We sent to Midian their brother Shu'aib. He said: "O my people, worship God; you have no other god but He. So do not give in short measure nor underweigh. I see you are prosperous, but I fear the doom of an overwhelming Day for you.
And to Madyan their fellow man Shuaib; he said, “O my people! Worship Allah – there is no other True God except Him; and do not make reductions in measure and weight – indeed I see you prosperous, and I fear the punishment of the Besieging Day (of Resurrection) upon you.”
And to Midian their brother Shuaib; he said, 'O my people, serve God! You have no god other than He. And diminish not the measure and the balance. I see you are prospering; and I fear for you the chastisement of an encompassing day.
AND UNTO [the people of] Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb. He said: "O my people! Worship God [alone]: you have no deity other than Him; and do not give short measure and weight [in any of your dealings with men]. Behold, I see you [now] in a happy state; but, verily, I dread lest suffering befall you on a Day that will encompass [you with doom]!
And unto Madyan We sent their brother Shu'aib. He said: O my people! worship Allah; there is no god for you but he. And give not short measure and weight. Verily I see you in prosperity, and verily I fear for you the torment of a Day encompassing
And to the Madyan (Midian) people (We sent) their brother Shu'aib. He said: "O my people! Worship Allah, you have no other Ilah (God) but Him, and give not short measure or weight, I see you in prosperity; and verily I fear for you the torment of a Day encompassing.
And to Median, their brother Shuaib. He said, “O my people, worship God; you have no god other than Him. And do not short measure or short weight. I see you in good circumstances, but I fear for you the agony of an encompassing Day.”
And to (the people of) Midian We sent their brother Shu'ayb. He said: 'My people! Serve Allah; you have no god other than Him. And do not diminish the measure and weight. Indeed I see that you are prospering now, but I fear for you the chastisement of an encompassing day in the future.
And to the Madyan people (We sent) their brother Shu`ayb. He said: "O my people! Worship Allah, you have no other god but Him, and give not short measure or weight. I see you in prosperity and verily, I fear for you the torment of a Day encompassing."
And unto Midian (We sent) their brother Shu'eyb. He said: O my people! Serve Allah. Ye have no other Allah save Him! And give not short measure and short weight. Lo! I see you well-to-do, and lo! I fear for you the doom of a besetting Day.
And to Midian [We sent] Shu‘ayb, their brother. He said, ‘O my people! Worship Allah. You have no other god besides Him. Do not diminish the measure or the balance. Indeed I see that you are faring well, but I fear for you the punishment of an all-embracing day.’
And to Midian, (We sent) their brother Shu'aib. He said: 'My nation, worship Allah; you have no god except He. Do not reduce the measure nor the scale. I see you are prosperous, and fear the punishment of an encompassing day for you.
And to Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb. He said, "O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. And do not decrease from the measure and the scale. Indeed, I see you in prosperity, but indeed, I fear for you the punishment of an all-encompassing Day.
To the people of Midian We sent their brother Shu'ayb who told them, "My people, worship God; He is your only Lord. Do not be dishonest in your weighing and measuring. I can see you are safe and prosperous, but I am afraid for you of the overwhelming torment of the (appointed) day.
And to Madyan (We sent) their brother Shu'aib. He said: O my people! serve Allah, you have no god other than He, and do not give short measure and weight: surely I see you in prosperity and surely I fear for you the punishment of an all-encompassing day.
Wail<u>a</u> madyana akh<u>a</u>hum shuAAayban q<u>a</u>la y<u>a</u> qawmi oAAbudoo All<u>a</u>ha m<u>a</u> lakum min il<u>a</u>hin ghayruhu wal<u>a</u> tanqu<u>s</u>oo almiky<u>a</u>la wa<b>a</b>lmeez<u>a</u>na innee ar<u>a</u>kum bikhayrin wainnee akh<u>a</u>fu AAalaykum AAa<u>tha</u>ba yawmin mu<u>h</u>ee<u>t</u><b>in</b>
To the people of Midian, We sent their brother Shu'ayb. He said, "My people, worship God. You have no deity other than Him. Do not give short measure and short weight. I see you are prospering. I fear for you the punishment of a fateful Day.
To the Madyan People (We sent) Shu'aib, one of their own brethren: he said: "O my people! worship Allah: Ye have no other god but Him. And give not short measure or weight: I see you in prosperity, but I fear for you the penalty of a day that will compass (you) all round.
وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ وَلَا تَنقُصُوا۟ ٱلْمِكْيَالَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰكُم بِخَيْرٍ وَإِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ مُّحِيطٍ
We sent to Madyan their brother, Shu’ayb, who said: O my people, worship Allah alone. You have no other god that deserves to be worshipped besides Him. Do not give people less in the measure of volume and weight when you deal with them. I see you in prosperity and with blessings, so do not change Allah’s favour to you by committing sins. I fear for you the punishment of an encompassing day that will reach every one of you and from which you will not find any place to run to or seek refuge in.
