By the Arabic phrase /‘abdana/ ...

By the Arabic phrase /‘abdana/ , mentioned in this verse, firstly, the high rank of Job with Allah is clearly understood. Secondly, the holy verse ambiguously refers to the severe and tiresome afflictions of Job and that he had too much pain and toil.

The explanation of this affliction has not been mentioned in the Qur’an, but it has been said in the well known commentary books and traditions as follows: “Someone asked Imam Sadiq (as): ‘What was the affliction for that Job tolerated?’ (And he thought Job had probably done a wrong action that Allah caused him to be so.) ” In reply to him, Imam Sadiq (as) gave a detailed answer the summery of which is as follows: Job was not afflicted with those great calamities because of ungratefulness to blessings, but, on the contrary, it was for the gratitude to the blessings, since Satan said to Allah: ‘If You find Job grateful, it is because of the abundant bounties You have given him.

It is certain that if these bounties are taken from him, he surely will not be a thankful servant’. In order to make the sincerity of Job clear to all, and to set him be grateful to Allah at the time of both bountifulness and pain, He let Satan dominate his whole world. Satan asked Allah that Job’s abundant wealth, his tilth, his sheep and his children would be entirely annihilated.

Then the pests and calamities destroyed them all in a short length of time; but not only the status of the thankfulness of Job did not decrease, but also it was increased. This time Satan asked to dominate over Job’s body and he should be so sick that he would twist in bed as the result of pain and sickness. This bodily sickness did not decrease anything from his state of thankfulness, either. But there happened something that annoyed Job and hurt his spirit very much.

This event was that a group of the monks of the children of Israel came to meet him. They said: ‘What have you done that you were afflicted with painful punishment?’ In answer to them Job said: ‘By my Lord! There has not been any wrong, and I have always been studious in the obedience of Allah.

Whenever I ate a little food, there have been an orphan and an indigent present at my table.’ It is true that Job became worried from this taunt of the friends more than any other calamities, yet he did not lose his patience and did not polluted the pure sincere thankfulness with ungratefulness. He only turned to Allah and uttered the abovementioned sentences.