Surah Hud, Ayah 88

Shu`ayb's Refutation of His People

He said to them: Do you see O my people, that if I

عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّى

(have a clear evidence from my Lord) meaning, upon clear guidance in that which I am calling to.

وَرَزَقَنِى مِنْهُ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا

(and He has given me a good sustenance from Himself.) It has been said that he meant the prophethood. It has also been said that he meant the lawful provisions. It seems that the verse carries both meanings. Ath-Thawri said,

وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَى مَآ أَنْهَـكُمْ عَنْهُ

(I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you.) meaning, `do not forbid you from something and at the same time I contradict my prohibitions in secret behind your backs, doing what I have forbidden.' This is similar to what Qatadah said concerning Allah's statement,

وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَى مَآ أَنْهَـكُمْ عَنْهُ

(I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you.) "He is saying, `I do not forbid you all from something while I do it myself."'

إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلاَّ الإِصْلَـحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ

(I only desire reform to the best of my power.) This means, "In that which I command and forbid you, I only want to correct your affair as much as I am able."

وَمَا تَوْفِيقِى

(And my guidance cannot come) This means, "In whatever I intend that agrees with the truth."

إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ

(except from Allah, in Him I put my trust) This means in all of my affairs.

وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ

(and unto Him I repent.) meaning; "I return." This has been said by Mujahid and others.

What Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) had said to his people was good counsel based on earnest fellow feeling. But, his people responded to him with a sarcasm that was biting. However, they had done that to a blessed prophet of Sayyidna Shu'aib's class. He heard their caustic comments, yet turned to them with the same empathy and once again tried to make them see the truth. He said: يَا قَوْمِ أَرَ‌أَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّ‌بِّي وَرَ‌زَقَنِي مِنْهُ رِ‌زْقًا حَسَنًا (0 my people, tell me, if I am on a clear path from my Lord and He has provided me from Himself with a good provision, [ should I still leave you unguided?] ) Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) was telling his people that he had been blessed by his Lord in that He gave him good provision for his material life and in that He also gave him the light of revelation and spiritual insight. Now, with these wonderful assets in his hands, how could he ever think of becoming like them, willingly embracing error and injustice, and thus failing to bring the truth home to them?

After that, he said: وَمَا أُرِ‌يدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَىٰ مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ (and I do not want to do in your absence what I prohibit for you). This tells us that the way a preacher of religion conducts his life has a major role in what he preaches. What a preacher does not himself practice produces no effect on others.

Then, he said: إِنْ أُرِ‌يدُ إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ (I want to do nothing but to set things right as far as I can). And since, this effort too was not by his personal choice and volition, he further said: وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلَّا بِاللَّـهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ (And my ability to do things comes from none but Allah. In Him alone I have placed my trust, and to Him alone I turn in humbleness).

Sometimes it happens that people use the word ‘salat’ (prayer) when they actually mean ‘religion.’ Here they had used the word salat because salat is the most prominent and clear sign of religion. (Safwat at-Tafasir). Shu‘ayb’s community claimed to be religious. They used to say their prayers also. But they had associated shirk (ascribing partners to God) with their religion and prayers, and in its name had allowed foul play in their transactions. Shu‘ayb urged them to be true worshippers of God and to adhere to fair play in their dealings and said that if there is polytheism along with religion and there is foul play in transactions along with prayers, then such religion and such prayer have no value in the eyes of God. Such talk was likely to expose the false pretensions of the community about their piety. Their stand—that they were religious in spite of their wrongdoing—was adversely affected by this. Being already acclaimed as ‘worshippers’, they became irritated and said, ‘Are you the only worshipper of God? Were the holy great ones whose ways we have adopted ignorant? Doesn’t anybody else except you know what prayer is and what its requirements are? Perhaps you think that you are the only wise and righteous person in the whole world!’ In the eyes of Shu‘ayb’s community, only those who had become great by virtue of long-standing tradition, or who occupied seats of high status appeared to be truly great. That is why they had the courage to taunt Shu‘ayb in this manner.