We sent to Madyan their brother, Shu’ayb, who said: O my people, worship Allah alone. You have no other god that deserves to be worshipped besides Him. Do not give people less in the measure of volume and weight when you deal with them. I see you in prosperity and with blessings, so do not change Allah’s favour to you by committing sins. I fear for you the punishment of an encompassing day that will reach every one of you and from which you will not find any place to run to or seek refuge in.
<p>Commentary</p><p>An account of Sayyidna Shu'aib and his people appears in the verses cited above. Besides being kafirs and mushriks, his people used to give less in weights and measures. Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) carried his call to them, told them not to give less in weights and measures, and warned them of Divine punishment if they persisted with this way of life. But, they did persist with their denial and contumacy and, as a consequence, all those people were destroyed through a severe punishment, details of which appear as follows.</p><p>In the first verse (84), it was said: وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا (And to Madyan [ We sent ] their brother, Shu'aib Madyan was actually the name of a town settled by Madyan ibn Ibrahim. Its present location has been given as ` Ma` an' in Jordan. The people of this town are also called Madyan. Therefore, by calling Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) ` brother of Madyan,' it was hinted that Allah Ta` ala sent His messenger to those people from among them so that they feel familiar and find it easier to accept his teachings.</p><p>Then, it was said:</p><p>قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّـهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُ‌هُ ۖ وَلَا تَنقُصُوا الْمِكْيَالَ وَالْمِيزَانَ</p><p>0 my people, worship Allah. You have no god other than Him.</p><p>And do not lessen the measure and the weight.</p><p>Here, Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) has invited his people to believe in the Oneness of Allah (Tauhid) because they were Mushriks, those who associated partners in the divinity of Allah. They worshipped trees. That has been pointed to through the use of the word: الایکہ (al-'aikah: trees) in the Holy Qur'an and it is in this respect that the people of Madyan have also been given the sobriquet of اَصحَاب الاَیکہ (ashabu al--aikah: the people of aikah - 15:78, 26:176, 38:13, 50:14). Along with this kufr and shirk, they were also involved in the grave sin of cheating in commercial transactions when they would weigh short and give less in measure and thus deprive people of what was to come to them as their right. Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) told them not to do that.</p><p>Special Note</p><p>Here, it is useful to keep in mind that kufr and shirk are the roots of all sins. People soaked in these are usually the first to be invited to believe. Faith comes before consideration could be given to matters like social transactions and individual deeds. Whether they have deliverance in the present world or would deserve punishment are things that too are decided on the basis of this faith or denial. All events related to past prophets and their peoples mentioned in the Qur'an bear witness to this mode of action - with the exception of two communities. Punishment came upon them because of their disbelief as well as due to their evil deeds. The people of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) were one of them upon whom, as mentioned earlier, their entire habitation was overturned. It has been stated that their evil practice was the reason for it. The people of Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) were the other one. They were punished because of their kufr and shirk as well as because of their habit of weighing less and measuring short.</p><p>This tells us that both these things are most hated and grave, more than any other sin. Obviously, the reason is that they bring serious loss upon the entire human race leaving the world populated by it in a disorder of ominous proportions.</p><p>Turning to the verses cited above, we see that Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) has used his prophetic compassion to make his people stop their evil practice of giving short measure and less weight. The words he has used to say that are eloquent: إِنِّي أَرَ‌اكُم بِخَيْرٍ‌ وَإِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ مُّحِيطٍ (I see you quite well off, and I fear for you the punishment of an encircling day - 84). It means that Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) found them living comfortably. There were not poor, hungry and financially straitened which could be one of the reasons why they had to take recourse to such a cursed practice. Now that they were already blessed by Allah Ta` ala, it required that they should not subject His creation to injustice. Not leaving it at that, they were also told that, in the event they did not listen to their prophet and did not stop this evil practice, he apprehended that Divine punishment might encircle them. This punishment could mean the punishment of the Hereafter, and the punishment of the present world too. Then, the punishments due to come in this world may be of different kinds. The lowest punishment could be that they might lose the prosperity they had, or they may fall victims to famines and price hikes, as said by the Holy Prophet ﷺ `</p><p>When a people start lessening weights and measures, Allah Ta` ala makes them suffer from the punishment of famine and price hikes.'</p>
