Change In Faces From Good To Bad

LESSON # 80 HOLY QUR’AAN

BAQARAH – 2 (The Cow)

Change In Faces From Good To Bad

Verse –65 of 286, Section - 8

And ye know of those of you who broke the Sabbath, so We said unto them: Be ye apes, despised and hated.

Wa  laqad  ‘alim-tumul-laziina’-tadaw  minkum fis-Sabti  fa-qulnaa lahum  kuunuu  qira-datan khaasi-‘iin.

Lesson

Minkum – (out of you) it signifies towards the fathers, ancestors; forefathers of the children of Israel.

As-Sabt – (the day of “Saturday”) Literal meaning of Sabt is Saturday. As near to Christians ‘Sunday’ is a holy day and Muslims celebrating ‘Friday’ as the holy day, like this the Jews count ‘Saturday’ as their holy day. Saturday was specified only for the worship of God near to them. Worldly works like business, agriculture or hunting were forbidden for them.

A’-tadaw – (to encroach, to cross the limits) they crossed the limits of Divine’s Law.

It has come in the traditions that during the time of Prophet David (peace be upon Him) a large number of Jews lived Ailah (a place in the south of Palestine). This event belongs to that population. These persons used to disobey the commands of God Almighty with cleverness and tactfully. They were instructed not to hunt the fish absolutely on Saturday. The God Almighty wished to examine them too. Usually the fish used to come near the bank of river in much quantity on Saturday.

The Jews planned tactfully carrying on the outward form of the orders of God Almighty. They used to dig the pit holes near the bank of river on Saturday. Large quantity of the fish used to reach in these pit holes with water. Then they used to close the way of water from the river side towards the pit holes. Next day they used to hold the fish from these pit holes. Due to continuously disobeying the God Almighty they were punished, were shaped as apes   and their faces were changed from good to bad.

It appears from this verse that some commands come from the God Almighty only for examining. It is the aim of examination to clarify that the servants of God Almighty remain obedient in both the situations i.e. rest and hardness. If the human being rises to the situation of test, there are a lot of facilities for him but punishment is very tough for the ill-natured and evil doers.     

Transliteration in Roman Script & English Translation by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore and Paraphrase collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated by Muhammad Sharif)