Surah Ash-Shu'ara 26:177

Shu`ayb and His Preaching to the Dwellers of Al-Aykah

The companions of Al-Aykah were the people of Madyan, according to the most correct view. The Prophet of Allah Shu`ayb was one of them, but it does not say here, their brother Shu`ayb, because they called themselves by a name denoting their deification of Al-Aykah, which was a tree which they used to worship; it was said that it was a group of trees which were tangled, like trees in a thicket. For this reason, when Allah said that the companions of Al-Aykah denied the Messengers, He did not say, "When their brother Shu`ayb said to them." Rather, He said:

(When Shu`ayb said to them) He is not described as belonging to them because of the meaning that was inherent in the name given to them even though he was their brother by blood. Some people did not notice this point, so they thought that the dwellers of Al-Aykah were different from the people of Madyan, and claimed that Shu`ayb was sent to two nations; some said that he was sent to three.

(The companions of Al-Aykah) were the people of Shu`ayb. This was the view of Ishaq bin Bishr. Someone besides Juwaybir said, "The dwellers of Al-Aykah and the people of Madyan are one and the same." And Allah knows best. Although there is another opinion that they were different nations with two identities, the correct view is that they were one nation, but they are described differently in different places. Shu`ayb preached to them and commanded them to be fair in their weights and measures, the same as is mentioned in the story of Madyan, which also indicates that they were the same nation.

Ayat ini menerangkan bahwa penduduk Madyan, yang disebut juga kabilah Madyan, telah mendustakan Nabi Syuaib yang menyeru mereka agar bertakwa kepada Allah dengan melaksanakan perintah-Nya dan meninggalkan larangan-Nya. Dalam ayat ini diterangkan bahwa tindakan penduduk Madyan itu sama hukumnya dengan mendustakan para rasul, karena mendustakan seorang rasul sama artinya dengan mendustakan semua rasul yang diutus Allah. Menurut Ibnu Kasir, penduduk Madyan dan Aikah adalah satu kabilah. Hanya di dalam Al-Qur'an kadangkala mereka diungkapkan sebagai penduduk Madyan dan kadangkala disebut sebagai penduduk Aikah.

Kabilah Madyan adalah satu kabilah yang mendiami daerah di sekitar Teluk Aqabah dan tempat sebelah utaranya. Madyan ialah eponim dari nenek moyang mereka, Madyan. Madyan adalah salah seorang putra Nabi Ibrahim. Kehidupan mereka pada waktu itu sejahtera. Mereka berbahagia, dan berkedudukan sebagai saudagar. Kota yang terbesar di daerah Madyan ini pun dinamai pula Madyan. Kota ini terletak di tengah-tengah daerah Madyan di pantai timur Laut Merah segaris lintang dengan Tabuk. Yang dimaksud dengan penduduk Aikah pada ayat di atas adalah penduduk Madyan.

Sebagian mufasir berpendapat bahwa Nabi Syuaib diutus setelah Nabi Musa. Sebagian yang lain mengatakan sebaliknya, yaitu sebelum pengutusan Nabi Musa.