Shuaib

The third wife of Abraham bore six sons. One of them was Madyan, who was married to the daughter of Lut, and they settled in Arabia. All the tribes from the children of Madyan, son of Abraham, were named after him. At the time of Shuaib, these tribes inhabited the eastern banks of the Mediterranean Sea and the northeast of Arabia, close to the borders of Syria. These areas had a pleasant climate, and due to this, trees, plants, and orchards were in abundance. His period is reported to be the 16th or 17th Century BC. In the Old Testament, he is mentioned as Jethro and Hobab. He was the father-in-law of Moses, and his daughter Safora was married to Moses. Moses spent quite some time with him, and he imparted prophetic training to Moses.

In the Holy Quran, these people have been named as the people of the woods (Aika), which in Arabic means a bunch of green shrubs. Because of the fertile land and orchards all around the inhabited areas, the people of Madyan were wealthy and prosperous. They were traders. As long as these people followed the teachings of Abraham, materialism could not deceive them, and the glitter of gold and silver did not overpower them. But when they forsook prophetic teachings and prioritized individual interests over collective benefit, they strayed from the right path.

The people of Shuaib, like Lucifer, became arrogant and proud, and their arrogance misled them. In other words, to avenge the children of Adam, Satan sowed the seeds of pride and haughtiness in them. Prosperity, abundant resources, trade profits, and luxuries of life led them to believe that all of it was due to their personal abilities and hard work. They ignored the fact that it was all a result of the magnanimity and mercy of their Lord. They became ungrateful. Pride and arrogance sealed their hearts, and they became high-headed. When this happens, a person confines himself in the shell of ego and loses connection with collective consciousness and sensibility.

Law of Confined Senses:
It is one of the spiritual laws that limiting and variable senses dominate a selfish person. Love and respect for others fade from his heart. The rights of others are usurped; arrogance and disobedience become a way of life. Immodesty gives rise to immorality.

God had blessed the people of Shuaib with many comforts. Although they considered their prosperity a result of their own efforts, they remained anxious and uneasy, fearing they might lose it. Greed overpowered them, and they began amassing wealth and riches. The entire nation fell prey to materialism and practically worshipped wealth. Giving greater importance to wealth than God is infidelity of the highest order, which is not tolerated by the Lord. Many nations were destroyed because of this very crime.

They built colossal statues of Baal, bathed them in perfume, showered them with flower petals, and sacrificed camels. They even slaughtered their children before idols decorated with gold and silver. Later, the same idol was worshipped in Arabia as Habal.

When the religious and moral condition of the nation deteriorated, Nature appointed a gentle and noble man from among them to guide them.

“And to the Madyan people, We sent Shuaib, one of their own brethren; he said: O my people! Worship God, ye have no other god but Him.”
(S: 7, V: 85)

Shuaib preached the worship of one God and urged people to follow the teachings of the prophets. He pointed out their moral corruption and told them to avoid evil.

“And give not short measure or weight. I see you in prosperity, but I fear for you the Penalty of a Day that will compass you all around. And O my people! Give just measure and weight, nor withhold from the people the things that are their due. Commit not evil in the land with intent to do mischief.”
(S: 11, V: 84–85)

They were notorious for cheating in trade. They sold inferior goods as superior, gave lesser weight, and deceived customers. Following Shuaib’s advice would have meant giving up their extra profits. Shuaib urged them to keep their trades clean of cheating and deceit.

He warned that greed erodes human decency, makes one unable to distinguish between good and evil, and keeps one busy amassing wealth. He asked them to learn from past nations who were destroyed for their disobedience.

“And O my people! Let not my dissent cause you to sin, lest you suffer a fate similar to that of the people of Noah or of Hud or of Salih. Nor are the people of Lut far from you. But ask forgiveness of your Lord and turn unto Him; for my Lord is indeed full of mercy and loving-kindness.”
(S: 11, V: 89–90)

Shuaib explained the causes of destruction of past nations, but his people ignored him. Only a few believed. The elite threatened those who inclined towards Shuaib.

“And squat not on every road, breathing threats, hindering from the path of God those who believe in Him, and seeking in it something crooked. But remember how you were once few, and He gave you increase. And remember the end of those before you.”
(S: 7, V: 86)

Monotheistic Mission
Shuaib continued his mission with determination.

“O my people! Do whatever you can; I will do my part. Soon will you know on whom descends the penalty of ignominy and who is a liar. Watch, for I am watching with you.”
(S: 11, V: 93)

The chiefs said they didn’t understand Shuaib and would have stoned him if he weren’t among them. Shuaib responded: “God is more powerful and mightier than any tribe.”

