Al-Baqarah (The Cow)
Surah 2 · Verse 65
And you surely know those among you who exceeded the limits of the Sabbath, so We said to them, “Be apes, looked down upon {10}.”
Modern scientific and technological progress is providing such a rich and convincing data to prove the truth of many facts reported in the Quran that it is difficult to deny them. Our predessor’s believed in the truth of the Quran without these proofs. Should we not have a stronger faith and should we not act more sincerely and vigorously to convey the truths contained in the Quran to the whole mankind? This instance of a sect of Bani Israel being changed to apes is an exemplary punishment for trying to dodge Allah (SWT). Others coming after them should learn a lesson from this happening and guard themselves from evil because Allah (SWT) is the Knower of the seen as well as the unseen and He is all powerful to bring about such or more severe punishments.”
During the period of prophet Dawood some Israelites dwelt at Elath on the Red Sea. Israelites were ordered not to fish on Sabbath (Saturday) as a mark of respect, but the fish used to come in great numbers to the shore on the night of Saturday and stay there throughout Sabbath to tempt them. Some inhabitants dug ditches and cut canals from the sea for the fish to enter on Sabbath, then they prevented them from going back to the sea by disconnecting the ditches and canals. Thus they removed the fish on Sunday. They claimed that the fish had gathered on Friday and were caught on Sunday, not Saturday. Therefore as a mark of punishment they were transformed into apes.



