Stories of the Prophets | Episode (17) | The story of Shuaib, peace be upon him

0:00 Stories of the Prophets.

0:02 Stories of the Prophets,

0:05 peace be upon them.

0:07 Blessings of Allah,

0:09 followed by

0:11 peace,

0:13 upon the best of creation,

0:15 all of them.

0:17 Possessors of firm resolve,

0:20 their station

0:22 is exalted.

0:24 The Story of Shu'ayb,

0:26 peace be upon him.

0:28 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

0:32 Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

0:35 And peace and blessings

0:37 be upon our Prophet Muhammad,

0:39 and upon his family and companions,

0:41 all of them.

0:43 To proceed:

0:45 In the land of Ma'an,

0:47 in the territory of Jordan,

0:49 near the villages of the people of

0:51 Allah's Prophet Lot, peace be upon him,

0:53 there lived the people of

0:55 Madyan.

0:57 They were a people for whom Allah had expanded

0:59 their livelihood

1:01 and provisions,

1:03 and rectified their affairs.

1:05 They were people of trade

1:07 and agriculture,

1:09 enjoying wealth and abundance.

1:11 However, they were not grateful for Allah's favor

1:13 upon them;

1:15 rather, they disbelieved in it

1:17 and worshipped the Forest (al-Aykah) besides Allah.

1:19 It was a massive tree

1:21 surrounded by many

1:23 idols.

1:25 They used to prostrate to it

1:27 and ask of it instead of Allah.

1:29 In addition to that,

1:31 they used to cut off

1:33 the road for people

1:35 and harm them in their trade.

1:37 That was done

1:39 by taking their money, or parts of it,

1:41 through illegal customs tolls.

1:43 Whenever a man passed by them

1:45 with merchandise,

1:47 they would tell him: "You will not pass

1:49 by us until you pay us

1:51 a portion of your wealth."

1:53 Thus they would extort a tenth from him.

1:55 Furthermore, they used to defraud

1:57 in measures and weights.

1:59 If the measurement was for them,

2:01 they took more than their rightful due,

2:03 but if it was

2:05 owed by them, they defrauded people

2:07 of their due.

2:10 Above all this,

2:12 they committed ravages in the land,

2:14 spreading all forms of

2:16 corruption.

2:18 They used to sit along the pathways,

2:20 diverting people from the path of Allah.

2:22 So Allah sent

2:25 a righteous man to them

2:27 from among themselves,

2:29 whom they knew well, knowing his truthfulness,

2:31 trustworthiness, righteousness,

2:33 and integrity.

2:35 His name was Shu'ayb.

2:37 He was eloquent in speech,

2:39 persuasive in argument,

2:41 and clear in exposition,

2:43 so much so that he came to be known as

2:45 the Orator of the Prophets.

2:47 Allah granted him a sign,

2:49 a clear miracle indicating

2:51 his truthfulness and message.

2:54 Shu'ayb, peace be upon him, began

2:56 undertaking his mission to warn his people.

2:58 He called them,

3:00 first and foremost, to the worship of Allah

3:02 alone, without any partner—

3:04 as was the call of all

3:06 the prophets before and after him.

3:08 He also forbade them

3:10 from harming creation

3:12 and warned them against committing

3:14 evils.

3:16 He employed various

3:18 methods and approaches with them

3:20 to save them from Allah's punishment

3:22 and wrath.

3:24 He spoke softly to them,

3:26 encouraging them to seek Allah's mercy

3:28 and pleasure.

3:30 At other times,

3:32 he warned them of Allah's punishment and vengeance

3:34 so that they might take heed,

3:36 lest their fate become

3:38 like the fate of earlier nations.

3:40 He reminded them that

3:42 the people of Lot were not far

3:44 from them,

3:46 neither in terms of time

3:48 nor in terms of place,

3:50 so they had in them a lesson to learn.

3:52 There responded to Allah's prophet,

3:56 Shu'ayb, peace be upon him,

3:58 only a few of them.

