وَسْـَٔلْهُمْ عَنِ ٱلْقَرْيَةِ ٱلَّتِى كَانَتْ حَاضِرَةَ ٱلْبَحْرِ إِذْ يَعْدُونَ فِى ٱلسَّبْتِ إِذْ تَأْتِيهِمْ حِيتَانُهُمْ يَوْمَ سَبْتِهِمْ شُرَّعًا وَيَوْمَ لَا يَسْبِتُونَ ۙ لَا تَأْتِيهِمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَبْلُوهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْسُقُونَ 163
Translations
And ask them about the town that was by the sea - when they transgressed in [the matter of] the sabbath - when their fish came to them openly on their sabbath day, and the day they had no sabbath they did not come to them. Thus did We give them trial because they were defiantly disobedient.
Transliteration
Was'alhum 'anil-qaryatil-latee kānat hādiratl-baḥri idh ya'dudūn fis-sabti idh ta'teehim ḥītānuhum yawma sabtihim shurra'ā wa yawma lā yasbittūn lā ta'teehim kadhālika nablūhum bimā kānū yafsuqūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes a test (balā') imposed upon a community of Bani Israel living by the sea who violated the Sabbath. The fish would appear abundantly on the Sabbath day when it was forbidden to catch them, but would disappear on other days when fishing was permissible. According to classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this divine trial was meant to test their obedience to Allah's commands, as their transgression of the Sabbath law demonstrated their rebellion (fisq) against Allah's ordinances.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of a narrative within Surah Al-A'raf that instructs the Prophet Muhammad to inform the people about this historical incident involving the people of Eila (a coastal town). The story illustrates how divine tests reveal the true character of people and serves as a warning to the Muslim community about the consequences of disobeying Allah's clear prohibitions.
Related Hadiths
The incident is referenced in various scholarly works on Bani Israel's history. Tirmidhi and other scholars transmitted reports about the people of Eila who violated the Sabbath restrictions despite clear warnings. The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned this as an example of how communities are tested through their adherence to divine law.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah tests communities through their obedience to His commands, and that clever circumvention of divine law (like fishing on the forbidden day through indirect means) does not escape Allah's knowledge or judgment. It reminds believers that true piety requires sincere obedience, not mere technical compliance or deception.
Related Ayahs
وَجَآءَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ لَنَا لَأَجْرًا إِن كُنَّا نَحْنُ ٱلْغَـٰلِبِينَ
And the magicians came to Pharaoh. They said, "Indeed for us is a reward if we are the predominant."
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكَ لَيَبْعَثَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ مَن يَسُومُهُمْ سُوٓءَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَسَرِيعُ ٱلْعِقَابِ ۖ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
And [mention] when your Lord declared that He would surely [continue to] send upon them until the Day of Resurrection those who would afflict them with the worst torment. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful.
وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَـٰحِهَا وَٱدْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا ۚ إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
And cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. And invoke Him in fear and aspiration. Indeed, the mercy of Allāh is near to the doers of good.
فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَـٰلَـٰتِ رَبِّى وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ ۖ فَكَيْفَ ءَاسَىٰ عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ كَـٰفِرِينَ
And he [i.e., Shuʿayb] turned away from them and said, "O my people, I had certainly conveyed to you the messages of my Lord and advised you, so how could I grieve for a disbelieving people?"