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Ayah
Word by Word
وَٱذۡكُرۡ
And remember
إِسۡمَٰعِيلَ
Ismail
وَٱلۡيَسَعَ
and Al-Yasa
وَذَا
and Dhul-kifl
ٱلۡكِفۡلِۖ
and Dhul-kifl
وَكُلّٞ
and all
مِّنَ
(are) from
ٱلۡأَخۡيَارِ
the best
وَٱذۡكُرۡ
And remember
إِسۡمَٰعِيلَ
Ismail
وَٱلۡيَسَعَ
and Al-Yasa
وَذَا
and Dhul-kifl
ٱلۡكِفۡلِۖ
and Dhul-kifl
وَكُلّٞ
and all
مِّنَ
(are) from
ٱلۡأَخۡيَارِ
the best
Translation
And commemorate Isma'il, Elisha, and Zul-Kifl: Each of them was of the Company of the Good.
Tafsir
And mention [also] Our servants Ishmael, and Elisha, who was a prophet (the laam [here in al-Yasa'] is extra) and Dhoo'l-Kifl - there is disagreement over whether he was a prophet; it is said that [he was so called because] he looked after (kafala) a hundred prophets who had sought refuge with him from being killed. Each, that is, every one of them, was among the excellent (akhyaar is the plural of khayyir).
Ayub (The Prophet)
Here Allah tells us about His servant and Messenger Ayub (Job) and how He tested him. These tests afflicted his body, his wealth and his children, until there was no part of his body that was healthy except his heart. Then he had nothing left in this world which he could use to help him deal with his sickness or the predicament he was in, besides his wife, who retained her devotion to him because of her faith in Allah and His Messenger. She used to work for people as a paid servant, and she fed and served him (Ayub) for nearly eighteen years.
Before that, he was very rich and had many children, being well off in worldly terms. All of that had been taken away until he ended up being thrown into the city dump where he stayed all this time, shunned by relatives and strangers alike, with the exception of his wife -- may Allah be pleased with her. She did not leave him, morning and evening, except for when she was serving people, then she would come straight back to him. When this had gone on for a long time, and things had gotten very bad, and the time allotted by divine decree had come to an end, Ayub prayed to the Lord of the worlds, the God of the Messengers, and said:
أَنِّى مَسَّنِىَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرۡحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ
Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy. (21:83)
And according to this Ayah:
وَاذۡكُرۡ عَبۡدَنَا أَيُّوبَ إِذۡ نَادَى رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الشَّيۡطَانُ بِنُصۡبٍ وَعَذَابٍ
And remember Our servant Ayub, when he invoked his Lord (saying):Verily, Shaytan has afflicted me with distress and torment!
It was said that distress referred to bodily afflictions and torment referred to the loss of his wealth and children.
Then the Most Merciful of those who show mercy responded to him, telling him to stand up and strike the ground with his foot. He did this, and Allah caused a spring of water to flow. He commanded him to wash in it, and all the pain and affliction in his body disappeared. Then He commanded him to strike the ground in a different place, and Allah caused another spring to flow, and Ayub was commanded to drink from it. Then all his internal problems disappeared, and he became healthy again, inside and out.
Allah says:
ارۡكُضۡ بِرِجۡلِكَ هَذَا مُغۡتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ
Strike the ground with your foot. This is (a spring of) water to wash in, cool and a (refreshing) drink.
Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said,
The Messenger of Allah said:
إِنَّ نَبِيَّ اللهِ أَيُّوبَ عَلَيۡهِ الصَّلَةُ وَالسَّلَمُ لَبِثَ بِهِ بَلَوُهُ ثَمَانِيَ عَشۡرَةَ سَنَةً فَرَفَضَهُ الۡقَرِيبُ وَالۡبَعِيدُ إِلاَّ رَجُلَيۡنِ كَانَا مِنۡ أَخَصِّ إِخۡوَانِهِ بِهِ كَانَا يَغۡدُوَانِ إِلَيۡهِ وَيَرُوحَانِ فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ تَعۡلَمُ وَاللهِ لَقَدۡ أَذۡنَبَ أَيُّوبُ ذَنۡبًا مَا أَذۡنَبَهُ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الۡعَالَمِينَ قَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَمَا ذَاكَ قَالَ مُنۡذُ ثَمَانِيَ عَشۡرَةَ سَنَةً لَمۡ يَرۡحَمۡهُ اللهُ فَيَكۡشِفَ مَا بِهِ فَلَمَّا رَاحَا إِلَيۡهِ لَمۡ يَصۡبِرِ الرَّجُلُ حَتۡى ذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَقَالَ أَيُّوبُ عَلَيۡهِ الصَّلَةُ وَالسَّلَمُ لَا أَدۡرِي مَا تَقُولُ غَيۡرَ أَنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَعۡلَمُ أَنِّي كُنۡتُ أَمُرُّ عَلَى الرَّجُلَيۡنِ يَتَنَازَعَانِ فَيَذۡكُرَانِ اللهَ تَعَالَى فَأَرۡجِعُ إِلَى بَيۡتِي فَأُكَفِّرُ عَنۡهُمَا كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنۡ يُذۡكَرَ اللهُ تَعَالَى إِلاَّ فِي حَقَ قَالَ وَكَانَ يَخۡرُجُ إِلَى حَاجَتِهِ فَإِذَا قَضَاهَا أَمۡسَكَتِ امۡرَأَتُهُ بِيَدِهِ حَتۡى يَبۡلُغَ فَلَمَّا كَانَ ذَاتَ يَوۡمٍ أَبۡطَأَ عَلَيۡهَا فَأَوۡحَى اللهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى إِلَى أَيُّوبَ عَلَيۡهِ الصَّلَةُ وَالسَّلَمُ أَن
ارۡكُضۡ بِرِجۡلِكَ هَذَا مُغۡتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ
فَاسۡتَبۡطَأَتۡهُ فَتَلَقَّتۡهُ تَنۡظُرُ فَأَقۡبَلَ عَلَيۡهَا وَقَدۡ أَذۡهَبَ اللهُ مَا بِهِ مِنَ الۡبَلَاءِ وَهُوَ عَلَى أَحۡسَنِ مَا كَانَ فَلَمَّا رَأَتۡهُ قَالَتۡ أَيۡ بَارَكَ اللهُ فِيكَ هَلۡ رَأَيۡتَ نَبِيَّ اللهِ هَذَا الۡمُبۡتَلَى فَوَاللهِ عَلَى ذَلِكَ مَا رَأَيۡتُ رَجُلًا أَشۡبَهَ بِهِ مِنۡكَ إِذۡ كَانَ صَحِيحًا قَالَ فَإِنِّي أَنَا هُوَ قَالَ وَكَانَ لَهُ أَنۡدَرَانِ أَنۡدَرٌ لِلۡقَمۡحِ وَأَنۡدَرٌ لِلشَّعِيرِ فَبَعَثَ اللهُ تَعَالَى سَحَابَتَيۡنِ فَلَمَّا كَانَتۡ إِحۡدَاهُمَا عَلَى أَنۡدَرِ الۡقَمۡحِ أَفۡرَغَتۡ فِيهِ الذَّهَبَ حَتۡى فَاضَ وَأَفۡرَغَتِ الاۡاُخۡرَى فِي أَنۡدَرِ الشَّعِيرِ حَتۡى فَاض
Allah's Prophet Ayub, peace be upon him, suffered for eighteen years from his affliction and was shunned by relatives and strangers alike, besides two men who were the closest of his brothers to him. They used to visit him every morning and every evening. One of them said to his companion,
You know, by Allah, that Ayub committed a great sin which nobody in the world ever committed.
His companion said, Why are you saying that?
He said, For eighteen years he has been suffering and Allah has not had mercy on him and relieve his suffering.
When he went to him the next morning, the (second) man could not wait to tell this to Ayub. Ayub, peace be upon him, said,
I do not know what you are talking about, but Allah knows if I passed by two men who were arguing and they mentioned the Name of Allah, I would go back home and offer expiation lest they had mentioned the Name of Allah in an improper manner.
Whenever he went out to answer the call of nature, when he finished, his wife would take his hand until he came back home. One day he took a long time, and Allah had revealed to Ayub, (Strike the ground with your foot. This is (a spring of) water to wash in, cool and a (refreshing) drink.) She thought that he had taken too long, so she turned to look at him, and ﷺ that Allah had taken away the afflictions he had been suffering, and he looked better than he had ever looked.
When she ﷺ him, she said,
May Allah bless you! Have you seen Allah's Prophet, the one who is sorely tested By Allah, I have never seen a man who looks more like him than you, if he were healthy.
He said, I am he.
