Tafsir of Surah Hood - Verse 88

Shu`ayb's Refutation of His People

He said to them: Do you see O my people, that if I

عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّى

(have a clear evidence from my Lord) meaning, upon clear guidance in that which I am calling to.

وَرَزَقَنِى مِنْهُ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا

(and He has given me a good sustenance from Himself.) It has been said that he meant the prophethood. It has also been said that he meant the lawful provisions. It seems that the verse carries both meanings. Ath-Thawri said,

وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَى مَآ أَنْهَـكُمْ عَنْهُ

(I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you.) meaning, `do not forbid you from something and at the same time I contradict my prohibitions in secret behind your backs, doing what I have forbidden.' This is similar to what Qatadah said concerning Allah's statement,

وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَى مَآ أَنْهَـكُمْ عَنْهُ

(I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you.) "He is saying, `I do not forbid you all from something while I do it myself."'

إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلاَّ الإِصْلَـحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ

(I only desire reform to the best of my power.) This means, "In that which I command and forbid you, I only want to correct your affair as much as I am able."

وَمَا تَوْفِيقِى

(And my guidance cannot come) This means, "In whatever I intend that agrees with the truth."

إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ

(except from Allah, in Him I put my trust) This means in all of my affairs.

وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ

(and unto Him I repent.) meaning; "I return." This has been said by Mujahid and others.

What Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) had said to his people was good counsel based on earnest fellow feeling. But, his people responded to him with a sarcasm that was biting. However, they had done that to a blessed prophet of Sayyidna Shu'aib's class. He heard their caustic comments, yet turned to them with the same empathy and once again tried to make them see the truth. He said: يَا قَوْمِ أَرَ‌أَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّ‌بِّي وَرَ‌زَقَنِي مِنْهُ رِ‌زْقًا حَسَنًا (0 my people, tell me, if I am on a clear path from my Lord and He has provided me from Himself with a good provision, [ should I still leave you unguided?] ) Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) was telling his people that he had been blessed by his Lord in that He gave him good provision for his material life and in that He also gave him the light of revelation and spiritual insight. Now, with these wonderful assets in his hands, how could he ever think of becoming like them, willingly embracing error and injustice, and thus failing to bring the truth home to them?

After that, he said: وَمَا أُرِ‌يدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَىٰ مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ (and I do not want to do in your absence what I prohibit for you). This tells us that the way a preacher of religion conducts his life has a major role in what he preaches. What a preacher does not himself practice produces no effect on others.

Then, he said: إِنْ أُرِ‌يدُ إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ (I want to do nothing but to set things right as far as I can). And since, this effort too was not by his personal choice and volition, he further said: وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلَّا بِاللَّـهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ (And my ability to do things comes from none but Allah. In Him alone I have placed my trust, and to Him alone I turn in humbleness).

There are two types of acceptance of a precept—one is routine or unconscious acceptance by imitation and the other is acceptance after finding it to be right. In the first case, man accepts something because others accept it. In the second case man accepts it because, on the basis of reasoning, he found that it was right. While the former is only a formal acceptance, the latter is conscious discovery. Discovery of Truth at the level of reason is the real asset of a believer. This leads to that live, active belief which prompts him and enables him to stand in the midst of people and start representing the Truth to them, unmindful of everything else. Conscious discovery of truth is a substitute for everything else. One who receives this bounty is never in need of anything else. An unbeliever is satisfied with material achievement. But the believer is satisfied only when his reason is addressed. On receiving sustenance of this kind (conscious discovery), it becomes impossible for anyone to take a stand against it. Contradiction between talk and action is the result of formal faith, while consistency in talk and action is the result of conscious faith. In his interpretation of the word ‘shiqaq,’ meaning ‘opposition,’ Hasan al-Basri, the famous Sufi, says, ‘Should your enmity against me make you leave the path of Faith, you will be liable to receive the punishment meted out to the unbelievers.’ (Al-Qurtubi). Since the missionary appears as an ordinary man to the people, his critical approach is extremely disturbing to those who have attained a high status in society. That an ordinary man should venture to criticise them and their great ones seems unconscionable to them. That is why they develop a hatred for the preacher and become obdurate towards him. The development of such a mentality in a man amounts to his being put to a severe test, because he considers even a godly message insignificant if it is brought by an ‘ordinary’ preacher. In the process of ignoring a human being, he ignores God Himself.