4:00 As for the majority,

4:02 they obstinately refused the call of

4:04 their prophet.

4:06 They said to him by way of

4:08 sarcasm and mockery:

4:10 "O Shu'ayb!

4:12 Does your prayer, which you perform

4:14 and maintain regularly,

4:16 command you that we abandon the worship of

4:18 what our forefathers worshipped,

4:20 such as this Forest and the idols around it,

4:22 or that we stop doing

4:24 with our wealth whatever we please,

4:26 and growing it however

4:28 we wish?

4:30 Indeed, you are truly the forbearing,

4:32 the right-minded one!"

4:34 They said this mockingly.

4:36 So Shu'ayb, peace be upon him, answered them,

4:39 saying:

4:41 "O my people,

4:43 tell me:

4:45 if I stand upon clear proof

4:47 from my Lord,

4:49 and insight from Him,

4:51 and He has provided me with a goodly provision—

4:53 among which is prophethood—

4:55 what will be your fate

4:57 if you deny me and disobey

4:59 my command?

5:01 O my people,

5:03 I do not wish to forbid you from a thing

5:05 while doing it myself.

5:07 For I do not take the wealth of

5:09 people unjustly.

5:11 I desire nothing but

5:13 your reform as far as I am able.

5:15 And my success comes

5:17 from none but Allah,

5:19 glorified be He.

5:21 Upon Him alone I rely in all

5:23 my affairs.

5:25 Nor do I ask you for my message

5:27 any payment or wealth;

5:29 my reward is only from Allah,

5:31 Lord of the worlds."

5:33 Allah Almighty said:

5:35 ◁ And to Madyan We sent

5:38 their brother Shu'ayb.

5:40 He said, "O my people,

5:42 worship Allah;

5:44 you have no deity

5:46 other than Him.

5:48 Do not decrease the measure

5:50 and the weight.

5:52 Indeed, I see you

5:54 in prosperity,

5:56 but indeed, I fear

5:58 for you

6:00 the punishment of an encompassing day." ▷

6:02 ◁ "And O

6:04 my people, give full measure

6:06 and weight in justice,

6:08 and do not deprive

6:10 people of their due things,

6:12 and do not commit abuse on the earth,

6:14 spreading corruption." ▷

6:16 ◁ "What remains with Allah

6:18 is better for you,

6:20 if you are

6:22 believers.

6:24 And I am not over you

6:26 a guardian." ▷

6:28 ◁ They said, "O Shu'ayb,

6:30 does your prayer

6:32 command you that we abandon

6:34 what our fathers

6:36 worshipped,

6:38 or that we refrain from doing

6:40 with our wealth

6:42 what we please?

6:44 Indeed, you are ▷

6:46 ◁ the forbearing,

6:48 "whatever we wish.

6:50 You are indeed

6:52 the forbearing, the right-minded!"

6:56 He said, "O my people,

6:58 have you considered: if I am

7:00 upon clear proof

7:02 from my Lord,

7:04 and He has provided me

7:06 with a good provision from Himself?

7:08 And I do not

7:10 desire to differ from you

7:12 in that which I forbid you.

7:14 I desire not

7:16 except reform

7:18 as far as I am able.

7:20 And my success is not

7:22 except through Allah.

7:24 Upon Him I have relied,

7:26 and unto Him I turn."

7:31 Shu'ayb, peace be upon him, continued

7:33 in calling his people to Allah.

7:35 But when the time grew long

7:37 for them,

7:39 they turned completely against him,

7:41 and their attitude toward him shifted

7:43 from mockery and ridicule

7:45 to threats and intimidation.

7:47 They accused him of being

7:49 one of the bewitched,

7:51 claiming that he caused division

7:53 among them through sorcery,

7:55 and they charged him with lying.

7:57 Then they threatened him with expulsion,

7:59 along with those who believed with him,

8:01 unless they returned to their religion—

8:03 that they should join them once more

8:05 in their creed and way of life.

