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قَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ لَنُخْرِجَنَّكَ يَا شُعَيْبُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَكَ مِنْ قَرْيَتِنَا أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَا ۚ قَالَ أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَارِهِينَ
Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people, "We will surely evict you, O Shu'ayb, and those who have believed with you from our city, or you must return to our religion." He said, "Even if we were unwilling?" (88)
Commentary
When the people of Sayyidna Shu'aib علیہ السلام told him: Had you been on the side of truth, believers in you would have been prospering and non-believers in you would have been under punishment. But, what is actually happening is that both parties have come out equal and living a comfortable life. With this incongruity in sight, how can we take you to be true? Thereupon, the answer that Sayyidna Shu'aib علیہ السلام gave was: Do not make haste. The time is near when Allah Ta` ala will decide the case between the two of them. Not convinced by his answer, the arrogant chiefs of those people said what is always said by oppressive practitioners of arrogance. They said: O Shu'aib, either you and the rest of your believers return to the fold of our faith, or else, we shall throw you out of our hometown.
As for the return of ` the rest of believers in Sayyidna Shu'aib علیہ السلام to the fold of their old faith' is concerned, it is something which can be understood, for all of them were a part of the faith and way of the disbelievers. It was only later that they had embraced Islam. But, the case of Sayyidna Shu'aib علیہ السلام was different. He had never followed their false faith and way even for a day - nor can a prophet of Allah Ta` ala ever follow a faith which is counter to pure monotheism. Why then would they be asking him to return to their faith? Perhaps, it was because Sayyidna Shu'aib علیہ السلام - before prophethood was bestowed on him - would maintain silence over their false sayings and doings and continued living among the people as one of them. Because of this, his disbelieving people took Sayyidna Shu'aib علیہ السلام too as one of the rest, a fellow-traveller and votary of their faith. It was only after he gave his call of true 'Iman that they discovered that his faith or religion was different from their own. Then, this led them to conclude that he had turned away from their old faith. About their warning that he must return to their old faith, Sayyidna Shu'aib علیہ السلام said: أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَارِهِي . It means: Are you trying to say that we should return to the fold of your faith despite that we do not like it and consider it to be false? This is a manner of saying that it can never be.
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