place

Madyan

مدين

Madyan holds a poignant place in Islamic sacred history, referring to both an ancient land and its inhabitants, located perhaps in the northwest Arabian Peninsula. It was to this community that Allah sent [their brother Shu'ayb], a noble Prophet who called them to worship God alone and to uphold justice in their dealings. Shu'ayb particularly warned them against the widespread corruption in their society, especially the dishonest practices of trying to [defraud people of their due and cause not corruption upon the earth] through false weights and measures. Despite his earnest warnings and clear signs, the people of Madyan largely rejected his message. Their story, alongside those of other past nations, serves as a powerful reminder of divine justice, emphasizing that [Allah would never have wronged them, but they were wronging themselves]. The Quran recounts their tragic end, where they were utterly destroyed, becoming [as if they had never prospered therein], a consequence of their persistent disbelief and corruption. Their fate was similar to that of Thamud, serving as a profound lesson for believers, urging honesty, justice, and unwavering faith.

Quran 9 verses

وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَأَوْفُوا۟ ٱلْكَيْلَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا۟ ٱلنَّاسَ أَشْيَآءَهُمْ وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَٰحِهَا ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

Wa ilaa Madyana akhaahum Shu'aybaa; qaala yaa qawmi' budul laaha maa lakum min ilaahin ghairuhoo qad jaaa'atkum baiyinatum mir Rabbikum fa awful kaila walmeezaana wa laa tabkhasun naasa ashyaa'ahum wa laa tufsidoo fil ardi ba'da islaahihaa; zaalikum khairul lakum in kuntum mu'mineen

And to [the people of] Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb. He said, "O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. So fulfill the measure and weight and do not deprive people of their due and cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. That is better for you, if you should be believers.

اور مَدین کی طرف ان کے بھائی شعیب کو بھیجا۔ (تو) انہوں نے کہا کہ قوم! خدا ہی کی عبادت کرو اس کے سوا تمہارا کوئی معبود نہیں۔ تمہارے پاس تمہارے پروردگار کی طرف سے نشانی آچکی ہے تو تم ناپ تول پوری کیا کرو اور لوگوں کو چیزیں کم نہ دیا کرو۔ اور زمین میں اصلاح کے بعد خرابی نہ کرو۔ اگر تم صاحب ایمان ہو تو سمجھ لو کہ یہ بات تمہارے حق میں بہتر ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary The series of stories relating to prophets (علیہم السلام) continues. The fifth story appears in the verses quoted above. This is the story of Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) and his eople. Sayyidna Shu'aib علیہ السلام according to Muhammad ibn Ishaq, is among the progeny of Madyan, the so...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And We sent to Midian their brother Shu‘ayb. He said ‘O my people worship God! You have no god other than Him. Verily there has come to you a clear proof a miracle from your Lord to prove my truthfulness. So give full measure and weight and do not defraud diminish the value of people’s goods and do ...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Story of Shu`ayb, upon him be Peace, and the Land of Madyan Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "They (the people of Madyan) are the descendents of Madyan, son of Midyan, son of Ibrahim. Shu`ayb was the son of Mikil bin Yashjur. And in the Syrian language, his name was Yathrun (Jethro)". I (Ibn Kathir) say, Ma...

أَلَمْ يَأْتِهِمْ نَبَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَعَادٍ وَثَمُودَ وَقَوْمِ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَأَصْحَٰبِ مَدْيَنَ وَٱلْمُؤْتَفِكَٰتِ أَتَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ فَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ وَلَٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

Alam yaatihim naba ul lazeena min qablihim qawmi Noohinw wa 'Aadinw wa Samooda wa qawmi Ibraaheema wa ashaabi adyana walmu'tafikaat; atathum Rusuluhum bilbaiyinaati famaa kaanal laahu liyazlimahum wa laakin kaanooo anfusahum yazlimoon

Has there not reached them the news of those before them - the people of Noah and [the tribes of] 'Aad and Thamud and the people of Abraham and the companions of Madyan and the towns overturned? Their messengers came to them with clear proofs. And Allah would never have wronged them, but they were wronging themselves.

