Surah Al-A'raf, Ayah 85
Quran 7:85 · The Heights · Makki · Para 8 · Page 161
وَاِلٰی مَدْیَنَ اَخَاهُمْ شُعَیْبًا ؕ قَالَ یٰقَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللّٰهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِّنْ اِلٰهٍ غَیْرُهٗ ؕ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُمْ بَیِّنَةٌ مِّنْ رَّبِّكُمْ فَاَوْفُوا الْكَیْلَ وَالْمِیْزَانَ وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا النَّاسَ اَشْیَآءَهُمْ وَلَا تُفْسِدُوْا فِی الْاَرْضِ بَعْدَ اِصْلَاحِهَا ؕ ذٰلِكُمْ خَیْرٌ لَّكُمْ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُّؤْمِنِیْنَ ۟ۚ
Transliteration
Wa-ila madyana akhahumshuAAayban qala ya qawmi oAAbudoo Allaha malakum min ilahin ghayruhu qad jaatkum bayyinatunmin rabbikum faawfoo alkayla walmeezana walatabkhasoo annasa ashyaahum walatufsidoo fee al-ardi baAAda islahiha thalikumkhayrun lakum in kuntum mu/mineen
Saheeh International
And to [the people of] Madyan [We sent] their brother Shuʿayb. He said, "O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. So fulfill the measure and weight and do not deprive people of their due and cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. That is better for you, if you should be believers.
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
To the tribe of Midian Allah sent their brother Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him). He said: 'O people! Worship Allah alone for you have no God worthy of worship other than Him. A clear proof from Allah has come to you confirming what I bring to you from your Lord is the truth. Give people their rights, by measuring and weighing things correctly, not short-changing people by saying bad things about their goods, or by cheating them, and do not to cause corruption on earth through disbelief and disobedience after things have been set right through the sending of prophets. All of this is better for you and more beneficial if you are believers, because then you would leave disobedience, and draw close to Allah by doing what He has commanded.'
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
And to (the people of) Madyan, (We sent) their brother Shu'ayb. He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other God but Him. Verily, a clear proof (sign) from your Lord has come unto you; so give full measure and full weight and wrong not men in their things, and do not do mischief on the earth after it has been set in order, that will be better for you, if you are believers (85)
Story of Shu'ayb, upon him be Peace, and the Land of Madyan
Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "They (the people of Madyan) are the descendents of Madyan, son of Midyan, son of Ibrahim. Shu'ayb was the son of Mikil bin Yashjur. And in the Syrian language, his name was Yathrun (Jethro)". I (Ibn Kathir) say, Madyan was the name of the tribe and also a city that is close to Ma'an on route to the Hijaz (from Ash-Sham). Allah said in another Ayah,
وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَاءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ
(And when he arrived at the water (a well) of Madyan he found there a group of men watering (their flocks).)[28:23]
They are also the people of Al-Aykah (the Woods), as we will mention later on, Allah willing, and our trust is in Him.
قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُ
(He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other God but Him") and this is the call of all Messengers,
قَدْ جَاءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ
("Verily, a clear proof (sign) from your Lord has come unto you;") meaning, 'Allah has presented the proof and evidences of the truth of what I brought you.' He then advised them and commanded them to give full measure and full weight and not to wrong men in their dealings, meaning, to refrain from cheating people in buying and selling. They used to treacherously avoid giving full weight and measure. Allah said in other Ayat,
وَيْلٌ لِّلْمُطَفِّفِينَ
(Woe to Al-Mutaffifin (those who give less in measure and weight)...)[83:1] until He said,
لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
(before the Lord of all that exists?)[83:6]. These Ayat contain a stern warning and sure promise that we ask Allah to save us from. Shu'ayb was called 'Speaker of the Prophets', because of his eloquent words and eloquent advice, and Allah stated that Shu'ayb said: