In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil

Allah, The Most High, said:

وَسْـَٔلْهُمْ عَنِ ٱلْقَرْيَةِ ٱلَّتِى كَانَتْ حَاضِرَةَ ٱلْبَحْرِ إِذْ يَعْدُونَ فِى ٱلسَّبْتِ إِذْ تَأْتِيهِمْ حِيتَانُهُمْ يَوْمَ سَبْتِهِمْ شُرَّعًا وَيَوْمَ لَا يَسْبِتُونَ لَا تَأْتِيهِمْ كَذَٰلِكَ نَبْلُوهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْسُقُونَ

وَإِذْ قَالَتْ أُمَّةٌ مِّنْهُمْ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوْمًا ٱللَّهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا قَالُوا۟ مَعْذِرَةً إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ

فَلَمَّا نَسُوا۟ مَا ذُكِّرُوا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَنجَيْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلسُّوٓءِ وَأَخَذْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ بِعَذَابٍۭ بَـِٔيسٍۭ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْسُقُونَ

فَلَمَّا عَتَوْا۟ عَن مَّا نُهُوا۟ عَنْهُ قُلْنَا لَهُمْ كُونُوا۟ قِرَدَةً خَٰسِـِٔينَ

And ask them (O Muhammad) about the town that was by the sea, when they transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath (i.e. Saturday): when their fish came to them openly on the Sabbath day and did not come to them on the day they had no Sabbath. Thus We made a trial of them for they used to rebel. And when a community among them said: “Why do you preach to a people whom Allah is about to destroy or to punish with a severe torment?” (The preachers) said: “In order to be free from guilt before your Lord (Allah), and perhaps they may fear Allah.” So when they forgot the reminders that had been given to them, We rescued those who forbade evil, but We seized those who did wrong with a severe torment because they used to rebel (disobey Allah). So when they exceeded the limits of what they were prohibited, We said to them: “Be you monkeys, despised and rejected.” (It is a severe warning to mankind that they should not disobey what Allah commands them to do, and be far away from what He prohibits them). [Al-A’raf 163-166]

The majority of them transgressed and acted boldly, and openly made that known. One group declared their disapproval and condemnation of such actions, while another group sufficed themselves with the disapproval and condemnation, and said to them:

“Why do you preach to a people whom Allah is about to destroy or to punish with a severe torment?”

It is as if they were saying: “There is no benefit in admonishing those who have violated Allah’s prohibitions and ignored the advice, instead they have continued their transgressions and rebellion. Indeed, it is inevitable that they will face divine retribution, either through destruction or severe punishment.

So, the admonishers said:

“We admonish and forbid them to be free from guilt (ourselves) before your Lord (Allah), and perhaps they may fear Allah”, in order words so that they abandon their sinful ways. We do not lose hope that they will be guided, as there is a possibility that admonition may resonate and have an impact on them.

This is the greater objective of denouncing wrongdoing – to serve as an excuse (for oneself) and to establish a case against those who are commanded to refrain from such actions, with the hope that Allah may guide them to act in accordance with His commands and prohibitions.

An Excerpt from Tafsir As-Sadi