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."
Other versions:
7: 163 [al-Araf, Mecca 39]
Yusuf Ali Ask them concerning the town standing close by the sea. Behold! they transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath. For on the day of their Sabbath their fish did come to them openly holding up their heads but on the day they had no Sabbath they came not: thus did We make a trial of them for they were given to transgression.
Pickthall Ask them (O Muhammad) of the township that was by the sea, how they did break the sabbath, how their big fish came unto them visibly upon their sabbath day and on a day when they did not keep sabbath came they not unto them. Thus did We try them for that they were evil-livers.
Transliteration Was'alhum 'anil qaryatil lati ka_nat ha_dirtal bahr(i), iz ya'du_na fis sabti iz ta'tihim hita_nuhumyauma sabtihim syurra'aw wa yauma la_ yasbitu_n(a), la_ ta'tihim, kaza_lika nablu_hum bima_ ka_nu_ yafsuqu_n(a).
7: 164
Asad …..the pious ones [note 131] would answer, “In order to be free from blame before your Sustainer, and that these [transgressors, too,] might become conscious of Him.”
Yusuf Ali When some of them said: "why do ye preach to a people whom Allah will destroy or visit with a terrible punishment?" Said the preachers: "to discharge our duty to your Lord and perchance they may fear him."
Pickthall And when a community among them said: Why preach ye to a folk whom Allah is about to destroy and punish with an awful doom, they said: In order to be free from guilt before your Lord, and that haply they may ward off (evil).
Transliteration Wa iz qa_lat ummatum minhum lima ta'izu_na qaumanilla_hu muhlikuhum au mu'azzibuhum 'aza_ban syadida_(n), qa_lu_ ma'ziratan ila_ rabbikum wa la'allahum yattaqu_n(a).
[[ Ali’s notes - 1137 Cf. ii. 65 and n. 79. 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. (7.163)
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: (1) every man who sees evil must speak out against it; it is his duty and responsibility to Allah; (2) 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. (7.164) ]]
[[ Asad’s note 129 - ………it may be assumed that the story of the Sabbath-breakers (alluded to in several places in the Quran) is a general illustration of the tendency, so often manifested by the children of Israel, to offend against their religious laws in pursuit of their passions or for the sake of worldly gain…………….]]
131- Lit., “they” – an allusion to the really pious among them, such a are described in verse 159 above.]]