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.