JOB

[HOPE]

Peace,

"The book of Job is my favorite in the O.T. All the people and things that Job is personally attached to are taken from him, one by one, including at last, his pride. He finally abandons even his pious faith in God's justice.

He accuses God of unfairness.

Now, he is truly naked in the universe. Now, he has NO sense of certainty.

Then comes The Great Speech. God's voice, with a resonance more vast than all of space and time, fills Job's explosively expanding awareness:

WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I LAID THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE MOUNTAINS? WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I FILLED THE SEAS?

Then Job sees. And we readers see: There is no existence, and nowhere to exist, until God says to us and to our world: "BE!"

Job, and we readers, finally see our infinite dependence on The Mystery that is infinitely un-dependent. We see that The Mystery is the source and sustenance of our every breath and notion.

If we want, it is because God has said to our want: Be. If our want is answered, it is because God has said to the answering condition: BE. We have only what we're given.

And our reaction to what's given; that too, is given. If we are bitter, or if we are graciously grateful; that is ultimately God's decision.

God is nothing but generous. We are given our existence for one reason alone: so that there might be someone to receive God's generosity.

When Job sees this.... when Job and we readers are "given" to see this; then there is NO possibility of bitterness and ingratitude.

When this is seen, our awareness becomes awe-full. We are filled with awe and gratitude.

By realizing God as The Creating and Sustaining Mystery, the gift of life in this world becomes truly a gift. The depth of the gift of life is not seen while we feel we "own" it. So long as we feel we "own" life, it is hardly appreciated. Only when it is seen in its stark nakedness does it become a true gift.

Our life is The Gift of "being" within The One and Only Being Who Is Resonant as The One and Only Actual Reality.

Once this is clearly seen, no complaint and no fear can survive. God, The One Alone, The One Infinite in Generosity, The One Infinite in Goodness simply IS. God, Eternally and Unfailingly, IS.

Everything that is brought into being, is brought in generosity and mercy. Nothing can be wrong. There are no errors.

Perfection Alone Exists. It is From God that we have come to be. it is by God that we are sustained. And, It is God into Whom we will dissolve.

All is God!!!!!

All is good!!!!

9/11/13fp "  by  Frank Parmir

[Sardar Miyan]

Salam Sister It is very nice post but I could not understand as to who is "Job"?  Thanks for sharing

[HOPE]

Peace brother,

JOB and Prophet Ayub is the same character.

[Sardar Miyan]

Thanks What we have to learn from Hazrat Ayub is his patience in long illness which is why we tell that "Sabr -e-Ayubi"is best virtue to follow because nobody on earth has shown such patience in long illness.Only his wife has been taking care of him.Finally Allah has shown mercy and he was recovered from long & painful disease.May Allah give us all patience in bad days.

[HOPE]

Peace,

You are correct,  he was not broken by adversity and it wasn't just illness.  God gave him wealth then took it away; gave him children and took them away, too when his house crashed in the storm.  He acknowledges that God gives and God takes away.  We see him in the Quran still content and praising God.  His wife also passed the trial.  Not many wives would stick with the husbands to the end under all these unfavorable circumstances.

OT's emphasis of JOB's story is a little different.  In that story satan is involved and challenges God by proposing that if Job was faced with a calamity, he would not remain so pious but would curse God. "Naked I came out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return: Lord has given, and Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."says Job thus  satan is defeated in his challenge.

[Ismail]

Salaam.

Job has been mentioned in the following places in Al Qur’an:

(1)    “… We sent inspiration to Abraham … Job …” (4:163)

(2)    “… We guided Noah, and among his progeny … Job …” (6:84)

(3)    “And (remember) Job, when he cried to his Lord: ‘Truly, distress has seized me, but You are the Most Merciful of those that are merciful’
“So We listened to him: We removed the distress that was on him, and We restored his people to him, and doubled their number, as grace from Ourselves, and a thing for commemoration, for all who serve Us.” (21:83-84)

(4)    “Commemorate Our servant Job, behold he cried to his Lord: ‘Satan has afflicted me with distress and suffering!’
“Strike with your foot: Here is (water) wherein to wash, cool and refreshing, and (water) to drink.
“And We gave him (back) his people, and doubled their numbers, - as grace from Us, and a thing for commemoration, for all who have understanding.
“’And take in your hand a little grass, and strike therewith’: Truly We found him full of patience and constancy. How excellent is the servant! Ever did he turn (to Us)!” (38:41:44)

Particulars regarding Job relevant to Al Qur’an are dealt with. No more. No less.

Regards,
A, Ismail Sait.