Al-Qur'an Surah Hud Verse 88

Mufti Taqi Usmani

He said, “O my people, tell me, if I am on a clear path from my Lord and He has provided me with a good provision from Himself, (should I still leave you unguided?) I do not want to do in your absence what I forbid you from. I want nothing but to set things right as far as I can. My ability to do any thing comes from none but Allah. In Him alone I have placed my trust and to Him alone I turn in humbleness.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

He said, “O my people! Consider if I stand on a clear proof from my Lord and He has blessed me with a good provision from Him. I do not want to do what I am forbidding you from. I only intend reform to the best of my ability. My success comes only through Allah. In Him I trust and to Him I turn.

Ruwwad Translation Center

He said, “O my people, what do you think, if I should have a clear proof from my Lord, and He has given me good provision from Himself. I do not want to go against what I am forbidding you. I only want to put things right to the best of my ability. My success only comes through Allah; in Him I put my trust and to Him I turn.

A. J. Arberry

He said, 'O my people, what think you? If I stand upon a clear sign from my Lord, and He has provided me with fair provision from Him -- and I desire not to come behind you, betaking me to that I forbid you; I desire only to set things right, so far as I am able. My succour is only with God; in Him I have put my trust, and to Him I turn, penitent.

Abdul Haleem

He answered, ‘My people, can you not see? What if I am acting on clear evidence from my Lord? He Himself has given me good provision: I do not want to do what I am forbidding you to do, I only want to put things right as far as I can. I cannot succeed without God’s help: I trust in Him, and always turn to Him.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

He said: O my people! bethink if I rested on an evidence from my Lord, and He hath provided me with a goodly provision from Himself, shell I fail to deliver His message! And I desire not, in order to oppose you, to do that which I forbid I desire not but rectification, so far you as I am able, and my hope of success is not save with Allah; in Him I rely and unto Him I turn penitently.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He said; "O my people! see ye whether I have a Clear (Sign) from my Lord, and He hath given me sustenance (pure and) good as from Himself? I wish not, in opposition to you, to do that which I forbid you to do. I only desire (your) betterment to the best of my power; and my success (in my task) can only come from Allah. In Him I trust, and unto Him I look.

Abul Ala Maududi

Shu'ayb said: 'My people! What do you think? If I stand on clear evidence from my Lord, and He has also provided me a handsome provision from Himself -(should I be ungrateful to Him and share your error and iniquity?) Nor do I desire to act contrary to what I admonish you. I desire nothing but to set things right as far as I can. My succour is only with Allah. In Him have I put my trust, and to Him do I always turn.

Ahmed Ali

He said: "O my people, think. I have a clear sign from my Lord, who has also given me a goodly provision, and I do not wish for myself what I forbid you: I only wish to reform you as best I can. My success is from God alone. In Him I have placed my trust, and to Him I turn.

Ahmed Raza Khan

He said, “O my people! What is your opinion – if I am on a clear proof from my Lord and He has bestowed me with an excellent sustenance from Him (shall I ignore all this?); and the matter I forbid you to do, I do not wish that I myself act against it; I only intend to make improvements as far possible; my guidance is only from Allah; I rely only upon Him and towards Him only do I incline.”

Ali Quli Qarai

He said, ‘O my people! Have you considered, should I stand on a manifest proof from my Lord, who has provided me a good provision from Himself? I do not wish to oppose you by what I forbid you. I only desire to put things in order, as far as I can, and my success lies only with Allah: in Him I have put my trust, and to Him I turn penitently.

Ali Ünal

He answered: "O my people! What do you think – if I stand on a clear evidence from my Lord, and out of His provision He provides for me? I do not (in hope of worldly gain and provoking disorder) act in opposition to you (myself doing) what I ask you to avoid. What I seek is only to set things right so far as I am able. My success in my task depends on God alone. In Him have I put my trust, and to Him do I always turn with all my heart.

Amatul Rahman Omar

He said, `My people! what do you think? While I stand (by His grace) on a clear proof from my Lord (then why should not I guide people to the path of peace?), He has provided me from Himself with a goodly and honest livelihood (I cannot therefore be dishonest to Him). I have no intention to practise contrary to you the very thing which I forbid you to do. All that I desire is to set things right as far as I can. There is no power in me to do something (for setting things right) except through the help of Allâh. In Him do I put my trust and to Him do I always turn.

English Literal

He said: "You (my) nation, did you see/understand if I were on an evidence from my Lord, and He provided for me from Him a good/beautiful provision , and I do not want that I differ/disagree with you to what I forbid/prevented you from it, that truly I want (nothing) except the correction/repair/reconciliation what I was able (to do), and my success/inspiration is except by God, on Him I relied/depended , and to Him I151repent/obey ."

