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Surah Hud, Ayah 91 (11:91)

هُود

قَالُوا۟ يَٰشُعَيْبُ مَا نَفْقَهُ كَثِيرًا مِّمَّا تَقُولُ وَإِنَّا لَنَرَىٰكَ فِينَا ضَعِيفًا ۖ …

Quran 11:91 is ayah 91 of Surah Hud (“Hud”), a Meccan surah of 123 ayahs. It is in Juz 12, on page 232 of the Madani Mushaf.

11:91
قَالُوا۟يَٰشُعَيْبُمَانَفْقَهُكَثِيرًامِّمَّاتَقُولُوَإِنَّالَنَرَىٰكَفِينَاضَعِيفًا ۖوَلَوْلَارَهْطُكَلَرَجَمْنَٰكَ ۖوَمَآأَنتَعَلَيْنَابِعَزِيزٍ٩١
qālū yāshuʿaybu mā nafqahu kathīran mimmā taqūlu wa-innā lanarāka fīnā ḍaʿīfan walawlā rahṭuka larajamnāka wamā anta ʿalaynā biʿazīzin

They said, "O Shuʿayb, 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."(91)

Word by word

  1. قَالُوا۟qālūThey said
  2. يَٰشُعَيْبُyāshuʿaybuO Shuaib
  3. مَاmāNot
  4. نَفْقَهُnafqahuwe understand
  5. كَثِيرًاkathīranmuch
  6. مِّمَّاmimmāof what
  7. تَقُولُtaqūluyou say
  8. وَإِنَّاwa-innāand indeed, we
  9. لَنَرَىٰكَlanarākasurely [we] see you
  10. فِينَاfīnāamong us
  11. ضَعِيفًا ۖḍaʿīfanweak
  12. وَلَوْلَاwalawlāAnd if not
  13. رَهْطُكَrahṭukafor your family
  14. لَرَجَمْنَٰكَ ۖlarajamnākasurely we would have stoned you
  15. وَمَآwamāand you are not
  16. أَنتَantaand you are not
  17. عَلَيْنَاʿalaynāagainst us
  18. بِعَزِيزٍbiʿazīzinmighty

Tafsir (commentary) of 11:91

Available in English, Bengali, Urdu, Arabic, Russian.

English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

This commentary explains ayahs 11:91–92 together.

The Response of Shu`ayb's People

They said,

يشُعَيْبُ مَا نَفْقَهُ

(O Shu`ayb! We do not understand) This means that we do not comprehend.

كَثِيراً

(much) `most of what you say'. Ath-Thawri said, "He (Shu`ayb) was called the orator of the Prophets." As-Suddi said,

وَإِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِينَا ضَعِيفًا

(and we see you weak among us.) "They meant, `You are only one person."' Abu Rawq said, "They meant, `You are despised, because your tribe is not upon your religion."'

وَلَوْلاَ رَهْطُكَ لَرَجَمْنَـكَ

(Were it not for your family, you would have been stoned,) This means, your people. Were it not for their powerful position over the people of Madyan, they would have stoned him to death. Some said that this means with rocks. It has also been said that this means that they would have cursed and insulted him verbally.

وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْنَا بِعَزِيزٍ

(and you are not powerful against us.) This means, "You have no position of power over us."

Shu`ayb's Refutation of His People

قَالَ يقَوْمِ أَرَهْطِى أَعَزُّ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ

(He said: "O my people! Is then my family of more weight with you than Allah")( He says: You would leave me alone out of respect for my people but not out of respect for the greatness of the Lord, the Most Blessed and Exalted Does not your awe of Allah prevent you from harming His Prophet Indeed you have placed the fear of Allah,

وَرَآءَكُمْ ظِهْرِيّاً

(behind your backs.) This means that you have thrown it behind you. You do not obey it, nor do you respect it.

إِنَّ رَبِّى بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ

(Verily, my Lord is surrounding all that you do.) This means that He knows all of your actions and He will reward you according to them.

Read the full Surah Hud