cool and refreshing, and  (water) to drink…”. It is unclear why Job should strike something ( his wife?) “And take in thy hand a little grass, and strike therewith: and break not (thy oath)...”.

2. After Job’s ordeal, God “…gave him (back) his people, and doubled their number…”.

In the Bible:

1. The beginning of the book of Job states that Satan argued with God about the faithfulness of Job. God gave Satan permission to “touch” Job. However, even after losing all his wealth and family, excluding his wife, and became a leper, Job praised God and “…did not sin with his lips…”. Along with four of his friends, Job tried to figure out why such evil had happened to him. He had insisted that he did not commit any sin worthy of such punishment, while his friends were sure that God would not have sent His wrath upon a righteous person, therefore Job must have inadvertently committed sin against God. After a lengthy discussion, God explained to them that no man can comprehend a full knowledge of God. All of them judged God’s involvement wrongly, consequently “…My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath…”. Then Job repented of what he had spoken about God. This book of the Bible is about God, who is in full control, and without His permission even Satan can do nothing. The attitude of Job was to praise and trust God no matter the circumstances in life.

2. In the end, God restored to Job his possessions, giving him “…twice as much as he had before…”, and replaced his family with the exact same number as he had before: seven sons and three daughters.

CONCLUSION

It is difficult to compare the story as recorded in the Qur’an and in the Bible, for there are only a few common issues, such as:

a) the name of the person ( Job),

b) the fact that he was afflicted,

c) God increased Job’s possessions two-fold.

There is no explanation why the Qur’an says that God told Job to use the grass that was in his hand and to strike the ground with his foot in order to release a water fountain. In the Bible, we see a beautiful story of the man who trusted God even if it meant his own death.