The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

a
84And to Midian, We sent their brother Shu ayb. He said, ‘My
people, worship God. You have no god other than Him. Do not give
short measure nor short weight. I see you are prospering, but I fear
you will have torment on an overwhelming Day. 
85My people, in
fairness, give full measure and weight. Do not withhold from people
things that are rightly theirs, and do not spread corruption in the
land.
86What lasts with God is best for you, if you are believers: I am
not your keeper.’
87They said, ‘Shu ayb, does your prayer tell you
that we should abandon what our forefathers worshipped and refrain
from doing whatever we please with our own property? Indeed you
are a tolerant and sensible man.’
88He answered, ‘My people, can you
not see? What if I am acting on clear evidence from my Lord? He
Himself has given me good provision: I do not want to do what I am
forbidding you to do, I only want to put things right as far as I can. I
cannot succeed without God’s help: I trust in Him, and always turn
to Him. 
89My people, do not let your opposition to me bring upon
you a similar fate to the peoples of Noah or Hud or Salih; the people
of Lot are not far away from you.
b
90Ask forgiveness from your Lord,
and turn to Him in repentance: my Lord is merciful and most
loving.’
91They said, ‘Shu ayb, we do not understand much of what you
say, and we 
find you very weak in our midst. But for your family, we
would have stoned you, for you have no great status among us.’
92He
said, ‘My people, is my family stronger in your estimation than God?
And have you put Him behind you? My Lord surrounds everything
you do. 
93My people, do whatever is within your power, and I will
do likewise. Soon you will know who will receive a disgraceful
punishment and who is a liar. Watch out, and so will I.’
94When what
We had ordained came about, in Our mercy We saved Shu
 ayb and
his fellow believers, but a mighty blast struck the wrongdoers. By
a
This town is not far from the evildoers of Mecca, within their trading range (see
37: 137–8), nor is the punishment far from them.
b
In time or place. See 
7: 85; 7: 93.
The Qur
an
11: 82
142

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morning they lay dead in their homes, 
95as if they had never lived
and
flourished there. Yes, away with the people of Midian, just like
the Thamud!
96We also sent Moses, with Our signs and clear authority, 97to
Pharaoh and his supporters, but they followed Pharaoh’s orders, and
Pharaoh’s orders were misguided. 
98He will be at the forefront of his
people on the Day of Resurrection, leading them down towards the
Fire. What a foul drinking place to be led to! 
99They were pursued
by God’s rejection in this life and will be on the Day of Resurrection,
too. What a foul gift to be given!
100We relate to you [Muhammad] such accounts of earlier towns:
some of them are still standing; some have been mown down; 
101We
did not wrong them; they wronged themselves. Their gods, which
they called on beside God, were no use to them when what your
Lord had ordained came about; they only increased their ruin.
102Such is the punishment of your Lord for towns in the midst of
their sins: His punishment is terrible and severe. 
103There truly is a
sign in this for anyone who fears the punishment of the Hereafter.
That is a Day in which all people will be gathered together, a Day for
all to see. 
104We are delaying it only for a specified period, 105and
when that Day comes, no soul will speak except by His permission,
and some of them will be wretched and some happy. 
106The
wretched ones will be in the Fire, sighing and groaning, 
107there to
remain for as long as the heavens and earth endure, unless your Lord
wills otherwise: your Lord carries out whatever He wills. 
108As for
those who have been blessed, they will be in Paradise, there to
remain as long as the heavens and earth endure, unless your Lord
wills otherwise –
– an unceasing gift.
a
109[Prophet], have no doubt about what these people worship: it is
merely what their fathers worshipped before them, and We shall
certainly give them their share in full, without any reduction. 
110We
gave Moses the Scripture before you, but di
fferences arose about it
and if it had not been for a prior word from your Lord, a decision
would already have been made between them, though they are in
grave doubt about it. 
111Your Lord will give everyone full due for
whatever they have done: He is aware of everything they do. 
112So
keep to the right course as you have been commanded, together with