Faridul Haque

He said, "O my people! What is your opinion - if I am on a clear proof from my Lord and He has bestowed me with an excellent sustenance from Him (shall I ignore all this?); and the matter I forbid you to do, I do not wish that I myself act against it; I only intend to make improvements as far possible; my guidance is only from Allah; I rely only upon Him and towards Him only do I incline."

Hamid S. Aziz

They said, "O Shu´eyb! Do your prayers bid you that we should forsake what our fathers served, or that we should not do as we please with our own property? You are, forsooth, the clement and straight-forward one (or simpleton)!"

Hilali & Khan

He said: "O my people! Tell me, if I have a clear evidence from my Lord, and He has given me a good sustenance from Himself (shall I corrupt it by mixing it with the unlawfully earned money). I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you. I only desire reform so far as I am able, to the best of my power. And my guidance cannot come except from Allah, in Him I trust and unto Him I repent.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

They said: O Shu’aib, does thy prayer enjoin thee that we should forsake what our fathers worshipped or that we should not do what we please with regard to our property? Forsooth thou art the forbearing, the right-directing one!

Mohammad Habib Shakir

He said: O my people! have you considered if I have a clear proof from my Lord and He has given me a goodly sustenance from Himself, and I do not desire that in opposition to you I should betake myself to that which I forbid you: I desire nothing but reform so far as I am able, and with none but Allah is the direction of my affair to a right issue; on Him do I rely and to Him do I turn:

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

He said: O my people! Bethink you: if I am (acting) on a clear proof from my Lord and He sustaineth me with fair sustenance from Him (how can I concede aught to you)? I desire not to do behind your backs that which I ask you not to do. I desire naught save reform so far as I am able. My welfare is only in Allah. In Him I trust and unto Him I turn (repentant).

Muhammad Sarwar

He said, "My people, do you not realize that I have received authoritative evidence from my Lord and have been granted a noble gift from Him? I do not want to oppose or ignore what I have prohibited you not to do. I only intend to reform you as much as I can. My success is in the hands of God. I trust Him and turn to Him in repentance.

Qaribullah & Darwish

He said: 'Think, my nation! If I have a clear sign from my Lord and He has provided me with good provision, I do not desire to go behind you, taking for myself that which I forbid you. I seek but to reform as much as I can, my help comes only from Allah. In Him I have put my trust and to Him I turn in penitence.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

He said: "O my people! Tell me if I have a clear evidence from my Lord and He has given me a good sustenance from Himself (shall I corrupt it by mixing it with the unlawfully earned money). I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you. I only desire reform to the best of my power. And my guidance cannot come except from Allah, in Him I put my trust and unto Him I repent."

Wahiduddin Khan

[Shu'ayb] said, "O my people! What do you think? If I have clear evidence from my Lord, and He has sustained me with fair sustenance from Himself [should I not guide you?]. I have no desire to do, out of opposition to you, what I am asking you not to do. I only want to reform you as far as I can. Nor can I succeed without God's help. In Him I have put my trust and to Him I turn.

Talal Itani

He said, “O my people, have you considered? What if I have clear evidence from my Lord, and He has given me good livelihood from Himself? I have no desire to do what I forbid you from doing. I desire nothing but reform, as far as I can. My success lies only with God. In Him I trust, and to Him I turn.”

Tafsir jalalayn

He said, `O my people, have you considered that I might be [acting] upon a clear proof from my Lord and that He has provided me with fair, wholesome, sustenance from Him?, should I then blemish it with what is unlawful, in the way of fraud or stinting? And I do not desire to be inconsistent, and then partake, in what I forbid you, thus committing the same. I desire only to set things right, in your case, by way of [enjoining] justice, so far as I am able. My success, my ability to do this [successfully] and [to enjoin] other acts of obedience, is only with God. In Him I trust and to Him I turn, I return, [repentant].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Shu`ayb's Refutation of His People

Allah tells;

قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىَ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّي

He said;"O my people! Tell me if I, have a clear evidence from my Lord,

meaning, upon clear guidance in that which I am calling to.

وَرَزَقَنِي مِنْهُ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا

and He has given me a good sustenance from Himself.

It has been said that he meant the Prophethood.

It has also been said that he meant the lawful provisions.

It seems that the verse carries both meanings.

وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَى مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ

I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you.

Ath-Thawri said,

meaning, `do not forbid you from something and at the same time I contradict my prohibitions in secret behind your backs, doing what I have forbidden.'

This is similar to what Qatadah said concerning Allah's statement,

"He is saying, `I do not forbid you all from something while I do it myself."'

إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلاَّ الاِصْلَحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ

I only desire reform to the best of my power.

This means, "In that which I command and forbid you, I only want to correct your affair as much as I am able."

وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي

And my guidance cannot come,

This means, "In whatever I intend that agrees with the truth."

إِلاَّ بِاللّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ

except from Allah, in Him I put my trust,

This means in all of my affairs.

وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ



and unto Him I repent.

meaning; "I return."

This has been said by Mujahid and others