THE STORY OF THE PROPHET SHU'AIB - The Prophet Shu'aib's Mission to the Madyans

Prophet Shu'aib was sent by Allah SWT to preach to the people of Madyan country. Prophet Shu'aib and the Madyans were descendant from Prophet Abraham. The people of the country of Madyan have long abandoned the teachings of the previous Prophets and Apostles. They do not believe in the existence of Allah Almighty God. They actually worship Aikah, a plot of desert overgrown with trees and plants.

The condition of the population of the country of Madyan was very lost at that time. They always do evil. It's habitual if they live in disobedience. And the bad thing that had become the habit of the people of Madyan country was to reduce the amount or scale in trading. They also fake the items they sell. Small traders and small farmers have always been victims by big traders and capital owners, so that the rich are increasingly wealthy and the poor are increasingly destitute of their lives.

The Prophet Shu'aib came from the residents of Madyan, of course they were brothers. Prophet Shu'aib invited the people of Madyan so that they only worship Allah SWT, stay away from evil, and various immorality. Madyan residents must abandon the act of worshiping Aikah, something that is not worthy of worship. Prophet Shu'aib also advised the people of Madyan that they apply honesty in trading, weighing merchandise properly without being reduced or deceiving buyers, not confiscating property belonging to others, and not oppressing weak and poor people. They must abandon those bad habits.

Surah Al-A'raf verse 85:

وَإِلَىٰ مَدۡيَنَ أَخَاهُمۡ شُعَيۡبٗاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥۖ قَدۡ جَآءَتۡكُم بَيِّنَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡۖ فَأَوۡفُواْ ٱلۡكَيۡلَ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَ وَلَا تَبۡخَسُواْ ٱلنَّاسَ أَشۡيَآءَهُمۡ وَلَا تُفۡسِدُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بَعۡدَ إِصۡلَٰحِهَاۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ  ٨٥

85.  And to [the people of] Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb. He said, "O my people, worship Allah; 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.

Surah Hud verses 84-86:

۞وَإِلَىٰ مَدۡيَنَ أَخَاهُمۡ شُعَيۡبٗاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥۖ وَلَا تَنقُصُواْ ٱلۡمِكۡيَالَ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَۖ إِنِّيٓ أَرَىٰكُم بِخَيۡرٖ وَإِنِّيٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ عَذَابَ يَوۡمٖ مُّحِيطٖ  ٨٤ وَيَٰقَوۡمِ أَوۡفُواْ ٱلۡمِكۡيَالَ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۖ وَلَا تَبۡخَسُواْ ٱلنَّاسَ أَشۡيَآءَهُمۡ وَلَا تَعۡثَوۡاْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُفۡسِدِينَ  ٨٥ بَقِيَّتُ ٱللَّهِ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَۚ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ عَلَيۡكُم بِحَفِيظٖ  ٨٦

84.  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.

85.  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.

86.  What remains [lawful] from Allah is best for you, if you would be believers. But I am not a guardian over you."

Surah Ash-Shu'ara verses 176-184:

كَذَّبَ أَصۡحَٰبُ لۡ‍َٔيۡكَةِ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ  ١٧٦ إِذۡ قَالَ لَهُمۡ شُعَيۡبٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ  ١٧٧ إِنِّي لَكُمۡ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٞ  ١٧٨ فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ  ١٧٩ وَمَآ أَسۡ‍َٔلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ مِنۡ أَجۡرٍۖ إِنۡ أَجۡرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ  ١٨٠ ۞أَوۡفُواْ ٱلۡكَيۡلَ وَلَا تَكُونُواْ مِنَ ٱلۡمُخۡسِرِينَ  ١٨١ وَزِنُواْ بِٱلۡقِسۡطَاسِ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمِ  ١٨٢ وَلَا تَبۡخَسُواْ ٱلنَّاسَ أَشۡيَآءَهُمۡ وَلَا تَعۡثَوۡاْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُفۡسِدِينَ  ١٨٣ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُمۡ وَٱلۡجِبِلَّةَ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ  ١٨٤

176.  The companions of the thicket denied the messengers

177.  When Shu'ayb said to them, "Will you not fear Allah?

178.  Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy messenger.

179.  So fear Allah and obey me.

180.  And I do not ask you for it any payment. My payment is only from the Lord of the worlds.

181.  Give full measure and do not be of those who cause loss.

182.  And weigh with an even balance.

183.  And do not deprive people of their due and do not commit abuse on earth, spreading corruption.

184.  And fear He who created you and the former creation."

                                                                                                                        

Surah Al-Ankabut verse 36:

وَإِلَىٰ مَدۡيَنَ أَخَاهُمۡ شُعَيۡبٗا فَقَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱرۡجُواْ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَ وَلَا تَعۡثَوۡاْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُفۡسِدِينَ  ٣٦

36.  And to Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb, and he said, "O my people, worship Allah and expect the Last Day and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."

