8. The Story of Sayyidnā Shū’aibعليه السالم
   8.1 The People of Al-Aiykah
   8.2 The Message of Shū’aib عليه السالم
   8.3 Allāh ﷻ Teaches us History of Ambiyā in Qur’ān as Lessons
   8.4 Ribā – Usury is Cursed by Allāh ﷻ
   8.5 Barakah – Blessing is Only in Halal and is Missing in Harām
   8.6 The Response of the People of Shū’aib – Secularism
   8.7 Secularism is Kufr (Disbelief)
   8.8 The Law of Allāh ﷻ
   8.9 The Strong Family of Shū’aib and His Response
   8.10 Wealth Can Make Human Beings Arrogant and Corrupt
   8.11 Six Pieces of Advice Given by Shū’aib عليه السالم
   8.12 The Punishment of Allāh ﷻ Came on Them

8. The Story of Sayyidnā Shū’aibعليه السالم

Khatīb Al-Ambiyā – the speaker of the Ambiyā; the orator of the Ambiyā. Allāh ﷻ has given this Nabī eloquence in speech. He had beautiful words of wisdom and advice – Nasīhah, that he delivered to his people. His story is short, but it is full of meanings for all of us. And Allāh ﷻ did not mention to us the story of any Nabī, except because there are lessons for us to learn. This Nabī of Allāh ﷻ is Sayyidnā Shū’aib عليه السالم  .

We do not know exactly where Sayyidnā Shū’aib عليه السالم  lies in terms of the chronological order. He is from the descendants of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم . There are some scholars who say that Sayyidnā Shū’aib is the one whom Qur’ān talks about, that Mūsā married his daughter. But Qur’ān does not specifically state that it was Shū’aib. It just says that Mūsā went to Madyān, and he got married to his wife in Madyān. So, some of the ‘Ulamā concluded that it might be Shū’aib, because Shū’aib was the Nabī of Madyān.

So that’s why, after we have talked about Sayyidnā ‘Ibrāhīm, we will talk tonight about Sayyidnā Shū’aib, [since Shū’aib is] from the descendants of ‘Ibrāhīm, but we don’t know where exactly he comes in terms of the time order, but that’s not a problem. It wouldn’t do us any benefit to know the timeline of these events, and it won’t do us any harm not to know when it happened, because the essence of the lessons is there. Whether it happened a long time before Mūsā, or it happened in the time of Mūsā, doesn’t make a difference. And Sayyidnā Shū’aib عليه السالم  made Da’wah to his people in Madyān. Madyān is the town, the area. Allāh ﷻ says,

And to (the people of) Madyān (Midian), (We sent) their brother Shū’aib.(Al-A’rāf – 7:85)

8.1 The People of Al-Aiykah

What does ‘brother’ here mean? It means, he’s part of them. He’s from those people, but in another Āyah, Allāh ﷻ says,

The dwellers of Al-Aiyka [near Madyān] belied the Messengers. When Shū’aib said to them: “Will you not fear Allāh (and obey Him)?”(Ash-Shu’arā’ – 26:176-177)

Over here, in this Āyah, it didn’t say ‘brother’. Even though in Sūrat Ash- Shu’arā’, and this Āyah is from Sūrat Ash-Shu’arā’, when it talks about ‘Ād it says, “’Akhūhum Hūdun – their brother, Hūd.” When it talked about Thamūd, it says, “’Akhūhum Şālihun – their brother, Sālih.” When it talks about Lūt, it says “’Akhūhum Lūţun – their brother, Lūt.” But it didn’t say, ‘Their brother Shū’aib.’ Why? Ibn Kathīr says, “Because in that Āyah, Allāh ﷻ was saying the people of Al-Aiykah.” Al-Aiykah is a large tree which they used to worship. So Allāh ﷻ said, ‘The people of Al-Aiykah’, and Allāh ﷻ did not want to attribute brotherhood to the people of Al-Aiykah, because Al- Aiykah is a god that is taken besides Allāh ﷻ. So Allāh ﷻ said, ‘Shū’aib’ without saying ‘their brother’, but when Allāh ﷻ said, “Ilā Madyan – when we sent to Madyān,” Allāh ﷻ said, “Their brother, Shū’aib.” And this is a small note in terms of the difference in the Āyāt.

8.2 The Message of Shū’aib  عليه السالم

Allāh ﷻ says, “He said: “O my people! Worship Allāh! You have no other Ilāh (God) but Him. [Lā ilāha ill-Allāh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allāh)].” Verily, a clear proof (sign) from your Lord has come unto you; so give full measure and full weight and wrong not men in their things,(Al-A’rāf – 7:85)

Madyān was on the trade route of Hijāz (Al-Hijāz is a region in the west of Saudi Arabia, which includes Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Yanbu and Taif) and Ash-Shaam. (Ash-Shaam (The Levant) is present-day Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan.) It was a financial centre, and the people of Madyān were rich; their work or their trade, was business, but they were unfair in their business dealings, and they used to cheat, and they would not give full measure.

Sayyidnā Shū’aib عليه السالم  said, “Fa’awfū Al-Kayla Wa Al-Mīzāna – give full measure and full weight.”

