Tree of the Prophets
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MessengerProphet 13 of 25

Shu'ayb peace be upon him

Known as Khatib al-Anbiya' the orator of the prophets

Sent to the people of Madyan and the Companions of the Thicket (al-Aykah), who cheated in weights and measures. He called them to worship Allah and deal honestly.

Rasul (messenger): a prophet sent with a message to a people. Marked here when the Quran explicitly calls him a messenger; scholars also count others, such as Dawud, who was given the Zabur. Nabi (prophet): one who receives revelation from Allah. Every messenger is a prophet, but not every prophet is a messenger.

Sent to
Madyan and the Companions of the Thicket
Region
Madyan, north-west Arabia
Named in the Quran
11 times by name

Key events

  1. Called his people to worship Allah alone and give full measure and weight (11:84-85).
  2. Forbade them from spreading corruption and blocking Allah's path (7:85-86).
  3. They mocked him: "Does your prayer command you that we leave what our fathers worshipped?" (11:87).
  4. An earthquake and a mighty blast seized them (7:91; 11:94).
  5. Many scholars hold he was the old man of Madyan whose daughter Musa married (28:23-28); others disagree.

Lesson

Honesty in trade is part of faith.

In the Quran

Lineage from Adam

  1. Adam
  2. Shith
  3. Idris
  4. Nuh
  5. Sam
  6. Azar
  7. Ibrahim
  8. Madyan
  9. Shu'ayb

About the lineage: Historians link him to Madyan son of Ibrahim; the exact chain of generations is not certain.