They said to Shu`ayb, in mockery,
﴿أَصَلَوَتُكَ﴾
(Does your Salah) Al-A`mash said, "This means your reading.''
﴿تَأْمُرُكَ أَن نَّتْرُكَ مَا يَعْبُدُ ءابَاؤُنَآ﴾
(command you that we give up what our fathers used to worship,) meaning the idols and statues.
﴿أَوْ أَن نَّفْعَلَ فِى أَمْوَالِنَا مَا نَشَؤُا﴾
(or that we give up doing what we like with our property) This means, "Should we abandon our practice of lightening the scales because of your statement This is our wealth and we will do with it as we please.'' Al-Hasan said concerning Allah's statement,
﴿أَصَلَوَتُكَ تَأْمُرُكَ أَن نَّتْرُكَ مَا يَعْبُدُ ءابَاؤُنَآ﴾
(Does your Salah command you that we give up what our fathers used to worship,)﴿11:87﴾ "By Allah, this means that his prayer commanded them to abandon what their fathers used to worship.'' At-Thawri said concerning Allah's statement,
﴿أَوْ أَن نَّفْعَلَ فِى أَمْوَالِنَا مَا نَشَؤُا﴾
(or that we give up doing what we like with our property) "They were speaking in reference to the paying of Zakah (charity). ''
﴿إِنَّكَ لاّنتَ الْحَلِيمُ الرَّشِيدُ﴾
(Verily, you are the forbearer right-minded!) Ibn `Abbas, Maymun bin Mihran, Ibn Jurayj, Ibn Aslam, and Ibn Jarir all said, "These enemies of Allah were only saying this in mockery. May Allah disfigure them and curse them from ever receiving His mercy. And verily, He did so.''
﴿قَالَ يقَوْمِ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّى وَرَزَقَنِى مِنْهُ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَى مَآ أَنْهَـكُمْ عَنْهُ إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلاَّ الإِصْلَـحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِى إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ ﴾
(88. He said: "O my people! Tell me if I have a clear evidence from my Lord and He has given me a good sustenance from Himself (shall I corrupt it by mixing it with the unlawfully earned money). I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you. I only desire reform to the best of my power. And my guidance cannot come except from Allah, in Him I put my trust and unto Him I repent.'')