Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Prophet Shu`ayb forbade his people from setting up blockades on the roads, saying, وَلاَ تَقْعُدُواْ بِكُلِّ صِرَطٍ تُوعِدُونَ ("And sit not on every road, threatening,") threatening people with death if they do not give up their money, as they were bandits, according to As-Suddi. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and several others commented: وَلاَ تَقْعُدُواْ بِكُلِّ صِرَطٍ تُوعِدُونَ ("And sit not on every road, threatening.") the believers who come to Shu`ayb to follow him." The first meaning is better, because Prophet Shu`ayb first said to them, بِكُلِّ صِرَطٍ ("on every road...") He then mentioned the second meaning, وَتَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِهِ وَتَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا ("and hindering from the path of Allah those who believe in Him, and seeking to make it crooked.") meaning, you seek to make the path of Allah crooked and deviated, وَاذْكُرُواْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ قَلِيلاً فَكَثَّرَكُمْ ("And remember when you were but few, and He multiplied you.") meaning, you were weak because you were few. But you later on became mighty because of your large numbers. Therefore, remember Allah's favor. وَانظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ ("And see what was the end of the mischief-makers. ") from the previous nations and earlier generations. See the torment and punishment they suffered, because they disobeyed Allah and rejected His Messengers. Shu`ayb continued; وَإِن كَانَ طَآئِفَةٌ مِّنكُمْ ءامَنُواْ بِالَّذِى أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ وَطَآئِفَةٌ لَّمْ يْؤْمِنُواْ ("And if there is a party of you who believes in that with which I have been sent and a party who does not believe,") that is, if you divided concerning me, فَاصْبِرُواْ ("so be patient") that is, then wait and see, حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَنَا ("until Allah judges between us,"), and you, وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْحَـكِمِينَ ("and He is the best of judges.") Surely, Allah will award the best end to those who fear and obey Him and He will destroy the disbelievers.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Prophet Shu`ayb forbade his people from setting up blockades on the roads, saying, وَلاَ تَقْعُدُواْ بِكُلِّ صِرَطٍ تُوعِدُونَ ("And sit not on every road, threatening,") threatening people with death if they do not give up their money, as they were bandits, according to As-Suddi. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and several others commented: وَلاَ تَقْعُدُواْ بِكُلِّ صِرَطٍ تُوعِدُونَ ("And sit not on every road, threatening.") the believers who come to Shu`ayb to follow him." The first meaning is better, because Prophet Shu`ayb first said to them, بِكُلِّ صِرَطٍ ("on every road...") He then mentioned the second meaning, وَتَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِهِ وَتَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا ("and hindering from the path of Allah those who believe in Him, and seeking to make it crooked.") meaning, you seek to make the path of Allah crooked and deviated, وَاذْكُرُواْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ قَلِيلاً فَكَثَّرَكُمْ ("And remember when you were but few, and He multiplied you.") meaning, you were weak because you were few. But you later on became mighty because of your large numbers. Therefore, remember Allah's favor. وَانظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ ("And see what was the end of the mischief-makers. ") from the previous nations and earlier generations. See the torment and punishment they suffered, because they disobeyed Allah and rejected His Messengers. Shu`ayb continued; وَإِن كَانَ طَآئِفَةٌ مِّنكُمْ ءامَنُواْ بِالَّذِى أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ وَطَآئِفَةٌ لَّمْ يْؤْمِنُواْ ("And if there is a party of you who believes in that with which I have been sent and a party who does not believe,") that is, if you divided concerning me, فَاصْبِرُواْ ("so be patient") that is, then wait and see, حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَنَا ("until Allah judges between us,"), and you, وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْحَـكِمِينَ ("and He is the best of judges.") Surely, Allah will award the best end to those who fear and obey Him and He will destroy the disbelievers.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

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.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

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.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

لَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتُمْ شُعَيْبًا إِنَّكُمْ إِذاً لَّخَـسِرُونَ ("If you follow Shu`ayb, be sure then you will be the losers!") Allah answered them, فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُواْ فِي دَارِهِمْ جَـثِمِينَ (So the earthquake seized them and they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes) Allah said that the earthquake shook them, as punishment for threatening to expel Shu`ayb and his followers. Allah mentioned their end again in Suah Hud, وَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّيْنَا شُعَيْبًا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِّنَّا وَأَخَذَتِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ الصَّيْحَةُ فَأَصْبَحُواْ فِى دِيَـرِهِمْ جَـثِمِينَ (And when Our commandment came, We saved Shu`ayb and those who believed with him by a mercy from Us. And the Sayhah (loud cry) seized the wrongdoers, and they lay (dead) prostrate in their homes.) 11:94 This Ayah mentions the Sayhah (cry) that struck them after they mocked Shu`ayb, saying, أَصَلَوَتُكَ تَأْمُرُكَ (Does your Salah (prayer) command you...) so it was befitting to mention here the cry that made them silence. In Surat Ash-Shu`ara', Allah said, فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَهُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمِ الظُّلَّةِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ (But they belied him, so the torment of the Day of Shadow (a gloomy cloud) seized them. Indeed that was the torment of a Great Day) 26:189 because they challenged Shu`ayb, فَأَسْقِطْ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ ("So cause a piece of the heaven to fall on us, if you are of the truthful!") 26:187. Therefore, Allah stated that each of these forms of punishment struck them on the Day of the Shadow. First, فَأَخَذَهُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمِ الظُّلَّةِ (So the torment of the Day of Shadow (a gloomy cloud) seized them) 26:189 when a gloomy cloud came over them (containing) fire, flames and a tremendous light. Next, a cry from the sky descended on them and a tremor shook them from beneath. Consequently, their souls were captured, their lives were taken and their bodies became idle, فَأَصْبَحُواْ فِي دَارِهِمْ جَـثِمِينَ (and they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes). Allah said next, كَأَن لَّمْ يَغْنَوْاْ فِيهَآ (They became as if they had never dwelt there) meaning, after the torment seized them, it looked as if they never dwelled in the land from which they wanted to expel their Messenger Shu`ayb and his followers. Here, Allah refuted their earlier statement, الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ شُعَيْبًا كَانُواْ هُمُ الْخَـسِرِينَ (Those who belied Shu`ayb, they were the losers.)