History of the Prophets
by Maulana Muhammad Ali
Shuaib
Among Abraham’s descendants, and previous to Moses, is Shuaib, who was sent to Midian, a city on the Red Sea. Shuaib is generally considered to be the Arabic name for Jethro. He is also supposed to be the man whose daughter Moses married when he fled to Midian (The Holy Quran, 28:27). He is mentioned four times in the Holy Quran, and in his teaching special stress is laid on the giving of full measure and weight. Thrice he is spoken of as being sent to Midian (The Holy Quran, 7:85; 11:84; 29:36), and once as being sent to the dwellers of the thicket, ashab al-aika (The Holy Quran, 26:176). Whether they were the same as the people of Midian cannot be said; in all probability they are identical, as the preaching in this case too is against defaultation in measure and weight. The following quotation is sufficient to give an idea of his preaching:
“And to Midian (We sent) their brother Shuaib. He said: O my people, Serve Allah, you have no other god save Him. And give not short measure and weight. I see you in prosperity, and I fear for you the chastisement of an all-encompassing day:
And, O my people, give full measure and weight justly, and defraud not men of their things, and act not corruptly in the land, making mischief:
What remains with Allah is better for you, if you are believers…
O my people, see you, if I have a clear proof from my Lord and He has given me a goodly sustenance from Himself… I desire nothing but reform, so far as I am able. And with none but Allah is the direction of my affair to a right issue.” (The Holy Quran, 11:84–88)
The people persisted in their evil ways and in their opposition to the prophet, and were ultimately destroyed by an earthquake (The Holy Quran, 7:91).
References mentioned above:
“He said: I desire to marry one of these two daughters of mine to thee on condition that thou serve me for eight years; but, if thou complete ten, it will be of thy own free will, and I wish not to be hard on thee. If Allah please, thou wilt find me one of the righteous.” (The Holy Quran, 28:27)
“And to Midian (We sent) their brother Shuaib. He said: O my people, serve Allah, you have no god other than Him. Clear proof indeed has come to you from your Lord, so give full measure and weight and diminish not to men their things and make not mischief in the land after its reform. This is better for you, if you are believers.” (The Holy Quran, 7:85)
“And to Midian (We sent) their brother Shuaib. He said: O my people, serve Allah, you have no other god save Him. And give not short measure and weight. I see you in prosperity, and I fear for you the chastisement of an all-encompassing day.” (The Holy Quran, 11:84)
“And to Midian (We sent) their brother Shuaib, so he said: O my people, serve Allah and fear the Latter day, and act not corruptly, making mischief, in the land.” (The Holy Quran, 29:36)
“The dwellers of the thicket gave the lie to the messengers.” (The Holy Quran, 26:176)
“So the earthquake overtook them, and they were motionless bodies in their abode — ” (The Holy Quran, 7:91)