He had two threshing floors, one for wheat and one for barley. Allah sent two clouds, and when one of them reached the threshing floor of the wheat, it rained gold until it was full. The other rained gold on the threshing floor of the barley until it was full.
This is the wording of Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said,
The Messenger of Allah said:
بَيۡنَمَا أَيُّوبُ يَغۡتَسِلُ عُرۡيَانًا خَرَّ عَلَيۡهِ جَرَادٌ مِنۡ ذَهَبٍ فَجَعَلَ أَيُّوبُ عَلَيۡهِ الصَّلَةُ وَالسَّلَمُ يَحۡثُو فِي ثَوۡبِهِ فَنَادَاهُ رَبُّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَا أَيُّوبُ أَلَمۡ أَكُنۡ أَغۡنَيۡتُكَ عَمَّا تَرَى قَالَ عَلَيۡهِ الصَّلَةُ وَالسَّلَمُ بَلَى يَا رَبِّ وَلَكِنۡ لَا غِنى بِي عَنۡ بَرَكَتِك
While Ayub was bathing naked, locusts of gold fell upon him. Ayub, peace be upon him, began gathering them in his garment. Then his Lord called to him,
O Ayub, have I not made you so rich that you have no need of what you see.
He, peace be upon him, said, Yes, O Lord! But I cannot do without Your blessing!
This was only recorded by Al-Bukhari.
Allah says:
وَوَهَبۡنَا لَهُ أَهۡلَهُ وَمِثۡلَهُم مَّعَهُمۡ رَحۡمَةً مِّنَّا وَذِكۡرَى لاُِوۡلِي الاَۡلۡبَابِ
And We gave him (back) his family, and along with them the like thereof, as a mercy from Us, and a reminder for those who understand.
Al-Hasan and Qatadah said,
Allah brought his family themselves back to life, and added others like them.
رَحۡمَةً مِّنَّا
as a mercy from Us,
means, in return for his patience, steadfastness, repentance, humility and constant turning to Allah.
وَذِكۡرَى لاُِوۡلِي الاَۡلۡبَابِ
and a reminder for those who understand.
means, for those who understand that the consequence of patience is a solution and a way out
وَخُذۡ بِيَدِكَ ضِغۡثًا فَاضۡرِب بِّهِ وَلَا تَحۡنَثۡ
And take in your hand a bundle of thin grass and strike therewith (your wife), and break not your oath.
Ayub, peace be upon him, got angry with his wife and was upset about something she had done, so he swore an oath that if Allah healed him, he would strike her with one hundred blows. When Allah healed him, how could her service, mercy, compassion and kindness be repaid with a beating? So Allah showed him a way out, which was to take a bundle of thin grass, with one hundred stems, and hit her with it once. Thus he fulfilled his oath and avoided breaking his vow. This was the solution and way out for one who had Taqwa of Allah and turned to Him in repentance.
Allah says:
إِنَّا وَجَدۡنَاهُ صَابِرًا نِعۡمَ الۡعَبۡدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ
Truly, We found him patient. How excellent a servant! Verily, he was ever oft-returning in repentance (to Us)!
Allah praised and commanded him, saying,
نِعۡمَ الۡعَبۡدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ
(How excellent a servant! Verily, he was ever oft-returning in repentance (to Us)!)
Allah says:
وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجۡعَل لَّهُ مَخۡرَجًا
وَيَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَحۡتَسِبُ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسۡبُهُ
إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمۡرِهِ قَدۡ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ قَدۡرًا
And whosoever has Taqwa of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things. (65:2-3
The Chosen and the Best among the Prophets
Allah tells us about the virtues of His servants the Messengers and His Prophets:
وَاذۡكُرۡ عِبَادَنَا إبۡرَاهِيمَ وَإِسۡحَقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَ أُوۡلِي الاۡاَيۡدِي وَالاۡاَبۡصَارِ
And remember Our servants, Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Ya`qub, Ulil-Aydi wal-Absar.
meaning, righteous deeds, beneficial knowledge, strength in worship and insight.
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
أُوۡلِي الاَۡيۡدِي
(Ulil-Aydi) Of great strength and worship;
وَالاۡاَبۡصَارِ
(wal-Absar) means, understanding of the religion.
Qatadah and As-Suddi said,
They were given strength in worship and understanding of the religion.
