Shoaib
Encyclopedia
Shuʿayb, or Shoaib, was an ancient Midianite prophet
, who is mentioned in the Qur'an
a total of 11 times. He is believed to have lived after Abraham
, and Muslims believe that he was sent as a prophet to two communities, namely the Midianites and the People of the Wood. To both the people, Shoaib proclaimed the faith of Islam
and warned the people to end their fraudulent ways. When they did not repent, God
destroyed both the communities. Shoaib is understood by Muslims to have been one of the few Arabian prophets mentioned by name in the Qur'an
, the others being Saleh
, Hud
, Ishmael
and Muhammad
. It is said that he was known by early Muslim
s as "the eloquent preacher amongst the prophets", because he was, according to Islamic tradition, granted talent and eloquence in his language.
, known in english
as Midian
, which is frequently referred to in the Hebrew Bible
. The preaching of Shoaib, however, is covered nowhere in the Hebrew Bible
. The Midianites were said to be of Arab descent, though being neighbors of the Canaanites, they intermixed with them. It is said they were a wandering tribe, and that their principal territory at Moses
's time was the Sinai Peninsula
.
The figure of Shoaib himself is absent in Jewish tradition. Although frequently identified with the Midian
priest Jethro
, most modern scholars reject this identification as it is made without any solid grounding. Aside from having no similarity in names, there are chronological differences. Classical commentators, such as Ibn Kathir
, say Shoaib prophesied four generations from Abraham
. Shoaib is believed to have been the son of Mikil, the son of Isaachar, the son of Midian, the son of Abraham. Scholars who take this to be true believe that the identification with Jethro is, as a result, rendered irrelevant, as Jethro - who lived at the time of Moses
- would have been active hundreds of years later.
, the people of Midian
. The people of this land were said to be especially notorious for cheating others through dishonesty and, of course, for their immense sin of idolatory. Shoaib's prophecy mainly involved calling the Midianites to the correct path of God and forbidding them of worshiping false gods.
It is also said he told his people to stop being dishonest in their daily activities. Although he preached and prophesied for a sustained period of time, the majority of the people refused to listen to him and rejected the Message. Shoaib, however, remained steadfast to God
. He consistently preached powerfully against the wicked, telling them of the punishment that had befallen the sinful before them. Shoaib warned the people that their ignorance would lead to the destruction of Midian
, giving historical examples of earlier prophets, including Noah
, Hud
, Saleh
and Lot, all of whose people were destroyed by God
earlier in history.
The people taunted Shoaib and told him that, were it not for the prestigious family he came from, he would surely have been stoned
to death. Shoaib retaliated with a burning statement, asking "Is my family of more consideration with you than God?", sharply questioning them on whether they feared his tribe more than the . When the Midianites refused to believe, they were destroyed by a mighty earthquake. The Qur'an
, however, mentions that Shoaib, and his believing companions, were rescued from the thunderous punishment.
with the mission of Lot, Noah
, Hud
and Saleh
. Scholars have pointed out that these five prophet
s exemplify the early prophetic missions: The prophet would be sent to his community; the community would pay no attention to his warning and would instead threaten him with punishment; after years of preaching, God
would ask him to leave his community and his people would be subsequently destroyed in a punishment. Scholars interpret the listing of the five prophets to be chronological, with Noah
being the only prophet in the list who preached before the Great Flood.
; it is located 2 km (1.2 mi) west of the town of Mahis
in an area called Wadi Shoaib, although Islam
also attributes other sites located in the Sinai
and in historical Palestine.
Another site recognized by Druze
as the tomb of Shoaib, Nabi Shu'ayb
, is located in Hittin
in the Lower Galilee. Each year on April 25, the Druze gather at the site to discuss community affairs.
Prophets of Islam
Muslims identify the Prophets of Islam as those humans chosen by God and given revelation to deliver to mankind. Muslims believe that every prophet was given a belief to worship God and their respective followers believed it as well...
, who is mentioned in the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
a total of 11 times. He is believed to have lived after Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
, and Muslims believe that he was sent as a prophet to two communities, namely the Midianites and the People of the Wood. To both the people, Shoaib proclaimed the faith of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and warned the people to end their fraudulent ways. When they did not repent, God
God in Islam
In Islamic theology, God is the all-powerful and all-knowing creator, sustainer, ordainer, and judge of the universe. Islam puts a heavy emphasis on the conceptualization of God as strictly singular . God is unique and inherently One , all-merciful and omnipotent. According to the Islamic...
destroyed both the communities. Shoaib is understood by Muslims to have been one of the few Arabian prophets mentioned by name in the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
, the others being Saleh
Saleh
Saleh or Salih was a prophet of ancient Arabia mentioned in the Qur'an, who prophesied to the tribe of the Thamud. He is mentioned nine times throughout the Qur'an and his people are frequently referenced as a wicked community who, because of their sins, were ultimately destroyed...