کیا ان کو ان لوگوں (کے حالات) کی خبر نہیں پہنچی جو ان سے پہلے تھے (یعنی) نوح اور عاد اور ثمود کی قوم۔ اور ابراہیم کی قوم اور مدین والے اور الٹی ہوئی بستیوں والے۔ ان کے پاس پیغمبر نشانیاں لے لے کر آئے۔ اور خدا تو ایسا نہ تھا کہ ان پر ظلم کرتا لیکن وہی اپنے آپ پر ظلم کرتے تھے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Let us now consider the statement: كَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ (You are) like those before you' in verse 69. According to one exegetical explanation, this is addressed to hypocrites while according to the other explanation, the address is to Muslims. The addition of ` you are' in parenthesis points ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Has not the tidings the tale of those before them reached them — the folk of Noah and ‘Ād the folk of Hūd and Thamūd the folk of Sālih and the folk of Abraham and the dwellers of Midian the folk of Shu‘ayb and the Deviant cities? the cities of the folk of Lot meaning its inhabitants. Their messenger...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Advising the Hypocrites to learn a Lesson from Those before Them Allah advises the hypocrites who reject the Messengers, أَلَمْ يَأْتِهِمْ نَبَأُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ (Has not the story reached them of those before them) have you (hypocrites) not learned the end of the nations before you who rej...

كَأَن لَّمْ يَغْنَوْا۟ فِيهَآ أَلَا بُعْدًا لِّمَدْيَنَ كَمَا بَعِدَتْ ثَمُودُ

Ka-al-lam yaghnaw feehaaa; alaa bu'dal li Madyana Kamaa ba'idat Samood

As if they had never prospered therein. Then, away with Madyan as Thamud was taken away.

گویا ان میں کبھی بسے ہی نہ تھے۔ سن رکھو کہ مدین پر (ویسی ہی) پھٹکار ہے جیسی ثمود پر پھٹکار تھی

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: After having given this good counsel to them, he warned them of the punishment of Allah Ta` ala. He said: وَيَا قَوْمِ لَا يَجْرِ‌مَنَّكُمْ شِقَاقِي أَن يُصِيبَكُم مِّثْلُ مَا أَصَابَ قَوْمَ نُوحٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ هُودٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ صَالِحٍ ۚ وَمَا قَوْمُ لُوطٍ مِّنكُم بِبَعِيدٍ And 0 my people, let not y...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: as if ka-an is softened in other words understand it as ka-annahum they had never dwelt there ‘Lo! Away with Midian just as Thamūd was done away with!’
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Shu` ayb's threatening of His People When the Prophet of Allah,Shu` ayb, despaired of their response to him, he said, "O mypeople اعْمَلُواْ عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمْ (Act according to your ability,) This means, "Act according to your current ways." This is actually a severe threat. إِنِّى عَـمِلٌ (I am a...

إِذْ تَمْشِىٓ أُخْتُكَ فَتَقُولُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ مَن يَكْفُلُهُۥ فَرَجَعْنَٰكَ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّكَ كَىْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ وَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا فَنَجَّيْنَٰكَ مِنَ ٱلْغَمِّ وَفَتَنَّٰكَ فُتُونًا فَلَبِثْتَ سِنِينَ فِىٓ أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ ثُمَّ جِئْتَ عَلَىٰ قَدَرٍ يَٰمُوسَىٰ

Iz tamsheee ukhtuka fataqoolu hal adullukum 'alaa mai yakfuluhoo faraja 'naaka ilaaa ummika kai taqarra 'ainuhaa wa laa tahzan; wa qatalta nafsan fanajjainaaka minal ghammi wa fatannaaka futoonaa; falabista sineena feee ahli Madyana summa ji'ta 'alaa qadariny yaa Moosa

[And We favored you] when your sister went and said, 'Shall I direct you to someone who will be responsible for him?' So We restored you to your mother that she might be content and not grieve. And you killed someone, but We saved you from retaliation and tried you with a [severe] trial. And you remained [some] years among the people of Madyan. Then you came [here] at the decreed time, O Moses.

