Changed to Apes References

The Israelites were required to keep the Sabbath (Saturday) as a sign between Allah and them throughout the generations for a perpetual covenant. Six days may work be done: whosoever does any work in the Sabbath Day, he shall surely be put to death." (Exodus, 231:12-17.) But when the Israelites became corrupt morally and religiously, they began to desecrate it openly and began to do business on the Sabbath. Each Sabbath day the fish appeared in abundance before them on the surface of the water but did not appear at all on other days than Sabbath. Allah puts His servants to trial in many ways. When He sees that some of the are turning away from obedience to His law, and are growing more and more prone to disobedience, He opens the doors of disobedience before them by holding out such temptations as are very alluring to these people. Thus their evil intentions openly come to the surface and they commit such crimes from which they had refrained only for the lack of necessary opportunities for them.

There were three kinds of people in that town. First, there were those who openly and boldly violating the Divine rules and regulations. Then there were some who did not violate the laws themselves but silently saw others violating them: they told admonishers that it was no good to give any piece of advice to those hardened law breakers. Lastly, there were others who were so much imbued with the sense of honor and courage that they could not tolerate such open violations of the Divine Law. They enjoined the law breakers to practice virtue and refrain from evil in the hope that they would return to the Right Way, or at least, they themselves would be in a position to present the proof before their Lord that they, on their part, did their duty to admonish those law-breakers. Accordingly, when the scourge of Allah befell that township, the only people who were delivered from it were those who belonged to the third group. According to the Quran, they were delivered because they had shown their concern for the eradication of evil. The other two groups were counted among the workers of iniquity and punished in proportion to the nature and extent of their crime.

The scourge from Allah was set to that township in two installments. The first has been called “a severe scourge”. The second was “Be apes”. In our opinion, the scourge in the first case was inflicted on both the first and the second groups, but in the second case it was inflicted on the first group only. (And Allah knows the best). Some are of the opinion that they were physically transformed into apes while others hold that from that time onward they began to behave like apes. The words of the Quran, however, indicate that it was a physical metamorphosis. Their bodies were transformed into those of apes, but their human minds were left intact in order to subject them to extreme torture.

References: Al-Baqara 2:65 Al-Ma'idah 5:60 Al-'araaf 7:162-166

Al-'araaf 7:162-166

And ask them about the township which was situated on the sea shore.^EN7:122 Remind them of what befell its people who used to break the Sabbath (Saturday), Each Sabbath-day the fish appeared in abundance before them on the surface of the water^EN7:123 but did not appear at all on other days than Sabbath. This was because We were putting them to test on account of the acts of disobedience they did.^EN7:124 7:163

EN7:122 The research scholars are of the opinion that the place refers to Ailah or Elat or Elote where the modern Jewish state of Israel has constructed a seaport of the same name and near which is situated Jordan's famous seaport of Aqabah. It is at the end of that long inlet of the Red Sea which is between the eastern part of the Sinai Peninsula and the western side of Arabia. It was a very important trade center in the heyday of the Israelites. Prophet Solomon has made this city the chief port of the fleet in the Red Sea. The incident referred to here is neither been mentioned in the religious books of the Jews nor in their history but the way in which the Quran has related it here and in Al-Baqarah (Surah 02) clearly shows that at time of its Revelation, it was well known among the Israelites. That is why the Jews of Al-Madinah did not challenge its validity, although they never missed a chance of raising an objection against the Holy Prophet.

EN7:123 Sabbath (Saturday) is the Holy day of the week. The Lord made Saturday the Sabbath day for the Jews, saying, "Verily my Sabbaths ye will keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations…every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cutoff from among his people…whereof the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant (Exodus 31:12-16). But, in spite of this Commandment that held out the punishment of death for any worldly work - from burning fire in the houses to taking any service from animals or slaves, the Israelites had begun to practice open violation of this law. During the time of Prophet Jeremiah (628-586 B.C.), they used to carry in loads through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. Therefore the Prophet had to hold out the threat that he would "light a fire in the city gates that would burn up the buildings of Jerusalem and never be put out.' (Jeremiah 17:21-27). Likewise Prophet Ezekiel (595-536 B.C.) also complains bitterly of the desecration of Lord's Sabbath by the Jews on a national scale (Ezekiel 20:12-24). From these quotations it appears that the desecration of Sabbath mentioned here in the Quran probably took place during this period.

