Tafsir Ibn Abbas: Al-A'raaf, Ayah 163
Common Words
Other Scholars on This Ayah
Tafsir
And question them O Muhammad (s) in rebuke about the city that was by the sea bordering the Red Sea bahr al-qulzum and this was Eilat about what befell its inhabitants how they would transgress violate the Sabbath by fishing which they had been commanded not to do on that day; how idh is an adverbial qualifier of ya‘dūn ‘they would transgress’ their fish would come to them on the day of their Sabbath floating at the surface visible at the surface of the water; but on the day they did not observe the Sabbath when they would not consecrate the Sabbath over the other days they would not come to them as a trial from God. Thus were We trying them for their wickedness. And when they went to fish the city split into three one third joined the fishing party another prohibited them while a third abstained from both fishing and prohibiting.
Ibn Abbas Commentary
(Ask them) the Jews, O Muhammad (of the township) about the story of the township called Aylah (that was by the sea, how they did break the Sabbath) they used to transgress on the Sabbath by taking the fish, (how their big fish came unto them visibly) scores and scores of them, from deep inside up to the shore (upon their Sabbath day and on a day when they did not keep Sabbath came they not unto them. Thus did We try them) test them (for that they were evil-livers) transgressors.