Madyan (tribe): Difference between revisions

Madyan was an Arab tribe, for guiding whom prophet Shu’ayb was chosen by God. Also, prophet Moses (a) lived among them for several years. Some researchers attributed this tribe with Midian, son of prophet Abraham (a) and some others attributed them with prophet Isma’il. This tribe lived in the city of Madyan near the Gulf of ‘Aqaba. Madyan tribe was inflicted with divine punishment because they did not accept to believe in God.

Madyan was a tribe from Arab race. The word “Madyan” is mentioned 10 times in the Qur’an, some cases of which refer to Madyan tribe and other cases refer to the city of Madyan. About the lineage of Madyan tribe, there are different opinions:

According to explicit text of the Torah and some Islamic sources, after the demise of Sarah, prophet Abraham (a) married another woman and had children from her. One of his children was Madyan (Midian). Midian married daughter of prophet Lot and their progeny continued. Some researchers and historians considered Madyan tribe attributed with this person.

=== Prophet Isma’il ===

Some researchers considered Madyan tribe from the progeny of prophet Isma’il.

Madyan tribe lived in the city of Madyan and the name of the city is adopted from the name of the tribe. This city is considered to be located in the east coast of the Gulf of ‘Aqaba and was developed and green. This city was near Tabuk region, near the city of Lot tribe. Shaykh Saduq considered Madyan a village which had no more than 40 houses.

Some researchers considered this city among the cities of Sham and considered it possible that the present city of Mu’an in Jordan has been built over it. Some others believe that Madyan was located in the present Saudi Arabia.

For guiding Madyan tribe, God chose prophet Shu’ayb. Shu’ayb was a man in Madyan tribe.

Prophet Shu’ayb preached divine religion among his tribe for years and invited them to monotheism, equity, justness in transaction, avoiding corruption on the earth and fearing the punishment in the hereafter.

According to the explicit text of the Qur’an and the Torah, after escaping from Egypt, prophet Moses (a) went to Madyan. Prophet Moses (a) married Shu’ayb’s daughter in Madyan and was occupied in shepherding for years in Madyan tribe.

Madyan tribe fought Bani Israel in some periods of its history. In the book of Judges from the Hebrew Bible, stories of the fights between Midianites (Madyan tribe) and Israelites are mentioned, when Israelites defeated Midianites after years of failure and humiliation.

In sura al-A’raf, God reports the conversation between prophet Shu’ayb and his dissidents. Many polytheists refused Shu’ayb’s (a) invitation and were finally inflicted with divine punishment. According to verses of the Qur’an, Madyan tribe was destructed by an earthquake and its people fell dead in their houses as if they never lived in that city.