جب تمہاری بہن (فرعون کے ہاں) گئی اور کہنے لگی کہ میں تمہیں ایسا شخص بتاؤں جو اس کو پالے۔ تو (اس طریق سے) ہم نے تم کو تمہاری ماں کے پاس پہنچا دیا تاکہ ان کی آنکھیں ٹھنڈی ہوں اور وہ رنج نہ کریں۔ اور تم نے ایک شخص کو مار ڈالا تو ہم نے تم کو غم سے مخلصی دی اور ہم نے تمہاری (کئی بار) آزمائش کی۔ پھر تم کئی سال اہل مدین میں ٹھہرے رہے۔ پھر اے موسیٰ تم (قابلیت رسالت کے) اندازے پر آ پہنچے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: إِذْ تَمْشِي أُخْتُكَ (When your sister was going - 20:40). The story of the sister of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) following the box along the river and the subsequent events are alluded to in this verse, which ends with the words وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا (We tested you with a great ordeal - 20:40). Ac...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: When idh for explanation your sister Maryam walked up to obtain news of you for they had brought wet nurses for you but you would not take to the breast of any of them and she then said “Shall I show you someone who will take care of him?”. Her offer was accepted and so she brought them his mother a...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Choosing Musa to go to Fir`awn and to be Soft and Gentle in His Invitation Allah, the Exalted, says in His address to Musa that he had lived among the people of Madyan, avoiding Fir`awn and his chiefs. He worked as a shepherd for his father-in-law until the appointed time for his work ended. Then he...

وَأَصْحَٰبُ مَدْيَنَ وَكُذِّبَ مُوسَىٰ فَأَمْلَيْتُ لِلْكَٰفِرِينَ ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهُمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ

Wa as haabu Madyana wa kuzziba Moosaa fa amlaitu lilkaafireena summa akhaztuhum fakaifa kaana nakeer

And the inhabitants of Madyan. And Moses was denied, so I prolonged enjoyment for the disbelievers; then I seized them, and how [terrible] was My reproach.

اور مدین کے رہنے والے بھی۔ اور موسیٰ بھی تو جھٹلائے جاچکے ہیں لیکن میں کافروں کو مہلت دیتا رہا پھر ان کو پکڑ لیا۔ تو (دیکھ لو) کہ میرا عذاب کیسا (سخت) تھا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Qur’ anic prophecy about the Rightly Guided Caliphs ( خُلفأے راشدین ) and its fulfillment الَّذِينَ إِن مَّكَّنَّاهُمْ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ (Those who, when We give them power in the land - 22:41) In this verse the word (those) refers to those people who have been mentioned in the preceding verse: الَّذِ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: and the inhabitants of Midian the people of Shu‘ayb and Moses was also denied he was denied by the native Egyptians al-qibt and not by his people the Children of Israel. In other words all of those people denied their messengers so take them these messengers as a good example of constancy. And I gra...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Consequences for the Disbelievers Here Allah consoles His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for the disbelief of those among his people who opposed him. وَإِن يُكَذِّبُوكَ فَقَدْ كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ (And if they deny you, so did deny before them the people of Nuh) until His saying, وَكُذِّبَ مُوس...

وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَآءَ مَدْيَنَ قَالَ عَسَىٰ رَبِّىٓ أَن يَهْدِيَنِى سَوَآءَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ

Wa lammaa tawajjaha tilqaaa'a Madyana qaala 'asaa Rabbeee ai yahdiyanee Sawaaa'as Sabeel

And when he directed himself toward Madyan, he said, "Perhaps my Lord will guide me to the sound way."

اور جب مدین کی طرف رخ کیا تو کہنے لگے اُمید ہے کہ میرا پروردگار مجھے سیدھا رستہ بتائے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَاءَ مَدْيَنَ (And when he set out towards Madyan - 28:22). Madyan (مَدْيَنَ ) is the name of a city in Sham (a large territory now consisting of Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine) which was named after Madyan, the son of Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . This area was ou...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And when he turned his face towards Midian in the direction thereof — and this Midian was the town of the prophet Shu‘ayb eight day’s journeying from Egypt so named after Midian son of Abraham; he Moses did not know the route to it — he said ‘Perhaps my Lord will show me the right way’ that is to sa...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Musa, peace be upon him, in Madyan, and how He watered the Flocks of the Two Women When the man told Musa about how Fir`awn and his chiefs were conspiring against him, he left Egypt on his own. He was not used to being alone, because before that he had been living a life of luxury and ease, in a pos...

وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَآءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ ٱمْرَأَتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا قَالَتَا لَا نَسْقِى حَتَّىٰ يُصْدِرَ ٱلرِّعَآءُ وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ

Wa lammaa warada maaa'a Madyana wajada 'alaihi ummatam minannaasi yasqoona wa wajada min doonihimum ra ataini tazoodaani qaala maa khatubkumaa qaalataa laa nasqee hataa yusdirar ri'aaa'u wa aboonaa shaikhun kabeer

And when he came to the well of Madyan, he found there a crowd of people watering [their flocks], and he found aside from them two women driving back [their flocks]. He said, "What is your circumstance?" They said, "We do not water until the shepherds dispatch [their flocks]; and our father is an old man."