, Hud
Hud (prophet)
Hud is the name of a prophet of ancient Arabia, who is mentioned in the Qur'an. The eleventh chapter of the Qur'an, Hud, is named after him, though the narrative of Hud comprises only a small portion of the chapter.-Historical context:...
, Ishmael
Ishmael
Ishmael is a figure in the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an, and was Abraham's first born child according to Jews, Christians and Muslims. Ishmael was born of Abraham's marriage to Sarah's handmaiden Hagar...
and Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. It is said that he was known by early Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s as "the eloquent preacher amongst the prophets", because he was, according to Islamic tradition, granted talent and eloquence in his language.
Historical context
The main town Shoaib was sent to is named Madyan in the Qur'anQur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
, known in english
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as Midian
Midian
Midian , Madyan , or Madiam is a geographical place and a people mentioned in the Bible and in the Qur'an. It is believed to be in northwest Saudi Arabia on the east shore of the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern Red Sea...
, which is frequently referred to in the Hebrew Bible
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is a term used by biblical scholars outside of Judaism to refer to the Tanakh , a canonical collection of Jewish texts, and the common textual antecedent of the several canonical editions of the Christian Old Testament...
. The preaching of Shoaib, however, is covered nowhere in the Hebrew Bible
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is a term used by biblical scholars outside of Judaism to refer to the Tanakh , a canonical collection of Jewish texts, and the common textual antecedent of the several canonical editions of the Christian Old Testament...
. The Midianites were said to be of Arab descent, though being neighbors of the Canaanites, they intermixed with them. It is said they were a wandering tribe, and that their principal territory at Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
's time was the Sinai Peninsula
Sinai Peninsula
The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
.
The figure of Shoaib himself is absent in Jewish tradition. Although frequently identified with the Midian
Midian
Midian , Madyan , or Madiam is a geographical place and a people mentioned in the Bible and in the Qur'an. It is believed to be in northwest Saudi Arabia on the east shore of the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern Red Sea...
priest Jethro
Jethro
In the Old Testament or the Hebrew Bible, Jethro |Shu-ayb]]) is Moses' father-in-law, a Kenite shepherd and priest of Midian. He is also revered as a prophet in his own right in the Druze religion, and considered an ancestor of the Druze.-In Exodus:...
, most modern scholars reject this identification as it is made without any solid grounding. Aside from having no similarity in names, there are chronological differences. Classical commentators, such as Ibn Kathir
Ibn Kathir
Ismail ibn Kathir was a Muslim muhaddith, Faqih, historian, and commentator.-Biography:His full name was Abu Al-Fida, 'Imad Ad-Din, Isma'il bin 'Umar bin Kathir, Al-Qurashi, Al-Busrawi...
, say Shoaib prophesied four generations from Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
. Shoaib is believed to have been the son of Mikil, the son of Isaachar, the son of Midian, the son of Abraham. Scholars who take this to be true believe that the identification with Jethro is, as a result, rendered irrelevant, as Jethro - who lived at the time of Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
- would have been active hundreds of years later.
Prophecy in Midian
The Qur'an states that Shoaib was appointed by God to be a prophet to the people who lived east of Mount SinaiMount Sinai
Mount Sinai , also known as Mount Horeb, Mount Musa, Gabal Musa , Jabal Musa meaning "Moses' Mountain", is a mountain near Saint Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. A mountain called Mount Sinai is mentioned many times in the Book of Exodus in the Torah and the Bible as well as the Quran...
, the people of Midian
Midian
Midian , Madyan , or Madiam is a geographical place and a people mentioned in the Bible and in the Qur'an. It is believed to be in northwest Saudi Arabia on the east shore of the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern Red Sea...
. The people of this land were said to be especially notorious for cheating others through dishonesty and, of course, for their immense sin of idolatory. Shoaib's prophecy mainly involved calling the Midianites to the correct path of God and forbidding them of worshiping false gods.
It is also said he told his people to stop being dishonest in their daily activities. Although he preached and prophesied for a sustained period of time, the majority of the people refused to listen to him and rejected the Message. Shoaib, however, remained steadfast to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. He consistently preached powerfully against the wicked, telling them of the punishment that had befallen the sinful before them. Shoaib warned the people that their ignorance would lead to the destruction of Midian
Midian
Midian , Madyan , or Madiam is a geographical place and a people mentioned in the Bible and in the Qur'an. It is believed to be in northwest Saudi Arabia on the east shore of the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern Red Sea...
, giving historical examples of earlier prophets, including Noah
Noah
Noah was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the tenth and last of the antediluvian Patriarchs. The biblical story of Noah is contained in chapters 6–9 of the book of Genesis, where he saves his family and representatives of all animals from the flood by constructing an ark...