إِنَّا أَخۡلَصۡنَاهُم بِخَالِصَةٍ ذِكۡرَى الدَّارِ
Verily, We did choose them by granting them the remembrance of the Abode.
Mujahid said,
This means:We made them strive for the Hereafter, and there is nothing else for them besides that.
As-Suddi also said,
The remembrance of the Hereafter and striving for it.
Malik bin Dinar said,
Allah removed the love of this world from their hearts, and singled them out for land remembrance of the Hereafter.
Qatadah said,
They used to remind the people about the Abode of the Hereafter and to strive for it.
وَإِنَّهُمۡ عِندَنَا لَمِنَ الۡمُصۡطَفَيۡنَ الاۡإَخۡيَارِ
And they are with Us, verily, of the chosen and the best!
means, they are among those who have been elected and chosen, and they are the best and the chosen ones.
وَاذۡكُرۡ إِسۡمَاعِيلَ وَالۡيَسَعَ وَذَا الۡكِفۡلِ وَكُلٌّ مِّنۡ الاۡاَخۡيَارِ
And remember Ismail, Al-Yasa`, and Dhul-Kifl, all are among the best.
We have already discussed their characteristics and stories in detail in Surah Al-Anbiya', may peace be upon them, and there is no need to repeat it here.
هَذَا ذِكۡرٌ
This is a Reminder,
means, a reminder to those who will be reminded.
As-Suddi said,
This means the Holy Qur'an.
The Final Return of the Blessed
Allah tells us that His blessed, believing servants will have a good final return in
وَإِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ لَحُسۡنَ مَأبٍ
And verily, for those who have Taqwa is a good final return.
Allah tells us that His blessed, believing servants will have a good final return in the Hereafter, which means their ultimate destination.
Then He explains it further, as He says
جَنَّاتِ عَدۡنٍ
`Adn Gardens),
meaning, eternal gardens (of Paradise),
مُّفَتَّحَةً لَّهُمُ الاَۡبۡوَابُ
whose doors will be opened for them.
means, when they come to them (these gardens), their gates will open for them
مُتَّكِيِينَ فِيهَا
Therein they will recline;
It was said that this means that they will sit cross-legged on chairs beneath canopies.
يَدۡعُونَ فِيهَا بِفَاكِهَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ
therein they will call for fruits in abundance,
means, whatever they ask for, they will find it, and it will be prepared just as they wanted it.
وَشَرَابٍ
and drinks;
means, whatever kind of drink they want, the servants will bring it to them,
بِأَكۡوَابٍ وَأَبَارِيقَ وَكَأۡسٍ مِّن مَّعِينٍ
With cups, and jugs, and a glass of flowing wine. (56:18)
وَعِندَهُمۡ قَاصِرَاتُ الطَّرۡفِ
And beside them will be Qasirat-at-Tarf (chaste females),
means, they restrain their glances from anyone except their husbands, and do not turn to anyone else.
أَتۡرَابٌ
(and) of equal ages.
means, they will all be of the same age.
This is the understanding of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Muhammad bin Ka`b and As-Suddi.
هَذَا مَا تُوعَدُونَ لِيَوۡمِ الۡحِسَابِ
This it is what you are promised for the Day of Reckoning!
means, `this that We have mentioned of the features of Paradise is what He has prepared for His pious servants who will reach it after they have been resurrected from their graves and been saved from the Fire.'
Then Allah tells us that Paradise will never come to an end or disappear or cease to be. He says:
إِنَّ هَذَا لَرِزۡقُنَا مَا لَهُ مِن نَّفَادٍ
Verily, this is Our provision which will never finish.
This is like the Ayat:
مَا عِندَكُمۡ يَنفَدُ وَمَا عِندَ اللَّهِ بَاقٍ
Whatever is with you, will be exhausted, and whatever is with Allah will remain. (16:96)
عَطَأءً غَيۡرَ مَجۡذُوذٍ
a gift without an end. (11:108)
لَهُمۡ أَجۡرٌ غَيۡرُ مَمۡنُونٍ
for them is a reward that will never come to an end. (84:25)
أُكُلُهَا دَايِمٌ وِظِلُّهَا تِلۡكَ عُقۡبَى الَّذِينَ اتَّقَواۡ وَّعُقۡبَى الۡكَـفِرِينَ النَّارُ
its provision is eternal and so is its shade; this is the end of those who have Taqwa, and the end (final destination) of the disbelievers is Fire. (13:35)
And there are many similar Ayat.
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