JUNE 19

A Matter of Wisdom

The Prophet Ayyub (Job) described in the Quran in brief, and in the Bible in detail, was born several hundred years before Jesus Christ in the plains stretching from Syria to Palestine. In the Bible, his place of birth is called Uz.

According to the Bible he possessed seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she-asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

After some time, such misfortunes befell him as left him impoverished yet Job was the epitome of patience. In the words of the Bible, “...Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped. And said, ‘Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return to thither: the Lord gave, and Lord hath taken; blessed be the name of the Lord’.” (Job 1:20-21)

Then again the circumstances changed after some years. Job again came to possess all kinds of wealth and resources, even more than he had before. According to Bible, “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 she-asses.” (Job 42:12)

The Quran ended the tale with “We restored to him his people and as many more with them: a blessing from Ourself and an admonition to prudent men.” (38:43)

Although given very brief mention in the Quran, this incident makes the very important and lesson-giving point that one should never despair when afflicted by misfortune or loss in life. God, being All-merciful, has devised the system of this world in such a way that here no loss or deprival is final. Here, one can always overcome one’s misfortunes and be the gainer once again, provided one remains patient and perseveres in one’s struggles, never losing hope of God’s succour.