And do not mischief on the earth.(Al-A’rāf – 7:85)

The people of Shū’aib, even though they were wealthy, they were still cheating, thinking that this is their source of Rizq, and that is Tatfīf Al-Mīzān. So, you would put a weight and tell the person, ‘This is one pound,’ but it’s not, it’s less than that. And they would also cheat in transactions.

We find that every Nabī came with the same message, and that is, ‘Lā ilāha illā Allāh – there is no God worthy of worship but Allāh, but then the details of the message were different, according to the situation of the people. Last night, when we talked about the people of Lūt, their disease and illness was their lust, so we find that Lūt was dealing with that problem. While the problem of the people of Madyān was in their Mu’āmmalāt – business transactions. They were cheating, and when it comes to money, they did not follow the law of Allāh ﷻ. And with the people of ‘Ād, they had certain diseases. With the people of the Thamūd, they had certain diseases.

With Mūsā and in the story of Mūsā عليه السالم , we find that he was dealing with the dictatorship and the oppression of Fir’aun on one side, and then he was dealing with the problems of his own Ummah, the Muslims of that time: Banū Isrā’īl, on another hand.

8.3 Allāh ﷻ Teaches us History of Ambiyā in Qur’ān as Lessons

Allāh ﷻ mentions to us these stories in Qur’ān because we are going to need every one of them, because we are going to run into similar situations. That’s why Allāh ﷻ is mentioning these stories in Qur’ān. So, we are going to deal with problems similar to the problems that Lūt faced; and these are the lust and the sexual desire, put in places where it shouldn’t be. We are going to run into situations where people are cheating in business. We are going to run into situations of oppressive governments like Fir’aun. We are going to run into the problem of dealing with our own Muslim brothers who are not keeping the rule of Allāh ﷻ, just like Mūsā was dealing with Banī Isrā’īl. And we are going to run into problems similar to every other story of the Ambiyā mentioned in Qur’ān.

Allāh ﷻ is mentioning for us these stories, for us to learn the lessons of how to deal with these particular situations. The issue of business is a very important part of religion, that we are taking very lightly. Because we find that there are some people who are the best in terms of their attendance to Salāh, and their attachment to the Farā’id [obligations] of Islām, and their application to many of the Sunan of Rasūlullāh ﷺ, they are the best in that, and on the other side, they’re the best in cheating. ‘An Tatfīf Al-Mīzān – and wronging others in business. How could these two sides exist in the same person? In the Masjid, we could be in that state of devotion to worship, and just as we cross our feet outside of the door of the Masjid, a completely different personality appears. So, inside the Masjid, the Lord is Allāh ﷻ, whereas outside of the Masjid, the Lord is the dollar.

Sayyidnā Shū’aib was dealing with this problem and then we will find something interesting; the response of his people was similar to the response of the people you will speak to today, when they are not keeping the right business transactions, and we’ll get into that.

They also used to tax anybody who’s passing through. Al-SuddĪ, one of the Mufassirīn says, “These are the first people to start taxation and tariffs, customs.” Whenever somebody is passing through Madyān, you have to pay customs. Before, you would travel in and out, and nobody would tax you and take from you customs. Anybody who’s passing from Ash-Shaam to Al- Hijāz, has to pay a tax. Also, if you’re going from Al-Hijāz, you have to pay them a tax. In addition to that, they would rob sometimes some of these caravans, that are going on the way, and they would also prevent the people from becoming Muslim and listening to the message of Sayyidnā Shū’aib. Allāh ﷻ says,

“And O my people! Give full measure and weight in justice and reduce not the things that are due to the people, and do not commit mischief in the land, causing corruption. That which is left by Allāh for you (after giving the rights of the people) is better for you, if you are believers. And I am not set over you as a guardian.(Hūd – 11:85, 86)

Sayyidnā Shū’aib is telling them, ‘Do not cheat and give full measure.’ He’s telling them, ‘Give full measure, and then give the Zakāh and give the Sadaqāh.’ “And what will remain of that is better for you.”

Because people without Īmān tend to think that “If I cheat, I will be able to make more money.” That’s the logic that we think with when we don’t have Īmān. Shū’aib is telling them, ‘No, that’s wrong. When you cheat and you make more money, you’re not really making more money, but you are losing. If you give full measure; you give the people what is due to them, and then you give out for your money, the obligations that you have towards the poor. What will remain to you, even though it seems less, but it is better for you than the bigger amount that you could make through cheating.’ “Baqīyatu Allāhi Khayrun Lakum – what will remain for you is better for you.”(Hūd – 11:85, 86)

8.4 Ribā – Usury is Cursed by Allāh ﷻ

And we find that this is approved through Āyāt of Qur’ān, and through Ahādīth of Rasūlullāh ﷺ. Allāh ﷻ says, “Allāh will destroy Ribā (usury).”(Al-Baqarah – 2:276) Ar-Ribā – interest, is one of the things that “increases” your money. If you are getting interest, or you are taking interest, you’re making more money, but Allāh ﷻ says,

Allāh will destroy Ribā (usury) and will give increase for Sadaqāt (deeds of charity, alms, etc.)(Al-Baqarah – 2:276) Subhān’Allāh, when you’re dealing with interest, this Āyāh is talking about the one who’s taking interest. When you take interest, you’re making more money, and when you’re giving Sadaqāh, you’re losing money. But the Āyah says, “Yamhaqu Allāhu Ar-Ribā Wa Yurbī Aş-Şadaqāti – Allāh ﷻ destroys and decreases interest, and Allāh ﷻ increases and expands Sadaqāh (charity).” It’s the exact opposite of what we think.

