Islamic Exemplary Stories

On Saturday the Jews.

SATURDAY THE JEWS

     And ask the Children of Israel about the land that is near the sea when they break the rules on Saturday, when they come to them the fish (which are around) they float on the surface of the water, and on days that are not Saturday the fish do not come to them. Thus did We try them because they were wicked. And (remember) when a people among them said: "Why do you exhort the people whom Allah will destroy them or punish them with a severe punishment?" They said: "For we have reason (rejection) to your Lord, and so that they may fear Him". And when they forgot what they had been warned, We saved those who forbade evil, and We inflicted on those who were unjust. And when they were proud of what they were forbidden to do, We said to him: "Be ye despicable apes". And (remember) when your Lord told them that He would send them (the Jews) until the day of the Resurrection of those who would inflict the worst punishment on them. Verily, your Lord is swift in punishment, and He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And We have divided them into groups in this world; among them there are righteous people, and among them there are none. And We tried them with (favors) good and (disasters) bad, so that they would return (to the truth). (Al-A'Raf: 63-68) 

       This story tells of a Jewish village located on the ocean coast, a coastal village among the villages they inhabited. The local Jews had been commanded by God not to hunt and fish on Saturdays and they were allowed to catch on other days of the week. 

       Allah has tested them with this duty, in which the fish shun them and are rarely found in the days when it is permissible to catch fish, while on Saturday the fish actually came to them by floating around them. 

       Satan whispered to the hearts of a group of villagers and persuaded them to catch fish. But how can they avoid the commandment of God? Satan shows them alibis, tricks, and guides them on how to catch fish on Saturdays. 

       The villagers were divided into two groups in the face of groups who broke the boundary. The first group are the pious of the dai who carry out their duty in proselytizing and protesting against those who outsmart the commandments of God with their alibis, transgressions, and hunts on Saturday. 

       The righteous explain to those who denounce them and silence the doubt that they are protesting against the possibility with the aim of relinquishing the responsibility before God and of fulfilling the duty and that they should fear. 

       When the torment of Allah befalls those who transgress, Allah transforms them into despicable monkeys. The change in form actually happens. Not long after changing into a monkey that has no offspring, they eventually die. 

       Allah saves the righteous. Meanwhile, the Quran does not explain the fate of those who are silent, perhaps because they are meaningless and despicable in the eyes of Allah. Since they are not mentioned with the survivors then it seems that they are among the perishing and the damned. 

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