TURNING TO APES

      A few numbers of the commentators have understood the phrase;' `BE YOU APES'to mean; `BE YOU AS APES' and conclude that the breakers of Sabbath, spiritually turned to apes, and not physically. But the majority of the commentators, like us, believe that in God's power, nothing is impossible. So their breach of Sabbath was a contumacious defiance of the law, and the punishment for such a sin, according toTOWRAT was death. (EXODUS 31: 14) Therefore, God through His infinite power and universal justice, executed the decree that He had issued in His Law.

      It has been narrated that, the sinners at first were afflicted with a mysterious disease, that, turned them into the shape of the apes; and a couple of weeks after that, they all died away!

      Fishing and fishery is not something unlawful or prohibited. But on the Sabbath, all activities of this kind is prohibited for the Israelites, and it is one of the ten commandments on which they have made a covenant with Allah.

      Therefore their fishing in Sabbath with trickery was a mere pretence to deceive the Law and the Lord! The fish who had a mysterious sense of security on the Sabbath, came up floating on the top of the sea water. They tempted the Jews, who played fast and loose with their rites and Law, by making fish pounders for entrapping them in the Sabbath, and catching them in lawful days!

      They actually were deceiving God, to satisfy the warnings of their own conscience. Therefore the punishment was not for their fishing itself, but for their contumacious defiance of the Law.