سُوْرَةُ هُوْدٍ
Surah Hud (11) — Ayah 87
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰشُعَيْبُ أَصَلَوٰتُكَ تَأْمُرُكَ أَن نَّتْرُكَ مَا يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَآ أَوْ أَن نَّفْعَلَ فِىٓ أَمْوَٰلِنَا مَا نَشَـٰٓؤُا۟ ۖ إِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ ٱلْحَلِيمُ ٱلرَّشِيدُ ﴿87﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They said: "O Shu‘aib! Does your Salât (prayer) command that we give up what our fathers used to worship, or that we give up doing what we like with our property? Verily, you are the forbearer, right-minded!" (They said this sarcastically).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالُوا۟
qālū
They said
يَـٰشُعَيْبُ
yāshuʿaybu
O Shuaib
أَصَلَوٰتُكَ
aṣalatuka
Does your prayer
تَأْمُرُكَ
tamuruka
command you
أَن
an
that
نَّتْرُكَ
natruka
we leave
مَا
mā
what
يَعْبُدُ
yaʿbudu
worship
ءَابَآؤُنَآ
ābāunā
our forefathers
أَوْ
aw
or
أَن
an
that
نَّفْعَلَ
nafʿala
we do
فِىٓ
fī
concerning
أَمْوَٰلِنَا
amwālinā
our wealth
مَا
mā
what
نَشَـٰٓؤُا۟ ۖ
nashāu
we will
إِنَّكَ
innaka
Indeed you
لَأَنتَ
la-anta
surely you
ٱلْحَلِيمُ
l-ḥalīmu
(are) the forbearing
ٱلرَّشِيدُ
l-rashīdu
the right-minded
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 87) ➊ {قَالُوْا يٰشُعَيْبُ اَصَلٰوتُكَ …:} That is, do you consider the scope of your prayer so broad that you have started interfering in the religious and financial matters of others as well? It is our will whom we worship and whom we serve, and this wealth which belongs to us, we can dispose of it as we wish, earn it however we like, lawful or unlawful, who is anyone to stop us! This is the same secular mindset that prevails even today, that prayer and religion are each person's personal matter. In the affairs of the state and the world, we are not bound by the commands of Allah Almighty. Indeed, religion forbids usury, but the entire world's economy runs on it, what does religion have to do with it? Then whether someone commits shirk, disbelief, or is a monotheist, whether he believes in Allah Almighty or not, what concern is it to anyone? The only obligation is to follow the laws of the state that people themselves have made by majority, there is no other restriction on anyone. The reality is that this is such a great rebellion against Allah Almighty that if it were not for the supplication of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that O Allah! Do not destroy my ummah (those who have received the message and those who have accepted it) with a general punishment, the punishment would have already come.
➋ {اِنَّكَ لَاَنْتَ الْحَلِيْمُ الرَّشِيْدُ:} This can have several meanings. One is that you are considered very forbearing and extremely wise in the family, what has happened to you that you have started saying such strange things? Another is that in fact, they were saying this to him mockingly and in jest, their purpose was to call him very impatient and foolish. The author of Kashaf has given the example that just as someone might say to a very miserly person, "What can be said of your generosity, if Hatim Tai were to see you, he too would bow his head before you." Another meaning is, are you the only wise and well-behaved one left? The rest of us and our forefathers have always been ignorant and foolish? This too was a form of ridicule and mockery. (Ibn Kathir) Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "It is the habit of the ignorant that if they cannot do the deeds of the righteous, they start taunting them; this is the very trait of disbelief." (Mawdhih)
➋ {اِنَّكَ لَاَنْتَ الْحَلِيْمُ الرَّشِيْدُ:} This can have several meanings. One is that you are considered very forbearing and extremely wise in the family, what has happened to you that you have started saying such strange things? Another is that in fact, they were saying this to him mockingly and in jest, their purpose was to call him very impatient and foolish. The author of Kashaf has given the example that just as someone might say to a very miserly person, "What can be said of your generosity, if Hatim Tai were to see you, he too would bow his head before you." Another meaning is, are you the only wise and well-behaved one left? The rest of us and our forefathers have always been ignorant and foolish? This too was a form of ridicule and mockery. (Ibn Kathir) Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "It is the habit of the ignorant that if they cannot do the deeds of the righteous, they start taunting them; this is the very trait of disbelief." (Mawdhih)
