Quran Universe
11:92

قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ أَرَهۡطِيٓ أَعَزُّ عَلَيۡكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَٱتَّخَذۡتُمُوهُ وَرَآءَكُمۡ ظِهۡرِيًّاۖ إِنَّ رَبِّي بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ مُحِيطٞ

Qala ya qawmi arahtee aAAazzu AAalaykum mina Allahi waittakhathtumoohu waraakum thihriyyan inna rabbee bima taAAmaloona muheetun

He said, "O my people, is my family more respected for power by you than Allah? But you put Him behind your backs [in neglect]. Indeed, my Lord is encompassing of what you do.

Word by word
  1. قَالَHe said
  2. يَٰقَوۡمِO my people
  3. أَرَهۡطِيٓIs my family
  4. أَعَزُّmightier
  5. عَلَيۡكُمon you
  6. مِّنَthan
  7. ٱللَّهِAllah
  8. وَٱتَّخَذۡتُمُوهُAnd you have taken Him
  9. وَرَآءَكُمۡbehind your
  10. ظِهۡرِيًّاۖbacks
  11. إِنَّIndeed
  12. رَبِّيmy Lord
  13. بِمَاof what
  14. تَعۡمَلُونَyou do
  15. مُحِيطٞ(is) All-Encompassing
Hud · 11:92Makkah

You fear my clan more than you fear Allah?

Throwing Allah behind your back

Shu'ayb's question
my clanyou respect them
more than
Allahyou put Him behind you
yet
He surroundsall that you do
Whose eyes hold me back
people's opinionwhat stops me
Allah's awarenesswhat should stop me

Shu'ayb asked: is my clan more weighty to you than Allah? You would leave me alone out of regard for my tribe, but not out of awe of the Lord. They had thrown Him behind their backs. But my Lord surrounds all that you do.

You would never shout at your mother in front of guests, but alone you do. You drive the speed limit only near the camera. You are never alone with Him. The question is whose gaze really holds you back.

What really stops me is what people will think.

Allah sees everything I do, and His awareness should matter more than anyone's.

Try this

Notice one thing you do only when no one is watching, and do it as if He is watching, because He is.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 11:91)

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.