Tafseer of Hud · Hud · 11:91
They said, "O Shu'ayb, we do not understand much of what you say, and indeed, we consider you among us as weak. And if not for your family, we would have stoned you [to death]; and you are not to us one respected."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the words of Allah the Exalted: قَالُوا يَا شُعَيْبُ مَا نَفْقَهُ كَثِيرًا مِمَّا تَقُولُ وَإِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِينَا ضَعِيفًا وَلَوْلا رَهْطُكَ لَرَجَمْنَاكَ وَمَا أَنْتَ عَلَيْنَا بِعَزِيزٍ (They said: O Shuʿayb, we do not understand much of what you say, and indeed we see you weak among us, and were it not for your clan we would have stoned you; you are not dear to us.) [11:91]
Abū Jaʿfar said: Allah the Exalted says: The people of Shuʿayb said to Shuʿayb: (O Shuʿayb, we do not understand much of what you say) — that is to say: we do not know the reality of much of what you say and tell us — (and indeed we see you weak among us).
It is mentioned that he was blind, and that is why they said to him: (we see you weak among us).
Mention of who said that:
18507 — ʿAbd al-Aʿlā ibn Wāṣil related to me, saying: Asad ibn Zayd al-Jaṣṣāṣ related to us, saying: Sharīk informed us, on the authority of Sālim, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, concerning His word: (we see you weak among us) — he said: he was blind.
18508 — ʿAbbās ibn Abī Ṭālib related to us, saying: Ibrāhīm ibn Mahdī al-Maṣṣīṣī related to me, saying: Khalaf ibn Khalīfa related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Saʿīd, the like of it.
18509 — Aḥmad ibn al-Walīd al-Ramlī related to us, saying: Ibrāhīm ibn Ziyād, Isḥāq ibn al-Mundhir, and ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Zayd related to us, they said: Sharīk related to us, on the authority of Sālim, on the authority of Saʿīd, the like of it.
18510 — [isnād link], he said: ʿAmr ibn ʿAwn and Muḥammad ibn al-Ṣabbāḥ related to us, they said: we heard Sharīk say concerning His word: (we see you weak among us) — he said: blind.
18511 — Saʿdawayh related to us, saying: ʿAbbād related to us, on the authority of Sharīk, on the authority of Sālim, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, the like of it.
18512 — Al-Muthanná related to me, saying: Abū Nuʿaym related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us concerning His word: (we see you weak among us) — he said: he had weak eyes. Sufyān said: It was said of him: "the orator of the prophets."
18513 — [isnād link], he said: al-Ḥamānī related to us, saying: ʿAbbād related to us, on the authority of Sharīk, on the authority of Sālim, on the authority of Saʿīd: (we see you weak among us) — he said: he was blind.
His word: (were it not for your clan we would have stoned you) — they say: were you not amid your clan and your people, (we would have stoned you) — they mean: we would have reviled you.
Others said: its meaning is: we would have killed you.
Mention of who said that:
18514 — Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word: (were it not for your clan we would have stoned you) — he said: they said: were it not that we hold your people and clan in regard, we would have stoned you.
His word: (you are not dear to us) — they mean: you are not someone who is honored among us, such that his humiliation and disparagement would weigh heavily upon us; rather, that is a trifling matter with us.
