This is yet another stage of the same message preaching the same faith. Here we have an account of Shu`ayb and his people, who lived at Madyan. Coupled with the main issue of faith and God’s oneness, we also have here the issue of honesty and justice in business transactions. It is an issue closely related to faith in God, submission to Him alone and the implementation of His laws. The people of Madyan, however, were totally astonished at the two issues being linked together.

They could not comprehend the relationship between financial transactions and prayer, which is a manifestation of submission to God.

The history given here follows the same lines as the accounts of Hūd with the `Ād, and Şāliĥ with the Thamūd. Its conclusion, and the style and expressions used to portray the final outcome, however, make it more akin to Şāliĥ’s history. Indeed the two histories portray the same type of suffering, expressed in similar terms, befalling the two peoples.

“And to Madyan We sent their brother Shu`ayb. He said: ‘My people! Worship God alone.

You have no deity other than Him.’” (Verse 84) Submission to God alone is the first article of faith as well as the first rule of life and the first principle of law and human transactions. It is the principle without which faith, worship or human dealings cannot take their proper shape.

“Do not give short measure and weight. I see you now in a happy state, yet I dread lest suffering befall you on a fateful day which will encompass all. My people, always give full measure and weight, in all fairness, and do not deprive people of what is rightfully theirs, and do not spread corruption on earth by wicked actions. That which rests with God is better for you, if you truly believe. I am not your keeper.” (Verses 84-86) The main issue here is honesty and justice, which comes second only to the issue of faith and submission to God. In other words, it is the issue of the law which governs business dealings on the basis of faith. The people of Madyan, whose country was an enclave of land lying between Hijaz and Syria, used to give short measure and weight, thus wronging other people in respect of what was rightfully theirs. That is, they used to give other people less than the value of their goods. Their misconduct reflected badly on their integrity and honour and showed that they were far from clean both externally and at heart. Their geographical position meant that they were able to control the trade route of the caravans moving between the north and the south of Arabia. This enabled them to dictate unfair terms on other peoples’ trade.

Here we see the link between believing in God’s oneness and submission to Him alone on the one hand, and honesty, fair trading, honourable transactions and combating all kinds of cheating and stealing, whether perpetrated by individuals or governments, on the other. This relationship appears to be a safeguard ensuring a better human life, justice and peace among people. It is the only safeguard based on fearing God and seeking His pleasure. Hence, it has a very solid foundation which cannot be influenced by special interests or personal desires.

In the Islamic view, business dealings, and morality generally, must have a solid basis which is not influenced by changeable factors. Thus Islam differs fundamentally with all other social and moral theories devised by human beings and governed by their differing bents of thought and their temporary interest.

When business dealings and morality have such a solid basis, they are not influenced by immediate or material interests or by differing environments with different factors and considerations. Hence, rules of morality and those that govern human dealings are not subject to whether people are nomadic, agrarian or industrialized. Such changeable factors lose their influence on the moral concepts of society or the moral values which govern business transactions when the basis of legislation for all spheres of life is divine law. Then the essential basis of morality is to seek God’s pleasure, hoping to win His reward and avoid His punishment. All that is advanced by human-made theories and doctrines about morality being the product of the economic situation and the social conditions prevailing in a particular society become meaningless in the light of Islamic moral theory.

The people of Madyan were hardened in their corrupt practices. Their reply was sarcastic. Every word of it smacked of sarcasm. Yet it also indicated their ignorance and mulish obstinacy: “They said: ‘Shu`ayb, do your prayers compel you to demand of us that we should renounce all that our forefathers worshipped, or that we refrain from doing what we please with our property? You are indeed the one who is clement and right- minded!’” (Verse 87)

They did not realize, nor wanted to realize, that prayers are required by faith, as a manifestation of true submission to God. Faith cannot be established without the recognition of God’s oneness and the renunciation of everything else they or their forefathers worshipped. Likewise, it cannot be established unless God’s legislation in matters of trade and finance, as well as in all spheres of life, are implemented. All these are a complete whole, and faith cannot be separated from prayers or legislation which caters for all aspects of human life.

The people of Madyan, who had such an ill-conceived idea of the connection between faith and worship, and between the two and business transactions lived a long time ago. But rather than denounce their attitude at length we should remind ourselves that people today stick to certain concepts which are not much different from those of Shu`ayb’s people. The world of jāhiliyyah which we see around us today is not much better or more intelligent than the earlier one. The sort of ascription of Godhead to other beings alongside God, which was practised by Shu`ayb’s people, is still practised today by most of mankind, including those who claim to be Jews, Christians, or Muslims. All try to establish a barrier separating faith and worship on the one hand and law and business transactions on the other. They claim that faith and worship belong to God and should be conducted according to His instructions, while the law and business do not concern Him. These should be conducted according to the bidding of some other authority. This is indeed the essence of attributing partners to God.

