Surah Al Araf Ayat 163 Tafseer

Para 9 - قَالَ الْمَلَاُ

سورة الاعراف

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بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

7.163-166

وَ سْــٴَـلْهُمْ عَنِ الْقَرْیَةِ الَّتِیْ كَانَتْ حَاضِرَةَ الْبَحْرِۘ-اِذْ یَعْدُوْنَ فِی السَّبْتِ اِذْ تَاْتِیْهِمْ حِیْتَانُهُمْ یَوْمَ سَبْتِهِمْ شُرَّعًا وَّ یَوْمَ لَا یَسْبِتُوْنَۙ-لَا تَاْتِیْهِمْۚۛ-كَذٰلِكَۚۛ-نَبْلُوْهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوْا یَفْسُقُوْنَٜ (163) وَ اِذْ قَالَتْ اُمَّةٌ مِّنْهُمْ لِمَ تَعِظُوْنَ قَوْمَاۙﰳ اللّٰهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ اَوْ مُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِیْدًاؕ-قَالُوْا مَعْذِرَةً اِلٰى رَبِّكُمْ وَ لَعَلَّهُمْ یَتَّقُوْنَ(164) فَلَمَّا نَسُوْا مَا ذُكِّرُوْا بِهٖۤ اَنْجَیْنَا الَّذِیْنَ یَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ السُّوْٓءِ وَ اَخَذْنَا الَّذِیْنَ ظَلَمُوْا بِعَذَابٍۭ بَىٕیْسٍۭ بِمَا كَانُوْا یَفْسُقُوْنَ (165) فَلَمَّا عَتَوْا عَنْ مَّا نُهُوْا عَنْهُ قُلْنَا لَهُمْ كُوْنُوْا قِرَدَةً خٰسِىٕیْنَ(166)

Kanz ul Iman Kanz ul Irfan

English translation of Kanz-ul-Imaan

And ask them (O Beloved), of the town that was on the seashore; when they would exceed the limit in the matter of Saturday (i.e. the prohibition of fishing on the Sabbath). When their fish used to come swimming on top of the water in front of them on Saturday and would not come on the days it was not Saturday; this is how We used to test them, due to their disobedience. And when a group amongst them said (to another group), 'Why do you advise those people whom Allah is to destroy or inflict a severe punishment?' They said, 'To have an excuse in the Majestic Court of your Lord, and they may fear.' And when they forgot what they had been advised, We rescued those who used to forbid evil and seized the unjust with a dreadful punishment; the recompense of their disobedience. Then, when they rebelled against the command of prohibition (of fishing on Saturday), We said to them, 'Become monkeys; despised.'

Commentary

This verse directs the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم to ask the neighbouring Jews about the people who lived near the sea (and transgressed on the Sabbath) to admonish them. This question highlighted the fact that denying the prophethood and miracles of prophets was not a new trait for Jews. Resorting to disbelief and transgression was an old tradition of theirs as their forefathers had remained firm disbelievers.

Here, the group that remained silent about the condemnation of fishing is mentioned. Although they disapproved of the transgression of the others, they did not advise them, having lost all hope in them. It seems that this group (who silently disapproved) also attained salvation as when there is no hope of acceptance from wrongdoers, commanding good is not mandatory (although it is better to do so). Commanding good is a communal obligation and as another group was fulfilling this duty, it was not directly incumbent upon this group.

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