Disregarding God’s Command for Worldly Gain
7. Sura al-Araf
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
واَسْأَلْهُمْ
عَنِ
الْقَرْيَةِ
الَّتِي
كَانَتْ
حَاضِرَةَ
الْبَحْرِ...
7:163. Ask them concerning the town standing close by the sea.
...إِذْ يَعْدُونَ فِي السَّبْتِ ...
Behold! they transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath.
Fishing, like every other activity, was prohibited to Israel on the Sabbath day. As this practice was usually observed, the fish used to come up with a sense of security to their water channels or pools openly on the Sabbath day, but not on other days when fishing was open.
This was a great temptation to the law-breakers, which they could not resist. Some of their men of piety protested, but it had no effect. When their transgressions, which we may suppose, extended to other commandments, passed beyond bounds, the punishment came. (R).
... إِذْ تَأْتِيهِمْ حِيتَانُهُمْ يَوْمَ سَبْتِهِمْ شُرَّعاً...
For on the day of their Sabbath their fish did come to them, openly holding up their heads,
...وَيَوْمَ لاَ يَسْبِتُونَ لاَ تَأْتِيهِمْ ...
but on the day they had no Sabbath, they came not:
...كَذَلِكَ نَبْلُوهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ ﴿١٦٣﴾
thus did We make a trial of them,
for they were given to transgression.
وَإِذَ
قَالَتْ
أُمَّةٌ
مِّنْهُمْ
لِمَ
تَعِظُونَ
قَوْمًا
اللّهُ
مُهْلِكُهُمْ
أَوْ
مُعَذِّبُهُمْ
عَذَابًا
شَدِيدًا...
7:164. When some of them said:
"Why do ye preach to a people whom Allah will destroy or visit with a terrible punishment?"
C1138. There are always people who wonder, no doubt sincerely, what good it is to preach to the wicked. The answer is given to them here:
- every man who sees evil must speak out against it; it is his duty and responsibility to Allah;
- there is always a chance that the warning may have effect and save a precious soul.
This passage has a special meaning for the times when our Holy Prophet was preaching in Makkah, apparently without results. But it applies to all times.
...قَالُواْ مَعْذِرَةً إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٦٤﴾
Said the preachers: "To discharge our duty to your Lord and perchance they may fear Him."
فَلَمَّا
نَسُواْ
مَا
ذُكِّرُواْ
بِهِ
أَنجَيْنَا
الَّذِينَ
يَنْهَوْنَ
عَنِ
السُّوءِ...
7:165. When they disregarded the warnings that had been given them, We rescued those who forbade evil;
...وَأَخَذْنَا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ بِعَذَابٍ بَئِيسٍ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفْسُقُونَ ﴿١٦٥﴾
but We visited the wrongdoers with a grievous punishment, because they were given to transgression.
فَلَمَّا
عَتَوْاْ
عَن
مَّا
نُهُواْ
عَنْهُ
قُلْنَا
لَهُمْ
...
7:166. When in their insolence they transgressed (all) prohibition, We said to them:
... كُونُواْ قِرَدَةً خَاسِئِينَ ﴿١٦٦﴾
"Be ye apes, despised and rejected."
Asad’s Version:
7: 163 [ Story of children’s of Israel and their tendency of breaking God’s command of Sabbath and fish for a worldly gain] ………God’s deliberate trial to tempt with temptation of life, and they transgressed (may be other areas of life too)]
[How to fight and relinquish one’s duty in the face of rampant transgression in a community ?]
7: 164 [Warranting terrible punishment ] When some of them said ……why preach to a wicked people,” replies the preachers who were attempting to stop it with two reasons:
“Discharge our duty to your Lord, and 2.perchance they may fear Him.” (see Ali’s note 1138: 1) Every man who sees evil must speak out against it; it is his duty and responsibility to God, 2) there is always a chance that the warning may have effect and save a precious soul. This passage has a special meaning for a the times when the Prophet in Mecca was preaching, apparently without any results. But it apply to all times.]
7: 165 And thereupon, when those had forgotten all that they had been told to take t o heart, We saved those who had tried to prevent the doing of evil, and overwhelmed those who had been bent on evildoing with dreadful suffering for all their iniquity;
7: 166 And then, when they disdainfully persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said unto them : “Be as apes despicable!” (see asad note)