8:07 Shu'ayb said to them,

8:09 replying on behalf of himself

8:11 and those with him:

8:13 "We would indeed have invented

8:15 against Allah a lie

8:17 if we returned to your creed

8:19 after Allah has delivered us from it.

8:21 And it is not for us

8:23 to return to your creed

8:25 unless Allah wills,

8:27 our Lord.

8:29 His knowledge encompasses all things,

8:31 and He is our Guardian

8:33 and the One upon whom we rely.

8:35 We disavow our own strength

8:37 and invoke His power and strength,

8:39 seeking refuge in Him

8:41 lest He cause our hearts to swerve

8:43 after He has guided us."

8:46 Allah Almighty said:

8:48 ◁ The eminent ones who ▷

8:50 ◁ were arrogant ▷

8:52 ◁ among his people said, ▷

8:54 ◁ "We will surely evict you, ▷

8:56 ◁ O Shu'ayb, ▷

8:58 ◁ We will surely evict you, ▷

9:00 ◁ O Shu'ayb, ▷

9:02 ◁ and those who have believed with you, ▷

9:04 ◁ from our city, ▷

9:06 ◁ or you must return ▷

9:08 ◁ or you must return ▷

9:10 ◁ to our religion." ▷

9:12 ◁ He said, ▷

9:14 ◁ "Even if we should be ▷

9:16 ◁ unwilling? ▷

9:18 ◁ We would have invented ▷

9:20 ◁ against Allah a lie ▷

9:22 “We should have invented a lie against Allah if we returned to your religion after Allah hath rescued us from it. It is not for us to return to it unless Allah our Lord should (so) will. Our Lord comprehendeth all things in knowledge. In Allah do we put our trust. Our Lord! Decide with truth between us and our folk, for Thou art the best of those who make decision.” (7:89)

9:24 “We should have invented a lie against Allah if we returned to your religion after Allah hath rescued us from it. It is not for us to return to it unless Allah our Lord should (so) will. Our Lord comprehendeth all things in knowledge. In Allah do we put our trust. Our Lord! Decide with truth between us and our folk, for Thou art the best of those who make decision.” (7:89)

9:26 ◁ after ▷

9:28 ◁ Allah had saved us ▷

9:30 ◁ from it. ▷

9:32 ◁ And it is not for us ▷

9:34 ◁ to return to it ▷

9:36 ◁ except that ▷

9:38 ◁ should will ▷

9:40 ◁ Allah, our Lord. ▷

9:42 ◁ Our Lord has encompassed ▷

9:44 ◁ all things in knowledge. ▷

9:46 ◁ Upon Allah ▷

9:48 ◁ we have relied. ▷

9:50 ◁ Our Lord, decide between us ▷

9:52 ◁ and between our people ▷

9:54 ◁ in truth, and You are ▷

9:56 ◁ the best of deciders." ▷

9:58 When

10:01 the people of Madyan grew weary of their prophet,

10:03 Shu'ayb, peace be upon him,

10:05 and became certain that he

10:07 would never cease advising them

10:09 and guiding them,

10:11 which spoiled their drunken stupor of heedlessness,

10:13 they threatened to kill him

10:15 by stoning.

10:17 They said to him,

10:19 “They said: O Shu'eyb! We understand not much of that thou tellest, and lo! we do behold thee weak among us. But for thy family, we should have stoned thee, for thou art not strong against us.” (11:91)

10:21 "of what you say."

10:23 Glory be to Allah!

10:25 Shu'ayb, peace be upon him,

10:27 was the most eloquent of Arabs

10:29 and the clearest of men in speech,

10:31 yet they could not comprehend what he said!

10:33 Indeed, it was due to their closed

10:35 minds

10:37 and blatant stubbornness.

10:39 They also said to him:

10:41 “They said: O Shu'eyb! We understand not much of that thou tellest, and lo! we do behold thee weak among us. But for thy family, we should have stoned thee, for thou art not strong against us.” (11:91)

10:43 "You are not one of the prominent figures,

10:45 nor one of our leaders.

