The story of Prophet Shu’ayb

The story of Prophet Shu’ayb, peace be upon him, with his people is mentioned in the seventh chapter of the Noble Quran.
The people of Madyan, to whom he was sent by Allaah Almighty, were Arabs who lived in a place called (Ma'aan) (in Jordan). They were a greedy people who did not believe that Allaah existed and who led wicked lives.

They gave short measure, praised their goods beyond their worth, and hid their defects. They lied to their customers, thereby cheating them.

Allaah, the Almighty, Says:

{وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا ۗ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّـهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُ‌هُ ۖ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّ‌بِّكُمْ ۖ فَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ وَالْمِيزَانَ وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا النَّاسَ أَشْيَاءَهُمْ وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَاحِهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ‌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ . وَلَا تَقْعُدُوا بِكُلِّ صِرَ‌اطٍ تُوعِدُونَ وَتَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِهِ وَتَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا ۚ وَاذْكُرُ‌وا إِذْ كُنتُمْ قَلِيلًا فَكَثَّرَ‌كُمْ ۖ وَانظُرُ‌وا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ . وَإِن كَانَ طَائِفَةٌ مِّنكُمْ آمَنُوا بِالَّذِي أُرْ‌سِلْتُ بِهِ وَطَائِفَةٌ لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا فَاصْبِرُ‌وا حَتَّىٰ يَحْكُمَ اللَّـهُ بَيْنَنَا ۚ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ‌ الْحَاكِمِينَ . قَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُ‌وا مِن قَوْمِهِ لَنُخْرِ‌جَنَّكَ يَا شُعَيْبُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَكَ مِن قَرْ‌يَتِنَا أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَا ۚ قَالَ أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَارِ‌هِينَ . قَدِ افْتَرَ‌يْنَا عَلَى اللَّـهِ كَذِبًا إِنْ عُدْنَا فِي مِلَّتِكُم بَعْدَ إِذْ نَجَّانَا اللَّـهُ مِنْهَا ۚ وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَن نَّعُودَ فِيهَا إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّـهُ رَ‌بُّنَا ۚ وَسِعَ رَ‌بُّنَا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا ۚ عَلَى اللَّـهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا ۚ رَ‌بَّنَا افْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ‌ الْفَاتِحِينَ . وَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا مِن قَوْمِهِ لَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتُمْ شُعَيْبًا إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا لَّخَاسِرُ‌ونَ . فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّ‌جْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دَارِ‌هِمْ جَاثِمِينَ . الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا شُعَيْبًا كَأَن لَّمْ يَغْنَوْا فِيهَا ۚ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا شُعَيْبًا كَانُوا هُمُ الْخَاسِرِ‌ينَ . فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِ‌سَالَاتِ رَ‌بِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ ۖ فَكَيْفَ آسَىٰ عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ كَافِرِ‌ينَ}

'Translation' {And to the people of Madyan We sent their brother Shu’ayb. He said, 'O my people, worship Allaah; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. So fulfill the measure and weight and do not deprive people of their due and cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. That is better for you, if you should be believers. And do not sit on every path, threatening and averting from the way of Allaah those who believe in Him, seeking to make it [seem] deviant. And remember when you were few and He increased you. And see how the end of the corrupters was. And if there should be a group among you who has believed in that with which I have been sent and a group that has not believed, then be patient until Allaah judges between us. And He is the best of judges.'
Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people, 'We will surely evict you, O Shu’ayb, and those who have believed with you from our city or you must return to our religion.' He said, 'Even if we were unwilling? We would have invented against Allaah a lie if we returned to your religion after Allaah had saved us from it. And it is not for us to return to it except that Allaah, our Lord, should will. Our Lord has encompassed all things in knowledge. Upon Allaah we have relied. Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth, and You are the best of those who give decision.' Said the eminent ones who disbelieved among his people, 'If you should follow Shu’ayb, indeed, you would then be losers.' So the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone. Those who denied Shu’ayb it was as though they had never resided there. Those who denied Shu’ayb it was they who were the losers. And he [i.e. Shu’ayb] turned away from them and said, ‘O my people, I had certainly conveyed to you the messages of my Lord and advised you, so how could I grieve for a disbelieving people?'"[Al-A'raf:85-93].

