The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 613
PT. 9 R. 21. AL-A'RĀF CH. 7 وَسُلْهُمْ عَنِ الْقَرْيَةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ حَاضِرَةَ And ask them concerning. 164 الْبَحْرِ إِذْ يَعْدُونَ فِي السَّبْتِ إِذْ تَأْتِيهِمُ sea. When they profaned the حِيْتَانُهُمْ يَوْمَ سَبْتِهِمْ شُرَّعًا وَ يَوْمَ لَا the town which stood by the Sabbath; when their fish came to them on their Sabbath day يَسْبِتُونَ لَا تَأْتِيْهِمْ كَذلِكَ نَبْلُوهُمْ appearing on the surface of the " بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُوْنَ. water, but on the day when they did not keep the Sabbath, they came not to them. Thus 'did We b try them because they were rebellious. 1053 "2:66; 4:14, 155 b7:169. 1053. Important Words: (appearing on the surface) is the plural of which is active participle from. They say i. e. he entered upon or began or commenced the affair. means, Red Sea. It was situated on the N. E. arm of the Red Sea, in the Atlantic Gulf (which has derived its name from the place itself) and is mentioned as one of the last stages of the Israelites during their wanderings. It is mentioned also in 1 Kings 9:26 the dwelling had its door opening and 2 Chron. 8:17. In Solomon's time upon a thoroughfare, or the door of the city came into the possession of the house opened on the road. the Israelites but afterward it was means, he raised or elevated the thing much. of which the plural is (shurra 'un) means, entering into water or entering into an affair; appearing on the surface of water; situated on a main road; having its door opening on a road; a main road or thoroughfare; a legislator or announcer of the law. means, fishes raising their heads above water; or fishes directing themselves from the deep water to the bank; or fishes appearing upon the surface of the water (Lane & Aqrab). Commentary: The (town) referred to in this verse is said to be Aila (Elath) on the Uzziah reconquered it, but under probably taken from them. Later Ahaz it was again lost (Enc. Bib. and Jew. Enc. ). As no fish were caught on the Sabbath day, they had instinctively come to know the time when they were safe and, therefore, this instinctive feeling of security made them appear on the surface or approach near the coast in great numbers on the Sabbath day. This fact proved too strong a temptation for the Jews, and they began to make arrangements to catch them on the Sabbath day. The cause of evasion was 1053