Prophet Yūsuf: Part 3 — Forgiveness, with Ayyūb and Yūnus
Section 18 of 28 · Lives of the Prophets
A Reminder for the Worshippers
And in another ayah, Allah (swt) says:
فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ فَكَشَفْنَا مَا بِهِۦ مِن ضُرٍّ ۖ وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ أَهْلَهُۥ وَمِثْلَهُم مَّعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَـٰبِدِينَ
“So, We answered his prayer and removed whatever pain he had, and gave him (back) his family and the like thereof along with them, as a mercy from Our own Self and as a lesson for the worshippers.” (21:84)
Notice this. Allah (swt) says: so We answered his call, and We removed his distress, and We restored his family to him, and the like of them along with them, as a mercy from Us — and a reminder for whom? Dhikrā lil-ʿābidīn. Allah is saying that the story of Ayyūb is a reminder for the ʿābidīn, the worshippers of Allah.
Notice the word ʿābidīn. When you worship Allah (swt), you need a great deal of patience, because worshipping Allah (swt) needs commitment, discipline and persistence. It is very easy to go suddenly into an emotional burst — to pray, and read Qur'an, and follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). It is very easy to do that. Sometimes we find people crash into the religion and start practising. But it is not easy to persist and continue with it.
That is why the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: shayyabatnī Hūd — Hūd has turned my hair grey. What is the ayah in Sūrat Hūd?
فَٱسْتَقِمْ كَمَآ أُمِرْتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ وَلَا تَطْغَوْا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
“So, stand firm (on faith) as you have been commanded, as well as those who having repented (from disbelief) have joined you, and do not cross the limits. Surely, He is watchful of what you do.” (11:112)
Allah (swt) says: so stand firm on the straight path, as you have been commanded. Allah (swt) is telling Muhammad (peace be upon him) to hold to the straight path for his whole life, and that is what the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was saying turned his hair grey. Because it is easy to worship Allah (swt) for a few days and nights; but to discipline yourself to do it continuously needs patience. To pray continuously needs patience. To fast needs patience. To pray in jamāʿah needs patience. To make dhikr of Allah (swt) needs patience. That is why Allah (swt) closed the ayat of the story of Ayyūb with this final comment: a reminder for the worshippers — a reminder for those who worship Allah.