Quran Universe
11:84

۞وَإِلَىٰ مَدۡيَنَ أَخَاهُمۡ شُعَيۡبٗاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥۖ وَلَا تَنقُصُواْ ٱلۡمِكۡيَالَ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَۖ إِنِّيٓ أَرَىٰكُم بِخَيۡرٖ وَإِنِّيٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ عَذَابَ يَوۡمٖ مُّحِيطٖ

Waila madyana akhahum shuAAayban qala ya qawmi oAAbudoo Allaha ma lakum min ilahin ghayruhu wala tanqusoo almikyala waalmeezana innee arakum bikhayrin wainnee akhafu AAalaykum AAathaba yawmin muheetin

And to Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb. He said, "O my people, worship Allah; 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.

Word by word
  1. ۞وَإِلَىٰAnd to
  2. مَدۡيَنَMadyan
  3. أَخَاهُمۡtheir brother
  4. شُعَيۡبٗاۚShuaib
  5. قَالَHe said
  6. يَٰقَوۡمِO my people
  7. ٱعۡبُدُواْWorship
  8. ٱللَّهَAllah
  9. مَاnot
  10. لَكُم(is) for you
  11. مِّنۡany
  12. إِلَٰهٍgod
  13. غَيۡرُهُۥۖother than Him
  14. وَلَاAnd (do) not
  15. تَنقُصُواْdecrease
  16. ٱلۡمِكۡيَالَ(from) the measure
  17. وَٱلۡمِيزَانَۖand the scale
  18. إِنِّيٓIndeed,I
  19. أَرَىٰكُمsee you
  20. بِخَيۡرٖin prosperity
  21. وَإِنِّيٓbut indeed,I
  22. أَخَافُfear
  23. عَلَيۡكُمۡfor you
  24. عَذَابَpunishment
  25. يَوۡمٖ(of) a Day
  26. مُّحِيطٖall-encompassing
Hud · 11:84Makkah

You are doing well. So why cheat the scale?

Shu'ayb's call to a prosperous trading people

Shu'ayb's message
Madyana trading tribe, prosperous
worship Allahno god but Him
fair measuredo not shortchange
What prosperity means
proof I'm fineso a little cheating is ok
a blessing at riskcan be taken away

Madyan was an Arab tribe between the Hijaz and Sham. Allah sent them Shu'ayb, one of their noblest. He called them to worship Allah alone and stop cheating in weights and measures. He told them, I see you prospering, and he feared they would lose it and face a Day that surrounds everyone.

The business is doing fine. Still, you round the hours up on the invoice. You sell the used phone without mentioning the cracked battery. A small cut on the scale. You do not even need it.

I am doing well, so a little edge here and there does not matter.

My prosperity is a reason for honesty, not an excuse to shortchange.

Try this

Check one bill, invoice, or sale this week and make sure it is exactly fair.

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

And to the Madyan people (We sent) their brother Shu'ayb. He said: "O my people! Worship Allah, you have no other god but Him, and give not short measure or weight. I see you in prosperity and verily, I fear for you the torment of a Day encompassing. (84)

The Story of the People of Madyan and the Call of Shu'ayb

Allah, the Exalted, says, 'We sent a Messenger to the people of Madyan.' They were a tribe of Arabs who lived between the land of the Al-Hijaz and Ash-Sham, close to the land of Ma'an. Their land was known by the name of their tribe and was thus, called Madyan. Allah sent unto them the Prophet Shu'ayb and he was of the noblest of them in lineage. For this reason, Allah said,

أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا

(their brother Shu'ayb.) Shu'ayb commanded them to worship Allah alone without associating any partners with him. He also prohibited them from cheating in their weights and measures (for business transactions).

إِنِّي أَرَاكُم بِخَيْرٍ

(I see you in prosperity) meaning, 'in your livelihood and your provisions. And verily, I fear that you will be deprived of this bounty that you are enjoying by violating Allah's prohibitions.'

وَإِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ مُّحِيطٍ

(and verily, I fear for you the torment of a Day encompassing.) This means the abode of the Hereafter.