Tafsir of Al-A'raf 7:166

"So when they haughtily persisted," meaning: when they became arrogant "in what they were forbidden from," meaning: in refusing to leave that which they were forbidden from. There is an ellipsis of a genitive in the discourse, for arrogance and refusal regarding that which is forbidden is not something blameworthy in itself [if the object is not a prohibition]. "We said to them: Be you monkeys, despised," meaning: abased, humiliated, and cast far from all good. This command is existential, not legislative, for it was not within their capacity to be held responsible for it. It is like the saying of Allah, the Exalted: "Our command to a thing when We intend it is only that We say to it 'Be' and it is." This carries the possibility that there was an actual command, or that the purpose was merely illustrative. The apparent meaning is that Allah, the Exalted, inflicted upon them a chastisement in this world other than the transformation, but they did not desist from what they were doing, so He transformed them into monkeys. It is also permitted that "the grievous punishment" refers specifically to the transformation, and this verse serves as a detailed explanation of what preceded it.

It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that the day prescribed for the Jews was the same day prescribed for you, which is Friday, but they differed and chose Saturday. Thus, fishing was forbidden to them on that day, and they were tested by it. The fish would come to them on the Sabbath clearly visible, white, and fat, until the water could not be seen due to their abundance. They remained for as long as Allah willed, not hunting them. Then Satan came to them and said: "You were only forbidden from catching them on the Sabbath," so they constructed pools and nets. They would drive the fish into them on the Sabbath and then take them on Sunday. In another narration, a man among them caught a fish, tied it with a string, drove a peg for it on the shore, tied it there, and left it in the water. When the next day came, he took it and ate it. They blamed him for that, but when no punishment came to him, he took two fish the following Sabbath and did the same, and nothing happened to him. When they saw that the punishment was not hastening upon them, they grew bold, catching, salting, and selling them. They were around twelve thousand, or seventy thousand.

The people of the town became three factions as Allah, the Exalted, related. The Muslims said to the transgressors: "We will not dwell with you." So they divided the town with a wall; the Muslims had a door and the transgressors had a door. The incident took place during the time of David, upon him be peace. He cursed them, and one day the Muslims awoke, and not one of the transgressors had emerged. They said: "These people have a matter to attend to; perhaps sleep has overcome them." They climbed the wall, and there the people were, monkeys. They opened the door and entered upon them. The monkeys recognized their kin among the humans, but the humans did not recognize their kin among them. The monkeys would approach their relatives, sniff their clothes, and weep. The human would say: "Did we not forbid you?" and the monkeys would nod their heads in agreement. They died after three days.

Qatada stated that the youth became monkeys and the elders became swine. Mujahid said that their hearts were transformed, so they were not granted the success to understand the Truth. Ibn Jarir and others narrated from al-Hasan that he said: "It was a fish that Allah forbade to them on one day and permitted on others. It would come to them on the day Allah forbade it, as if it were a delivery, impossible for anyone to resist. They began to fret and hold back. I have rarely seen anyone preoccupied with a sin except that he fell into it, until they took it and ate it. By Allah, it was the most calamitous meal ever eaten by a people—most burdensome in disgrace in this world and longest in punishment in the Hereafter. And by Allah, the Almighty, a fish taken and eaten by a people is not greater in the sight of Allah than the killing of a believer, for the believer is of greater sanctity in the sight of Allah, the Sublime, than a fish. But Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has set a time for the people: the Hour, and the Hour is more grievous and more bitter."

Abd ibn Humayd narrated from Ikrimah that on the seashore where they were, there were two idols of stone facing the water, one called Laqim and the other Laqmanah. Allah, the Exalted, revealed to the fish: "Make pilgrimage to the two idols on the Sabbath." And He revealed to the people of the town: "I have commanded the fish to make pilgrimage to the two idols on the Sabbath, so do not interfere with them on that day; when the day passes, they are yours to deal with, so hunt them." The people were tested, and what happened occurred, for which they were transformed into monkeys. There is some doubt in the heart regarding the authenticity of this report, and perhaps it has no basis, as is not hidden from anyone who knows the meaning of "pilgrimage" from those who pray.

These two idols resemble the 'Ayn Haq, which is near the island of Hadithiyyah in Iraq, near the shore of the Euphrates. The fish visit it on specific days of the year, until one imagines that no fish remains in the depths of the Euphrates that has not been cast into it. The people of that region catch as much as Allah wills, transporting them to the islands and nearby villages like Ma'lus, Habbah, 'Anah, and Hit. Then it ceases, and not a single fish is seen in the spring after those days until the same time the following year. Glory be to the One who does whatever He wills.

Some scholars of knowledge have used the story of these transgressors as evidence for the prohibition of stratagems (hilal) in religion, supporting this with what Ibn Batta narrated from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "Do not commit what the Jews committed, lest you make lawful the prohibitions of Allah, the Exalted, through the slightest of stratagems."