Islamic Stories

The Fountain of Youth

In the Syrian town of Hawran, lived a man named Ayyub.

He was a Prophet of God.

He had many wives, children, much wealth and was very handsome.

He had a thousand each of sheep, camels, goats, horses etc.

And he had many families working for him on his land.

He was an extremely generous and would always help his townsfolk.

Shaytan became jealous of Ayyub (on him be peace) as he was jealous of Adam (on him be peace) so he went to the townsfolk and told them that Ayyub (on him be peace) was only noble because of his wealth.

Allah decided to test Ayyub (on him be peace) to prove his faith, so one day, whilst Ayyub was praying he heard a scream from the fields and a servant came running to him, warning him of the townsfolk's anger.

The townsfolk had stolen his crops.

Then after that when Ayyub (on him be peace) was praying on a different occasion, lightning struck the fields and all the rest of the crops were burnt away.

Next whilst Ayyub's children were eating, the hut they were in collapsed on them, and they all died. He also lost all of his wives.

Finally, Allah tested Ayyub (on him be peace) by sending into him many diseases, extreme stomach pain so he could not eat, his teeth began falling out, leprosy began forming in his skin, arthritis, severe eczema.

He even lost his handsome face. At this point no one would go near him as even his body began to smell so bad.

Ayyub (on him be peace), despite his suffering decided to be patient as he knew this was a test so he planned to wait it out. He did not ask Allah for anything he just waited. He said he was too shy to ask Allah (swt) as soon as struggle began because he had been blessed for so many years.

During this waiting time, Allah had given him a helper, a righteous woman as his wife.

Now the Shaytan has been disproven, Ayyub (on him be peace) was still holding onto his faith in Allah. Instead, he went to the people and told them, Ayyub (on him be peace) must sinned so something very bad to be punished so harshly by Allah.

And as townsfolk do, they begin to agree and gossip. They turned on Ayyub (on him be peace) once more and kicked him out of the town as in case his presence brought Allah's wrath upon them.

Then Ayyub (on him be peace) and his wife lived alone in the desert, losing everything.

As Ayyub (on him be peace) was unable to move around by himself, his wife instead began to work. For 18 years she would go around and work for other people in order to care for Ayyub (on him be peace).

Then when no one wanted to hire her anymore, she began cutting her hair and selling it in order to buy food for herself and Ayyub (on him be peace).

This disheartened Ayyub (on him be peace) and after 18 years he made dua and simply said "Oh Allah, I have been afflicted with harm, and you are the most Merciful of those who have mercy."

He did not ask him for anything.

After that dua, instantly, an angel was sent down to him giving him praises from Allah, he instructed Ayyub (on him be peace) to hit the ground with his leg.

Then a spring appeared from the ground and then Ayyub (on him be peace) was instructed to wash his body with the water and drink the water.

Then his health and handsomeness was returned to him.

It was so quick that when he wife returned she did not recognise him at all believing he was some else.

Ayyub (on him be peace) instructed her to also drink from the water and her youth was restored to her.

Then in front their eyes Allah resurrected their family from the death and Allah doubled his children, so he had more than he'd had before.

His wealth was returned to him and then some. Allah sent down clouds that rained down gold and silver over them.

All that because of one dua.

Perhaps this is where the legend of the fountain of youth stems from.