اور جب مدین کے پانی (کے مقام) پر پہنچے تو دیکھا کہ وہاں لوگ جمع ہو رہے (اور اپنے چارپایوں کو) پانی پلا رہے ہیں اور ان کے ایک طرف دو عورتیں (اپنی بکریوں کو) روکے کھڑی ہیں۔ موسٰی نے (اُن سے) کہا تمہارا کیا کام ہے۔ وہ بولیں کہ جب تک چرواہے (اپنے چارپایوں کو) لے نہ جائیں ہم پانی نہیں پلا سکتے اور ہمارے والد بڑی عمر کے بوڑھے ہیں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: (And when he arrived at the waters of Madyan, he found a large number of people watering (their animals) - 28:23) مَاءَ مَدْيَنَ (waters of Madyan) refers to the well from where people of that place used to make their animals drink water. وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَ‌أَتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ (found, aloo...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And when he arrived at the Water of Midian the name of a well therein he found a group of people there watering their flocks and he found besides them two women holding back their flock from the water. He Moses said to the two ‘What is your business?’ that is ‘What is the matter with you that you ar...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Musa, peace be upon him, in Madyan, and how He watered the Flocks of the Two Women When the man told Musa about how Fir`awn and his chiefs were conspiring against him, he left Egypt on his own. He was not used to being alone, because before that he had been living a life of luxury and ease, in a pos...

وَلَٰكِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَا قُرُونًا فَتَطَاوَلَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْعُمُرُ وَمَا كُنتَ ثَاوِيًا فِىٓ أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ تَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتِنَا وَلَٰكِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ

Wa laakinnaa anshaanaa quroonan fatataawala 'alaihimul 'umur; wa maa kunta saawiyan feee ahli Madyana tatloo 'alaihim Aayaatinaa wa laakinnaa kunnaa mursileen

But We produced [many] generations [after Moses], and prolonged was their duration. And you were not a resident among the people of Madyan, reciting to them Our verses, but We were senders [of this message].

لیکن ہم نے (موسٰی کے بعد) کئی اُمتوں کو پیدا کیا پھر ان پر مدت طویل گذر گئی اور نہ تم مدین والوں میں رہنے والے تھے کہ ان کو ہماری آیتیں پڑھ پڑھ کر سناتے تھے۔ ہاں ہم ہی تو پیغمبر بھیجنے والے تھے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُ‌ونَ الْأُولَىٰ بَصَائِرَ‌ لِلنَّاسِ (And We gave Musa, after We destroyed the earlier generations, the Book having insights for people - 28:43). The words "earlier generations" refer to the people of Nuh, Hud, Salilh, ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: but We brought forth generations communities after Moses and life was prolonged in their case in other words they lived long lives and so they forgot the covenants made with God knowledge disappeared and revelation ceased. Then We brought you as Messenger and revealed to you the story of Moses and o...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Proof of the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ Allah points out the proof of the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ, whereby he told others about matters of the past, and spoke about them as if he were hearing and seeing them for himself. But he was an illiterate man who could not read books, and he grew up among a ...

وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا فَقَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱرْجُوا۟ ٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ

Wa ilaa Madyana akhaahum Shu'ayban faqaala yaa qawmi'-budul laaha warjul yawmal aakhira wa laa ta'saw fil ardi mufsideen

And to Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb, and he said, "O my people, worship Allah and expect the Last Day and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."

اور مدین کی طرف اُن کے بھائی شعیب کو (بھیجا) تو اُنہوں نے کہا (اے قوم) خدا کی عبادت کرو اور پچھلے دن کے آنے کی اُمید رکھو اور ملک میں فساد نہ مچاؤ

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary وَلُوطًا إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ الْفَاحِشَةَ (And [ We sent ] Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) when he said to his people, "Indeed you commit the shameful act - 29:28). Here Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) has described three vicious sins of his people. One, unnatural offence of...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And We sent to Midian their brother Shu‘ayb. He said ‘O my people! Worship God and anticipate the Last Day fear it namely the Day of Resurrection; and do not be degenerate in the earth working corruption’ mufsidīna is a circumstantial qualifier emphasising its operator wa-lā ta‘thaw ‘do not be degen...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Shu`ayb and His People Allah tells us that His servant and Messenger Shu`ayb, peace be upon him, warned his people, the people of Madyan, and commanded them to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate, and to fear the wrath and punishment of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. He said: يقَوْمِ...

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