سُوْرَةُ صٓ
Surah Saad (38) — Ayah 41
وَٱذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَآ أَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّى مَسَّنِىَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ بِنُصْبٍ وَعَذَابٍ ﴿41﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And remember Our slave Ayyûb (Job), when he invoked his Lord (saying): "Verily Shaitân (Satan) has touched me with distress (by ruining my health) and torment (by ruining my wealth)!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱذْكُرْ
wa-udh'kur
And remember
عَبْدَنَآ
ʿabdanā
Our slave
أَيُّوبَ
ayyūba
Ayyub
إِذْ
idh
when
نَادَىٰ
nādā
he called
رَبَّهُۥٓ
rabbahu
his Lord
أَنِّى
annī
That [I]
مَسَّنِىَ
massaniya
(has) touched me
ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ
l-shayṭānu
Shaitaan
بِنُصْبٍۢ
binuṣ'bin
with distress
وَعَذَابٍ
waʿadhābin
and suffering
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 41 to 44) ➊ {وَ اذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَاۤ اَيُّوْبَ … :} Its connection is with the previous {’’ وَ اذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوٗدَ ذَا الْاَيْدِ ‘‘}. In the word {’’ عَبْدَنَا ‘‘ }, Allah’s relationship with them is being expressed. Among the stories mentioned in this surah, this is the third story: that Allah’s blessings upon Dawud and Sulaiman (peace be upon them) and the test of both are mentioned, and the calamities and hardships that befell Ayyub (peace be upon him) and the blessing of their removal are mentioned. The purpose is to give a lesson to all.
➋ { اَنِّيْ مَسَّنِيَ الشَّيْطٰنُ بِنُصْبٍ وَّ عَذَابٍ: ’’نُصْبٌ‘‘} refers to fatigue and hardship, and {’’ عَذَابٍ ‘‘} to severe physical pain. That is, two types of suffering befell me: one, intense grief due to the loss of wealth, children, and well-being, and the other, physical pain due to illness.
➌ See the beautiful etiquette of Ayyub (peace be upon him) in this supplication: he did not attribute the pain and suffering to Allah, but to Shaytan. Although grief or comfort, evil or good, all are under Allah’s will and He is the Creator of all, but since most of the time their connection is, in some near or distant way, with Shaytan, therefore Allah’s close servants attribute evil to themselves or to Shaytan, not to Allah. Just as Ibrahim (peace be upon him) attributed illness to himself and healing to Allah, he said: « وَ اِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِيْنِ» [ الشعرآء : ۸۰ ] “And when I am ill, He is the One who cures me.” And in the story of Musa and Khidr (peace be upon them), Yusha bin Nun (peace be upon him) attributed forgetfulness to Shaytan, he said: «وَ مَاۤ اَنْسٰىنِيْهُ اِلَّا الشَّيْطٰنُ اَنْ اَذْكُرَهٗ » [ الکہف : ۶۳ ] “And none made me forget except Shaytan that I should mention it.” In Sahih Muslim, there is a long supplication narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited at the beginning of prayer, which starts with {’’ وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِيْ فَطَرَ السَّمٰوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ‘‘}, and in it are these words: [ لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ وَ الْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ فِيْ يَدَيْكَ وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ ] [ مسلم، صلاۃ المسافرین، باب الدعاء في صلاۃ اللیل و قیامہ : ۷۷۱، عن علي بن أبي طالب رضی اللہ عنہ ] “I am present, I am present, and all good is in Your hands, and evil is not attributed to You.”
➍ In this supplication of Ayyub (peace be upon him) and in the supplication mentioned in Surah Al-Anbiya (83): « اَنِّيْ مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَ اَنْتَ اَرْحَمُ الرّٰحِمِيْنَ» (Indeed, adversity has touched me, and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful), the etiquette of Ayyub (peace be upon him) in supplication is being expressed, that instead of explicitly stating his request, he mentioned his miserable state and the mercy of his Lord in such words that Allah Himself showed mercy and granted him healing.
➎ For a detailed explanation of these four verses, see the commentary of Surah Al-Anbiya, verses (83, 84).
➋ { اَنِّيْ مَسَّنِيَ الشَّيْطٰنُ بِنُصْبٍ وَّ عَذَابٍ: ’’نُصْبٌ‘‘} refers to fatigue and hardship, and {’’ عَذَابٍ ‘‘} to severe physical pain. That is, two types of suffering befell me: one, intense grief due to the loss of wealth, children, and well-being, and the other, physical pain due to illness.
➌ See the beautiful etiquette of Ayyub (peace be upon him) in this supplication: he did not attribute the pain and suffering to Allah, but to Shaytan. Although grief or comfort, evil or good, all are under Allah’s will and He is the Creator of all, but since most of the time their connection is, in some near or distant way, with Shaytan, therefore Allah’s close servants attribute evil to themselves or to Shaytan, not to Allah. Just as Ibrahim (peace be upon him) attributed illness to himself and healing to Allah, he said: « وَ اِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِيْنِ» [ الشعرآء : ۸۰ ] “And when I am ill, He is the One who cures me.” And in the story of Musa and Khidr (peace be upon them), Yusha bin Nun (peace be upon him) attributed forgetfulness to Shaytan, he said: «وَ مَاۤ اَنْسٰىنِيْهُ اِلَّا الشَّيْطٰنُ اَنْ اَذْكُرَهٗ » [ الکہف : ۶۳ ] “And none made me forget except Shaytan that I should mention it.” In Sahih Muslim, there is a long supplication narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited at the beginning of prayer, which starts with {’’ وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِيْ فَطَرَ السَّمٰوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ‘‘}, and in it are these words: [ لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ وَ الْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ فِيْ يَدَيْكَ وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ ] [ مسلم، صلاۃ المسافرین، باب الدعاء في صلاۃ اللیل و قیامہ : ۷۷۱، عن علي بن أبي طالب رضی اللہ عنہ ] “I am present, I am present, and all good is in Your hands, and evil is not attributed to You.”
➍ In this supplication of Ayyub (peace be upon him) and in the supplication mentioned in Surah Al-Anbiya (83): « اَنِّيْ مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَ اَنْتَ اَرْحَمُ الرّٰحِمِيْنَ» (Indeed, adversity has touched me, and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful), the etiquette of Ayyub (peace be upon him) in supplication is being expressed, that instead of explicitly stating his request, he mentioned his miserable state and the mercy of his Lord in such words that Allah Himself showed mercy and granted him healing.
➎ For a detailed explanation of these four verses, see the commentary of Surah Al-Anbiya, verses (83, 84).
