The Quran

Preface

قالَ يا قَومِ أَرَأَيتُم إِن كُنتُ عَلىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِن رَبّي وَرَزَقَني مِنهُ رِزقًا حَسَنًا ۚ وَما أُريدُ أَن أُخالِفَكُم إِلىٰ ما أَنهاكُم عَنهُ ۚ إِن أُريدُ إِلَّا الإِصلاحَ مَا استَطَعتُ ۚ وَما تَوفيقي إِلّا بِاللَّهِ ۚ عَلَيهِ تَوَكَّلتُ وَإِلَيهِ أُنيبُ

Yusuf Ali

He said: “O my people! see ye whether I have a Clear (Sign) from my Lord, and He hath given me sustenance (pure and) good¹ as from Himself? I wish not, in opposition to you, to do that which I forbid you to do. I only desire (your) betterment to the best of my power; and my success (in my task) can only come from God. In Him I trust, and unto Him I look.

Shu'ayb’s answer is gentle and persuasive. First, he would ask them not to fly into a passion but satisfy themselves that he had a mission from God, and was working in the discharge of his mission: he was not merely finding fault with them. Secondly, though he was a poor man, he asked them to note that he was happy and comfortable: God had given him good sustenance t material and spiritual, as from Himself, though he did not resort to the sort of tricks which they considered necessary for their prosperity. Thirdly, if he forbade them anything he wished to apply the same standards to himself. Fourthly, all the advice which he is giving them is for their own good, which he desires to advance to the utmost of his powers. Fifthly, he is humble for himself; he would not set himself up to be their teacher or guide, or expect to be obeyed; the success of any of his efforts on their behalf must come from God’s grace; will they not therefore turn to God, so mat God’s grace can heal them?