10:47 Were it not out of consideration for

10:49 your clan, who are

10:51 upon our religion,

10:53 and their esteem in our eyes,

10:55 we would have killed you by stoning

10:57 with rocks.

10:59 You have no status among us,

11:01 nor any respect in our hearts."

11:03 Shu'ayb said to them,

11:05 peace be upon him:

11:07 "O my people,

11:09 is my clan more mighty and honorable

11:11 to you than Allah?

11:13 You have cast His command behind your backs

11:15 and paid no heed to it,

11:17 neither obeying His orders

11:19 nor desisting at His prohibitions,

11:21 nor believing in His Prophet

11:23 whom He sent to you.

11:25 Indeed, my Lord

11:27 encompasses all that you do;

11:29 nothing

11:31 of your deeds is hidden from Him."

11:33 Allah Almighty said:

11:36 ◁ They said, "O Shu'ayb, ▷

11:38 ◁ we do not understand much ▷

11:40 ◁ of what you say, ▷

11:48 ◁ and indeed, we see you ▷

11:50 ◁ among us as weak. ▷

11:52 ◁ And if not for your family, ▷

11:54 ◁ we would have stoned you; ▷

11:56 ◁ and you are not ▷

11:58 ◁ against us respectable." ▷

12:02 ◁ He said, "O my people, ▷

12:04 ◁ is my family more respect-worthy ▷

12:06 ◁ to you than Allah? ▷

12:08 ◁ And you have taken Him ▷

12:10 ◁ behind your backs as neglected. ▷

12:12 ◁ Indeed, my Lord ▷

12:14 ◁ of what you do ▷

12:16 ◁ is encompassing. ▷

12:18 ◁ And O my people, ▷

12:20 ◁ work according to your position; ▷

12:22 ◁ indeed, I am working. ▷

12:24 ◁ You are going to know ▷

12:26 ◁ to whom will come ▷

12:28 ◁ a punishment that will disgrace him ▷

12:30 ◁ and who is a liar. ▷

12:32 ◁ And watch; ▷

12:34 ◁ indeed, I am with you ▷

12:36 ◁ a watcher." ▷

12:38 When the matter reached this

12:41 point with the people of Madyan,

12:43 Shu'ayb,

12:45 peace be upon him, prayed to his Lord,

12:47 saying: "Our Lord,

12:49 decide between us and

12:51 our people in truth,

12:53 for You are the best of deciders"—

12:55 meaning: grant us victory

12:57 over our people,

12:59 and judge between us and them in truth,

13:01 for You are the best of judges.

13:03 So Allah answered

13:05 his supplication,

13:07 and He sent down upon them the punishment

13:09 from where they did not perceive.

13:11 Thus they were struck by

13:13 the earthquake, the awful cry,

13:15 and the punishment of the day of the shadow,

13:17 all at once.

13:20 Allah Almighty commanded

13:22 His Prophet, peace be upon him,

13:24 to depart with those

13:26 believers who were with him from the town of Madyan.

13:28 So they departed from it,

13:30 and then came

13:32 the decree of Allah Almighty.

13:34 The people were afflicted with intense,

13:36 suffocating heat,

13:38 and Allah stilled the blowing of the wind

13:40 from them for seven days,

13:42 so that neither water nor shade

13:44 brought them any relief.

13:46 They fled into their houses and caves,

13:48 but found no refuge from the

13:50 Suffocating and scorching breathlessness,

13:52 So they fled into the desert,

13:54 Searching for relief

13:56 For themselves.

13:58 Then a cloud shaded them—

14:00 A massive black cloud—

14:02 Which they thought was laden with rain.

14:04 So they gathered beneath it

14:06 To seek shade in its shadow

14:08 And to enjoy

14:10 Its water.