8.5 Barakah – Blessing is Only in Halal and is Missing in Harām

Why? Because we’re missing a very, very important element in wealth and that is the issue of Barakah. We always think in terms of exact numbers; $200 is more than 100$. We are not including in the calculation, the concept of Barakah. Barakah is a secret that Allāh ﷻ puts in the money. So, the $100 could not only be more than $200, but it could be more than $1000 because it has that secret element in it, called Barakah – blessing. So, $1 that has Barakah could go a long way, and $1 that does not have Barakah could cause you destruction.

And we see that a lot. You see that some people, they’re living off a small amount of money, but they’re having a very blessed and pleasant life; they’re happy and they’re content from an insight, and you see that somebody else has a lot but they’re living a life of misery. Why? Because Barakah is missing. So Sayyidnā Shū’aib is telling his people, “That which is left by Allāh for you, is better for you if you are believers, and I am not set over you as a guardian.”(Hūd – 11:85, 86)

‘I’m not the guardian over you, you are responsible for your own dealings and transactions.’

8.6 The Response of the People of Shū’aib – Secularism

What did the people of Shū’aib say? And you will find something similar in this, and what the people would say today when you discuss such an issue with them. Allāh ﷻ says,

They said: “O Shū’aib! Does your Salāt (prayer) (i.e. the prayers which you offer has spoiled your mind, so you) command that we leave off what our fathers used to worship, or that we leave off doing what we like with our property? Verily, you are the forbearer, right-minded!” (They said this sarcastically).(Hūd – 11:87)

They’re stating two things in this response. First of all, they’re saying, “Oh Shū’aib, your Salāh”, they’re talking about the Salāh of Shū’aib. They’re telling Sayyidnā Shū’aib عليه السالم , ‘What does prayer have to do with the religion of our fathers? And what does prayer have to do with business?’ The explanation of this is, number one, what does Salāh have to do with the religion of our fathers? In fact, to be specific they said, “Does your prayer command that we leave off what our fathers used to worship?” They’re telling Shū’aib, ‘Go and pray in your room or in your office and close your office. What does your prayer have to do with our religion? Why do you pray and then come and tell us, ‘Don’t worship the religion of our fathers?’ What does your prayer have to do with this? You have your religion, we have ours, your Salāh should not involve in this.’

They want to separate between the religion of Shū’aib and their religion. So, they’re telling him, ‘Stay and do whatever you want in your religion, but don’t bother us, and don’t come and tell us that we’re wrong. What does Salāh have to do with the religion of our fathers? In your Salāh, your Salāh is telling you that we should give up our religion?’

And we find this similar in the response given by the non-Believers. They would say, ‘Keep your religion, but don’t try to propagate it on us and don’t tell us about your religion. You keep your religion, and we’ll keep ours, and we’ll be friends and we’ll get along.’ Now, in the religion of Allāh ﷻ, we have to give out the message of Risālah – The message of Islam.

8.7 Secularism is Kufr (Disbelief)

The second thing that they stated was, ‘What does your Salāh have to do with business?’ And what do we call this concept today? Secularism. This is secularism – separation between the religion and the aspects of life. They said, ‘Your Salāh is a ritual, this is an ‘Ibādah [act of worship]. What does it have to do with business? This is a worship between you and your God. But this business is something that has to do with this Dunyā and this world. We should separate between the two things; So, leave what is for God, for God, and what is for Caesar, for Caesar.’

So, the concept of secularism is not new. The people of Shū’aib knew it a long time ago, and the Jāhiliyyah of today – the ignorance of today is not any different than the ignorance few thousand years ago. It’s the same thing. So, they said that ‘Your Salāh shouldn’t tell us what to do in our business. This is up to us.’

8.8 The Law of Allāh ﷻ

And that is the problem with mankind, when they don’t want to follow the Law of Allāh ﷻ. The Law of Allāh ﷻ is not something that you keep in the Masjid, or you keep as an individual. The Law of Allāh ﷻ applies to every aspect of our life. All our life should fall within the Hukm [Rule] of Allāh ﷻ. The religion of Allāh ﷻ controls everything in our livelihood, in the day and in the night, whether it is politics, or it is economics or trade or banking. These other aspects of economics, whether it is the civil law, whether it is the social relations, whether it is international law and the relations between nations; the religion of Allāh ﷻ controls all of this!