CommentaryAn account of Sayyidna Shu'aib and his people appears in the verses cited above. Besides being kafirs and mushriks, his people used to give less in weights and measures. Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) carried his call to them, told them not to give less in weights and measures, and warned them of Divine punishment if they persisted with this way of life. But, they did persist with their denial and contumacy and, as a consequence, all those people were destroyed through a severe punishment, details of which appear as follows.In the first verse (84), it was said: وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا (And to Madyan [ We sent ] their brother, Shu'aib Madyan was actually the name of a town settled by Madyan ibn Ibrahim. Its present location has been given as ` Ma` an' in Jordan. The people of this town are also called Madyan. Therefore, by calling Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) ` brother of Madyan,' it was hinted that Allah Ta` ala sent His messenger to those people from among them so that they feel familiar and find it easier to accept his teachings.Then, it was said:قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّـهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُ‌هُ ۖ وَلَا تَنقُصُوا الْمِكْيَالَ وَالْمِيزَانَ0 my people, worship Allah. You have no god other than Him.And do not lessen the measure and the weight.Here, Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) has invited his people to believe in the Oneness of Allah (Tauhid) because they were Mushriks, those who associated partners in the divinity of Allah. They worshipped trees. That has been pointed to through the use of the word: الایکہ (al-'aikah: trees) in the Holy Qur'an and it is in this respect that the people of Madyan have also been given the sobriquet of اَصحَاب الاَیکہ (ashabu al--aikah: the people of aikah - 15:78, 26:176, 38:13, 50:14). Along with this kufr and shirk, they were also involved in the grave sin of cheating in commercial transactions when they would weigh short and give less in measure and thus deprive people of what was to come to them as their right. Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) told them not to do that.Special NoteHere, it is useful to keep in mind that kufr and shirk are the roots of all sins. People soaked in these are usually the first to be invited to believe. Faith comes before consideration could be given to matters like social transactions and individual deeds. Whether they have deliverance in the present world or would deserve punishment are things that too are decided on the basis of this faith or denial. All events related to past prophets and their peoples mentioned in the Qur'an bear witness to this mode of action - with the exception of two communities. Punishment came upon them because of their disbelief as well as due to their evil deeds. The people of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) were one of them upon whom, as mentioned earlier, their entire habitation was overturned. It has been stated that their evil practice was the reason for it. The people of Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) were the other one. They were punished because of their kufr and shirk as well as because of their habit of weighing less and measuring short.This tells us that both these things are most hated and grave, more than any other sin. Obviously, the reason is that they bring serious loss upon the entire human race leaving the world populated by it in a disorder of ominous proportions.Turning to the verses cited above, we see that Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) has used his prophetic compassion to make his people stop their evil practice of giving short measure and less weight. The words he has used to say that are eloquent: إِنِّي أَرَ‌اكُم بِخَيْرٍ‌ وَإِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ مُّحِيطٍ (I see you quite well off, and I fear for you the punishment of an encircling day - 84). It means that Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) found them living comfortably. There were not poor, hungry and financially straitened which could be one of the reasons why they had to take recourse to such a cursed practice. Now that they were already blessed by Allah Ta` ala, it required that they should not subject His creation to injustice. Not leaving it at that, they were also told that, in the event they did not listen to their prophet and did not stop this evil practice, he apprehended that Divine punishment might encircle them. This punishment could mean the punishment of the Hereafter, and the punishment of the present world too. Then, the punishments due to come in this world may be of different kinds. The lowest punishment could be that they might lose the prosperity they had, or they may fall victims to famines and price hikes, as said by the Holy Prophet ﷺ `When a people start lessening weights and measures, Allah Ta` ala makes them suffer from the punishment of famine and price hikes.'
<h2 class="title">The Story of the People of Madyan and the Call of Shu`ayb</h2><p>Allah, the Exalted, says, `We sent a Messenger to the people of Madyan.' They were a tribe of Arabs who lived between the land of the Al-Hijaz and Ash-Sham, close to the land of Ma`an. Their land was known by the name of their tribe and was thus, called Madyan. Allah sent unto them the Prophet Shu`ayb and he was of the noblest of them in lineage. For this reason, Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا</div><p>(their brother Shu`ayb.) Shu`ayb commanded them to worship Allah alone without associating any partners with him. He also prohibited them from cheating in their weights and measures (for business transactions). </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنِّى أَرَاكُمْ بِخَيْرٍ</div><p>(I see you in prosperity) meaning, `in your livelihood and your provisions. And verily, I fear that you will be deprived of this bounty that you are enjoying by violating Allah's prohibitions.' </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِنِّى أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ مُّحِيطٍ</div><p>(and verily, I fear for you the torment of a Day encompassing.) This means the abode of the Hereafter. </p>
The Story of the People of Madyan and the Call of Shu`aybAllah, the Exalted, says, `We sent a Messenger to the people of Madyan.' They were a tribe of Arabs who lived between the land of the Al-Hijaz and Ash-Sham, close to the land of Ma`an. Their land was known by the name of their tribe and was thus, called Madyan. Allah sent unto them the Prophet Shu`ayb and he was of the noblest of them in lineage. For this reason, Allah said, أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا(their brother Shu`ayb.) Shu`ayb commanded them to worship Allah alone without associating any partners with him. He also prohibited them from cheating in their weights and measures (for business transactions). إِنِّى أَرَاكُمْ بِخَيْرٍ(I see you in prosperity) meaning, `in your livelihood and your provisions. And verily, I fear that you will be deprived of this bounty that you are enjoying by violating Allah's prohibitions.' وَإِنِّى أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ مُّحِيطٍ(and verily, I fear for you the torment of a Day encompassing.) This means the abode of the Hereafter. 