, Hud
Hud (prophet)
Hud is the name of a prophet of ancient Arabia, who is mentioned in the Qur'an. The eleventh chapter of the Qur'an, Hud, is named after him, though the narrative of Hud comprises only a small portion of the chapter.-Historical context:...
, Saleh
Saleh
Saleh or Salih was a prophet of ancient Arabia mentioned in the Qur'an, who prophesied to the tribe of the Thamud. He is mentioned nine times throughout the Qur'an and his people are frequently referenced as a wicked community who, because of their sins, were ultimately destroyed...
and Lot, all of whose people were destroyed by God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
earlier in history.
The people taunted Shoaib and told him that, were it not for the prestigious family he came from, he would surely have been stoned
Stoning
Stoning, or lapidation, is a form of capital punishment whereby a group throws stones at a person until the person dies. No individual among the group can be identified as the one who kills the subject, yet everyone involved plainly bears some degree of moral culpability. This is in contrast to the...
to death. Shoaib retaliated with a burning statement, asking "Is my family of more consideration with you than God?", sharply questioning them on whether they feared his tribe more than the . When the Midianites refused to believe, they were destroyed by a mighty earthquake. The Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
, however, mentions that Shoaib, and his believing companions, were rescued from the thunderous punishment.
Parallel with other prophets
Shoaib's mission is often mentioned in the Qur'anQur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
with the mission of Lot, Noah
Noah
Noah was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the tenth and last of the antediluvian Patriarchs. The biblical story of Noah is contained in chapters 6–9 of the book of Genesis, where he saves his family and representatives of all animals from the flood by constructing an ark...
, Hud
Hud (prophet)
Hud is the name of a prophet of ancient Arabia, who is mentioned in the Qur'an. The eleventh chapter of the Qur'an, Hud, is named after him, though the narrative of Hud comprises only a small portion of the chapter.-Historical context:...
and Saleh
Saleh
Saleh or Salih was a prophet of ancient Arabia mentioned in the Qur'an, who prophesied to the tribe of the Thamud. He is mentioned nine times throughout the Qur'an and his people are frequently referenced as a wicked community who, because of their sins, were ultimately destroyed...
. Scholars have pointed out that these five prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
s exemplify the early prophetic missions: The prophet would be sent to his community; the community would pay no attention to his warning and would instead threaten him with punishment; after years of preaching, God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
would ask him to leave his community and his people would be subsequently destroyed in a punishment. Scholars interpret the listing of the five prophets to be chronological, with Noah
Noah
Noah was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the tenth and last of the antediluvian Patriarchs. The biblical story of Noah is contained in chapters 6–9 of the book of Genesis, where he saves his family and representatives of all animals from the flood by constructing an ark...
being the only prophet in the list who preached before the Great Flood.
Shoaib's Tomb
The tomb of Shoaib is well preserved in JordanJordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
; it is located 2 km (1.2 mi) west of the town of Mahis
Mahis
Mahis is a Jordanian town located in the Balqa Governorate north west from the governorate's capital citySalt, and 10 km west of Amman. Its population exceeds 14,000. Most of the population of Mahis descends from the Al-Abbadi tribe...
in an area called Wadi Shoaib, although Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
also attributes other sites located in the Sinai
Sinai Peninsula
The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
and in historical Palestine.
Another site recognized by Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
as the tomb of Shoaib, Nabi Shu'ayb
Nabi Shu'ayb
Nabi Shu'ayb is the name used in English to refer to a site in the destroyed village of Hittin not far from Tiberias, where the tomb of the Islamic prophet Shu'ayb is believed to be located.A central figure in the Druze religion, the tomb of Nabi Shu'ayb, has been a site of annual pilgrimage for...
, is located in Hittin
Hittin
Hittin was a Palestinian village, located approximately west of Tiberias. The site of the Battle of Hattin in 1187, in which Saladin conquered most of interior Palestine from the Crusaders, Hittin is a nationalist symbol for Arabs and Palestinians...
in the Lower Galilee. Each year on April 25, the Druze gather at the site to discuss community affairs.
See also
- Biblical narratives and the Qur'an
- Legends and the Qur'an
- Prophets of IslamProphets of IslamMuslims identify the Prophets of Islam as those humans chosen by God and given revelation to deliver to mankind. Muslims believe that every prophet was given a belief to worship God and their respective followers believed it as well...
- Stories of The ProphetsStories of The ProphetsStories of The Prophets or Qasas al-anbiya is a famous work of Islamic literature, written by the Muslim scholar Ibn Kathir. In the book, Kathir has compiled all accounts of information regarding various prophets and messengers through Islamic history...