Surah Al-A’raf Ayat 90 (7:90 Quran) With Tafsir

Ala-Maududi

(7:90) The elders of his people who disbelieved said: ‘Should you follow Shu’ayb, you will be utter losers.^[74]

74. One should not pass cursorily over this short sentence; instead one must reflect upon it. What the leaders of Midian in effect told their people was that Shu’ayb’s exhortations to practise honesty and righteousness, and to strictly adhere to moral values, would spell their disaster. They implied that they could not succeed in the business carried on by the people of Midian if they were totally honest and straightforward in their dealings. Were they to let trading caravans pass by unmolested, they would lose all the advantages of being located at the crossroads of the major trade routes and by their proximity to the civilized and prosperous countries such as Egypt and Iraq. Also, if they were to become peaceful and to cease their attacks upon the trade caravans, they would no longer be held in awe by neighbouring countries.

Such attitudes have not, however, been confined to the tribal chiefs of Shu’ayb. People who stray away from truth, honesty and righteousness, regardless of their age and clime, have always found in honesty a means of great loss. People of warped mentalities in every age have always believed that trade, politics, and other worldly pursuits can never flourish unless they resort to dishonest and immoral practices. The main objection against the Message of truth in all ages has been that the pursuit of truth spells material doom.

Ibn-Kathir

90. The chiefs of those who disbelieved among his people said (to their people): “If you follow Shu`ayb, be sure then you will be the losers!” 91. So the earthquake seized them and they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes. 92. Those who belied Shu`ayb, became as if they had never dwelt there (in their homes). Those who belied Shu`ayb, they were the losers.) Allah describes the enormity of disbelief, rebellion, transgression and misguidance (of Shu`ayb’s people) and the defiance of truth encrypted in their hearts. They vowed, saying,

(“If you follow Shu`ayb, be sure then you will be the losers!”) Allah answered them,

(So the earthquake seized them and they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes) Allah said that the earthquake shook them, as punishment for threatening to expel Shu`ayb and his followers. Allah mentioned their end again in Suah Hud,

(And when Our commandment came, We saved Shu`ayb and those who believed with him by a mercy from Us. And the Sayhah (loud cry) seized the wrongdoers, and they lay (dead) prostrate in their homes.) ﴿11:94﴾ This Ayah mentions the Sayhah (cry) that struck them after they mocked Shu`ayb, saying,

(Does your Salah (prayer) command you…) so it was befitting to mention here the cry that made them silence. In Surat Ash-Shu`ara’, Allah said,

(But they belied him, so the torment of the Day of Shadow (a gloomy cloud) seized them. Indeed that was the torment of a Great Day) ﴿26:189﴾ because they challenged Shu`ayb,

(“So cause a piece of the heaven to fall on us, if you are of the truthful!”) ﴿26:187﴾. Therefore, Allah stated that each of these forms of punishment struck them on the Day of the Shadow. First,

(So the torment of the Day of Shadow (a gloomy cloud) seized them) ﴿26:189﴾ when a gloomy cloud came over them (containing) fire, flames and a tremendous light. Next, a cry from the sky descended on them and a tremor shook them from beneath. Consequently, their souls were captured, their lives were taken and their bodies became idle,

(and they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes). Allah said next,

(They became as if they had never dwelt there) meaning, after the torment seized them, it looked as if they never dwelled in the land from which they wanted to expel their Messenger Shu`ayb and his followers. Here, Allah refuted their earlier statement,

(Those who belied Shu`ayb, they were the losers.)