14:12 But as soon as they had all gathered beneath it,

14:14 Allah unleashed upon them

14:16 From that cloud a torment,

14:18 Then the earth quaked beneath their feet,

14:20 And there came upon them

14:22 A mighty blast from the sky,

14:24 Snuffing out

14:26 All their souls at once,

14:28 Leaving them in their places

14:30 Lifeless corpses,

14:32 Entirely motionless,

14:34 As though they had never lived

14:36 In those dwellings

14:38 For even a single day.

14:40 Allah Almighty said

14:43 Regarding them concerning the punishment of the shadow:

14:45 ◁ But they rejected him, ▷

14:47 ◁ so the punishment of the day of the shadow overtook them. ▷

14:49 “But they denied him, so there came on them the retribution of the day of gloom. Lo! it was the retribution of an awful day.” (26:189)

14:51 ◁ Indeed, it ▷

14:53 ◁ was the punishment ▷

14:55 ◁ of a tremendous day. ▷

14:57 ◁ Indeed ▷

14:59 ◁ in that is a sign, ▷

15:01 ◁ but most of them ▷

15:03 ◁ were not ▷

15:05 ◁ believers. ▷

15:07 ◁ And indeed, your Lord ▷

15:09 ◁ is the Mighty, ▷

15:11 ◁ the Merciful. ▷

15:14 And the Almighty said regarding them

15:16 Concerning the punishment of the blast:

15:18 ◁ And when ▷

15:20 ◁ Our command came, ▷

15:22 ◁ We saved ▷

15:24 ◁ Shu'ayb ▷

15:26 ◁ and those who believed ▷

15:28 ◁ with him, by mercy ▷

15:30 ◁ from Us. ▷

15:36 ◁ And the blast seized those who ▷

15:38 ◁ wronged, ▷

15:40 ◁ and the blast seized those who wronged, ▷

15:42 ◁ and they became ▷

15:44 ◁ fallen motionless within their homes, ▷

15:48 ◁ As if they had never prospered therein. ▷

15:50 ◁ Unquestionably, ▷

15:52 ◁ away with Madyan ▷

15:54 ◁ just as Thamud was taken away! ▷

15:58 And the Almighty said regarding them

16:00 Concerning the punishment of the earthquake:

16:02 ◁ Said the eminent ▷

16:04 ◁ who disbelieved among his people, ▷

16:06 ◁ "If you should follow ▷

16:08 ◁ Shu'ayb, indeed, you ▷

16:10 ◁ would then be losers." ▷

16:12 ◁ So the earthquake seized them, ▷

16:14 ◁ and they became ▷

16:16 ◁ fallen motionless within their home— ▷

16:18 ◁ Those ▷

16:20 ◁ who denied Shu'ayb ▷

16:22 ◁ as if they had never prospered ▷

16:24 ◁ therein. ▷

16:26 ◁ Those who denied Shu'ayb— ▷

16:28 ◁ it was they who ▷

16:30 ◁ were the losers. ▷

16:32 After the people had perished

16:37 And turned into decaying corpses on the ground,

16:39 The Prophet of Allah, Shu'ayb, came to them

16:41 And looked upon them with a gaze

16:43 Full of deep sorrow

16:45 For his people,

16:47 Then he turned away from them,

16:49 Addressing them

16:51 In reproach and rebuke,

16:53 Even after their death:

16:55 "O my people,

16:57 I have conveyed to you the messages of my Lord

16:59 “So he turned from them and said: O my people! I delivered my Lord's messages unto you and gave you good advice; then how can I sorrow for a people that rejected (truth)?” (7:93)

17:01 Reaching with you

17:03 The utmost limit possible

17:05 Of clarification that I could achieve,

17:07 And I advised you sincerely,

17:09 But you did not accept my advice;

17:11 Rather, you transgressed

17:13 And grew arrogant,

17:15 Until the punishment befell you.

17:17 So how can I

17:19 Grieve over a disbelieving people

17:21 Who were obstinate toward Allah,

17:23 The Lord of the worlds?"

