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- The Most Shocking Story in the Qur’an: They Believed — Yet Were Made Into Apes
The Most Shocking Story in the Qur’an: They Believed — Yet Were Made Into Apes
1 Verse. 1 Story. 1 Lesson.
Taqwa FM
February 27, 2026
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 Verse :
Let there be a group among you who call ˹others˺ to goodness, encourage what is good, and forbid what is evil—it is they who will be successful. (3:104)
1 Story :
Just as our Ummah is given a sacred weekly appointment: Jumu‘ah (Friday), Bani Israeel were given Sabbath (Saturday).
Allah ﷻ chose Friday for us.
He says:
“O believers! When the call to prayer is made on Friday, then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave off trade. That is better for you, if only you knew.”
(Qur’an 62:9)
All scholars agree: It is haram to engage in trade after the second Adhan until the prayer is completed.
Then Allah says:
“Then when the prayer is completed, disperse through the land and seek the bounty of Allah.” (62:10)
After Jumu‘ah ends, you may return to work.
Similarly Bani Israeel were commanded to honor the sanctity of the Sabbath.
They were supposed to cut off entirely from worldly engagement and dedicate the day to remembrance.
Breaking it deliberately was a major sin.
Among Bani Israeel, was a community that lived near a coastal town, right by the sea.
For this specific town, Sabbath meant one thing:
No fishing.
But then came the test.
Allah ﷻ tested them.
On the Sabbath the very day they were forbidden to fish, the fish would come in abundance. Clearly visible and swimming right to the surface.
But on other days?
They were nowhere to be seen.
Why would Allah test them like that?
Why make the haram look so tempting?
But Allah Himself answers this in the Qur’an:
“We tested them because they were defiantly disobeying.” (7:163)
The test did not create their rebellion.
It exposed it.
The answer is simple:
When someone continues to rebel after receiving guidance and clear proofs, they choose a direction. And Allah facilitates the direction they choose.
If you take steps toward obedience, Allah opens more doors of khayr.
But if you insist on disobedience?
Allah opens more doors there too.
Allah increases you in what you choose for yourself.
So why was their test so difficult?
Because they were already corrupt. Already rebellious. Already pushing limits.
Allah does not give this kind of exposure test to everyone.
In this town, some people broke the Sabbath.
Here is how they did it:
On Friday, they placed their nets.
On Saturday, the fish got caught.
On Sunday, they collected them.
Outwardly they said, “We didn’t fish on Saturday.”
Technically correct.
But reality?
They designed a system so that Saturday remained the day of capture.
I used to wonder how is that breaking the rule? They didn’t “technically” fish.
Then I understood the hadith:
“Actions are according to intentions, and everyone will get what was intended.”
(Bukhari & Muslim)
They were aiming for outward compliance while internally creating loopholes.
This is spiritual insincerity.
Allah is not checking our technicalities.
He is looking at our niyyah.
They acted as if they could trick God.
As if Allah does not see what is inside.
Don’t we do the same?
Creating loopholes.
Manipulating rulings.
Bending the Deen to fit desire.
It is subtle mockery of divine authority.
But not all of them did this.
The town split into three groups.
The group that violated the command.
The righteous group who warned them.
The silent majority.
The silent group did not fish.
But they also did not speak up against the sin they saw their people doing.
They even said to the ones advising:
“Why do you warn a people whom Allah will destroy or punish severely?” (7:164)
In other words:
Why bother?
Allah will deal with them.
Stay out of it.
But the ones advising replied:
“So that we may have an excuse before your Lord, and perhaps they may become righteous.” (7:164)
Their concern was not winning arguments
or looking religious.
It was simple:
“When I stand before Allah, I need to say I tried.”
Whether those people listened or not was never the issue.
Their responsibility was to remind.
Allah even told the Messenger ﷺ:
“So remind, for your duty is only to remind.” (88:21)
They did not pass a final judgment on the sinners.
“…and perhaps they may develop taqwa.” (7:164)
Perhaps.
They still had hope.
This is a lesson to the silent, indifferent believers.
You are at fault for not caring and staying silent.
You have no right to lose hope in sinners.
Who are we to decide that guidance can no longer reach them?
Then Allah tells us what happened:
“When they ignored the warning they were given, We rescued those who used to forbid evil and seized the wrongdoers with a dreadful punishment for their rebelliousness.” (7:165)
Notice carefully.
Allah did not say, “We rescued everyone except the sinners.”
He said:
“We rescued those who used to forbid evil and seized the wrongdoers”
Which means two groups were in danger:
The ones who violated the Sabbath.
The ones who stayed silent.
Only the ones who spoke were saved.
Allah called both the open sinner and the silent observer as wrongdoers and made them share in the consequence.
Because the one who sees wrong and says nothing becomes part of the problem in the face of open corruption.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand. If he is not able, then with his tongue. If he is not able, then with his heart and that is the weakest of faith.” (Muslim)
Even the lowest level is not silence.
It is internal rejection.
And Then came the punishment.
Allah says:
“But when they stubbornly persisted in what they were forbidden, We said to them, ‘Be despised apes.’” (7:166)
And Allah says:
“So We made their fate an example for those before and after them, and a lesson for the God-fearing.” (2:66)
Scholars differed:
Were they literally transformed into apes?
Or was it a description of their degraded state, shameless, uncontrolled, animal-like behavior?
But regardless of the difference of opinion, one thing is clear:
Allah made them a deterrent example.
So that every time you think about tricking a command…
Every time you think about bending the Deen…
Every time you think about staying silent while wrong spreads…
You remember them.
1 Lesson :
Subhan Allah, Allah is so gentle with this ummah.
He did not command us to withdraw from the world for 24 hours.
For Jumu‘ah, He only asked us to leave trade when the call is made…then we can return to work once the prayer ends.
But Bani Israeel were tested with a full sacred day.
When they bent the command to fit their desires, their violation led to humiliation in this world and the next.
The lesson is simple:
When a command comes, don’t negotiate.
Don’t design loopholes.
Don’t reshape the Deen around your comfort.
Say what the believers say:
“We hear and we obey.”
And when you see wrong in your family, neighborhood, or workplace…do not be the silent majority.
1 Question for you :
When Allah’s command conflicts with your comfort, do you submit… or do you start designing a loophole?
Dhikr of the week :
وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ
“And they say, ‘We hear and we obey. We seek Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the final return.’”
(Qur’an 2:285)
Salām, I’m Aaira. I mentor Muslims in personal growth, business, marriage, relationships, and self-development through guidance rooted in the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah. I don’t offer generic motivation. I listen deeply to your struggles, goals, habits, and patterns, then help you build a clear, practical, and spiritually aligned action plan. Because every problem has a solution, and Prophet (s) encourages us to seek treatment.
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Assalam Alaikum
— Aaira