Wednesday, June 20, 2012


The ayats in which Allah (swt) mentions the Jews being transformed into Monkeys (or apes) are shown below:

"And indeed you knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath (i.e. Saturday). We said to them: "Be you monkeys, despised and rejected."" [2:65]

"Say (Oh Muhammed to the people of the Scriptures): "Shall I inform you of something worse than that, regarding the recompense from Allah: those (Jews) who incurred the Curse of Allah and His Wrath, and those of whom (some) He transformed into monkeys and swines, and those who worshipped Taghut (false Gods); such are worse in rank (on the Day of Resurrection in the Hell-fire), and far more astray from the Right path (in the life of this world)."" [5:60]

"So when they forgot the remindings that had been given to them, We rescued those who forbade evil, but We seized those who did wrong with a severe torment because they used to rebel against Allah's command (disobey Allah)" [7:166]

Now, the context of these three revealed ayats is explained in the ayat in Surah Al-Araf, ayat number 163, which says:
"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 the Sabbath day, and did not come to them on the day they had no Sabbath. Thus we made a trial for them, for they used to rebel against Allah's command." [TMQ 7:163]

The story in ayat [7:163] is about the story of some Jews who defied Allah's command, so that His punishment overtook them all of a sudden for their evil actions, transgression and defiance by way of deceit. The town mentioned in ayat [7:163] is a village called Aylah, on the shores of the Qulzum (red) sea. So these villagers (Jews) transgressed in the Sabbath and defied Allah's command to them to keep it sanctified. They defied the command by using deceitful means to avoid honoring the Sabbath by placing nets, ropes etc for the purpose of fishing before the Sabbath would enter. When the fish came in abundance on the Saturday as usual, they were caught in the ropes and nets for the rest of the Saturday. During the night, the Jews collected the fish after the Sabbath had ended (at Maghrib). Now, when they did that, Allah changed them from humans into monkeys, the animals having the form closest to humans. In the tafsir of Al-Awfi (rh), reported from Ibn Abbas (ra) that Al-Awfi said: "Allah changed their bodies into those of monkeys and swines. The young people turned into monkeys while the old people turned into swine".

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