قالَ المَلَأُ الَّذينَ استَكبَروا مِن قَومِهِ لَنُخرِجَنَّكَ يا شُعَيبُ وَالَّذينَ آمَنوا مَعَكَ مِن قَريَتِنا أَو لَتَعودُنَّ في مِلَّتِنا ۚ قالَ أَوَلَو كُنّا كارِهينَ

The arrogant leaders from his community declared, “O Shuaib, we will expel you and those who believed with you from our town, unless you return to our religion.” He responded, “Even against our will?”

قَدِ افتَرَينا عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا إِن عُدنا في مِلَّتِكُم بَعدَ إِذ نَجّانَا اللَّهُ مِنها ۚ وَما يَكونُ لَنا أَن نَعودَ فيها إِلّا أَن يَشاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّنا ۚ وَسِعَ رَبُّنا كُلَّ شَيءٍ عِلمًا ۚ عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلنا ۚ رَبَّنَا افتَح بَينَنا وَبَينَ قَومِنا بِالحَقِّ وَأَنتَ خَيرُ الفاتِحينَ

“We would be fabricating a lie against God if we returned to your religion after God has rescued us from it. It’s not for us to return to it unless God, our Lord, permits. Our Lord encompasses everything in His knowledge. In God, we’ve placed our trust. Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth, for You are the best decision maker.”

وَقالَ المَلَأُ الَّذينَ كَفَروا مِن قَومِهِ لَئِنِ اتَّبَعتُم شُعَيبًا إِنَّكُم إِذًا لَخاسِرونَ

The disbelieving elites among his people said, “If you follow Shuaib, you will surely be among the losers.”

فَأَخَذَتهُمُ الرَّجفَةُ فَأَصبَحوا في دارِهِم جاثِمينَ

A tremor overtook them, and they lay lifeless in their homes.

الَّذينَ كَذَّبوا شُعَيبًا كَأَن لَم يَغنَوا فيهَا ۚ الَّذينَ كَذَّبوا شُعَيبًا كانوا هُمُ الخاسِرينَ

Those who denied Shuaib—it is as though they had never thrived there. Those who denied Shuaib—they were the losers.

وَما أَرسَلنا في قَريَةٍ مِن نَبِيٍّ إِلّا أَخَذنا أَهلَها بِالبَأساءِ وَالضَّرّاءِ لَعَلَّهُم يَضَّرَّعونَ

Whenever We sent a prophet to a city, We tested its people with adversity and hardship so that they might turn in humility.

ثُمَّ بَدَّلنا مَكانَ السَّيِّئَةِ الحَسَنَةَ حَتّىٰ عَفَوا وَقالوا قَد مَسَّ آباءَنَا الضَّرّاءُ وَالسَّرّاءُ فَأَخَذناهُم بَغتَةً وَهُم لا يَشعُرونَ

Then, We replaced their hardship with ease until they multiplied and said, “Our ancestors, too, experienced hardship and ease.” Suddenly, We seized them unawares.

وَلَو أَنَّ أَهلَ القُرىٰ آمَنوا وَاتَّقَوا لَفَتَحنا عَلَيهِم بَرَكاتٍ مِنَ السَّماءِ وَالأَرضِ وَلـٰكِن كَذَّبوا فَأَخَذناهُم بِما كانوا يَكسِبونَ

Had the residents of the towns believed and been righteous, We would’ve opened upon them blessings from the sky and the earth. But they denied the truth, so We seized them on account of their misdeeds.

أَفَأَمِنَ أَهلُ القُرىٰ أَن يَأتِيَهُم بَأسُنا بَياتًا وَهُم نائِمونَ

Are the people of the towns feeling secure from Our punishment coming upon them suddenly at night while they sleep?

أَوَأَمِنَ أَهلُ القُرىٰ أَن يَأتِيَهُم بَأسُنا ضُحًى وَهُم يَلعَبونَ

Are the townsfolk carefree that Our punishment won’t come to them in the daytime while they play?