Now, we are living in a time when there is an attempt to separate between the religion of Allāh ﷻ, and all of these aspects, and to turn it into an issue of individual application inside, that has no presentation in the outside, and that has no manifestation in our actual life. ‘So, if you want to keep your religion between you and yourself, that’s fine. But if you want to apply the religion, and it’s going to affect the people around you, and affect your family, and affect the society, No. That’s unacceptable.’ And that is secularism, and that is what Sayyidnā Shū’aib tried to fight, and he insisted on these points, and kept on making Da’wah to them. Because they didn’t want to understand what he’s saying, and they didn’t attempt to learn it. Allāh ﷻ says,

They said: “O Shū’aib! We do not understand much of what you say, and we see you a weak (man, it is said that he was a blind man) among us.”(Hūd – 11:91) “We don’t understand.” This is not because Shū’aib wasn’t clear. Sayyidnā Shū’aib was Khatīb Al-Ambiyā – he was the Speaker of the Ambiyā – of the Prophets. He was very clear and very eloquent, and he would drive the information to them as clear as possible, but they didn’t want to understand, so they didn’t understand. They did not want to, because they were shutting their ears. They said, “We don’t understand what you’re saying.” And then they said, “Wa ‘Innā Lanarāka Fīnā Đa`īfāan – and we see you as a weak man.”

8.9 The Strong Family of Shū’aib and His Response

They only understand the language of force. “You’re a weak man. We see you as weak – Da`īfāan.” And the only reason why they’re not getting rid of him by killing him is,

 “Were it not for your family, we should certainly have stoned you and you are not powerful against us.” (Hūd – 11:91)

Shū’aib عليه السالم  was from a noble and strong family. Why? Because Rasūlullāh ﷺ says, “After Sayyidnā Lūt, Allāh ﷻ has sent every messenger in a strong family.”(Jami` at-Tirmidhi Hadith 3116) We talked about Lūt last night, when he said, “I wish that I could lean on a source of power,” because Sayyidnā Lūt didn’t have any family members with him. He was alone in Sadūm. So Rasūlullāh ﷺ says, “Any Prophet that was sent after Lūt, was sent in a strong family.”(Jami` at-Tirmidhi Hadith 3116) So Shū’aib was sent in a strong family, and the people of Shū’aib are saying, ‘If it wasn’t for your family, we would kill you, and stone you, and get rid of you, and you can’t do anything. We have no respect for you, as an individual. And if it’s not for the sake of your family, we would kill you.’

The message is clear: ‘We don’t respect you. You’re worthless in our eyes. It’s only for the sake of your family that we’re sparing your life.’ Look at the response of Sayyidnā Shū’aib عليه السالم . Allāh ﷻ says,

He said: “O my people! Is then my family of more weight with you than Allāh? And you have cast Him away behind your backs.(Hūd – 11:92)

‘You say that you don’t want to kill me for my family?’ You’re not afraid of Allāh ﷻ at all? So, you’re keeping me alive, not for the sake of Allāh ﷻ, but just because of my family? And you’re not including Allāh ﷻ in the equation at all?’ He’s telling them, ‘Why should you respect me for my family? Respect me for Allāh, and fear Allāh ﷻ.’

8.10 Wealth Can Make Human Beings Arrogant and Corrupt

“And you have cast Allāh away, behind your backs.” They have put Allāh ﷻ behind their backs, they’re completely ignoring the law of Allāh ﷻ, and this is expected from people who are wealthy, and rich, and strong. Because Rasūlullāh ﷺ says, “Aw Ghinan Mutghiyyah – wealth that will make you arrogant.”(Riyad as-Sālihīn 93, 577, – Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2306) When people have money, they feel that they could get everything they want; they could buy everything. They could buy material goods, they can buy happiness, they can buy power, they can buy fame, they can buy political positions. People think they can buy anything they want with their money. A person could start thinking that, ‘With my money, I don’t need anyone, because I can buy everything with my money. I don’t even need Allāh.’ Sometimes that happens, and the people of Shū’aib were in that state. They felt that they don’t need anybody, they don’t need anyone, they don’t even need Allāh ﷻ. So, they were so arrogant, they have put Allāh ﷻ and the commandments of Allāh ﷻ behind their backs.

8.11 Six Pieces of Advice Given by Shū’aib عليه السالم

So, this is the message of Shū’aib, and I’ll recite to you some of the sayings of Shū’aib that were mentioned in Qur’ān. In these two Āyāt, Sayyidnā Shū’aib has six pieces of advice, that he’s giving everyone. I’ll read the Āyāt. Allāh ﷻ says,

He said: “O my people! Tell me, if I have a clear evidence from my Lord, and He has given me a good sustenance from Himself (shall I corrupt it by mixing it with the unlawfully earned money). I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you. I only desire reform so far as I am able, to the best of my power. And my guidance cannot come except from Allāh, in Him I trust and unto Him I repent. And O my people! Let not my Shiqāq cause you to suffer the fate similar to that of the people of Nūh (Noah) or of Hūd or of Sālih (Saleh), and the people of Lūt (Lot) are not far off from you! And ask forgiveness of your Lord and turn unto Him in repentance. Verily, my Lord is Most Merciful, Most Loving.”(Hūd – 11:88-90)

In these three Āyāt are six pieces of advice.