Prophet Shu'aib warned that Allah SWT had given gifts to the people of Madyan in the form of fertile land and many offspring, and they should be grateful to Allah SWT. But most residents of Madyan did not want to be aware of following the teachings of the Prophet Shu'aib. Prophet Shu'aib also recounted the punishment of Allah SWT against the people of Noah, the people of Hud, the people of Salih, and the closest were the people of Luth who had perished due to their disbelief. The inhabitants of Madyan were reminded to leave evil and disobedience so that they did not get the punishment like the previous people.

Surah Hud verses 87-90:

قَالُواْ يَٰشُعَيۡبُ أَصَلَوٰتُكَ تَأۡمُرُكَ أَن نَّتۡرُكَ مَا يَعۡبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَآ أَوۡ أَن نَّفۡعَلَ فِيٓ أَمۡوَٰلِنَا مَا نَشَٰٓؤُاْۖ إِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ ٱلۡحَلِيمُ ٱلرَّشِيدُ  ٨٧ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٖ مِّن رَّبِّي وَرَزَقَنِي مِنۡهُ رِزۡقًا حَسَنٗاۚ وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَنۡ أُخَالِفَكُمۡ إِلَىٰ مَآ أَنۡهَىٰكُمۡ عَنۡهُۚ إِنۡ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا ٱلۡإِصۡلَٰحَ مَا ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُۚ وَمَا تَوۡفِيقِيٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِۚ عَلَيۡهِ تَوَكَّلۡتُ وَإِلَيۡهِ أُنِيبُ  ٨٨ وَيَٰقَوۡمِ لَا يَجۡرِمَنَّكُمۡ شِقَاقِيٓ أَن يُصِيبَكُم مِّثۡلُ مَآ أَصَابَ قَوۡمَ نُوحٍ أَوۡ قَوۡمَ هُودٍ أَوۡ قَوۡمَ صَٰلِحٖۚ وَمَا قَوۡمُ لُوطٖ مِّنكُم بِبَعِيدٖ  ٨٩ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي رَحِيمٞ وَدُودٞ  ٩٠

87.  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!"

88.  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.

89.  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.

90.  And ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is Merciful and Affectionate."

Prophet Shu'aib warned the people of Madyan that they would not obstruct the believers from worshiping Allah SWT and practicing the teachings of religion correctly. Madyan residents do have strange behavior, they not only refuse to follow the teachings of the Prophet Shu'aib, but also obstruct and disturb those who want to follow the teachings of the Prophet Shu'aib. There are even some people who are forced by force so that they do not want to follow the teachings of the Prophet Shu'aib and continue to practice their perverted community habits.

Surah Al-A'raf verses 86-87:

وَلَا تَقۡعُدُواْ بِكُلِّ صِرَٰطٖ تُوعِدُونَ وَتَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِهِۦ وَتَبۡغُونَهَا عِوَجٗاۚ وَٱذۡكُرُوٓاْ إِذۡ كُنتُمۡ قَلِيلٗا فَكَثَّرَكُمۡۖ وَٱنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ  ٨٦ وَإِن كَانَ طَآئِفَةٞ مِّنكُمۡ ءَامَنُواْ بِٱلَّذِيٓ أُرۡسِلۡتُ بِهِۦ وَطَآئِفَةٞ لَّمۡ يُؤۡمِنُواْ فَٱصۡبِرُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَحۡكُمَ ٱللَّهُ بَيۡنَنَاۚ وَهُوَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡحَٰكِمِينَ  ٨٧

86.  And do not sit on every path, threatening and averting from the way of Allah those who believe in Him, seeking to make it [seem] deviant. And remember when you were few and He increased you. And see how was the end of the corrupters.

87.  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 Allah judges between us. And He is the best of judges."

Although the actions of the residents of Madyan had been too bad, Shu'aib remained patient and continued to preach. Various scorns were heard and accepted by Shu'aib calmly. Prophet Shu'aib never responded with harsh words or angry. Prophet Shu'aib even more gentle by using his conscience and mind in preaching. Prophet Shu'aib also said that he was a brother to the people of Madyan, so it was certain that the Prophet Shu'aib hoped for good for the people of Madyan. He did not expect wages at all and did not want a high position. Prophet Shu'aib was satisfied if the people of Madyan returned to the path of Allah SWT.