Surah Hud 11:91

The Response of Shu`ayb's People

They said,

(O Shu`ayb! We do not understand) This means that we do not comprehend.

(much) `most of what you say'. Ath-Thawri said, "He (Shu`ayb) was called the orator of the Prophets." As-Suddi said,

(and we see you weak among us.) "They meant, `You are only one person."' Abu Rawq said, "They meant, `You are despised, because your tribe is not upon your religion."'

(Were it not for your family, you would have been stoned,) This means, your people. Were it not for their powerful position over the people of Madyan, they would have stoned him to death. Some said that this means with rocks. It has also been said that this means that they would have cursed and insulted him verbally.

(and you are not powerful against us.) This means, "You have no position of power over us."

Shu`ayb's Refutation of His People

(He said: "O my people! Is then my family of more weight with you than Allah")( He says: You would leave me alone out of respect for my people but not out of respect for the greatness of the Lord, the Most Blessed and Exalted Does not your awe of Allah prevent you from harming His Prophet Indeed you have placed the fear of Allah,

(behind your backs.) This means that you have thrown it behind you. You do not obey it, nor do you respect it.

(Verily, my Lord is surrounding all that you do.) This means that He knows all of your actions and He will reward you according to them.

Sesudah penduduk Madyan (kaum Syuaib a.s.) merasa jenuh dan jengkel terhadap Nabi Syuaib a.s. karena semua alasan yang mereka kemukakan untuk menolak seruannya dijawab oleh Nabi Syuaib, mereka akhirnya berkata, "Hai Syuaib, kami tidak dapat memahami apa yang engkau kemukakan kepada kami mengenai tuhan-tuhan sembahan kami dan peraturan-peraturan yang mengekang kebebasan kami untuk bertindak dan mengendalikan harta kekayaan kami, begitu pula tentang azab yang akan menimpa kami, jika kami tidak mengikuti kemauanmu. Seakan-akan engkaulah yang menetapkan segala sesuatu dan di tangan engkaulah kebahagiaan dan kecelakaan kami, padahal semua itu adalah semata-mata urusan Tuhan. Kami melihat dan meyakini bahwa engkau adalah seorang yang lemah tak berdaya, tidak mungkin akan dapat membawa manfaat atau mudarat kepada kami, dan bila kami ingin membinasakan engkau, engkau tidak akan dapat membela diri. Kalau tidak rasa kasihan kami terhadap keluarga dan karib kerabatmu, tentulah kami sudah melemparimu dengan batu sampai mati."

Mereka melanjutkan bantahannya, "Engkau sendiri tidak ada harapan dan tidak ada harganya bagi kami karena engkau bukanlah seorang yang gagah berani dan perkasa yang dapat mempertahankan diri dari serangan orang lain. Hanya semata-mata karena kasihan kepada keluarga dan karib kerabatmulah, kami belum membunuhmu, karena mereka masih tetap berada di pihak kami, dalam golongan kami tidak mau meninggalkan agama kami dan agama nenek moyang kami."