In an Arabic village near Al-Hijaz, called Madyan, people live worshipping Allah for a period. After that, they turned into polytheism, and they used to worship the long-lived tree which is called Aika, that is why they were called “Ashabul Aika” (The Companions of the Thicket). They started by that tree, but then they made idols and worshipped those instead of Allah.
That companions came after “Lot” companions who had been tortured by Allah. Madyan residents were few people, then they became a great strong nation. It is important to mention that Madyan companions had bad morals like cheating, fraud in trade and injustice. The Prophet Shuaib -peace be upon him- was sent to them.
What was the Madyan people’s reaction of Shuaib?
- Denial
When Allah sent Shuaib the Messenger to Madyan people, he represented good morals as he was righteous and good preacher. He asked his companions to believe in Allah and worship Him as the only God “monotheism”. And since some people and traders, who visited Madyan and suffered from oppression and wickedness, complained to Shuaib about that, he commanded them to stop doing decreasing of measure and scale and stop corruption spreading. The result of course was not good as they didn’t believe the prophet Shuaib as it was mentioned in Ash-Shuara Surah: “The companions of the thicket denied the messengers” Verse (176). And they accused them of magic (185) They said, “You are only of those affected by magic. Ash-Shura Surah.
That story of Him and his companions was mentioned many times in the Holy Quran for instance in Ash-Shura, Hud, Al-Araf, Al-‘Ankabūt. Al-Hijr. Allah said in Hud Sura:
(84) And to Madyan [We sent] their brother Shuʿayb. He said, “O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. And do not decrease from the measure and the scale. Indeed, I see you in prosperity, but indeed, I fear for you the punishment of an all-encompassing Day (85) And O my people, give full measure and weight in justice and do not deprive the people of their due and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption. (86) What remains [lawful] from Allāh is best for you, if you would be believers. But I am not a guardian over you.” (87) They said, “O Shuʿayb, does your prayer [i.e., religion] command you that we should leave what our fathers’ worship or not do with our wealth what we please? Indeed, you are the forbearing, the discerning! (88) He said, “O my people, have you considered: if I am upon clear evidence from my Lord and He has provided me with a good provision from Him…? And I do not intend to differ from you in that which I have forbidden you; I only intend reform as much as I am able. And my success is not but through Allāh. Upon Him I have relied, and to Him I return.
- Threat and Mock and Challenge at the same time
They neither believe him nor obey him. Instead, they threatened him to be expulsed and they even threatened his believers (88) Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people, “We will surely evict you, O Shu’ayb, and those who have believed with you from our city, or you must return to our religion.” He said, “Even if we were unwilling?” Verse 88 from surah Al-Araf.
They also were rude with him and pretended not to understand what he said although he was wise and good preacher, and they were eloquent. (91)They said, “O Shu’ayb, we do not understand much of what you say, and indeed, we consider you among us as weak. And if not for your family, we would have stoned you. (91) Verse from surah Hud. In the end of the last verse it is clear that they even dare to threat him to be killed by stoning.
Moreover, they challenge him to get them the torture from the sky if he was righteous. (187) So cause to fall upon us fragments of the sky, if you should be of the truthful.” Ash-Shura Sura.
Shuaib is the wise Prophet
The disbelievers didn’t shed light on Shuaib wisdom and his clear ability to persuade them through reminding of Gods mercy and reminding them at the same time of Allah punishment of other last companions as Noah, Saleh, Hud, Lot. “And O my people, let not [your] dissension from me cause you to be struck by that similar to what struck the people of Noah or the people of Hūd or the people of Ṣāliḥ. And the people of Lot are not from you far away (89) “And ask forgiveness of your Lord and turn unto Him in repentance. Verily, my Lord is Most Merciful, Most Loving.”(90) Hud Surah.
They didn’t focus on his pure intention to spread goodness and forbade wickedness in addition to his whole loyalty and seek for Allah instead of asking them reward for doing that. (180) And I do not ask you for it any payment. My payment is only from the Lord of the worlds. (Ash-Shura Sura). (88) And I do not intend to differ from you in that which I have forbidden you; I only intend reform as much as I am able. In the last verse it is obvious that Shuaib starts changing to the rightness by himself then his companions: he didn’t do what he forbade them to do. In other hand, he wasn’t even supported by his disbelieving tribe.
He was really afraid for them as he will not be able to protect them when the torture of the God happens {I fear for you the punishment of an all-encompassing Day.} and in the other verse {But I am not a guardian over you.}.
Allah punishment of Ashabul Aika
As an expected result, Allah responded to them and the torture day came to them. First of all, the temperature got higher, extreme hot weather, and the sun burned them. Then, they saw some huge cloud which made shade, so all people of Madyan went to stay under the shade of that cloud where they found the weather cool. Shuaib forbade his believers to go there as he realized that it is the coming destruction. Suddenly, the ground started shaking beneath them. After the earthquake, suddenly a scream came and destroyed them all at once. It was mentioned in the Quran: (94) And when Our command came, We saved Shuʿayb and those who believed with him, by mercy from Us. And the shriek seized those who had wronged, and they became within their homes [corpses] fallen prone. (Hud sura)
(78) So the earthquake seized them, and they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes. (Al-Araf sura.)
References
نبيل العوضي, الشيخ نبيل العوضي, نبيل العوضي قصة شعيب عليه السلام
سورة هود – Hūd ,موسوعة القرآن الكريم,ترجمة معاني القرآن الكريم – الترجمة الإنجليزية – صحيح انترناشونال
سورة الشعراء – Ash-Shu‘arā’موسوعة القرآن الكريم,ترجمة معاني القرآن الكريم – الترجمة الإنجليزية – صحيح انترناشونال
سورة الأعراف Al-A‘rāf -موسوعة القرآن الكريم,ترجمة معاني القرآن الكريم – الترجمة الإنجليزية – صحيح انترناشونال,