So he turned away from them and said: O my people!

So he turned away from them and said: O my people! certainly I delivered to you the messages of my Lord and I gave you good advice; how shall I then be sorry for an unbelieving people? And We did not send a Prophet in a town but We overtook its people with distress and affliction in order that they might humble themselves. (7:85-94) In 26:32-41 , Prophet Shu‘ayb said to the dwellers of the desert, “You are not afraid of Allah’s punishment? Allah has sent me as a messenger and I am your Prophet.

Listen to the orders which Allah has given me. I don’t require anything from you. Allah will reward me for my deeds. Allah says: Be just and honest in weighing things and also in returning their belongings. Do not create quarrels and troubles among the people and fear Allah as He is the great creator of the world.” The dwellers of the forest said that Shu‘ayb was influenced by black magic and has become mad. They also said that he was just a human being like them and was a great liar.

They said, “If you are really a true Prophet then ask Allah to send us a few pieces of the sky.” The Prophet said that Allah knew better what they said. But they did not listen, and insulted him. So Allah sent the great punishment on them. It was a severe punishment. When they insulted Shu‘ayb, Allah sent punishment of scorching heat which affected them and their families. They went inside their houses to save themselves but the heat also entered along with them.

The heat was so intense that they could not bear it. Then Allah sent a piece of dark cloud. They all ran under the shade of the cloud but instead of water (rain), fire started raining on them and an earthquake started and they all were destroyed by fire. These two incidents clearly show that Allah sent punishment on the two groups who disbelieved Him and His Prophet. According to Imam Ali ibn Al Husayn, Shu‘ayb made a scale and standard weights. His people were very honest in weighing things.

After that the people became dishonest in their weighing. They started cheating by under weighing. Then Allah sent a curse on them through an earthquake and they were destroyed. According to another tradition Ibn Babawayh and al-Qutb al-Rawandi have mentioned through Ibn-’Abbas that Shu‘ayb and Prophet Ayyub and Balaam Bin Bao’or belonged to the family who had brought faith on Prophet Ibrahim when he was thrown in a fire and was saved from Nimrod’s punishment.

After that, Prophet Ibrahim and these people went towards Syria.