We must not forget that the Jews today are the only people who are determined to conduct their transactions according to their faith and religious law, regardless of the distortion that has crept into their faith.

The Knesset, Israel’s legislative body, once held a stormy session debating the case of an Israeli ship serving its non-Jewish passengers with meals which were not approved by the Jewish religion. The company and the ship concerned were compelled to serve only kosher food, even if it meant that the company would incur financial losses. This incident should serve as a lesson for many of those who today call themselves Muslims.

We find among us today some who claim to be Muslim questioning the validity of any link between faith and morality, especially when they consider financial dealings. Some of our intellectuals who have higher degrees awarded by various universities affect amazement as they wonder: what has Islam got to do with personal affairs? Why should Islam be concerned with how we dress on the beach, or how a woman appears in public, or how we satisfy our sexual urges? Why should Islam concern itself with drinking a glass of wine, or indeed with anything done by those who classify themselves as civilized? Now we ask what is the difference between such questions and those put by the people of Madyan to their Prophet Shu`ayb? “Do your prayers compel you to demand of us that we should renounce all that our forefathers worshipped, or that we refrain from doing what we please with our property?” (Verse 87)

Shu`ayb, fully confident of the truth of his message, and aware of his people’s ignorance and short-sightedness, does not let their sarcasm affect him. On the contrary, he seeks to inform them politely that he takes his stand on clear evidence from his Lord, which he feels in his innermost heart. He explains to them that he is fully confident of the truth of what he advocates because his knowledge far exceeds theirs. When he calls on them to stick to honest dealings, the effects of such honesty also apply to him since he is a businessman. He is after no personal gain which he seeks to realize for himself. He does not intend to do behind their backs what he has forbidden them so that he enjoys a market free from competition. His call is one of reform which includes himself. The path he enjoins them to follow will not cause them any losses, as they mistakenly think.

He said: Think, my people! If I take my stand on a clear evidence from my Lord and He has provided me with goodly sustenance which He alone can give? I have no desire to do, in opposition to you, what I ask you not to do. All that I desire is to set things to rights in so far as it lies within my power. My success depends on God alone. In Him have I placed my trust, and to Him I always turn.’ (Verse 88)

Shu`ayb addresses them in a friendly and appealing way, reminding them of his close links with them: “Think my people. ‘If l take my stand on a clear evidence from my Lord.’” I feel His presence beyond any doubt, and I am certain that it is He who bestows revelations on me, and instructs me to convey His message to you. With full confidence and certainty I take my stand, based on this evidence which is to me very real. And He has provided me with goodly sustenance which He alone can give...” Part of this is my own wealth with which I conduct my business.

“I have no desire to do, in opposition to you, what I ask you not to do.” (Verse 88) I am after no personal gain which I may realize by so doing. “All that I desire is to set things right in so far as it lies within my power.” (Verse 88)

It is, then, the general reform of society which Shu`ayb is after. It is a reform which brings benefit to every individual and every community. Some may think that to adhere to moral values and implement the divine law may make them lose some chances which may be open to them, or lose some gain which they would otherwise achieve. But implementing the divine law can only make them lose evil gains and wicked opportunities. It compensates them with goodly gains and lawful provisions.

It also establishes a society which is characterized by the co-operation of its individuals. It is a society which is free from grudges, treachery and selfish quarrels.

“My success depends on God alone.” (Verse 88) He alone can grant me success, as He knows my intentions and the sincerity of my efforts. “In Him have I placed my trust.” (Verse 88) I depend on no one other than Him. “To Him I always turn.” (Verse 88)

From Him alone I seek help to overcome the difficulties that may beset me and to Him alone I submit my work and efforts.

“They said: ‘Shu`ayb, we cannot understand much of what you say. But we do see clearly how weak you are in our midst. Were it not for your family, we would have stoned you. You do not command a position of great respect among us.’” (Verse 91) The people of Madyan made it clear to Shu`ayb that they were fed up with him and with his message. They did not want to know anything about the truth he was presenting and did not care for anything which differed with their attitude to life or with their practices. Thus, in their view, only physical strength mattered. Plain truth was of no real significance, regardless of the strength of its argument, if it was not supported by physical power:

“We do see clearly how weak you are in our midst. Were it not for your family, we would have stoned you.” What restrained them from doing so was the fact that they reckoned with the power of Shu`ayb’s clan and family who were supposed to come to his defence. They did not reckon with the power of God who would not leave His messenger to the mercy of His enemies. They rudely told Shu`ayb: “You do not command a position of great respect among us.” They had no respect for him as a noble person, nor for his own strength. They only had to consider what his clan might do if anything happened to him.

