Kifungu hiki kinasimulia hadithi ya Nabii Shu`ayb ambaye, kwa mtazamo wa kihistoria, anatangulia kuja kabla ya ile ya Musa, lakini inasimuliwa hapa kwa ajili ya mafunzo yaliyomo katika hadithi zote zilizotolewa katika sura hii. Wakazi wa "mabonde yenye miti" huenda walikuwa watu wa Madyan. Inaonekana Madyan ilikuwa karibu na eneo hili lenye miti mingi, kama maelezo ya Qur'ani yanavyodokeza. Madyan iko karibu na Ghuba ya `Aqaba, katika eneo lililo kati ya mkoa wa Ĥijāz wa Saudi Arabia na Palestina.

This passage tells the story of the Prophet Shu`ayb which, from a historical point of view, comes before that of Moses, but it is told here for the lessons involved in all the stories given in this sūrah. The dwellers of the ‘wooded dales’ were most probably the people of Madyan. It seems that Madyan was close to this wooded land, thick with trees, as the Qur’ānic description implies. Madyan lies close to the Gulf of `Aqaba, in the area between the Ĥijāz province of Saudi Arabia and Palestine.

Shu`ayb alianza kwa njia ile ile kama manabii wengine walivyowaita watu, akiwaeleza misingi ya msingi ya imani, na kuwabainishia wazi kwamba hakutafuta malipo yoyote kwa kazi yake ya kuwalingania. Kisha akazungumza nao kuhusu maovu yaliyokuwa yakiitesa jamii yao wenyewe.

Shu`ayb began in the same way as other prophets calling on people, explaining to them the basic essentials of faith, and making it clear that he sought no gain in return for his advocacy. He then spoke to them about the ills that plagued their own society:

"Timizeni kipimo kikamilifu, wala msiwe miongoni mwa wale wanaowapunja watu haki zao; na pimeni kwa mizani iliyo sawa, wala msiwanyime watu vitu vyao; wala msifanye uovu duniani mkieneza ufisadi."

“Give full measure, and be not of those who give others less [than their duel; and weigh with even scales; and do not deprive others of what rightfully belongs to them; and do not act wickedly on earth spreading corruption.” (Verses 181-183)

Kama ilivyotajwa wazi katika Sūrah 7 na 11, yaani Al-A'raf na Hūd kwa mpangilio huo, watu hao walikuwa wakipunja vipimo na mizani kila walipowapimia watu vitu. Pia walitumia nguvu zao kuchukua zaidi ya kile kilichokuwa haki yao, huku wakiwapa watu chini ya kile kilichokuwa stahiki yao. Walikuwa wakinunua vitu kwa bei pungufu ya bei halali, lakini wakiuza kwa bei za juu. Inaonekana waliishi karibu na njia za biashara za misafara, na hilo liliwawezesha kuweka masharti yao wenyewe. Mjumbe ambaye Mwenyezi Mungu alimtuma kwao aliwashauri wafuate uadilifu katika miamala yote ya namna hiyo. Aliwahubiria dini ya kweli, ambayo kwa lazima inahitaji kutendewa wema watu wengine, na ambayo haiwezi kupuuza dhuluma katika miamala na mahusiano baina ya watu.