Tomb of Prophet Ayyub (Job)

The Maqam Ayyub in Hillah, Iraq, on the Shatt al-Hillah branch of the Euphrates, is venerated as the burial place of the Prophet Ayyub, the Job of the Hebrew Bible, revered in Islam for his steadfast patience through the loss of his health, wealth, and family. The shrine complex, whose present structure dates largely to the 16th century, has been damaged and rebuilt more than once in its history, including during the Mongol invasions of the 13th century and again amid the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. It centers on a mausoleum with a golden dome and tilework, alongside a mosque and library built around a courtyard. Pilgrims visit not only the tomb itself but also an adjoining well, traditionally the spring where Ayyub is said to have washed and been healed of his afflictions. Iraq is not the only place that claims to hold Ayyub's grave: rival traditional tomb sites exist in Salalah, Oman; As-Salt, Jordan; and Niha, Lebanon, along with a site in Bukhara, Uzbekistan associated with a well he is said to have struck from the ground, reflecting how widely his story of patience under trial resonates across the Muslim world.

Photographs

The holy shrine of Prophet Ayyub (Job) in Hillah, Iraq.

Photo dedicated to the public domain (CC0) by Qadri Shazly, via Wikimedia Commons