When people are devoid of proper faith, sound values and noble ideals, they care nothing for anything beyond their immediate interests or their material well-being.

To them, any good cause or apparent truth has no sanctity whatsoever. They do not hesitate to assault the advocates of God’s cause if these have no apparent power to protect them.

Shu`ayb was angry with his people for their arrogance towards God. He made it clear that he did not derive his power from his clan or family. He confronted them with their misjudgement of the true powers which can influence things in the universe, and pointed out to them that their insolence would not benefit them with God, aware as He always is of people’s actions. Shu`ayb said his last word and parted ways with his people on the basis that there was no common ground of faith between them. He warned them against the suffering that befell all people who adopted their attitude and then left them to their destiny.

Said he: My people, do you hold my family in greater esteem than God? You have turned your backs on Him. My Lord encompasses [with His might] all that you do.’ (Verse 92)

Any group of people, strong and powerful as they may be, are, after all, human, subject to God’s power. Hence, they are weak. How can you then give such a group of human beings more importance than you give to God? How can you fear them more than you fear Him? “You have turned your backs on Him.” This is an image of physical rejection which heightens the enormity of their error. They turn their backs on God who has created them and who has given them all the goods they enjoy in this life. Their attitude is one of ingratitude and insolence as much as it is one of rejection of faith.

“My Lord encompasses [with His might] all that you do.” The Arabic expression used here gives an image of complete and perfect knowledge, as well as complete and overall power. Angry at his people’s impudence towards God, Shu`ayb takes the proper attitude of a true believer. He does not find any gratification or reassurance in the fact that his own family and clan enjoyed such respect and power that afforded him protection from possible assault. This is evidence of true faith. A true believer finds no real power or protection other than that given him by God. He is unhappy to have a community to protect him, which is held in awe by others, when God, his Lord, is not held in awe. The true loyalty of a person who submits himself to God is not to his clan or nation; it is to God and to his faith. This is the parting point between the Islamic concept of loyalties and the un-Islamic one.

In the series of historical accounts given in this sūrah, the final reference is made to Moses and Pharaoh. We have here only a very brief account with several references to the details of the story, but no specifics are given here. The end which Pharaoh and his people met is recorded, along with a very vivid and real scene of the Day of Resurrection. We also have a statement of a basic Islamic principle whereby individual responsibility cannot be overlooked simply because the individual concerned chooses to follow his master or ruler.

The account given here opens with God’s sending Moses to Pharaoh, the great ruler of Egypt, and the chiefs of his government. God gives Moses strength and clear authority. “We sent Moses with Our signs and a manifest authority to Pharaoh and his noble men.” (Verses 96-97) No details are given before the end is stated. The people simply obeyed Pharaoh and disobeyed God, despite all the stupidity, short- sightedness and excesses which characterized all that Pharaoh had done. “They, however, followed only Pharaoh’s bidding. Pharaoh’s bidding led by no means to what is right.” (Verse 97)

The people chose to follow Pharaoh blindly, without stopping to think whether he guided them rightly or not. They degraded themselves and trampled over their own freedom and the will with which God had endowed them. Hence, it was only natural, as the Qur’ān states, that Pharaoh will lead them on the Day of Resurrection, and that they will follow him: “He will come at the head of his people on the Day of Resurrection.” (Verse 98)

We have so far been listening to a story that happened in the past and to a promise which will be realized in the future. The scene, however, changes here and what was to be the future is now past. Pharaoh has led his people to hell, and the matter is over: “leading them to the fire.” (Verse 98) He has led them like a shepherd leads his flock. After all, they were sheep moving blindly. They have foregone the very basic essential of humanity, namely, the freedom of choice. He has led them to hell. The Arabic expression used here has the added connotation of aiming to lead them to a fountain where they can drink. What a drink they will have, which satisfies no thirst:

“Vile was the destination towards which they were led.” (Verse 98)

We note here that all this, the leadership of Pharaoh, and their destination to which he has led them took place a long time ago. A comment is made on it, followed by ridicule: “A curse is made to follow them in this world and on the Day of Resurrection. Vile was the renewable gift which they were given.” (Verse 99)

The curse followed them in this life and will be sure to follow them on the Day of Resurrection. This was the gift Pharaoh gave to his people. He had indeed promised his sorcerers generous gifts. Now everyone realizes what sort of gifts Pharaoh is able to give. What is more is the fact that the gift is always renewable, never ending. “Vile was the renewable gift which they were given.” (Verse 99)