قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن
كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن
رَّبِّى وَرَزَقَنِى مِنْهُ
رِزْقًا حَسَنًا ۚ وَمَآ أُرِيدُ
أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَىٰ مَآ
أَنْهَىٰكُمْ عَنْهُ ۚ إِنْ أُرِيدُ
إِلَّا ٱلْإِصْلَـٰحَ مَا
ٱسْتَطَعْتُ ۚ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِىٓ
إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ
وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ
قَالَ يقَوْمِ أَرَءَيْتُمْ
إِن كُنتُ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ
مِّن رَّبِّى وَرَزَقَنِى مِنْهُ
رِزْقًا حَسَنًا وَمَآ أُرِيدُ
أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَى
مَآ أَنْهَـكُمْ عَنْهُ إِنْ
أُرِيدُ إِلاَّ الإِصْلَـحَ مَا
اسْتَطَعْتُ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِى
إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ
وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ
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 unlawfully
earned money)
I wish not,
in contradiction to you,
to do that which
I forbid you. I only
desire reform to
the best of my power.
And my guidance
cannot come except
from Allah, in Him I
put my trust and
unto Him I repent.”
Shu`ayb’s Refutation of His People
He said to them: Do you see O my people, that if I
عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّى
have a clear evidence from my Lord
meaning, upon clear guidance in that which I am calling to.
وَرَزَقَنِى مِنْهُ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا
and He has given me a good sustenance from Himself
It has been said that he meant the prophethood. It has also been said that he meant the lawful provisions. It seems that the verse carries both meanings. Ath-Thawri said,
وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ
إِلَى مَآ أَنْهَـكُمْ عَنْهُ
I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you
meaning, `do not forbid you from something and at the same time I contradict my prohibitions in secret behind your backs, doing what I have forbidden.’ This is similar to what Qatadah said concerning Allah’s statement,
وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ
إِلَى مَآ أَنْهَـكُمْ عَنْهُ
I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you “
He is saying, `I do not forbid you all from something while I do it myself.”’
إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلاَّ الإِصْلَـحَ
مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ
I only desire reform to the best of my power
This means, “In that which I command and forbid you, I only want to correct your affair as much as I am able.”
وَمَا تَوْفِيقِى
And my guidance cannot come
This means, “In whatever I intend that agrees with the truth.”
إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ
except from Allah, in Him I put my trust
This means in all of my affairs.
وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ
and unto Him I repent
meaning; “I return.” This has been said by Mujahid and others.