Quran Universe
11:88

قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٖ مِّن رَّبِّي وَرَزَقَنِي مِنۡهُ رِزۡقًا حَسَنٗاۚ وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَنۡ أُخَالِفَكُمۡ إِلَىٰ مَآ أَنۡهَىٰكُمۡ عَنۡهُۚ إِنۡ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا ٱلۡإِصۡلَٰحَ مَا ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُۚ وَمَا تَوۡفِيقِيٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِۚ عَلَيۡهِ تَوَكَّلۡتُ وَإِلَيۡهِ أُنِيبُ

Qala ya qawmi araaytum in kuntu AAala bayyinatin min rabbee warazaqanee minhu rizqan hasanan wama oreedu an okhalifakum ila ma anhakum AAanhu in oreedu illa alislaha ma istataAAtu wama tawfeeqee illa biAllahi AAalayhi tawakkaltu wailayhi oneebu

He said, "O my people, have you considered: if I am upon clear evidence from my Lord and He has provided me with a good provision from Him...? And I do not intend to differ from you in that which I have forbidden you; I only intend reform as much as I am able. And my success is not but through Allah. Upon him I have relied, and to Him I return.

Word by word
  1. قَالَHe said
  2. يَٰقَوۡمِO my people
  3. أَرَءَيۡتُمۡDo you see
  4. إِنif
  5. كُنتُI am
  6. عَلَىٰon
  7. بَيِّنَةٖa clear evidence
  8. مِّنfrom
  9. رَّبِّيmy Lord
  10. وَرَزَقَنِيand He has provided me
  11. مِنۡهُfrom Himself
  12. رِزۡقًاa good provision
  13. حَسَنٗاۚa good provision
  14. وَمَآAnd not
  15. أُرِيدُI intend
  16. أَنۡthat
  17. أُخَالِفَكُمۡI differ from you
  18. إِلَىٰin
  19. مَآwhat
  20. أَنۡهَىٰكُمۡI forbid you
  21. عَنۡهُۚfrom it
  22. إِنۡNot
  23. أُرِيدُI intend
  24. إِلَّاexcept
  25. ٱلۡإِصۡلَٰحَthe reform
  26. مَاas much as I am able
  27. ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُۚas much as I am able
  28. وَمَاAnd not
  29. تَوۡفِيقِيٓ(is) my success
  30. إِلَّاexcept
  31. بِٱللَّهِۚwith Allah
  32. عَلَيۡهِUpon Him
  33. تَوَكَّلۡتُI trust
  34. وَإِلَيۡهِand to Him
  35. أُنِيبُI turn
Hud · 11:88Makkah

I only want to fix things, as much as I can.

Shu'ayb practices what he asks of others

Shu'ayb's way
good provisionlawful, from his Lord
no double standardI do not do what I forbid
reformas far as I am able
success from AllahI rely, I return
What gives advice weight
say it, do otherwiserules for them, not me
live what I sayin public and in secret

Shu'ayb answered calmly. He had clear guidance and good provision from his Lord. Qatadah explained his words: I do not forbid you something while doing it myself. He only wanted reform as far as he could, and said my success is only through Allah.

You tell your kids to put the phone away at dinner while yours is in your hand. You ask your team to be on time and you walk in late. Advice lands when your life matches it. Then leave the result to Allah.

I can tell others what is right even if I do not do it myself.

I give advice best by living it, and I rely on Allah for the result.

Try this

Pick one thing you often tell others to do, and do it yourself today first.

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

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 the 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. (88)

Shu'ayb's Refutation of His People

He said to them: Do you see O my people, that if I

عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّي

(have a clear evidence from my Lord) meaning, upon clear guidance in that which I am calling to.

وَرَزَقَنِي 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,

وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَىٰ مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ 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,

وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَىٰ مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ 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 إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ 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 تَوْفِيقِي

(And my guidance cannot come) This means, "In whatever I intend that agrees with the truth."

إِلَّا 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.