Quran Universe
11:91

قَالُواْ يَٰشُعَيۡبُ مَا نَفۡقَهُ كَثِيرٗا مِّمَّا تَقُولُ وَإِنَّا لَنَرَىٰكَ فِينَا ضَعِيفٗاۖ وَلَوۡلَا رَهۡطُكَ لَرَجَمۡنَٰكَۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيۡنَا بِعَزِيزٖ

Qaloo ya shuAAaybu ma nafqahu katheeran mimma taqoolu wainna lanaraka feena daAAeefan walawla rahtuka larajamnaka wama anta AAalayna biAAazeezin

They said, "O Shu'ayb, we do not understand much of what you say, and indeed, we consider you among us as weak. And if not for your family, we would have stoned you [to death]; and you are not to us one respected."

Word by word
  1. قَالُواْThey said
  2. يَٰشُعَيۡبُO Shuaib
  3. مَاNot
  4. نَفۡقَهُwe understand
  5. كَثِيرٗاmuch
  6. مِّمَّاof what
  7. تَقُولُyou say
  8. وَإِنَّاand indeed,we
  9. لَنَرَىٰكَsurely [we] see you
  10. فِينَاamong us
  11. ضَعِيفٗاۖweak
  12. وَلَوۡلَاAnd if not
  13. رَهۡطُكَfor your family
  14. لَرَجَمۡنَٰكَۖsurely we would have stoned you
  15. وَمَآand you are not
  16. أَنتَand you are not
  17. عَلَيۡنَاagainst us
  18. بِعَزِيزٖmighty
Hud · 11:91Makkah

If not for your clan, we would have stoned you.

Truth dismissed because its speaker seems weak

Madyan's verdict
we do not understandmuch of what you say
you are weakonly one man
your clanthe only reason we hold back
not respectedno power over us
How they measured him
by his backingtribe, numbers, status
by his messageclear, sincere, from Allah

Ath-Thawri said Shu'ayb was called the orator of the prophets, yet his people said they did not understand much of what he said. They saw him as weak, only one man. Only respect for his clan stopped them from stoning him.

In the family WhatsApp group, the quiet cousin with no degree says something wise and nobody replies. The same idea from the rich uncle gets ten hearts. Truth does not depend on who backs the speaker.

I listen to people based on how important they are.

A true word deserves attention whoever says it and whoever stands behind them.

Try this

Reply warmly today to someone whose comment usually gets ignored.

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

They said: "O Shu'ayb! We do not understand much of what you say, and we see you weak among us. Were it not for your family, you would have been stoned, and you are not powerful against us. (91)He said: "O my people! Is then my family of more weight with you than Allah? And you have cast Him away behind your backs. Verily, my Lord is surrounding all that you do. (92)

The Response of Shu'ayb's People

They said,

يَا شُعَيْبُ مَا نَفْقَهُ

(O Shu'ayb! We do not understand) This means that we do not comprehend.

كَثِيرًا

(much) 'most of what you say'. Ath-Thawri said, "He (Shu'ayb) was called the orator of the Prophets." As-Suddi said,

وَإِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِينَا ضَعِيفًا

(and we see you weak among us.) "They meant, 'You are only one person.'" Abu Rawq said, "They meant, 'You are despised, because your tribe is not upon your religion.'"

وَلَوْلَا رَهْطُكَ لَرَجَمْنَاكَ

(Were it not for your family, you would have been stoned,) This means, your people. Were it not for their powerful position over the people of Madyan, they would have stoned him to death. Some said that this means with rocks. It has also been said that this means that they would have cursed and insulted him verbally.

وَمَا أَنتَ عَلَيْنَا بِعَزِيزٍ

(and you are not powerful against us.) This means, "You have no position of power over us."

Shu'ayb's Refutation of His People

قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَرَهْطِي أَعَزُّ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ

(He said: "O my people! Is then my family of more weight with you than Allah?")

He says: You would leave me alone out of respect for my people but not out of respect for the greatness of the Lord, the Most Blessed and Exalted? Does not your awe of Allah prevent you from harming His Prophet? Indeed you have placed the fear of Allah,

وَرَاءَكُمْ ظِهْرِيًّا

(behind your backs.) This means that you have thrown it behind you. You do not obey it, nor do you respect it.

إِنَّ رَبِّي بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ

(Verily, my Lord is surrounding all that you do.) This means that He knows all of your actions and He will reward you according to them.