قَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ لَنُخْرِجَنَّكَ يَا شُعَيْبُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَكَ مِنْ قَرْيَتِنَا أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَا قَالَ أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَارِهِينَ ﴿۸۸﴾ قَدِ افْتَرَيْنَا عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا إِنْ عُدْنَا فِي مِلَّتِكُمْ بَعْدَ إِذْ نَجَّانَا اللَّهُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَنْ نَعُودَ فِيهَا إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّنَا وَسِعَ رَبُّنَا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا رَبَّنَا افْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْفَاتِحِينَ ﴿۸۹﴾

﴾88﴿ Qaalal mala ul lazeenas takbaroo min qawmihee lanukhrijannaka yaa Shu'aibu wallazeena aamanoo ma'aka min qaryatinaaa aw lata'oo dunna fee millatinaa; qaala awa law kunnaa kaariheen
﴾89﴿ Qadif tarainaa 'alal laahi kaziban in 'udnaa fee millatikum ba'da iz najjaanal laahu minhaa; wa maa yakoonu lanaaa an na'ooda feehaaa illaaa ai yashaaa'al laahu Rabbunaa; wasi'a Rabbunaa kulla shai'in 'ilmaa; 'alal laahi tawakkalnaa; Rabbanaf tah bainanaa wa baina qawminaa bilhaqqi wa Anta khairul faatiheen

﴾88﴿ The arrogant chiefs of his people said, “We will surely expel you, O Shu‘ayb, and those who have believed with you from our town, unless you return to our religion.” He said, “Even if we dislike it”
﴾89﴿ Indeed, we would be fabricating a lie against Allah if we were to return to your religion after Allah has saved us from it. And it is not for us to return to it unless Allah, our Lord, wills. Our Lord encompasses all things in His knowledge. In Allah alone we put our trust. O our Lord, decide between us and our people with truth, and You are the best of those who give judgment.

[88] In this verse, their method of rejection is mentioned. "Aw lataʿūdunna" (or you will surely return) — the question arises: "ʿAwda" (return) means going back to a previous state, but Shuʿayb (peace be upon him) was not previously part of their religion. The answer is that since Shuʿayb (peace be upon him) was silent before prophethood, they assumed he had been one of them in their religion.
"Istakbarū" (they acted arrogantly) — they were wealthy, which is why arrogance is mentioned in their description, similar to the people of Thamud.
"Awalaw kunnā kārihīn" (even if we dislike it?) — this is Shuʿayb’s (peace be upon him) response. It is a strong answer given in a soft tone, implying: "We consider your religion to be false."
[89] This verse is also included under the phrase "qala" (he said); it is the speech of Shuʿayb (peace be upon him). It indicates that apostasy is a very great sin — it is a slander against Allah the Exalted. There is a subtle indication here that considering a return to disbelief as something evil is a sign of complete faith, as mentioned in the hadith: "He has tasted the sweetness of faith..." (dhāqa taʿma al-īmān).
"Illa an yashā’a" — this exception could be interpreted as munqatiʿ (disconnected), or it could also be muttasil mufarraġ (connected and exclusive). The purpose here is to show entrusting the matter to Allah the Exalted — not to suggest uncertainty. This is a clear proof that even disbelief falls under the will (mashī’ah) of Allah the Exalted.
"Wasia rabbunā" — these two phrases serve as a form of supplication through the attributes of Allah the Exalted. After that, the phrase "Rabbana iftaḥ" is a supplication.
"Rabbana iftaḥ" — this is a prayer for judgment in the tone of a plea for goodness, and it is also part of the address by Shuʿayb (peace be upon him).