In the Bible, Job suffers to test his faith, debates God’s justice, and learns divine sovereignty.
Job 1:8–12: And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
Job 3:20–21: “Why is light given to him who is in misery,
and life to the bitter in soul,
who long for death, but it comes not,
and dig for it more than for hidden treasuresJob 38:1–3: Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Dress for action like a man;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.
In the Quran, Job (Ayyūb) prays amid suffering, is healed and restored. The Quranic account is much briefer and less detailed than the Book of Job. It also adds in some additional elements at the end of the suffering that are not mentioned in the Bible so adding to God’s Word.
Surah 21:83–84: And ˹remember˺ Job, when he cried out to his Lord, “I have been touched with adversity, and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful.”
So We answered his prayer and removed his adversity, and We gave him back his family, twice as many, as a mercy from Us and a lesson for the devoted worshippers.Surah 38:41–44
And remember Our servant Job, when he cried out to his Lord, “Satan has afflicted me with distress and suffering.”
˹So˺ We instructed him, “Stamp your foot: here is a cool and refreshing spring for washing and drinking.”
We also gave him back his family, twice as many, as a mercy from Us and a lesson for people of reason.
˹We said to him,˺ “Take in your hand a bundle of grass, and strike with it, and do not break your oath.” We truly found him patient. What an excellent servant! He was truly devoted to Us.
The Quran simplifies Job’s ordeal into a moral of patience, omitting theological dialogue.
The role of Satan in suffering is largely overlooked. The removal of the debates with Job's friends and the subsequent divine response removes the explicit condemnation of their shallow theology (the idea that all suffering is punishment from God).
Job’s unwavering, perfect patience and his struggle and lament is only found in the Bible.
There are clear errors in the Quran adding these strange stories at the end.