As we have seen earlier, Islam is a very deep, very clear and easy to understand decision, yet it is not easy to implement due to the obstacles that prevent its application, so God teaches believers through stories full of knowledge and wisdom how to become Muslims, and how to maintain their Iman.
And today we will learn what Islam is through the story of people who think they are actually Muslims, but they are not in reality, it is the story of the Sabbath companions of which God says:
﴿وَلَقَد عَلِمتُمُ الَّذينَ اعتَدَوا مِنكُم فِي السَّبتِ فَقُلنا لَهُم كونوا قِرَدَةً خاسِئينَفَجَعَلناها نَكالًا لِما بَينَ يَدَيها وَما خَلفَها وَمَوعِظَةً لِلمُتَّقينَ﴾
Approximate translation:
And you had already known about those who transgressed among you concerning the sabbath, and We said to them, "Be apes, despised." And We made it a deterrent punishment for those who were present and those who succeeded [them] and a lesson for those who fear Allah.
Albaqara, 65-66
We will address this story through the following axes:
- Who are the owners of the Sabbath?
- What did they do?
- Division of their scholars over their guilt
- Those who were punished
- Conclusion
Who are the owners of the Sabbath
The owners of the Sabbath are people of Sons of Israel who live on fishing, near the sea, consider themselves Muslims and follow Moses, peace be upon him, and apply the law of the Torah, in which it is forbidden to work on the Saturdays (Sabbath), and they have many scholars
They were constantly transgressing, so Allah made sins easy for them, and made obedience difficult, so when the Sabbath comes, the fish come out of the sea, and on the other days the fish do not come out, as Allah SWT told us:
﴿وَاسأَلهُم عَنِ القَريَةِ الَّتي كانَت حاضِرَةَ البَحرِ إِذ يَعدونَ فِي السَّبتِ إِذ تَأتيهِم حيتانُهُم يَومَ سَبتِهِم شُرَّعًا وَيَومَ لا يَسبِتونَ لا تَأتيهِم كَذلِكَ نَبلوهُم بِما كانوا يَفسُقونَ﴾
Approximate translation:
And ask them about the town that was by the sea - when they transgressed in [the matter of] the sabbath - when their fish came to them openly on their sabbath day, and the day they had no sabbath they did not come to them. Thus did We give them trial because they were defiantly disobedient.
Al-A'raf, 163.
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When committing sins becomes easier for you, you need to be afraid, because it is a sign that you are used to disobeying God, and that torment is imminent.
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What did they do?
They decided to catch indirectly by making holes on the shore on Friday, when the fish come out on Saturday, they will fall into the holes, then they come on Sunday and take them.
Effectively they did what they decided, and earned a lot of fish.
Division of their scholars over their guilt
Their scholars divided into two groups, the first was preaching to fishermen, warning them of God's punishment in this world and the hereafter
The second didn't preaching the fishermen, and instead of that, they blamed those who preach, as Allah glory be to Him, informed us in:
﴿وَإِذ قالَت أُمَّةٌ مِنهُم لِمَ تَعِظونَ قَومًا اللَّهُ مُهلِكُهُم أَو مُعَذِّبُهُم عَذابًا شَديدًا قالوا مَعذِرَةً إِلى رَبِّكُم وَلَعَلَّهُم يَتَّقونَ﴾
Approximate translation:
And when a community among them said, "Why do you advise [or warn] a people whom Allah is [about] to destroy or to punish with a severe punishment?" they [the advisors] said, "To be absolved before your Lord and perhaps they may fear Him."
Al-A'raf, 164.
Those who were punished
When punishment came, it was for all those who constantly disobey God and who are:
The fishermen who fish consistently on Saturday by circumvention.
The scholars who did not warn their people against disobeying Allah Almighty, because they disobeyed the command of Allah which is the command of good and forbids evil, so they became like fishermen who hunt constantly on the Sabbath, all of them disobeyed Allah Almighty.
﴿فَلَمّا نَسوا ما ذُكِّروا بِهِ أَنجَينَا الَّذينَ يَنهَونَ عَنِ السّوءِ وَأَخَذنَا الَّذينَ ظَلَموا بِعَذابٍ بَئيسٍ بِما كانوا يَفسُقونَفَلَمّا عَتَوا عَن ما نُهوا عَنهُ قُلنا لَهُم كونوا قِرَدَةً خاسِئينَ﴾
Approximate translation:
And when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We saved those who had forbidden evil and seized those who wronged, with a wretched punishment, because they were defiantly disobeying. So when they were insolent about that which they had been forbidden, We said to them, "Be apes, despised."
Al-A'raf, 165-166.
Conclusion
Islam is the decision to submit oneself to Allah alone without a partner, so if someone decides to disobey consistently one ordre of Allah, he becomes non-Muslim and deserves God's punishment.