فَلَمَّا عَتَوْا۟ عَن مَّا نُهُوا۟ عَنْهُ قُلْنَا لَهُمْ كُونُوا۟ قِرَدَةً خَـٰسِـِٔينَ 166
Translations
So when they were insolent about that which they had been forbidden, We said to them, "Be apes, despised."
Transliteration
Falammā ʿataw ʿan mā nuhū ʿanhu qulnā lahum kūnū qirradatan khāsiʾīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the punishment of those among the Children of Israel who violated the Sabbath by fishing, despite Allah's explicit prohibition. When they arrogantly persisted in their disobedience, Allah transformed them into apes, a humiliating form as a divine punishment for their transgression and mockery of the divine command. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this was a literal transformation as a sign and warning, demonstrating Allah's absolute power and the severity of deliberate defiance after clear knowledge.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the broader narrative in Surah Al-A'raf (verses 163-166) concerning the people of a coastal town who were commanded to observe the Sabbath strictly. The context involves their cunning attempt to circumvent Allah's command by setting traps on Friday so the fish would be caught on Saturday, representing their arrogance and subtle disobedience after receiving clear guidance.
Related Hadiths
The incident is corroborated in various tafsir sources. Imam Al-Tabari reports from Ibn Abbas that this transformation was literal and occurred as a divine punishment. The general principle is supported by the hadith in Sahih Muslim regarding those who knowingly violate Allah's commands after understanding them.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a profound warning that persistent arrogance and clever attempts to circumvent Allah's clear commands incur severe punishment, even among those given previous revelation. For modern believers, it emphasizes the importance of sincere obedience and submission to divine guidance, recognizing that no deception escapes Allah's knowledge and that humiliation follows those who knowingly rebel against their Lord.
Related Ayahs
فَمَا كَانَ دَعْوَىٰهُمْ إِذْ جَآءَهُم بَأْسُنَآ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ
And their declaration when Our punishment came to them was only that they said, "Indeed, we were wrongdoers!"
أَلَهُمْ أَرْجُلٌ يَمْشُونَ بِهَآ ۖ أَمْ لَهُمْ أَيْدٍ يَبْطِشُونَ بِهَآ ۖ أَمْ لَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَآ ۖ أَمْ لَهُمْ ءَاذَانٌ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا ۗ قُلِ ٱدْعُوا۟ شُرَكَآءَكُمْ ثُمَّ كِيدُونِ فَلَا تُنظِرُونِ
Do they have feet by which they walk? Or do they have hands by which they strike? Or do they have eyes by which they see? Or do they have ears by which they hear? Say, [O Muḥammad], "Call your 'partners' and then conspire against me and give me no respite.
فَغُلِبُوا۟ هُنَالِكَ وَٱنقَلَبُوا۟ صَـٰغِرِينَ
And they [i.e., Pharaoh and his people] were overcome right there and became debased.
قَدِ ٱفْتَرَيْنَا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا إِنْ عُدْنَا فِى مِلَّتِكُم بَعْدَ إِذْ نَجَّىٰنَا ٱللَّهُ مِنْهَا ۚ وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَآ أَن نَّعُودَ فِيهَآ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّنَا ۚ وَسِعَ رَبُّنَا كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمًا ۚ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا ٱفْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلْفَـٰتِحِينَ
We would have invented against Allāh a lie if we returned to your religion after Allāh had saved us from it. And it is not for us to return to it except that Allāh, our Lord, should will. Our Lord has encompassed all things in knowledge. Upon Allāh we have relied. Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth, and You are the best of those who give decision."