Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 165

(Ayah 166,165) ➊ {فَلَمَّا نَسُوْا مَا ذُكِّرُوْا بِهٖۤ … :} That is, when they completely disregarded the command to honor the Sabbath and, going beyond trickery, began to openly disobey, Allah saved those who forbade evil from the punishment and seized the wrongdoers with a very severe punishment. Now, some scholars say that first a punishment was sent upon them due to their disobedience, as stated here in {’’ بِعَذَابٍۭ بَىِٕيْسٍ‘‘}, that perhaps they might desist. (See Surah As-Sajdah: 21) But when they still did not desist, then the punishment of transformation mentioned in the next verse was given. Some have said that {’’ بِعَذَابٍۭ بَىِٕيْسٍ‘‘} refers to this very transformation, but after «{ وَ اَخَذْنَا الَّذِيْنَ ظَلَمُوْا }», the mention of «{ فَلَمَّا عَتَوْا عَنْ مَّا نُهُوْا عَنْهُ }» again shows that the first punishment was for warning. Yet, when they did not take heed and instead adopted rebellion, those rebellious ones were turned into monkeys. And Allah knows best!

➋ {وَ اَخَذْنَا الَّذِيْنَ ظَلَمُوْا … :} Allah mentioned the salvation of those who forbade evil and the severe punishment, such as famine or disease, for the wrongdoers, and in the next verse, He mentioned transforming the rebellious ones into monkeys. The third group is not clearly mentioned as to what happened to them. Most commentators say that only those who continuously committed this crime were seized by the punishment, as is evident from the continuity in {’’ بِمَا كَانُوْا يَفْسُقُوْنَ ‘‘}, which indicates that the other two groups were saved. Some say that they too were destroyed, for not forbidding evil, along with the others who were destroyed. Some say that since Allah remained silent about their outcome, we should also remain silent. However, Hafiz Ibn Kathir and most commentators have preferred the view that they were saved, because these people were by no means rebellious; rather, as mentioned in the footnote (1) of this very verse, they were those who detested this evil, and it is quite possible that after forbidding, they became weary and awaited the punishment upon them. However, it was obligatory upon them to continue enjoining good and forbidding evil.

It is narrated from Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) that I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Any people among whom acts of disobedience to Allah are committed, and they have the power to change it but do not do so, it is near that Allah will send a punishment upon all of them from Himself." [ أبو داوٗد، الملاحم، باب الأمر والنھی : ۴۳۳۸۔ ترمذی : ۳۰۵۷، و قال الألبانی صحیح ]

The preferred opinion seems to be that first {’’عَذَابٌ بَىِٕيْسٌ‘‘} came upon them, which was in the form of famine, disease, or fear, and in this, both those who hunted and those who remained silent were seized, because remaining silent over evil is also a kind of wrongdoing. But when the punishment of being turned into monkeys came, it was only upon those who were guilty of this rebellion and were now openly and shamelessly committing this act. [ وَاللّٰہُ أَعْلَمُ وَ عِلْمُہُ أَتَمُّ ]

➌ It is clear from the words of the Qur'an that their forms were changed into monkeys. Some people say that only the characteristics of monkeys were created in them, but such an interpretation is only needed if it were not possible for Allah to turn them into monkeys, or if previously their characteristics were human and now were made like monkeys. Whereas all their tricks were such that a person of sound nature could never do. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When Allah transforms (changes the form of) something, then there is no offspring or lineage left from it." [ المعجم الکبیر : ۷۴۶، و صححہ الألبانی فی صحیح الجامع : ۵۶۷۳، عن أم سلمۃ رضی اللہ عنھا۔ مسلم : ۲۶۶۳ ]