Question:

What do the Ulama say about shu’ayb (peace be upon him)? Is he the same Shu’ayb that Musa (peace be upon him) met in Madyan?

Answer:

Allah said:

لَمَّا وَرَدَ مَآءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَأَتَينِ تَذُودَانِ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا قَالَتَا لاَ نَسْقِى حَتَّى يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَآءُ وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ

And when he arrived at the water of Madyan (Midian) he found there a group of men watering (their flocks), and besides them he found two women who were keeping back (their flocks). He said: “What is the matter with you?” They said: “We cannot water (our flocks) until the shepherds take (their flocks). And our father is a very old man”

[28:23]

Imam Qurtubi rahimahullah mentioned under this ayah that the very old man is Shu’aib alayhi salam.

He said rahimahulllah:

“I say: What the People of Tafsir mentioned is more deserving. For verily Allah, the Exalted only enriched him (Musa) by way of Shu’aib”

[Tafsir Qurtubi (13/270)]

Ibn Jawzi rahimahullah said:

“The Scholars differed regarding the man who hired Musa into four different opinions:

One of the opinions: that it was Prophet Shua’ib and most of the people of Tafsir are of this opinion. There is also a narration from the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wa sallam which indicates this. It was said by Wahab and Muqaatil.

Second:  He was a companion of Madyan and his name was Yathra. This was said by Ibn Abbas.

Third: A man from the people of Shua’ib. It was said by al-Hasan.

Fourth: It was [a man] named Yathroon the nephew of Shua’ib. This was reported from Amr ibn Marrah from Abu Ubaidah ibn Abdullah Ibn Masood. It was also said about Ibn as-Saaib”

[Zaad al-Maseer (6/216)]

So many of the Scholars of the Tafsir took the opinion that Musa met and benefited from Prophet Shua’ib who is the same Prophet mentioned in the Quran.

And Allah Knows Best

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan