Then he let out a cry, and they all fell down dead, to the last of them, and their shepherds died. Then Iblis came to Job in the form of the shepherds’ overseer while he was praying, and repeated what he had said before. Job gave him the same answer as before. Then Iblis returned to his companions and said, “What power do you possess? I have not wounded Job’s heart.”

One powerful demon said, “I possess such power that, whenever I wish, I can become a raging wind that sweeps away everything it comes upon.” Iblis said, “Go to the farmers and the fields.” So he set off, and before they realized it, a raging wind arose and swept away everything there, until it was as though it had never existed.

Then Iblis came to Job in the form of the overseer of the fields while he was standing in prayer, and repeated what he had said before. Job gave him the same answer as before. Whenever the destruction of any of his possessions reached him, he praised Allah, extolled Him fittingly, accepted His decree, and resigned himself to patience in the face of the affliction, until he had no wealth left.

When Iblis saw that he had exhausted Job’s wealth, he ascended [to heaven] (1) and said, “My God, Job thinks 19/b that, so long as You allow him to enjoy his children, You will give him wealth. Will You then give me power over his children? For this is the calamity that men’s hearts cannot endure.”

Allah, exalted is He, said, “Go forth, for I have given you power over his children.” So Allah’s enemy swooped down until he came upon Job’s children while they were in their palace. He continued shaking it until it collapsed from its foundations. Then he began battering its walls against one another and hurling timber and stones upon them, until, after inflicting every kind of mutilation upon them, he lifted up the palace and overturned it, leaving them upside down.

He then went to Job in the form of their teacher, who had taught them wisdom and whose name was Jurayj. His face was scratched, and blood and brain matter were flowing from him. He told Job what had happened and said, “Had you seen how your sons were tortured and overturned, left upside down upon their heads with their blood and brains flowing; and had you seen how their bellies were ripped open and their entrails scattered, your heart would have broken.”

He continued saying this and the like until Job was overcome with grief. He wept, took a handful of dust, and placed it upon his head, saying, “Would that my mother had not borne me!” Iblis seized upon this and swiftly ascended, delighted at Job’s anguish.

But Job soon came to himself, realized his error, and sought forgiveness. His angelic companions ascended with his repentance, and his repentance reached Allah first—and He knows best. Iblis then stood abjectly and said, “My God, what made the loss of wealth and children bearable for Job was that he believes that, so long as You allow him to retain his own body, You will restore his wealth and children to him. Will You then give me power over his body?”

Allah, glorified and exalted is He, said, “Go forth, for I have given you power over his body; but you shall have no authority over his tongue or his heart.” Allah, glorified and exalted is He, knew him best, and He granted Iblis power over him only as a mercy to him: to magnify his reward and make him an example for the patient, and a reminder for worshippers in every affliction that befalls them, so that they might follow his example in patience and hope for reward.

Then Allah’s enemy swooped down swiftly and found Job prostrating. Before he could raise his head, Iblis hastened toward him from the front and blew into his nostril a blast by which [his whole] body (2) became inflamed. From the crown of his head to his feet, warts emerged like fat tails