Allaah, the Exalted, sent His Prophet Shu’ayb, peace be upon him, armed with many miracles. Prophet Shu’ayb, peace be upon him, preached them, begging them to be mindful of Allaah's favors and warning them of the consequences of their evil ways, but they only mocked him. Prophet Shu’ayb remained calm as he reminded them of his kinship to them and that what he was doing was not for his personal gain.

They seized the belongings of Prophet Shu’ayb, peace be upon him, and his followers and drove them out of the city. So, he turned to his Lord for help, and his plea was answered. Allaah sent down on them scorching heat from which they suffered terribly. On seeing a cloud gathering in the sky, they thought it would bring cool, refreshing rain, so they rushed outside in the hope of enjoying the rainfall. Instead, the cloud burst, hurling thunderbolts and fire. They heard a thunderous sound from above, which caused the earth under their feet to tremble. The evil-doers perished in this state of horror.

Allaah, the Exalted, States:

{كَذَّبَ أَصْحَابُ الْأَيْكَةِ الْمُرْ‌سَلِينَ . إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ شُعَيْبٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ . إِنِّي لَكُمْ رَ‌سُولٌ أَمِينٌ . فَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ . وَمَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ‌ ۖ إِنْ أَجْرِ‌يَ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ . أَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ وَلَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُخْسِرِ‌ينَ . وَزِنُوا بِالْقِسْطَاسِ الْمُسْتَقِيمِ . وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا النَّاسَ أَشْيَاءَهُمْ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ مُفْسِدِينَ . وَاتَّقُوا الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالْجِبِلَّةَ الْأَوَّلِينَ . قَالُوا إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مِنَ الْمُسَحَّرِ‌ينَ . وَمَا أَنتَ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ‌ مِّثْلُنَا وَإِن نَّظُنُّكَ لَمِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ . فَأَسْقِطْ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ . قَالَ رَ‌بِّي أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ . فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَهُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمِ الظُّلَّةِ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ}

 'Translation' {The companions of the thicket [i.e. the people of Madyan] denied the messengers, when Shu’ayb said to them, ‘Will you not fear Allaah? Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy messenger. So fear Allaah and obey me. And I do not ask you for it any payment. My payment is only from the Lord of the worlds. Give full measure and do not be of those who cause loss. And weigh with an even [i.e. honest] balance. And do not deprive people of their due and do not commit abuse on earth, spreading corruption. And fear He who created you and the former creation.' They said, 'You are only of those affected by magic. You are but a man like ourselves, and indeed, we think you are among the liars. So cause to fall upon us fragments of the sky, if you should be of the truthful.' He said, 'My Lord is Most Knowing of what you do. And they denied him, so the punishment of the day of the black cloud seized them. Indeed, it was the punishment of a terrible day} [Ash-Shu'ara:176 -189].

{وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا ۚ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّـهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُ‌هُ ۖ وَلَا تَنقُصُوا الْمِكْيَالَ وَالْمِيزَانَ ۚ إِنِّي أَرَ‌اكُم بِخَيْرٍ‌ وَإِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ مُّحِيطٍ . وَيَا قَوْمِ أَوْفُوا الْمِكْيَالَ وَالْمِيزَانَ بِالْقِسْطِ ۖ وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا النَّاسَ أَشْيَاءَهُمْ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ مُفْسِدِينَ . بَقِيَّتُ اللَّـهِ خَيْرٌ‌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ۚ وَمَا أَنَا عَلَيْكُم بِحَفِيظٍ . قَالُوا يَا شُعَيْبُ أَصَلَاتُكَ تَأْمُرُ‌كَ أَن نَّتْرُ‌كَ مَا يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا أَوْ أَن نَّفْعَلَ فِي أَمْوَالِنَا مَا نَشَاءُ ۖ إِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ الْحَلِيمُ الرَّ‌شِيدُ . قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَرَ‌أَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّ‌بِّي وَرَ‌زَقَنِي مِنْهُ رِ‌زْقًا حَسَنًا ۚ وَمَا أُرِ‌يدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَىٰ مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ ۚ إِنْ أُرِ‌يدُ إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ ۚ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلَّا بِاللَّـهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ . وَيَا قَوْمِ لَا يَجْرِ‌مَنَّكُمْ شِقَاقِي أَن يُصِيبَكُم مِّثْلُ مَا أَصَابَ قَوْمَ نُوحٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ هُودٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ صَالِحٍ ۚ وَمَا قَوْمُ لُوطٍ مِّنكُم بِبَعِيدٍ . وَاسْتَغْفِرُ‌وا رَ‌بَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ رَ‌بِّي رَ‌حِيمٌ وَدُودٌ . قَالُوا يَا شُعَيْبُ مَا نَفْقَهُ كَثِيرً‌ا مِّمَّا تَقُولُ وَإِنَّا لَنَرَ‌اكَ فِينَا ضَعِيفًا ۖ وَلَوْلَا رَ‌هْطُكَ لَرَ‌جَمْنَاكَ ۖ وَمَا أَنتَ عَلَيْنَا بِعَزِيزٍ . قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَرَ‌هْطِي أَعَزُّ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَاتَّخَذْتُمُوهُ وَرَ‌اءَكُمْ ظِهْرِ‌يًّا ۖ إِنَّ رَ‌بِّي بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ . وَيَا قَوْمِ اعْمَلُوا عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنِّي عَامِلٌ ۖ سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ وَمَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ ۖ وَارْ‌تَقِبُوا إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ رَ‌قِيبٌ . وَلَمَّا جَاءَ أَمْرُ‌نَا نَجَّيْنَا شُعَيْبًا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ بِرَ‌حْمَةٍ مِّنَّا وَأَخَذَتِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا الصَّيْحَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دِيَارِ‌هِمْ جَاثِمِينَ . كَأَن لَّمْ يَغْنَوْا فِيهَا ۗ أَلَا بُعْدًا لِّمَدْيَنَ كَمَا بَعِدَتْ ثَمُودُ}

'Translation' { And to Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb. He said, "O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. And do not decrease from the measure and the scale. Indeed, I see you in prosperity, but indeed, I fear for you the punishment of an all-encompassing Day. And O my people, give full measure and weight in justice and do not deprive the people of their due and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption. What remains [lawful] from Allah is best for you, if you would be believers. But I am not a guardian over you." They said, "O Shu'ayb, does your prayer command you that we should leave what our fathers worship or not do with our wealth what we please? Indeed, you are the forbearing, the discerning!" He said, "O my people, have you considered: if I am upon clear evidence from my Lord and He has provided me with a good provision from Him...? And I do not intend to differ from you in that which I have forbidden you; I only intend reform as much as I am able. And my success is not but through Allah. Upon him I have relied, and to Him I return. And O my people, let not [your] dissension from me cause you to be struck by that similar to what struck the people of Noah or the people of Hud or the people of Salih. And the people of Lot are not from you far away. And ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is Merciful and Affectionate." They said, "O Shu'ayb, we do not understand much of what you say, and indeed, we consider you among us as weak. And if not for your family, we would have stoned you [to death]; and you are not to us one respected." He said, "O my people, is my family more respected for power by you than Allah? But you put Him behind your backs [in neglect]. Indeed, my Lord is encompassing of what you do. And O my people, work according to your position; indeed, I am working. You are going to know to whom will come a punishment that will disgrace him and who is a liar. So watch; indeed, I am with you a watcher, [awaiting the outcome]." And when Our command came, We saved Shu'ayb and those who believed with him, by mercy from Us. And the shriek seized those who had wronged, and they became within their homes [corpses] fallen prone As if they had never prospered therein. Then, away with Madyan as Thamud was taken away} [Hud:84-95].

This is the fatal end of the disbelieving People of Prophet Shu'ayb, peace be upon him, as was the end of every people before and after them who rejected the Divine Message and belied Allaah's Messengers and Prophets.

Source: (Stories of the Prophets) by Ibn Katheer