The first advice: “I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you.”

Shū’aib is saying, “I do not want to do something that is contradicting my words. If I say something, I must do it.” And that is a very important quality of the believer. And the opposite is a quality of the hypocrites; they say things and they don’t act upon them, and they say things and they do the opposite. And this is a very, very dangerous thing, because Rasūlullāh ﷺ says in the authentic Ahādīth that, “In Hellfire, there would be a man who’s running around his intestines. And he is running around them. So, the people of Hellfire will come to him, and they would say, ‘You have harmed us.’ And then they will tell him, ‘Weren’t you, in Dunyā, telling us to do good? And you were preventing us from doing evil?’ This man used to do ‘Amr Bil- Ma’rūf Wan Nahyā ‘An Al-Munkar – he used to enjoin the people to do good and he would forbid them from doing evil. Why was he punished? He would tell them, ‘Because I used to tell you to do the good and I wouldn’t do it myself. And I used to prevent you from doing evil, yet I used to do it myself.’ And that’s his punishment.”(Sahīh Al-Bukhārī 3267, Sahīh Muslim 2989)

Sayyidnā Shū’aib is saying, ‘I do not want to tell you something and then I don’t fulfil it and do it. I’m applying the same standards on you, that I apply on myself. I’m doing the same thing that I’m telling you to do.’

In fact, this story is mentioned, that Imām Mālik did it and in some other narrations, it says that its Al-Hasan Al-Basrī. They said that they came to him, and they told him, “There are too many slaves. Can you please encourage the people to free them?” So, whether it was Imām Mālik or Al-Hasan Al- Basrī, he listened to that advice. The first Jumu’ah came, he didn’t speak about freeing slaves. The second Jumu’ah came, he didn’t speak about it. The third Jumu’ah came, he didn’t speak about it. And then, a while later, a few weeks after they told him about this, he made a Khutbah, and he told the people in that Khutbah in a very simple way, “Free the slaves.” They said, “Immediately after the Khutbah, people were freeing all of the slaves they had.” Even though he said it in a very simple manner, but the people took that advice, and they acted upon it, and everybody was freeing the slaves. They came to him, and they told him, “First of all, why did it take you so long to remind the people? Because look at the result of it. Why didn’t you do this before? Why didn’t you tell the people to do this a long time ago? Look at the response that the people showed.” He said, “Because I did not want to tell the people to do something I’m not doing. And since I didn’t have any slaves myself, I collected money, until I had enough money to buy a slave. And then I bought a slave, and I freed him. And then I stood on the Mimbar, and when I spoke to the people, the people took my advice because it’s coming from the heart, and it’s sincere. So, the people acted upon it.”
So, we need to enjoin others to do what we are doing ourselves.

The second advice: “I only desire reform so far as I am able, to the best of my power.”

‘I want to do good as much as I can, and as much as possible.’ A very important rule, which implies two things.

Number one: We should do the best of our capacity, as much as we can. You should exhaust your energy and your effort to do good. Don’t keep good for your spare time. Don’t keep good to the month of Ramadān. Don’t keep good when it’s easy to do it. Do good always, as much as you can. There are no seasons for good and seasons for evil. Sometimes we say, “I’m going to fulfil these duties of Allāh ﷻ, and then I’m going to fulfil these desires of mine, even if they’re evil.” No, we should do good all the time.

Number two: it implies is, if you’re not able to change the situation 100%, and you’re able to change it only 5%, then do so. ‘Mā Lā Yudrak Kulluhu, Lā Yutrak Julluhu – if you’re not able to do it completely, then don’t leave it completely.’ That’s a very important Fiqh principle; If you’re able to do a portion of it, then do it, and this is very positive. It is a very positive way of working, because in this world, there’s no clear black and white. Things are intertwined and intermingled together, and most of the things are grey. There is no clear white and clear black. Most of the things are mixed up; good and bad, black, and white together, right and wrong. Everything is mixed.

Sometimes we cannot change the situation 100%, so we say, “Leave it alone. If I’m not able to change it, leave it alone.” For example, I’m giving Da’wah to somebody, a non-Muslim, but then somebody sees that this person is very evil. He says, “No, no, no, there’s no use in this man, leave him alone, just leave him alone.” Well, if you’re not able to change him 100%, at least give him advice that could change him 5% and make him a little bit closer to Islam, just a little bit closer; one step. He doesn’t have to be a Muslim for you to receive the reward. By just, you, giving that message and bringing him a step closer, you are receiving a reward. So, it doesn’t have to be either black or white, or I’m not going to do it. No, do as much as you can.

And especially now, with the Ummah, the state of the Ummah, there is a problem in everything that we’re doing. So, there’s good and bad in most of the things around us, or all of the things around us. We cannot change things radically, 100% in one day, it’s just impossible. It won’t happen. So, we need to have a gradual change that will take a while, but it’s a step-by-step process. Sometimes we’re in a hurry, we want a revolution that will change everything upside down, suddenly, tomorrow in the morning, eight o’clock, we’ll have Khilāfah. It doesn’t happen that way. It took Rasūlullāh ﷺ 13 years, and I guarantee you it will take us longer. But the issue is that we need to build, and it’s a step-by-step process, and it’s a brick by brick. It’s not a radical, sudden change. It is a long, long path. The path of Islam is long, and it needs a lot of patience, patience, patience.

