The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 615
PT. 9 AL-A'RĀF CH. 7 فَلَمَّا عَتَوْا عَنْ مَّانُهُوا عَنْهُ قُلْنَا لَهُمْ And when they insolently. 167 كُونُوا قِرَدَةً خَبِيْنَ وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكَ لَيَبْعَثَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِلى يَوْمِ And remember the time. 168 الْقِمَةِ مَنْ يَسُومُهُم سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ إِنَّ He would truly raise against رَبَّكَ لَسَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيمُ rebelled against that which they had been forbidden, "We said to them, 'Be ye apes despised!' 1056 when thy Lord proclaimed that them, till the Day of Resurrection, those who would afflict them with grievous torment. Surely thy Lord is quick in retribution, and surely He is also Most Forgiving, Merciful. 1057 courageous or valiant. a vehement or severe (Lane). See also 2:178. Commentary: "2:66; 5:61. b2:62; 3:113. means, they themselves refrained from punishment profaning the Sabbath yet did not prevent their brethren from violating it, were also condemned transgressors and shared punishment with those who actually In the preceding two verses three classes of men have been mentioned: (1) those who profaned the Sabbath; (2) those who, while themselves refraining from profaning the Sabbath, did not prohibit others from violating it; and (3) those who not only themselves refrained from profaning the Sabbath, but also urged the profaners to abstain from this evil. Of these three classes, the present verse declares only those as saved who not only themselves abstained from doing evil but also exhorted others to abstain from it, and the rest have been represented "transgressors" and these were visited with Divine punishment. This shows that the second party who, though as 1055 as the broke the commandment of God. This constitutes a great warning to us that we can be classed with the righteous only when we not only ourselves eschew evil but exhort our brethren also to do the same. We should do our duty both to God and man, the one being as important as the other. 1056. Commentary: The expression, Be ye apes despised, explains the "severe punishment" mentioned in the previous verse. See also 2:66. 1057. Commentary: The reference in the memorable words, those who would afflict them