He told them: “God has sent me to guide you. I have not been appointed as a warden. My job is to show you God’s signs. Unfortunately, you refuse to leave arrogance. I want no reward—my reward is with God. I act with sincerity, and you will find no contradiction in my words and deeds. I act with God’s help, but you mock me and deny my message.”

The chiefs, in their vanity, oppressed Shuaib and his followers, threatening to expel them unless they returned to idol worship. But Shuaib said: “Even though we detest your ways? We would be lying if we returned to your ways after God has rescued us.”

Shuaib warned of divine punishment, but they mocked him. Eventually, they faced a disastrous end.

“When Our decree issued, We saved Shuaib and those who believed with him by mercy from Ourselves. But the mighty blast seized the wrongdoers, and they lay prostrate in their homes by morning—as if they had never dwelt and flourished there. Behold! How the Madyans were removed, just as the Thamud were.”
(S: 11, V: 94–95)

“But the earthquake took them unaware, and they lay prostrate in their homes before dawn. Those who rejected Shuaib became as if they had never existed in their homes—it was they who were ruined.”
(S: 7, V: 91)

The disobedient were destroyed, and Shuaib and the believers were saved. As he left, he said: “I delivered the message of your Lord and tried my best. How can I grieve for those who reject belief?”

Points to Note

Deliberation on this story reveals that the essence of religion is to do good for others. If we cannot benefit others, we should at least not harm them.

God is the greatest friend and sympathizer. He created laws for our well-being and sent prophets to convey them. There is no gain to God from these laws—they are purely for human good. 124,000 prophets taught mankind right from wrong and the worship of God.

Worshippers of Riches
Those who worship wealth instead of God are disgraced. History is full of proof. The King of Iran, whose dynasty ruled for 2,500 years, died in disgrace, denied even a burial in his homeland.

“Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the end of those before them? They were superior in strength and in traces left on the land, but God called them to account for their sins, and they had no defender.”
(S: 40, V: 21)

God’s laws of nature tolerate mistakes until the system is disrupted. When that happens, a corrective mechanism sets in. Such people are stripped of power, made subordinate, as they chose temporary wealth over the eternal Creator.

“And violent is he in his love of wealth.”
(S: 100, V: 8)

Man believes his abilities earn wealth, but this thought breeds arrogance. That arrogance severs his bond with God, making him of the progeny of Qarun.

The Quran repeatedly instructs us to spend from our wealth for God’s sake as a form of gratitude.

“You cannot attain virtue until you give away for the sake of God what you love the most.”
“O Prophet! They ask what they should spend. Tell them: what is beyond their needs.”

We must serve God’s creation, starting with our homes, then others in need. Spend secretly, without pride or seeking recognition.

Properties of the Poor
The Holy Prophet ﷺ once asked: “Do you know who is the poor?”
They said: “The one without wealth or means.”
He ﷺ replied: “The poor among my followers on the Day of Judgment will be those who performed prayers, fasts, and gave zakat—but also abused others, falsely accused, stole property, or murdered. Their good deeds will be taken to pay for their wrongs, and when exhausted, they will take the sins of others and be thrown into Hell.”

The rights of others start with our parents, then family, neighbors, and eventually all of humanity. These include social, financial, and moral obligations. The Quran defines these duties as part of our faith.

Selfish capitalists inflict hoarding and black marketing on the poor. Hoarding to raise prices is a sin.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Those who hoard grains to create artificial scarcity are the most sinful.”
He ﷺ also said: “God is merciful to those who are gentle in buying, selling, and demanding dues.”

Hoarders, despite outward wealth, live in inner fear, lacking peace, trust, and support.

The people of Shuaib sold defective goods, practiced adulteration, gave lesser measures—all common among Muslims today. Nepotism, lying, cheating, usury, and neglect of duty are rampant.

Every crime for which past nations were destroyed now exists among Muslims.

Once Qalandar Baba Auliya sadly said: “Tonight in the court of the Holy Prophet ﷺ, angels appealed for a change in duty—they inspire Muslims toward good, but few respond. Everyone preaches goodness, but none act upon it.”

As followers of the Prophet ﷺ, we must ask: how much do we practice his teachings? He ﷺ was forgiving, trustworthy, and calm, but how many of us mirror these traits?

The Prophet ﷺ forbade selfishness, yet Muslim society is plagued by it. We expect obedience from others without fulfilling our own duties.

If a man says he loves a woman and threatens to kill her if she refuses him, claiming love as enough—this is selfishness and delusion.

We are trapped in self-centeredness and illusions—acts disliked by God.