سُوْرَةُ الشُّعَرَآءِ
Surah Ash-Shu'araa (26) — Ayah 176
كَذَّبَ أَصْحَـٰبُ لْـَٔيْكَةِ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ ﴿176﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
The dwellers of Al-Aikah [near Madyan (Midian)] belied the Messengers.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
كَذَّبَ
kadhaba
Denied
أَصْحَـٰبُ
aṣḥābu
(the) companions
لْـَٔيْكَةِ
al'aykati
(of the) Wood
ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ
l-mur'salīna
the Messengers
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
176-1. اَیْکَۃَ refers to a forest. By this, the people of Prophet Shu‘ayb (علیہ السلام) and the inhabitants around the town of 'Madyan' are meant. And it is said that ایکہ means a dense tree, and there was such a tree in the outskirts of Madyan, which was worshipped. The scope of Prophet Shu‘ayb’s (علیہ السلام) prophethood and the boundaries of his call and preaching extended from Madyan to its surrounding settlements where the worship of a tree took place. The inhabitants of that area were called the People of the Thicket (Ashab al-Aykah). In this respect, the People of the Thicket and the people of Madyan had the same prophet, that is, Prophet Shu‘ayb (علیہ السلام), and they were the community of the same prophet. Since ایکہ was not a tribe but a tree, the brotherhood by lineage is not mentioned here as it is in the mention of other prophets. However, where the name of Prophet Shu‘ayb (علیہ السلام) is mentioned in relation to Madyan, there the brotherhood by lineage is also mentioned, because Madyan is the name of a tribe: "To Madyan, their brother Shu‘ayb" (Al-A‘raf). Some commentators have inclined towards the People of the Thicket being different, but Imam Ibn Kathir has stated that the authentic view is that this is the same community. The admonition "Give full measure and weight" that was given to the people of Madyan is the same admonition being given here to the People of the Thicket, which clearly shows that this is one and the same community, not two.
