Tafsir of Hud 11:84

{I see you in prosperity} He means: with vast wealth that makes you independent of cheating in weights and measures. Or: I see you in a blessing from God, the right of which is that it be met with something other than what you are doing. Or: I see you in prosperity, so do not remove it from yourselves by what you are doing, like the saying of the believer from the family of Pharaoh: "O my people, yours is the kingdom today, dominant in the land. But who would protect us from the punishment of Allah if it came to us?"

{A surrounding day} Meaning: a destructive day. From his saying: "And his fruits were encompassed [by ruin]" (Al-Kahf: 42). Its origin is from the surrounding of an enemy. If you ask: Is describing the punishment as "surrounding" more eloquent, or describing the day as such? I say: Rather, describing the day is more eloquent, because the day is a time that encompasses events. If it encompasses [the people] with its punishment, then the one being punished has gathered everything that the day contains, just as one is gathered with his blessings.

{Give full measure} If you ask: The prohibition against decreasing is a command to give full measure, so what is the benefit of his saying "Give full measure"? I say: They were first forbidden from the essence of the ugly act they were committing—decreasing the measure and the scale—because explicitly stating the ugly act is a reproach and a rebuke to the one being forbidden. Then, the command to give full measure came—which is inherently good to the intellect—stated explicitly to increase the desire for it and the motivation toward it. It was brought qualified with "justice" (al-qist): meaning, let the fulfillment be based on justice and equality, without increase or decrease. This is a command for what is obligatory, because what exceeds justice is a surplus and a recommended act. It also serves as an instruction that the one fulfilling the measure must intend for it to be done with justice, because the goodness of fulfilling the measure lies in it being just and equitable. These are three benefits.

{Al-Bakhs} Meaning: diminishing and decreasing. A tax (maks) is also called bakhs. Zuhayr said: "And in everything a man sells, there is a bakhs of a dirham." It is also narrated as maks of a dirham. They used to take a portion from everything sold, as brokers do, or they would tax people, or they would decrease the prices of things they bought; so they were forbidden from that.

{Corruption in the land} Like theft, raiding, and highway robbery. It is permissible to consider cheating and bakhs as part of their corruption in the land.

{What remains of Allah} What remains for you of the lawful (halal) after abstaining from what is forbidden to you.

{Is better for you if you are believers} Conditional upon your belief. They were addressed to abandon cheating, bakhs, and corruption in the land while they were disbelievers, yet it was made conditional upon faith. If you ask: Is what remains of Allah better for the disbelievers, since they would be safe from the consequences of bakhs and cheating? Why then make it conditional upon faith? I say: Because its benefit is apparent with faith—the attainment of reward along with salvation from punishment—whereas its benefit is hidden without faith due to the owner being submerged in the depths of disbelief. In this is an exaltation of faith and an alert to the majesty of its status. It is also possible it means: if you are believers in me regarding what I say and advise you. It is also possible it means: what remains for you with Allah of acts of obedience is better for you, like His saying: "And the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord" (Al-Kahf: 46). Attributing the "remnant" to Allah is because it is His provision, which is permissible to attribute to Him. As for the forbidden, it is not attributed to Allah nor called provision. If "obedience" is intended, it is like saying: "the obedience of Allah." It was also read as taqiyat Allah (with a ta), meaning His fear and mindfulness, which turns one away from sins and ugly deeds.

{And I am not a guardian over you} I was not sent to guard your deeds and reward you for them. I was only sent as a notifier, an awakener to good, and an advisor. I have fulfilled my duty by warning you.

{They said: "O Shu'ayb, does your prayer command you that we should leave what our fathers worship, or that we should not do with our wealth what we please? Indeed, you are the forbearing, the rightly guided!"}