Surah Araf ayat 88 Tafsir Quran 7:88

﴿۞ قَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا مِن قَوْمِهِ لَنُخْرِجَنَّكَ يَا شُعَيْبُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَكَ مِن قَرْيَتِنَا أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَا ۚ قَالَ أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَارِهِينَ﴾
[ الأعراف: 88]

7:88 Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people, "We will surely evict you, O Shu'ayb, and those who have believed with you from our city, or you must return to our religion." He said, "Even if we were unwilling?"

Said the council of those of his people who were disdainful of believing ‘Surely we will expel you O Shu‘ayb and those who believe with you from our city unless you return to our creed’ our religion the plural person predominates over the singular in their address to Shu‘ayb because Shu‘ayb was never part of their religious community; and so in the same plural way he responded He said ‘What should we return to it even though we are averse to it? the interrogative is meant as a disavowal.

But the extravagant in their accounts of themselves among his people in whose hearts reigned vices, follies and falsehood said to him: We will oust you of our town together with those who have followed you, and drive all of you away unless you desert your system of faith and worship in favour of ours. There, Shuaib said: Even though, with execrations, do we detest your system and shrink from it with horror

Allah describes the way the disbelievers answered His ProphetShu` ayb and those who believed in him, by threatening them withexpulsion from their village, or with forceful reversion to thedisbeliever's religion. The chiefs spoke the words mentioned here to the Messenger Shu`ayb, but intended it for those who followed his religion too.
The statement, أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَـرِهِينَ ( "Even though we hate it" ), means, would you force us to do that, even though we hate what you are calling us to Certainly if we revert to your religion and accept your ways, we will have uttered a tremendous lie against Allah by calling partners as rivals to Him, وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَآ أَن نَّعُودَ فِيهَآ إِلاَ أَن يَشَآءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّنَا ( And it is not for us to return to it unless Allah, our Lord, should will. ) This part of the Ayah refers all matters to Allah's will, and certainly, He has perfect knowledge of all matters and His observation encompasses all things, عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا ( In Allah (Alone ) we put our trust.
), concerning all our affairs, what we practice of them and what we ignore, رَبَّنَا افْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِالْحَقِّ ( Our Lord! Judge between us and our people in truth ) judge between us and our people and give us victory over them, وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْفَـتِحِينَ ( for You are the best of those who give judgment ) and You are the Most Just Who never wrongs any in His judgment.

Allah describes the way the disbelievers answered His ProphetShu` ayb and those who believed in him, by threatening them withexpulsion from their village, or with forceful reversion to thedisbeliever's religion. The chiefs spoke the words mentioned here to the Messenger Shu`ayb, but intended it for those who followed his religion too.
The statement, أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَـرِهِينَ ( "Even though we hate it" ), means, would you force us to do that, even though we hate what you are calling us to Certainly if we revert to your religion and accept your ways, we will have uttered a tremendous lie against Allah by calling partners as rivals to Him, وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَآ أَن نَّعُودَ فِيهَآ إِلاَ أَن يَشَآءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّنَا ( And it is not for us to return to it unless Allah, our Lord, should will. ) This part of the Ayah refers all matters to Allah's will, and certainly, He has perfect knowledge of all matters and His observation encompasses all things, عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا ( In Allah (Alone ) we put our trust.
), concerning all our affairs, what we practice of them and what we ignore, رَبَّنَا افْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِالْحَقِّ ( Our Lord! Judge between us and our people in truth ) judge between us and our people and give us victory over them, وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْفَـتِحِينَ ( for You are the best of those who give judgment ) and You are the Most Just Who never wrongs any in His judgment.

( The chieftains of his people, who were scornful ) towards believing, ( said: Surely we will drive you out, O Shu’ayb, and those who believe with thee, from our township, unless ye return to ) embrace ( our religion. He ) Jethro ( said: Even though we hate it? ) would you force us to do this even though we hate it?

The chiefs of those who were arrogant among his people said: "We shall certainly drive you out, O Shu'aib, and those who have believed with you from our town, or else you (all) shall return to our religion." He said: "Even though we hate it!

Page 162 English transliteration