So, we need to deal always with that mentality of being positive. If you can’t change it all, change it a little bit, but always carry with you good, and be a key of good because Rasūlullāh ﷺ says, ‘Allāh ﷻ has some of His servants, they are keys for good. That means that, these people, wherever they go, when they leave, they leave behind them good; there is blessings following them wherever they go. And there are some peoples who are ‘Mafātih Lī Al-Sharh’ – keys for evil. These people, wherever they go, they cause problems, and they leave evil. That’s how their personality is; they just have a crooked personality that is going to cause problems wherever they go. And there are some people who would always leave good behind them, because they’re always doing good; wherever they go, they’re going to make a change.’(Sunan Ibn Mājah Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadīth 237, 238)

We need to deal with that perception, that this process of change is a step- by-step thing that will take a while, and it needs a lot of patience.

“In ‘Urīdu ‘Illā Al-‘Islāha Mā Astaţa`tu – I want nothing but to set things right as far as I can.” This is a wisdom that we learned from Sayyidnā Shū’aib.

The third advice: “And my guidance cannot come except from Allāh.” (Hūd 11: 88)

‘My success and my guidance depend on Allāh ﷻ.’ Whenever we change something to good, whenever we do good, it is coming from Allāh ﷻ. The Tawfīq [success] comes from Allāh ﷻ. The concept of Tawfīq is a little bit similar to Barakah.

I’ll give you an example. You have two students who have exams in the month of Ramadan. One of them says, “I have to study day and night for this exam, so I’m going to leave Tarāwīh, I’m going to leave the Masjid, I just can’t do it. I mean, this studying of mine is ‘Ibādah and I have to just forget about everything else. I don’t have time for Dhikr of Allāh ﷻ.”

So, this person goes and studies day and night. And these two students are engineering students, for example.

The other student wants to study very hard, but because he has so much love of Allāh ﷻ in his heart, he wants to go to the Masjid, he wants to attend the Salāh, he wants to pray the Tarāwīh, he wants to be with the Muslims, he wants to make Dhikr. So, his heart is leading him to that direction, and he’s going to that direction. And he’s studying much, much less than the other students. He’s squeezing in a few hours in the day, but the rest of his time is going for ‘Ibādah of Allāh ﷻ, because it’s the blessed month of Ramadān. Both of them are studying a certain problem in Calculus, or in Materials, or in Physics, or Hydrology, or anything engineering, Electronics, anything; a subject that has problems. And they’re both studying this problem at the same time. So, this student who is keeping the orders of Allāh ﷻ, and Allāh ﷻ wants to give him Tawfīq, he goes through the problem and he’s solving that problem, and it takes him half an hour to solve. Then he is done with the problem, and he goes to the next one.

The other student starts solving that problem and he gets stuck somewhere in the problem. Sometimes in a problem, in the middle of the problem, there’s something that you don’t turn your attention to, and you get stuck in that problem, and you spend hours and hours and hours and you’re not able to get out of that loop. So that student got stuck in the problem, and he’s going around in circles for hours and hours and hours. And the other one finished the problem and he’s praying Tarāwīh in the Masjid, and he’s making Dhikr of Allāh ﷻ, and I’tikāf that night. Why? Because one of them has Tawfīq and the other one doesn’t have it.

Tawfīq is from Allāh ﷻ. It’s not on how much you studied, or how much you work; these are Asbāb [reasons]. It’s true that, in general, the more you work, the more you get. That’s a general rule and it’s a Sunnah of Allāh ﷻ. But there is also something else. There’s another rule and that is the rule of Tawfīq. We need to understand that Allāh ﷻ has laws. Allāh ﷻ has established laws in this world. The harder you work, the more fruits you would get. And there’s also another law that says, “If you have the Tawfīq of Allāh ﷻ, Allāh ﷻ will make things easy on you.” And these laws work together, but we have to understand that both laws exist.

So Shū’aib is saying, “Wa Mā Tawfīqī ‘Illā Billāhi – My Tawfīq is coming from Allāh ﷻ.” (Hūd 11:88)

The fourth advice: “In Him I trust.” (Hūd 11:88)

‘I put my trust in Allāh ﷻ.’ Always, whenever we do something, we have to put our trust in Allāh ﷻ. What does Tawakkul mean? Because it’s a concept that is taken in extremes. Somebody who takes the concept of Tawakkul to the extreme, by thinking that “Putting my trust in Allāh ﷻ means that I will worship Allāh ﷻ, and forget about Rizq, and forget about tying my camel, and forget about preparing for war.” Like, for example, one brother had the wrong concept of Tawakkul, and we were talking about the Battle of Badr. So, he told me, “The 313 Muslim soldiers in the Battle of Badr went to fight the non-believers and they didn’t have any weapons with them, but two of them had sticks.” I asked him, “They want to fight with sticks?” He said, “Yes.” See, that’s the wrong understanding of Tawakkul. You think that the Sahāba would go and fight a battle with bare hands, without no weapons? How are they going to win? They would slap people around and the other army has swords and arrows and everything, and they’re going fighting with their hands?

So that’s a wrong understanding of Tawakkul, and these are the ones ‘Umar bin Khattāb hit with his stick. When he came in the Masjid, he told them, “What are you doing?” This was midday, in the official business hours. They were inside the Masjid in Madināh. ‘Umar bin Khattāb came and said, “What are you doing in the Masjid?” They said, “Nahnu Al-Mutawakkilūn – we are the ones who have Tawakkul. He hit them with the stick and said, “You understand and know, that the sky does not rain gold and silver. Who’s going to feed you? You’re going to stay here in the Masjid and ask for Sadaqāh when you’re strong and able to go out and work?” So, this is not the right understanding of Tawakkul

The other extreme is somebody who is suffering from the limited vision of this world and is surrounded from every side with the material world and can only believe what he sees with his eyes, and he has no understanding of the unseen – Al-Ghaib. He follows the laws of nature in this world and is completely keeping out the issue of Tawakkul and Ghaib. He believes that if he has one more child, he’s going to go broke. Why? Because who’s going to feed that child? That is somebody who doesn’t understand that there’s an unseen. There is Allāh ﷻ, Who is controlling all events and Allāh ﷻ has already written down the Rizq of everyone 50,000 years before the Heavens and Earth were created. You are not the one who is providing Rizq for your children! It is Allāh ﷻ. When you ask somebody who is missing Salāt Al- Jumu’ah, “Why do you miss it?” He says, “I have to work.” We have to work, that’s true. But Allāh ﷻ says,

O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Salāt (prayer) on the day of Friday (Jumu’ah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allāh and leave off business (and every other thing).(Al-Jumu’ah – 62:9)

If you hear the call of prayer in the day of Jumu’ah, go and fulfil the order of Allāh ﷻ. So, this person would disobey Allāh ﷻ to follow his ration of this materialistic world.

So, we have to have Tawakkul. Tawakkul simply put, is these two Ahādīth: One Hadīth is, “I’qilhā Wa Tawakkul.” A companion came to Rasūlullāh ﷺ and asked him about his camel. He said, “When I come in, should I leave my camel untied and go in and pray? Is that Tawakkul?” Rasūlullāh ﷺ said, “No. Tie your camel first and then have Tawakkul in Allāh. ﷻ ” ( Jāmi’ Al-Tirmidhī Volume 4, Book 11, Hadīth 2517)

This Hadīth is of two words, but look at the deep meaning that it gives of Tawakkul; tie your camel and then Tawakkul ‘Alā Allāh – then put your trust in Allāh ﷻ. In other words, you fulfil the possible means in this world, you do your best, you tie the camel because that is something in your control; you can control tying the camel. But then you leave the other things that are not under your control, you leave them to Allāh ﷻ and you put your trust in Allāh ﷻ. You do not control the other factors. You do not control the weather, you do not control if somebody will come and steal the camel, you don’t control those things. But you don’t live in terror and paranoia because of those things. No, you are confident because you did your part, but you leave the rest on Allāh ﷻ.

The other Hadīth is, ‘If you have the right Tawakkul on Allāh ﷻ, Allāh ﷻ would provide for you, like he is providing for the birds; they leave in the morning hungry, they come back at night full.’(Jāmi’ Al-Tirmidhī 2344) If you have the right Tawakkul, Allāh ﷻ is going to provide for you. The bird leaves in the morning hungry, it doesn’t have a refrigerator, it doesn’t have a storage, it does not have a bank account. We have bank accounts that have enough money to feed us for the rest of our lives, and the lives of our children, and our grandchildren, and we’re still afraid, and we still have fear in our hearts, and we’re still not fulfilling the commandments of Allāh ﷻ because we’re afraid that we’re going to starve to death because of hunger, even though we have enough money to feed ourselves and our descendants for generations.

I mean, how much food do you need to survive? Seven dates a day, multiply seven by 365 days a year. You need a jar of olive oil, and you need 365 loaves of bread, and you need to have a storage, a few barrels of water and that’s it. You can live and survive, and that’s going to cost $100, $200. We have thousands and thousands of dollars in our accounts. So Rasūlullāh ﷺ says, “If you have the Tawakkul in Allāh ﷻ you would be fed and provided by Allāh like the birds; when they leave in the morning hungry, they come at night, full.” Who’s providing for them? Allāh ﷻ.

But notice there’s something else in the Hadīth. The people who take the understanding of Tawakkul to the extreme miss this point. This other thing that would balance the understanding of Tawakkul is that the birds did not stay in their nests from morning to night. Allāh ﷻ will not feed them that way. They went out in the morning, and they came back at night. They were working all day. They had to leave early in the morning, and they came back at sunset. So, they did a lot of work. But then Allāh ﷻ did provide for them. And this is the understanding, and this is the concept of Tawakkul.