17:25 Dear honorable brothers,

17:27 The name of

17:30 The Prophet of Allah, Shu'ayb (peace be upon him), was mentioned

17:32 In the Qur'an eleven times,

17:34 And his story

17:36 With his people, the people of Madyan, was mentioned

17:38 In more than one place

17:40 In the Noble Qur'an.

17:42 Among the most important lessons

17:44 And moral insights gained

17:46 From the story of Shu'ayb (peace be upon him) are:

17:48 First,

17:51 That patience and faith

17:53 Ultimately yield victory and salvation,

17:55 Just as Allah did

17:57 For His Prophet Shu'ayb (peace be upon him)

17:59 And those who believed with him.

18:01 Second,

18:03 The span of the wrongdoer on earth is brief,

18:05 However long it may seem

18:07 To the eyes of people.

18:09 Third,

18:12 Just as the call of all Prophets is one—

18:14 Which is the call

18:16 To pure monotheism—

18:18 So too is the ideology of disbelief one,

18:20 As the response of

18:22 All disbelieving nations

18:24 To their Messengers was uniform:

18:26 Rejection and active hostility.

18:28 Fourth,

18:30 A sin committed

18:32 By a person without any justification

18:34 Incurs a harsher punishment.

18:36 For the people of Shu'ayb,

18:38 Allah had enriched them

18:40 And granted them abundance,

18:42 And their Prophet had said to them:

18:44 "Indeed, I see you in prosperity."

18:46 Yet despite this,

18:48 They consumed

18:50 People's wealth unjustly,

18:52 Cut off their trade routes,

18:54 And extorted from them

18:56 Exorbitant customs and taxes.

18:58 Thus, their punishment was far severe

19:00 Than the punishment of others.

19:02 Fifth,

19:05 Prayer deters one from immorality

19:07 “Recite that which hath been inspired in thee of the Scripture, and establish worship. Lo! worship preserveth from lewdness and iniquity, but verily remembrance of Allah is more important. And Allah knoweth what ye do.” (29:45)

19:09 And wrongdoing;

19:11 That disbelieving people recognized this,

19:13 So they said to Shu'ayb

19:15 (Peace be upon him):

19:17 “They said: O Shu'eyb! Doth thy way of prayer command thee that we should forsake that which our fathers (used to) worship, or that we (should leave off) doing what we will with our own property. Lo! thou art the mild, the guide to right behaviour.” (11:87)

19:19 ◁ what our fathers worshipped, ▷

19:21 “They said: O Shu'eyb! Doth thy way of prayer command thee that we should forsake that which our fathers (used to) worship, or that we (should leave off) doing what we will with our own property. Lo! thou art the mild, the guide to right behaviour.” (11:87)

19:23 ◁ whatever we please?" ▷

19:25 Sixth,

19:27 The caller to Allah

19:29 Must be a role model for others,

19:31 Ensuring that his actions

19:33 Do not contradict his words.

19:36 Seventh,

19:38 The mission of all Prophets

19:40 Is to bring righteousness to the earth,

19:42 And the greatest righteousness

19:44 Is calling to pure monotheism.

19:46 Shu'ayb

19:48 (Peace be upon him) said:

19:50 ◁ "I desire not except reform ▷

19:52 ◁ as far as I can. ▷

19:54 ◁ And my success is not ▷

19:56 ◁ except through Allah." ▷

19:58 To be continued,

20:00 The caller must be a role model

20:02 For others—

20:04 "Except through Allah."

20:08 This talk will be continued, Allah willing.

20:10 And Allah knows best.

20:12 Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

20:14 May Allah bestow peace and blessings

20:16 Upon our Prophet Muhammad,

20:18 And upon his family

20:20 And all his Companions.

20:22 You were listening to Stories of

20:25 The Prophets.

20:27 May Allah bestow peace and blessings,

20:36 May Allah bestow peace and blessings.

Stories of the Prophets | Episode (17) | The story of Shuaib, peace be upon him

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