Surah 7

Surah 7:85

"And to Midian (We sent) their brother Shu‘ayb. He said, ‘My people! Serve God! You have no god other than Him. A clear sign has come to you from your Lord. Fill up the measure and the scale, and do not shortchange the people of their wealth, and do not foment corruption on the earth after it has been set right. That is better for you, if you are believers."
Story of Shu'ayb, upon him be Peace, and the Land of Madyan Verses 7:85
Show Full Scripture Context (7:85) — 1 Verse
Verse 85

وَإِلَىٰ مَدۡيَنَ أَخَاهُمۡ شُعَيۡبٗاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥۖ قَدۡ جَآءَتۡكُم بَيِّنَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡۖ فَأَوۡفُواْ ٱلۡكَيۡلَ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَ وَلَا تَبۡخَسُواْ ٱلنَّاسَ أَشۡيَآءَهُمۡ وَلَا تُفۡسِدُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بَعۡدَ إِصۡلَٰحِهَاۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ

And to Midian (We sent) their brother Shu‘ayb. He said, ‘My people! Serve God! You have no god other than Him. A clear sign has come to you from your Lord. Fill up the measure and the scale, and do not shortchange the people of their wealth, and do not foment corruption on the earth after it has been set right. That is better for you, if you are believers.

Muhammad bin Ishaq said, “They (the people of Madyan) are the descendents of Madyan, son of Midyan, son of Ibrahim. Shu'ayb was the son of Mikil bin Yashjur. And in the Syrian language, his name was Yathrun (Jethro)”. I (Ibn Kathir) say, Madyan was the name of the tribe and also a city that is close to Ma‘an on route to the Hijaz (from Ash-Sham). Allah said in another Ayah,

And when he arrived at the water (a well) of Madyan he found there a group of men watering (their flocks).

They are also the people of Al-Aykah (the Woods), as we will mention later on, Allah willing, and our trust is in Him.

Quoted Scripture
"He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other God but Him ""

and this is the call of all Messengers,

Quoted Scripture
"" Verily, a clear proof (sign) from your Lord has come unto you;""

meaning, ‘Allah has presented the proof and evidences of the truth of what I brought you.’ He then advised them and commanded them to give full measure and full weight and not to wrong men in their dealings, meaning, to refrain from cheating people in buying and selling. They used to treacherously avoid giving full weight and measure. Allah said in other Ayat,

Woe to Al-Mutaffifin (those who give less in measure and weight)...

until He said,

before the Lord of all that exists ?, These Ayat contain a stern warning and sure promise that we ask Allah to save us from. Shu'ayb was called ‘Speaker of the Prophets’, because of his eloquent words and eloquent advice, and Allah stated that Shu'ayb said:

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.