EN7:124 Allah puts His servants to trial in many ways. When He sees that some of the are turning away from obedience to His law, and are growing more and more prone to disobedience, He opens the doors of disobedience before them by holding out such temptations as are very alluring to these people. Thus their evil intentions openly come to the surface and they commit such crimes from which they had refrained only for the lack of necessary opportunities for them.

Also remind them that when some people from among them asked the others the answer that was given by some of them, "Why do you admonish those people whom Allah is about to destroy or punish severely?" they replied, "We admonish them in order to be able to offer an excuse before your Lord and we also hope that they might refrain from disobedience to Him." 7:164

However, when they totally forgot the teachings they were reminded of, We saved those who used to forbid evil, and seized with a severe scourge all others who were transgressors, because of the acts of disobedience they did.^EN7:125 7:165

EN7:125 This shows that there were three kinds of people in that town. First, there were those who openly and boldly violating the Divine rules and regulations. Then there were some who did not violate the laws themselves but silently saw others violating them: they told admonishers that it was no good to give any piece of advice to those hardened law breakers. Lastly, there were others who were so much imbued with the sense of honor and courage that they could not tolerate such open violations of the Divine Law. They enjoined the law breakers to practice virtue and refrain from evil in the hope that they would return to the Right Way, or at least, they themselves would be in a position to present the proof before their Lord that they, on their part, did their duty to admonish those law-breakers. Accordingly, when the scourge of Allah befell that township, the only people who were delivered from it were those who belonged to the third group. According to the Quran, they were delivered because they had shown their concern for the eradication of evil. The other two groups were counted among the workers of iniquity and punished in proportion to the nature and extent of their crime.

Besides this, it appears from the verses under discussion that the scourge from Allah was set to that township in two installments. The first has been called “a severe scourge”. The second was “Be apes”. In our opinion, the scourge in the first case was inflicted on both the first and the second groups, but in the second case it was inflicted on the first group only. (And Allah knows the best).

But when even after this they disdainfully persisted in that from which they were forbidden, We said to them, "Become apes - despised and disgraced!"^EN7:126 7:166

EN7:126 please refer to EN2:83.

Al-Baqara 2:65 

And you know well the story of those among you who broke the Sabbath.^EN2:82 He said to them, "Be apes - despised and hated by all."^EN2:83Thus, we made their end a warning to the people of their time and to succeeding generations, and an admonition foe God-fearing people. 2:65

EN2:82 The Israelites were required to keep the Sabbath (Saturday) as "a sign between me and you throughout the generations" for a perpetual covenant. "Six days may work be done: whosoever does any work in the Sabbath Day, he shall surely be put to death." (Exodus, 231:12-17.) But when the Israelites became corrupt morally and religiously, they began to desecrate it openly and began to do business on the Sabbath.

EN2:83 The incident has been described in detail in 7:163-166. Some are of the opinion that they were physically transformed into apes while others hold that from that time onward they began to behave like apes. The words of the Quran, however, indicate that it was a physical metamorphosis. Their bodies were transformed into those of apes, but their human minds were left intact in order to subject them to extreme torture.

Al-Ma'idah 5:60

Then say, "Should I inform you of those, who will have seen worse recompense from Allah than the transgressors?" They are those whom Allah has cursed; who have been under His wrath; some of whom were turned into apes and swine; who worshipped taghut; those are the people who are in far worse plight and who have turned farthest away from the Right Way."^EN5:91 5:60

EN5:91