Tafsir of Surah Al-A'raf - Verse 88

Allah describes the way the disbelievers answered His ProphetShu` ayb and those who believed in him, by threatening them withexpulsion from their village, or with forceful reversion to thedisbeliever's religion.

The chiefs spoke the words mentioned here to the Messenger Shu`ayb, but intended it for those who followed his religion too. The statement,

أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَـرِهِينَ

("Even though we hate it"), means, would you force us to do that, even though we hate what you are calling us to Certainly if we revert to your religion and accept your ways, we will have uttered a tremendous lie against Allah by calling partners as rivals to Him,

وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَآ أَن نَّعُودَ فِيهَآ إِلاَ أَن يَشَآءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّنَا

(And it is not for us to return to it unless Allah, our Lord, should will.) This part of the Ayah refers all matters to Allah's will, and certainly, He has perfect knowledge of all matters and His observation encompasses all things,

عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا

(In Allah (Alone) we put our trust. ), concerning all our affairs, what we practice of them and what we ignore,

رَبَّنَا افْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِالْحَقِّ

(Our Lord! Judge between us and our people in truth) judge between us and our people and give us victory over them,

وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْفَـتِحِينَ

(for You are the best of those who give judgment) and You are the Most Just Who never wrongs any in His judgment.

Commentary

When the people of Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) told him: Had you been on the side of truth, believers in you would have been prospering and non-believers in you would have been under punishment. But, what is actually happening is that both parties have come out equal and living a comfortable life. With this incongruity in sight, how can we take you to be true? Thereupon, the answer that Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) gave was: Do not make haste. The time is near when Allah Ta` ala will decide the case between the two of them. Not convinced by his answer, the arrogant chiefs of those people said what is always said by oppressive practitioners of arrogance. They said: 0 Shu'aib, either you and the rest of your believers return to the fold of our faith, or else, we shall throw you out of our hometown.

As for the return of ` the rest of believers in Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) to the fold of their old faith' is concerned, it is something which can be understood, for all of them were a part of the faith and way of the disbelievers. It was only later that they had embraced Islam. But, the case of Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) was different. He had never followed their false faith and way even for a day - nor can a prophet of Allah Ta` ala ever follow a faith which is counter to pure monotheism. Why then would they be asking him to return to their faith? Perhaps, it was because Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) - before prophethood was bestowed on him - would maintain silence over their false sayings and doings and continued living among the people as one of them. Because of this, his disbelieving people took Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) too as one of the rest, a fellow-traveller and votary of their faith. It was only after he gave his call of true 'Iman that they discovered that his faith or religion was different from their own. Then, this led them to conclude that he had turned away from their old faith. About their warning that he must return to their old faith, Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) said: أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَارِ‌هِي . It means: Are you trying to say that we should return to the fold of your faith despite that we do not like it and consider it to be false? This is a manner of saying that it can never be.

When the people of Midian went to extremes in their wrongful ways, God sent Shu‘ayb to them with His message. He exhorted them to adopt the way of righteousness and honesty in their dealings. With the help of clear arguments, He made them fully aware of the necessity for honesty. But they were not willing to accept the admonition. Not only that, they were not ready to accept the mission of Shu‘ayb. They distorted his preachings and created misunderstanding among the people about him. They even resorted to violent means to dissuade the people from supporting him. In the end the retribution of God descended upon them and they were destroyed. In the eyes of God, matters relating to the consideration of the rights of fellow human beings and honesty in mutual dealings are so important that a community, in spite of claiming to be believers, was destroyed. God is the best Judge and His judgement cannot be biased.