وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا ۗ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ فَأَوْفُوا۟ ٱلْكَيْلَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا۟ ٱلنَّاسَ أَشْيَآءَهُمْ وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَـٰحِهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ 85
Translations
And to [the people of] Madyan [We sent] their brother Shuʿayb. He said, "O my people, worship Allāh; 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.
Transliteration
Wa-ilā Madyana akhāhum Shuʿaybā. Qāla yā-qawmi ʿbudū -llāha mā lakum min ilāhin ghayruhu. Qad jāʾat-kum bayyinah min Rabbikum. Fa-awfū -l-kayla wa-l-mīzāna wa-lā tabkhasu -n-nāsa ashyāʾahum wa-lā tufsidū fi -l-arḍi baʿda iṣlāḥihā. Dhālikum khayrun lakum in kuntum muʾminīn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents the mission of the Prophet Shuʿayb (Jethro) to the people of Madyan, calling them to monotheistic worship and condemning commercial dishonesty and corruption. He commands them to give full measure and weight in transactions, not to defraud people of their goods, and to refrain from spreading corruption in the land after it had been reformed. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi emphasize that Shuʿayb's emphasis on fair trade was a direct response to the people of Madyan's notorious practice of cheating in weights and measures, making commercial ethics an integral part of Islamic monotheism.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-A'raf's narrative of various prophets sent to their nations. The mention of Shuʿayb and his people comes after the stories of the Prophet Hud and Prophet Ṣāliḥ, following the thematic pattern of prophets warning their communities against spiritual and moral corruption. The surah contextualizes Shuʿayb's message within the broader framework of divine guidance sent to all peoples throughout history.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3895), and relatedly, he emphasized: 'Whoever cheats is not one of us' (Sahih Muslim 102), directly addressing the fraud that Shuʿayb condemned.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true faith in Allah cannot be separated from ethical behavior in daily transactions and economic dealings; honesty in commerce and justice to others are not merely social customs but fundamental expressions of belief in God and submission to His guidance. For modern believers, it underscores that spiritual development must manifest in integrity, fair dealing, and environmental responsibility in all aspects of life.