The fifth advice:
“And O my people! Let not my Shiqāq [hostility] cause you to suffer the fate similar to that of the people of Nūh (Noah) or of Hūd or of Sālih (Saleh), and the people of Lūt (Lot) are not far off from you!” (Hūd 11:89).
The people of Shū’aib were despising Shū’aib. They hated and disliked Shū’aib عليه السالم . Sayyidnā Shū’aib was telling them, ‘Do not cause this personal problem that you have with me, prevent you from the truth and your salvation. Just because you dislike me, just because you have developed a sour relationship with me, doesn’t mean that you should prevent yourself from this good. This good belongs to Allāh ﷻ, it’s not mine.’

This is what caused the Yahūd in Madināh

to disbelieve in Rasūlullāh ﷺ, because Rasūlullāh ﷺ was not a Jew. They threw themselves in Hellfire because Rasūlullāh ﷺ was not one of them. Jealousy and hatred prevented them from the truth, even though they knew that he is the Messenger of Allāh ﷻ.

Shū’aib is telling them, ‘Don’t make this thing between us, prevent you from being Muslim. And don’t let this between us cause the same fate of Hūd and Sālih and other nations. Don’t let the fate that happened to them, happen to you, just because you don’t get along with me.’ And then he told them, “And the people of Lūt are not far away from you.” The Mufassirīn say this could mean either or, these two meanings. Either they’re not far away from you in terms of distance; and that is true because the people of Madyān were close from the people of Lūt in terms of proximity, distance. The second meaning is, that we’re not far away in terms of time. So, they were not far apart in terms of time. Either one of these meanings could be right, or both of them. Furthermore, they knew the fate of the people of Lūt, they knew what happened to Lūt, nevertheless, they did not believe.

The sixth advice: And then he said, “And ask forgiveness of your Lord and turn unto Him in repentance. Verily, my Lord is Most Merciful, Most Loving.” (Hūd 11:90). Seek forgiveness from Allāh ﷻ, and this is the advice that every Nabī has given to his followers. Ask Allāh ﷻ for forgiveness. So, we all say, “Nastaghfirullāh Al-‘Adhīm – Oh Allāh, forgive us all for our sins.”

They threatened Shū’aib عليه السالم . Allāh ﷻ says,

The chiefs of those who disbelieved among his people said (to their people): “If you follow Shū’aib, be sure then you will be the losers!”(Al-A’rāf – 7:90) The Chiefs, see the Chiefs; always, the trouble comes from the leadership. They started telling the people, “Don’t follow Shū’aib otherwise you would lose.”

8.12 The Punishment of Allāh ﷻ Came on Them

Allāh ﷻ says, So the earthquake seized them and they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes.(Al-A’rāf – 7:91) The Mufassirīn say the punishment of the people of Shū’aib happened this way; clouds came over their heads and then the wind stopped, so the air seized to move, it was still. That was a punishment because without air circulation, humidity builds up; the air is stuffy and hot. They were living under that air for days. The air is still, it’s not moving at all, no breeze. This is a condition that we could never go through because it never happens. Always, air is moving. But imagine air is still, it’s not moving at all, and humidity is building up and clouds are over their heads. So, it’s filled with humidity. And that was a preparation for the punishment of the earthquake that came and shook them and destroyed them all.

Allāh ﷻ says, Those who belied Shū’aib, became as if they had never dwelt there (in their homes). Those who belied Shū’aib, they were the losers.(Al-A’rāf – 7:92)

‘Those who belied Shū’aib became as if they had never lived here before.’ After that earthquake, you come and see the town of Madyān, it looks like a ghost town as if nobody was living there before. This ‘financial district’, so to say, or ‘financial centre’ became nothing. “Al-Ladhīna Kadhdhabū Shu`aybāan Kānū Humu Al-Khāsirīna.” Allāhu Akbar. “Those who belied Shū’aib, they were the losers.”

The leaders were saying, “If you follow Shū’aib you would be of those who are losers.” But Allāh ﷻ says, “Those who disbelieved in Shū’aib, they were the losers.” And Allāh ﷻ says further,

Then he (Shū’aib) turned from them and said: “O my people! I have indeed conveyed my Lord’s Messages unto you and I have given you good advice. Then how can I sorrow for the disbelieving people’s (destruction).”(Al-A’rāf – 7:93)

When they were dead, Shū’aib looked at their bodies and started speaking to their dead bodies. Shū’aib said, “Oh my people, I have indeed conveyed my Lord’s message unto you. And I have given you good advice.” He’s telling his people when they’re dead, ‘I have fulfilled my mission. I have done my part, and Allāh ﷻ has fulfilled His promise on me, and He has fulfilled His promise on you. I have conveyed the message to you, and you refused to follow it.’ And then he said, “Fakayfa ‘Āsá `Alá Qawmin Kāfirīna – then how can I feel sorry for the disbelieving people?”(Al-A’rāf – 7:93) He’s looking at their dead bodies and he is telling them, “I have no sorrow for you.” Why? Because how can I have sorrow in my heart for the disbelievers? The ones who displeased Allāh ﷻ, I am displeased with them, the ones whom Allāh ﷻ was angry with, I despise them, and I have no sorrow for you.’

This is the story of Sayyidnā Shū’aib.