AL ASHARI SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY

 *Hazrat Shu‘ayb (Peace be upon him)*

“And to Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu‘ayb. He said, ‘O my people, worship Allah alone. You have no deity besides Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. So give full measure and weight, and do not deprive people of their things, and do not cause corruption in the land after its reformation. If you are believers, understand that this is better for you. And do not sit on every path, threatening and averting from the way of Allah those who believe in Him, and seeking to make it deviant. And remember when you were few and He increased you in number. And see what was the end of the corrupters. And if a group among you has believed in my message and a group has not believed, then be patient until Allah judges between us and you. And He is the best of judges.’[seem]

But the chiefs and leaders among his people said, ‘O Shu‘ayb, we will surely drive you out of our city, you and those who have believed with you, or you must return to our religion.’ He said, ‘Even if we detest it? If we were to return to your religion after Allah has saved us from it, we would indeed have fabricated a lie against Allah. And it is not for us to return to it unless Allah, our Lord, should will. Our Lord encompasses all things in knowledge. Upon Allah we have relied. Our Lord, judge between us and our people in truth, and You are the best of those who judge.’

And the chiefs among his people who disbelieved said, ‘O brothers, if you follow Shu‘ayb, indeed you will then be losers.’ So the earthquake seized them, and they became fallen prone in their homes. Those who denied Shu‘ayb — it was as if they had never lived there. In short, those who denied Shu‘ayb were the losers.

Then he turned away from them and said, ‘O my people, I have conveyed to you the messages of my Lord and advised you. So how could I grieve for a disbelieving people over the punishment that befell them?’

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 measure and weight. Indeed, I see you in prosperity, but I fear for you the punishment of an encompassing Day if you do not desist. And O my people, give full measure and weight in justice and do not deprive people of their due and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption. If you believe what I say, then what Allah has given [as profit] is better for you. And I am not a guardian over you.’

They said, ‘O Shu‘ayb, does your prayer command you that we should leave what our fathers worshipped or not do with our wealth what we please? Indeed, you are the forbearing, the discerning!’

He said, ‘O my people, tell me, if I have clear evidence from my Lord and He has provided me good sustenance from Himself — would I then act contrary to Him? And I do not intend to differ from you in that which I have forbidden you. I only intend reform as much as I am able. And my success is only through Allah. Upon Him I have relied, and to Him I turn. And O my people, let not dissension from me cause you to suffer that which struck the people of Noah or the people of Hud or the people of Salih. And the people of Lot are not far from you. And ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is Merciful and Loving.’[your]

They said, ‘O Shu‘ayb, we do not understand much of what you say, and indeed we see you as weak among us. And if not for your family, we would have stoned you; and you are not powerful against us.’

He said, ‘O my people, is my family more honored upon you than Allah? But you put Him behind your backs [in neglect]. Indeed, my Lord encompasses what you do. Soon you will know who will be visited by a disgracing punishment and who is a liar. So wait; indeed, I am with you a waiter.’

And when Our command came, We saved Shu‘ayb and those who believed with him by mercy from Us. And the shriek seized those who had wronged, and they became fallen prone in their homes — as if they had never lived there. So, take heed — the curse upon the people of Madyan is just like the curse upon Thamud.”

_Source: Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, Imam Ibn Kathir_