The Story of Shuʿayb (peace be upon him)

Allah chose Shuʿayb as a prophet and sent him to the people of Midian. Along with their idolatry they were guilty of short-changing in measure and weight, cheating in business, and diminishing people’s rights. Shuʿayb therefore called them to the worship of Allah alone, forbade them from associating partners with Him, commanded them to act justly in their transactions, restrained them from defrauding others, reminded them of the bounty and varied provisions Allah had poured upon them, and showed them that they had no need to wrong anyone for material gain. He also warned them of a punishment that might surround them in this world before the Hereafter.

They responded with derision and mockery, saying,

“O Shuʿayb, does your prayer really command you to make us abandon what our fathers worship, or to prevent us from doing with our wealth whatever we please? You are indeed the forbearing, the sensible one” (87) (Hud 87).

In other words: we are firmly set on worshipping what our forefathers worshipped, and just as firmly set on using our wealth in any transaction we wish; we will not submit to the commands of Allah or His messengers.

Shuʿayb answered,

“O my people, consider: what if I stand upon a clear proof from my Lord and He has provided me out of His grace with a goodly provision?” (Hud 88) — that is, Allah has enriched me. “And I do not intend to contradict you by doing what I forbid you from doing”; I have only prohibited you from corrupt dealings and from wronging people, and I myself am the first to refrain from them, even though Allah has bestowed upon me and broadened my means while I too need to trade. Yet I remain bound to obey my Lord. “I desire nothing, in what I do or in what I command you, but reform” — namely, that your religious and worldly affairs be set right — “so far as I am able. My success comes only from Allah; in Him I place my trust, and to Him I turn” (Hud 88).