THE STORY OF THE PROPHET SHU'AIB - Punishment for Madyans

The perseverance of the Prophet Shu’aib in preaching on every occasion and wherever he met people gathered made the unbelievers feel annoyed and bored. Various insults were directed at Prophet Shu’aib and his followers so that the Prophet Shu’aib stopped preaching. Prophet Shu’aib and his followers were threatened with expulsion from the city if they did not want to return to the heresy of Madyan residents. They also threatened to torture and stoned the Prophet Shu’aib if he did not want to stop preaching, even though they did not want to do so because of the position of the family of the Prophet Shu’aib.

Surah Al-A'raf verses 88-90:

۞قَالَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ مِن قَوۡمِهِۦ لَنُخۡرِجَنَّكَ يَٰشُعَيۡبُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَكَ مِن قَرۡيَتِنَآ أَوۡ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَاۚ قَالَ أَوَلَوۡ كُنَّا كَٰرِهِينَ  ٨٨ قَدِ ٱفۡتَرَيۡنَا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا إِنۡ عُدۡنَا فِي مِلَّتِكُم بَعۡدَ إِذۡ نَجَّىٰنَا ٱللَّهُ مِنۡهَاۚ وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَآ أَن نَّعُودَ فِيهَآ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّنَاۚ وَسِعَ رَبُّنَا كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ عِلۡمًاۚ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوَكَّلۡنَاۚ رَبَّنَا ٱفۡتَحۡ بَيۡنَنَا وَبَيۡنَ قَوۡمِنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡفَٰتِحِينَ  ٨٩ وَقَالَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن قَوۡمِهِۦ لَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعۡتُمۡ شُعَيۡبًا إِنَّكُمۡ إِذٗا لَّخَٰسِرُونَ  ٩٠

88.  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?"

89.  We would have invented against Allah a lie if we returned to your religion after Allah had saved us from it. And it is not for us to return to it except that Allah, our Lord, should will. Our Lord has encompassed all things in knowledge. Upon Allah we have relied. Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth, and You are the best of those who give decision."

90.  Said the eminent ones who disbelieved among his people, "If you should follow Shu'ayb, indeed, you would then be losers."

                                                                                                        

Surah Hud verses 91-93:

قَالُواْ يَٰشُعَيۡبُ مَا نَفۡقَهُ كَثِيرٗا مِّمَّا تَقُولُ وَإِنَّا لَنَرَىٰكَ فِينَا ضَعِيفٗاۖ وَلَوۡلَا رَهۡطُكَ لَرَجَمۡنَٰكَۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيۡنَا بِعَزِيزٖ  ٩١ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ أَرَهۡطِيٓ أَعَزُّ عَلَيۡكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَٱتَّخَذۡتُمُوهُ وَرَآءَكُمۡ ظِهۡرِيًّاۖ إِنَّ رَبِّي بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ مُحِيطٞ  ٩٢ وَيَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡمَلُواْ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِكُمۡ إِنِّي عَٰمِلٞۖ سَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ مَن يَأۡتِيهِ عَذَابٞ يُخۡزِيهِ وَمَنۡ هُوَ كَٰذِبٞۖ وَٱرۡتَقِبُوٓاْ إِنِّي مَعَكُمۡ رَقِيبٞ  ٩٣

91.  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."

92.  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.

93.  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]."

As long as the Prophet Shu’aib preached to convey the truth from Allah SWT, only a small people of the Madyans were aware. The majority of the residents of Madyan continue to commit immorality and mockery. They reasoned that they wanted to defend the teachings of their heretical ancestors. Because the people of Madyan were unable to resist the truth of the teachings of the Prophet Shu’aib that supported by real arguments and evidence, the Prophet received various false accusations, such as being accused of being exposed to magic. Even the infidels dared to challenge the Prophet Shu’aib to prove the truth of his teachings by bringing disaster from Allah SWT.

