The prophet of honest business.
إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ ۚ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
His story
The people of Madyan, also called the companions of the thicket, cheated in weights and measures 26:176-183. Shu'ayb told them: give full measure and full weight, do not cheat people of what is theirs, and do not spread corruption on the earth 11:84-85.
They mocked him: "Does your prayer tell you that we must leave what our fathers worshipped, or stop doing what we like with our own money?" 11:87. His answer is a motto for anyone who tries to fix anything: "I only want to set things right, as much as I am able. My success is only through Allah" 11:88.
Moments
- 01
Full measure
Shu'ayb was sent to the people of Madyan, a trading people who cheated on the scales. His message joined worship and business: "Worship Allah, you have no god other than Him. And do not give short measure and weight. Give full measure and weight in justice, and do not deprive people of what is theirs." Faith that reaches the market.
- 02
"Does your prayer command you…?"
His people answered with sarcasm: "Shu'ayb, does your prayer command you that we abandon what our fathers worshipped, or that we stop doing what we like with our own money?" They thought religion had no business with their wealth. He answered: "I only want reform, as much as I can. My success is only through Allah."
What he did when…
The whole message to Madyan was simple: give full measure and full weight, and do not cheat people of what is theirs. In Shu'ayb's story, honesty in business is worship, and cheating "just a little" on every scale is how a whole town fell.
His people mocked his prayer and his preaching. Shu'ayb did not mock back. He calmly explained his intention: "I do not want to do behind your backs what I forbid you from. I only want reform, as much as I can."
If your child carries this name
شعيب Shu'ayb
Shu'ayb is a name for an honest worker. A child named after him should never cheat on a scale.
Sources on this page
Quran 11:84-86Quran 11:84-85Quran 11:87-88Quran 11:88Quran 26:181-183
Quran meanings are given in plain English, close to the Arabic. Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com.