Shu'ayb (Jethro)

Shu'ayb was sent to the people of Madyan, prosperous merchants who controlled the caravan routes. Their success rested on fraud: they cheated on weights and measures and extorted travellers.

Shu'ayb called his people to worship God alone and to give fair measure and weight, without wronging people in their wealth. He reminded them that prosperity acquired through fraud is an illusion.

The notables refused, attached to their unjust gains, and threatened him and the believers. They challenged him to bring the punishment he was warning them about.

Then God's decree was fulfilled, and the unjust were seized, while Shu'ayb and those who had believed were saved.

Shu'ayb teaches that faith cannot be separated from honesty in dealings: cheating on the measure and wronging others is to betray God as much as people.

وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا ۚ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُ ۖ وَلَا تَنقُصُوا الْمِكْيَالَ وَالْمِيزَانَ

Aux habitants de Madian, Nous avons envoyé l’un des leurs, Chou’ayb, qui leur dit : « Mon peuple, adorez Allah ! Vous n’avez d’autre divinité que Lui. Gardez-vous de tricher sur le poids et la mesure. Je vous vois mener une vie aisée, mais je crains que vous ne subissiez le châtiment d’un jour dont les affres vous cerneront de tous côtés.

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