Surah Ash-Shu'ara verses 185-188:

قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُسَحَّرِينَ  ١٨٥ وَمَآ أَنتَ إِلَّا بَشَرٞ مِّثۡلُنَا وَإِن نَّظُنُّكَ لَمِنَ ٱلۡكَٰذِبِينَ  ١٨٦ فَأَسۡقِطۡ عَلَيۡنَا كِسَفٗا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ  ١٨٧ قَالَ رَبِّيٓ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ  ١٨٨

185.  They said, "You are only of those affected by magic.

186.  You are but a man like ourselves, and indeed, we think you are among the liars.

187.  So cause to fall upon us fragments of the sky, if you should be of the truthful."

188.  He said, "My Lord is most knowing of what you do."

Hearing the opposition of the Madyans indicated that their hearts were closed. Because they could no longer be reminded and they were unlikely to believe, the Prophet Shu’aib begged to Allah to bring His punishment. So Allah SWT brings punishment to those who disbelieve.

At first the infidels of Madyan were struck by very hot air. Because of the heat it makes people feel tremendous thirst, sweat flows profusely. They tried to get out of the house to get fresh air. It was in vain, all places in their neighborhood had been exposed to very hot air so they could not stand the hot air and they were too tired. The skin burns due to the heat, it's useless they take shelter under a roof or trees. Their feelings were confused and panicked.

Then came the dark black clouds that clumped on Madyan's land. They feel happy because they think that the cloud will bring rain which will make the air cool. But their assumption is incorrect. The dark black cloud was a real disaster for them. There came a lightning strike with a thunderous voice so the residents of Madyan were shocked. The disaster was also exacerbated by the tremendous earthquake that all the infidels died. None of them are still alive. Only Prophet Shu’aib and his followers who were believers were saved by Allah SWT.

Surah Al-A'raf verses 91-93:

فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلرَّجۡفَةُ فَأَصۡبَحُواْ فِي دَارِهِمۡ جَٰثِمِينَ  ٩١ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ شُعَيۡبٗا كَأَن لَّمۡ يَغۡنَوۡاْ فِيهَاۚ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ شُعَيۡبٗا كَانُواْ هُمُ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ  ٩٢ فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنۡهُمۡ وَقَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ لَقَدۡ أَبۡلَغۡتُكُمۡ رِسَٰلَٰتِ رَبِّي وَنَصَحۡتُ لَكُمۡۖ فَكَيۡفَ ءَاسَىٰ عَلَىٰ قَوۡمٖ كَٰفِرِينَ  ٩٣

91.  So the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone.

92.  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.

93.  And he 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?"

Surah Hud verses 94-95:

وَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمۡرُنَا نَجَّيۡنَا شُعَيۡبٗا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُۥ بِرَحۡمَةٖ مِّنَّا وَأَخَذَتِ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ ٱلصَّيۡحَةُ فَأَصۡبَحُواْ فِي دِيَٰرِهِمۡ جَٰثِمِينَ  ٩٤ كَأَن لَّمۡ يَغۡنَوۡاْ فِيهَآۗ أَلَا بُعۡدٗا لِّمَدۡيَنَ كَمَا بَعِدَتۡ ثَمُودُ  ٩٥

94.  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

95.  As if they had never prospered therein. Then, away with Madyan as Thamud was taken away.

Surah Ash-Shu'ara verses 189-191:

فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَهُمۡ عَذَابُ يَوۡمِ ٱلظُّلَّةِۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ عَذَابَ يَوۡمٍ عَظِيمٍ  ١٨٩ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗۖ وَمَا كَانَ أَكۡثَرُهُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ  ١٩٠ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ  ١٩١

189.  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.

190.  Indeed in that is a sign, but most of them were not to be believers.

191.  And indeed, your Lord - He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful.

Surah Al-Ankabut verse 37:

فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلرَّجۡفَةُ فَأَصۡبَحُواْ فِي دَارِهِمۡ جَٰثِمِينَ  ٣٧

37.  But they denied him, so the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone.