seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Quran 38:43. And We restored his family for him, and their like with them; as a mercy from Us, and a lesson for those who possess insight.
44. “Take with your hand a bundle, and strike with it, and do not break your oath.” We found him patient. What an excellent servant! He was obedient.
45. And mention Our servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—endowed with ability and vision.
46. We distinguished them with a distinct quality: the remembrance of the Home.
47. To Us they are among the chosen, the outstanding.
48. And mention Ishmael, Elisha, and Ezekiel; all are among the outstanding.
49. This is a reminder. The devout will have a good place of return.
50. The Gardens of Eden, with their doors wide-open for them.
51. Relaxing therein, and calling for abundant fruit and beverage.
52. With them will be attendants with modest gaze, of same age.
53. This is what you are promised for the Day of Account.
54. Such is Our bounty, inexhaustible.
Here's the commentary for this morning.Ahla-h∂ may mean either his people or his family. The giving of ahl to him means that he met them again. The addition of the like of them with them shows that his followers are meant here. As I have already stated, there is a prophetical reference to the Prophet’s Flight in Job’s journey, and the Prophet again met not only his followers who fled from Makkah, but found also the like of them at Madßnah, i.e., the An©år of Madßnah.
I make a departure here from the ordinary rendering of these words which are translated thus: “Take in thy hand a branch and smite therewith and break not the oath”. To explain these words, a story is added that Job had taken an oath to give a hundred stripes to his wife on account of her impatience in his affliction, but that he was commanded to keep the oath by striking her with a bundle of twigs. This story has no basis. Even if we adopt this significance, the meaning would be that Job was commanded to be lenient in his dealing with his enemies when he ultimately vanquished them, like a man who instead of using the sword used a bundle of twigs to punish his enemies. But the word ˙ighth means a handful of twigs or shrubs as also a handful of worldly goods, and the words åkhidh al-˙ighth, occurring in a √adßth, are explained by T as meaning he who obtains somewhat of worldly goods . About the word ˙arb, it has already been noted that it carries a number of significances. There are reasons to think that Job was a rich man, and hence I think he is here told not to be inclined too much to the attainment of worldly riches. They are only needed to the extent of enabling a man to earn goodness thereby.
For the modest in gaze. Here, in addition, they are called atråb or equals in age, as showing that their growth begins with the growth of spiritual life in man, thus showing that they are the fruits of good deeds, whether done by males or females, who would all have these fruits equally.
So when Job's wife had problems.... they came in a big bundle. I get it... rather than striping her with a switch 100 times.... her sorrow was 100 switches just once. In other words.... all of Job's wife's problems happened together all at once. She lost her kids, her wealth, and her life... all at once. That happens a lot these days. Big problems seem to dump all at once. Like sneezing three times... it's just how it works sometimes.I have a problem with these verses. If only the "Children of God" are in Heaven.... who's fetching the food and drink???? Some would say.... how is this Heaven when there are still slaves?
Maybe they aren't slaves.... maybe fetching food and drink for others makes some humans Heavenly Happy! Just as a chef loves to cook and a carpenter loves to sand and polish his projects.... some work makes humans Heavenly Happy. For some.... being able to continue being a chef, carpenter, trainer, teacher, or trashman.... is what they really want to do.
We don't all need more money.... money is nothing more than shiny baubles. We don't all need more crosses to hang around our necks or nail to our walls.... they are just dust collectors.
Some of us only need the memory of Home and Family to give us a smile. Some of us only need to be what we are when we are at our best.
That would make us Heavenly Happy!
