Shuayb
Definition
Shuayb was the prophet sent to the people of Madyan, known in prophetic tradition as 'the orator of the prophets' for his exceptional eloquence and the comprehensive, carefully argued nature of his preaching. Unlike Lut's people whose sin was primarily moral-sexual, Shuayb's people sinned primarily in the economic domain: they cheated in weights and measures, demanded more than they gave in commercial dealings, and refused any prophetic correction of their marketplace ethics. Ibn Kathir presents this as an important teaching about the scope of prophetic concern: revelation addresses not only personal morality and ritual practice but economic justice, commercial integrity, and the ethics of the marketplace.
As understood in the classical tradition of Ibn Kathir and the scholars of his school.
How the scholars use Shuayb.
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"There is some debate about the identity of this elder. Many, including al-Hasan al-Basri and Malik ibn Anas, believe he was Shuayb, peace be upon him. Some suggest that Shuayb lived a long life after his people's destruction and met Moses, who married his daughter. Others propose he was Shuayb's nephew, cousin, or a believer from Shuayb's people. Some sources, including ibn Abbas, identify him as Yithrun, the priest of Madian. After Moses was welcomed and honored, one of the daughters suggested to her father, O my father, hire him, praising Moses as strong and trustworthy. When asked how she knew this, she explained that Moses"
— Ibn Kathir, Volume 1 — From Creation to Mūsā
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"daughter. Ibn Abi Hatim and others narrated from al-Hassan al-Basri that the companion of Moses, peace be upon him, was named Shuayb and he was the master of the water but not the prophet of Midian. It was also said that he was the son of Shuayb's brother or his cousin or another man, a believer from the people of Shuayb and it was said a man named Yathrun."
— Ibn Kathir, The Story of Musa
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"it is stated, For our Arabs, Hud, Salih, Shuwaib, and your Prophet, O Abu Dar, some of the predecessors called Shuwaib the orator of the Prophets, for his eloquence, superior expression, and magnificent rhetoric in inviting his people to believe in his message. Ibn Ishaq Ibn Bishr reported from Juwaibir and Muqatil, from Al-Dahaq, from Ibn Abbas, who said that whenever the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, mentioned Shuwaib, he said, he is the orator of the Prophets."
— Ibn Kathir, Volume 1 — From Creation to Mūsā
Appears in
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