Quran Universe
7:88

۞قَالَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ مِن قَوۡمِهِۦ لَنُخۡرِجَنَّكَ يَٰشُعَيۡبُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَكَ مِن قَرۡيَتِنَآ أَوۡ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَاۚ قَالَ أَوَلَوۡ كُنَّا كَٰرِهِينَ

Qala almalao allatheena istakbaroo min qawmihi lanukhrijannaka ya shuAAaybu waallatheena amanoo maAAaka min qaryatina aw lataAAoodunna fee millatina qala awalaw kunna kariheena

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?"

Word by word
  1. ۞قَالَSaid
  2. ٱلۡمَلَأُthe chiefs
  3. ٱلَّذِينَ(of) those who
  4. ٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْwere arrogant
  5. مِنamong
  6. قَوۡمِهِۦhis people
  7. لَنُخۡرِجَنَّكَWe will surely drive you out
  8. يَٰشُعَيۡبُO Shuaib
  9. وَٱلَّذِينَAnd those who
  10. ءَامَنُواْ(have) believed
  11. مَعَكَwith you
  12. مِنfrom
  13. قَرۡيَتِنَآour city
  14. أَوۡor
  15. لَتَعُودُنَّyou must return
  16. فِيto
  17. مِلَّتِنَاۚour religion
  18. قَالَHe said
  19. أَوَلَوۡEven if
  20. كُنَّاwe are
  21. كَٰرِهِينَ(the) ones who hate (it)
Al-A'raf · 7:88Makkah

Leave town or come back to our ways.

The chiefs' ultimatum to Shuayb

The ultimatum
arrogant chiefsthe town's elite
threaten
Shuayb and believersa small group
with
exile or returnno third option
Shuayb's reply
you must returnbelief by force
even if we hate it?faith cannot be forced back

The arrogant chiefs of Shuayb's people threatened to expel him and those who believed with him, or force them back to the old religion. The words were aimed at Shuayb but meant for his followers too. His calm reply: Even if we are unwilling?

Your friends say you have changed since you started praying. Come out like before, or we stop inviting you. It is framed as a choice, but it is pressure. You are allowed to say no kindly.

If everyone around me pushes, I will have to give in eventually.

Pressure can move my body, but it cannot make my heart love what it left.

Try this

Think of one place you hide your faith to fit in. Show it a little, gently, once today.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

The chiefs of those who were arrogant among his people said: "We shall certainly drive you out, O Shu'ayb and those who have believed with you from our town, or else you (all) shall return to our religion." He said: "Even though we hate it? (88)"We should have invented a lie against Allah if we returned to your religion, after Allah has rescued us from it. And it is not for us to return to it unless Allah, our Lord, should will. Our Lord comprehends all things in His knowledge. In Allah (Alone) we put our trust. Our Lord! Judge between us and our people in truth, for You are the best of those who give judgment. (89)

Allah describes the way the disbelievers answered His Prophet Shu'ayb and those who believed in him,by threatening them with expulsion from their village,or with forceful reversion to the disbeliever's religion.

The chiefs spoke the words mentioned here to the Messenger Shu'ayb, but intended it for those who followed his religion too. The statement,

أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَارِهِينَ

("Even though we hate it?"), means, would you force us to do that, even though we hate what you are calling us to? Certainly if we revert to your religion and accept your ways, we will have uttered a tremendous lie against Allah by calling partners as rivals to Him,

وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَن نَّعُودَ فِيهَا إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّنَا

(And it is not for us to return to it unless Allah, our Lord, should will.)

This part of the Ayah refers all matters to Allah's will, and certainly, He has perfect knowledge of all matters and His observation encompasses all things,

عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا

(In Allah (Alone) we put our trust.), concerning all our affairs, what we practice of them and what we ignore,

رَبَّنَا افْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِالْحَقِّ

(Our Lord! Judge between us and our people in truth) judge between us and our people and give us victory over them,

وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْفَاتِحِينَ

(for You are the best of those who give judgment) and You are the Most Just Who never wrongs any in His judgment.