Juz 9: Al-Aʿrāf 88 to Al-Anfāl 40
Section 11 of 16 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
The Sabbath-Breakers and Their Punishment
Among the most telling examples of the Israelites' disobedience was the incident of the Sabbath-breakers, which Allah details as a lesson for all believers. The setting was a coastal community where Allah had ordained a specific test:
وَاسْأَلْهُمْ عَنِ الْقَرْيَةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ حَاضِرَةَ الْبَحْرِ إِذْ يَعْدُونَ فِي السَّبْتِ
“And ask them about the town that was by the sea, when they transgressed in (the matter of) Sabbath.”
The Israelites were commanded to abstain from fishing and business activities on the Sabbath (Saturday), dedicating this day exclusively to worship. Allah tested their resolve through a peculiar phenomenon—while fish would be scarce on the other six days of the week, on Saturdays the waters would be teeming with fish visibly swimming near the shore:
إِذْ تَأْتِيهِمْ حِيتَانُهُمْ يَوْمَ سَبْتِهِمْ شُرَّعًا وَيَوْمَ لَا يَسْبِتُونَ ۙ لَا تَأْتِيهِمْ
“When their fish came to them openly on their Sabbath day, and did not come to them on the day they had no Sabbath.”
This trial exposed three distinct groups within the community:
- The Transgressors: Those who succumbed to temptation and violated the Sabbath by catching fish, either openly or through deceptive means like setting nets on Friday and collecting the catch on Sunday.
- The Admonishers: Those who maintained their righteousness and actively advised the transgressors to stop their violations, reminding them of Allah's commands.
- The Silent Observers: Those who abstained from fishing but questioned the value of admonishing the transgressors, saying:
لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوْمًا ۙ اللَّهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا
“Why do you preach to a people whom Allah is going to destroy or punish with a severe punishment?”
The admonishers responded with two profound justifications for their actions:
قَالُوا مَعْذِرَةً إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ
“They said, "To absolve ourselves before your Lord, and perhaps they may fear Allah.”
This exchange highlights the critical importance of amr bil ma'ruf wa nahy 'an al-munkar (enjoining good and forbidding evil) in the Muslim community. Even when it appears the wrongdoers are unlikely to change, advising them serves two vital purposes: establishing an excuse before Allah that one fulfilled their duty, and maintaining hope that the admonition might eventually penetrate their hearts.