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أَيُّوب

Ayyub: meaning of the name

Boy Hebrew origin Ayyūb

ProphetIn the Quran

Name of the prophet Ayyub (Job), the model of patience in trial

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The word as it is recited in the Quran: Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary, Al-Anbya 21:83.

Ayyub in Islam

A prophet, Ayyub is named four times in the Quran, which makes him the model of patience: “We found him patient. What an excellent servant! He constantly turned to Allah” (38:44). Tried, he called out: “Harm has touched me, and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful”; Allah removed his harm and gave him back his family, and as many again with them (21:83-84).

Meaning of the name Ayyub

Ayyub is the Arabic form of the Hebrew Iyyov (Job), whose meaning is uncertain: “where is the Father?” and “the persecuted one” have been proposed. It is often said to mean “the one who constantly turns back to God”: this links it with the Arabic awwab, the very word the Quran uses of him (38:44), but it is not the etymology of the name. In Turkey, Eyüp is also the Istanbul district where the Companion Abu Ayyub al-Ansari is buried.

In Arabic
أَيُّوب أيوب
Transliteration
Ayyūb
Gender
Boy
Origin
Hebrew

Is Ayyub in the Quran?

Yes: Ayyub is named in the Quran 4 times, in 4 surahs.

وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّى مَسَّنِىَ ٱلضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ ۝٨٣

And [mention] Job, when he called to his Lord, "Indeed, adversity has touched me, and You are the most merciful of the merciful."

Surah Al-Anbya, Verse 83

وَٱذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَآ أَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّى مَسَّنِىَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ بِنُصْبٍ وَعَذَابٍ ۝٤١

And remember Our servant Job, when he called to his Lord, "Indeed, Satan has touched me with hardship and torment."

Surah Sad, Verse 41

إِنَّآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ كَمَآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَعِيسَىٰ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَٰرُونَ وَسُلَيْمَٰنَ وَءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ زَبُورًا ۝١٦٣

Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. And We revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon; and to David We gave the book [of Psalms].

Surah An-Nisa, Verse 163

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥٓ إِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ كُلًّا هَدَيْنَا وَنُوحًا هَدَيْنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِۦ دَاوُۥدَ وَسُلَيْمَٰنَ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُوسُفَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَهَٰرُونَ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ۝٨٤

And We gave to him [i.e., Abraham] Isaac and Jacob - all [of them] We guided. And Noah, We guided before; and among his descendants, David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the doers of good.

Surah Al-An’am, Verse 84

In the hadiths

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 3391

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "While Job was naked, taking a bath, a swarm of gold locusts fell on him and he started collecting them in his garment. His Lord called him, 'O Job! Have I not made you rich enough to need what you see? He said, 'Yes, O Lord! But I cannot dispense with your Blessing."'

بَيْنَمَا أَيُّوبُ يَغْتَسِلُ عُرْيَانًا خَرَّ عَلَيْهِ رِجْلُ جَرَادٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، فَجَعَلَ يَحْثِي فِي ثَوْبِهِ، فَنَادَى رَبُّهُ يَا أَيُّوبُ، أَلَمْ أَكُنْ أَغْنَيْتُكَ عَمَّا تَرَى قَالَ بَلَى يَا رَبِّ، وَلَكِنْ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 6 other versions

Is this name permissible?

No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Ayyub in particular: the general rules of Islam apply.

Read the rules for choosing a name

This page is an aid to reflection, not a fatwa. For a personal case, ask a person of knowledge.

Writing Ayyub in each language

French
Ayoub, Ayyoub, Ayub, Ayoube
English
Ayyub, Ayub, Ayoub, Ayoob
Spanish
Ayub, Ayyub
Turkish
Eyüp, Eyyüp, Eyyup, Eyüb
Arabic
أَيُّوب

Similar names

See also

Tuesday, October 13, 2026 2 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