Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 88

(Ayah 88) ➊ {قَالَ الْمَلَاُ الَّذِيْنَ اسْتَكْبَرُوْا مِنْ قَوْمِهٖ: ’’ اسْتَكْبَرُوْا ‘‘} is from the form "Istif‘al," which generally means seeking or requesting, that is, those chiefs were very desirous of becoming great, as if this was their very demand.
➋ {لَنُخْرِجَنَّكَ يٰشُعَيْبُ:} means they did not just suffice with denial, but with extreme rudeness, addressing by name, said that you must choose one of two things: either we will expel you from our town, or you will have to return to our religion, that is, revert to disbelief and polytheism. Now you decide which of these you prefer for yourself.
➌ {وَ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا مَعَكَ مِنْ قَرْيَتِنَاۤ: ’’ مَعَكَ ‘‘} can have two meanings: one, that it is connected to {’’ اٰمَنُوْا ‘‘}, meaning those who have believed with you; the second, that it is connected to {’’ لَنُخْرِجَنَّكَ يٰشُعَيْبُ ‘‘}, meaning we will expel you and also those people who have believed with you. Our teacher Muhammad Abduh (may Allah have mercy on him) considered it to be connected to {’’ لَنُخْرِجَنَّكَ ‘‘}.
➍ The meaning of { اَوْلَتَعُوْدُنَّ فِيْ مِلَّتِنَا: ’’عَادَ يَعُوْدُ عَوْدًا‘‘} is to return to something. Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him) himself was never involved in disbelief and polytheism, so what would it mean for him to return to their religion? In the next verse, Shu‘ayb’s (peace be upon him) statement {’’ اِنْ عُدْنَا ‘‘} (if we return to your religion) and {’’ اَنْ نَّعُوْدَ فِيْهَاۤ ‘‘} makes this objection even stronger. Scholars have given various answers to this: one is that before prophethood, although Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him) was protected from disbelief, polytheism, and actions unbefitting the rank of prophethood, before being granted prophethood, in general ways he was with his people. However, despite avoiding disbelief, polytheism, and evil deeds, due to not being appointed as a prophet, he remained silent. Because of this, his people thought he was on their religion. That is why they said {’’ اَوْ لَتَعُوْدُنَّ ‘‘}, otherwise, this was not the reality. Or their meaning was that if you remain silent as before, we will consider you as one of us. He said, now we cannot be as before. The second is that since most of his companions had left disbelief and entered Islam, they included Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him) with all of them. This is called "Taghlib," meaning the same words are used for all that apply to most. Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him) also replied to them in their manner with {’’ اِنْ عُدْنَا ‘‘} and {’’ اَنْ نَّعُوْدَ ‘‘}. The third is that {’’عَادَ يَعُوْدُ‘‘} sometimes comes in the meaning of {’’صَارَ يَصِيْرُ‘‘}, this is called {’’صَيْرُوْرَةٌ‘‘}, meaning to choose something for the first time (initially), meaning that you will adopt our religion.
➎ { اَوَ لَوْ كُنَّا كٰرِهِيْنَ:} means if we do not accept either of the two things, will we still have to choose one? How can this be? This question is actually for the purpose of denial.

88. 1. Consider the arrogance and rebellion of these leaders: not only did they reject the call to faith and monotheism, but they went even further by threatening Allah’s Messenger and those who believed in him, saying, “Either return to your ancestral religion, or we will expel you from here.” For the believers, the idea of returning to their former religion is understandable because they had abandoned disbelief and embraced faith. But inviting Prophet Shu‘ayb (عليه السلام) to return to the ancestral religion was in the sense that, before his prophethood and preaching, they considered him to be of their own religion, even though in reality it was not so. Or, by way of generalization, they included him as well. (2) This is the answer to an implied question, and the hamzah is for interrogative denial, while the waw is for the present state. That is, “Will you return us to your religion or expel us from our town, while we do not wish to return to that religion or to leave this town?” The meaning is that it is not appropriate for you to force us to choose either of these options.

88. The arrogant leaders of his people said, "O Shu‘ayb! We will surely expel you and those who have believed with you from our town, or else [93] you must return to our religion." Shu‘aybؑ said, "Even if we dislike it?"

[93]
The Threat of the Chiefs of the People:

When, despite the denial and stubbornness of the arrogant chiefs, some people believed in Sayyiduna Shu‘ayb ؑ and a weak group of such believers emerged, these people became an eyesore to the chiefs. Therefore, they began to threaten them. In other words, having been defeated intellectually, they now sought to resolve the matter by force, which is the greatest sign of ignorance. They said, "Shu‘ayb! There are only two options, one of which you must accept: either stop preaching this new religion and return to the old faith, or we will expel you and your companions from this settlement. As long as you remain firm on monotheism, there is no way for you to stay here."