Ibn Kathir on Ayyub: The story of the Prophet Ayyub’s vow to strike his wife

Ibn Kathir said: Allah said, “Take in your hand a bundle of grass and strike with it and do not break your oath.” (38:44) The Prophet Job, upon him be peace, was angry with his wife and upset about something she had done, so he swore an oath that if Allah healed him, he would strike her with one hundred blows. When Allah healed him, how could her service of mercy, compassion, and kindness be rewarded with a beating? So Allah showed him a way out, which was to take a bundle of thin grass with one hundred stems and strike her with it once. Thus he fulfilled his oath and avoided breaking his vow. This was the solution and way out for one who had fear of Allah and who turned to Him in repentance.

Source: Tafseer Ibn Kathir 38:44

قال ابن كثير وَقَوْلُهُ وَخُذْ بِيَدِكَ ضِغْثًا فَاضْرِبْ بِهِ وَلَا تَحْنَثْ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَيُّوبَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ كَانَ قَدْ غَضِبَ عَلَى زَوْجَتِهِ وَوَجَدَ عَلَيْهَا فِي أَمْرٍ فَعَلَتْهُ قِيلَ إِنَّهَا بَاعَتْ ضَفِيرَتَهَا بِخُبْزٍ فَأَطْعَمَتْهُ إِيَّاهُ فَلَامَهَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَحَلِفَ إِنْ شَفَاهُ اللَّهُ لَيَضْرِبَنَّهَا مِائَةَ جِلْدَةٍ وَقِيلَ لِغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْأَسْبَابِ فَلَمَّا شَفَاهُ اللَّهُ وَعَافَاهُ مَا كَانَ جَزَاؤُهَا مَعَ هَذِهِ الْخِدْمَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَالرَّحْمَةِ وَالشَّفَقَةِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ أَنْ تُقَابَلَ بِالضَّرْبِ فَأَفْتَاهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ ضِغْثًا وَهُوَ الشِّمْرَاخُ فِيهِ مِائَةُ قَضِيبٍ فَيَضْرِبُهَا بِهِ ضَرْبَةً وَاحِدَةً وَقَدْ بَرَّتْ يَمِينُهُ وَخَرَجَ مِنْ حِنْثِهِ وَوَفَى بِنَذْرِهِ وَهَذَا مِنَ الْفَرَجِ وَالْمَخْرَجِ لِمَنِ اتَّقَى اللَّهَ وَأَنَابَ إِلَيْهِ

38:44 تفسير القرآن العظيم تفسير سورة ص تفسير قوله تعالى واذكر عبدنا أيوب

The Encouragement to follow the Path of Goodness

Ibn Kathir (رحمه الله) wrote in his Tafsir:
Ibn Zayd said:
[فَلاَ اقتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ ]
(But he has not attempted to pass on the path that is steep.) “This means, will he not traverse upon the path which contains salvation and good Then He explains this path by his saying:
[وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ - فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ]
(And what will make you know the path that is steep Freeing a neck, or giving food.)” Imam Ahmad recorded from Sa`id bin Marjanah that he heard Abu Hurayrah saying that the Messenger of Allah said:
«مَنْ أَعْتَقَ رَقَبَةً مُؤمِنَةً أَعْتَقَ اللهُ بِكُلِّ إِرْبٍ أَيْ عُضْوٍ مِنْهَا إِرْبًا مِنْهُ مِنَ النَّارِ حَتْى إِنَّهُ لَيُعْتِقُ بِالْيَدِ الْيَدَ، وَبِالرِّجْلِ الرِّجْلَ، وَبِالْفَرْجِ الْفَرْج»
(Whoever frees a believing slave, Allah will free for