The Holy Quran, a book of guidance and wisdom, with its illuminating verses, invites humanity to reflect upon the fate of past nations and the consequences of their deeds. Verses 166 to 168 of Surah l Imrn, focusing on the destiny of the people of Bani Israel, unveil the boundless justice and mercy of God. These verses narrate the divine punishments, the dispersion of the nations, and the trial ordained by God for the return of His servants to Himself. In this treatise, through a profound examination of these verses, an effort has been made to elucidate their lofty meanings in a clear and coherent manner. This work, drawing upon the lectures of religious scholars, examines both temporary and eternal punishments, the dispersion of the people, and the relationship between human causality and divine agency. The aim is to provide an interpretation that not only clarifies the Quranic meanings but also, with eloquent and appealing language, invites the reader to contemplate divine wisdom and human responsibility.
The Holy Quran, in verse 166 of Surah l Imrn, refers to a temporary punishment that befell the people of Bani Israel due to their disobedience and sin. This punishment, manifested as their transformation into lowly monkeys (qiradatan khsn), is limited in duration, for the lifespan of a monkey spans only a few years. This punishment appears as a divine reprimand sent to awaken the people, yet due to its temporal limitation, it comes to an end, leaving the people to their own state.
This temporary punishment resembles a strong yet fleeting breeze, arriving for the correction and warning of the nation. Just as spring, with its blossoms, heralds life but is transient, so too this punishment momentarily affects the people, but does not endure. The people of Bani Israel, who in this verse were turned into lowly monkeys due to their disobedience, were eventually relieved from this punishment, yet this relief did not signify the end of their responsibility.
In verse 167 of Surah l Imrn, God decrees another judgment upon the people of Bani Israel, distinct from the prior temporary punishment. This verse speaks of a punishment that will continue until the Day of Resurrection, and is far more severe and enduring.
And when your Lord announced that He would surely send against them until the Day of Resurrection those who would afflict them with the worst torment. Indeed, your Lord is swift in punishment, and indeed He is Forgiving and Merciful.
The phrase taadhdhana rabbuka (Your Lord announced) signifies a divine declaration addressed to the Prophet (peace be upon him), emphasising God's decision to punish the people. Layabathanna alayhim il yawmi al-qiymah man yasmuhum sa al-adhb indicates a punishment that, unlike the monkey-transformation, is not limited to a few years but extends until the end of the world. This punishment, described as the worst torment, represents the severest kind of chastisement, plunging the people into continuous affliction, insecurity, and misery.
This punishment resembles a roaring flood that engulfs the people in its whirlpool, with its waves never abating until the Day of Resurrection. Amidst this, God reveals two seemingly contrasting attributes: Swift in punishment for the oppressors, and Forgiving and Merciful for those who repent. These two attributes, like the two wings of a divine bird, elevate justice and mercy together.
Verse 167 beautifully portrays two aspects of the Divine Essence: justice and mercy. Indeed, your Lord is swift in punishment demonstrates that God promptly punishes the oppressors. This punishment is manifested in this world as successive calamities, as the people of Bani Israel, including Palestinians and Israelis, remain caught in insecurity, division, and misery. Conversely, and indeed He is Forgiving and Merciful promises that God is forgiving and compassionate towards the righteous and repentant.
These two attributes coexist like sun and shade. Divine justice, like a scorching sun, burns the oppressors, while His mercy, like a cool shade, envelops the repentant. This combination invites humans to reflect on their deeds and, by choosing righteousness, benefit from divine mercy.
Verses 166 and 167 of Surah l Imrn present two facets of divine justice through temporary and eternal punishments. Temporary punishment serves as a brief wake-up call, whereas eternal punishment, like a roaring flood, keeps the people in affliction until the Resurrection. Amidst this, divine mercy paves the way for repentance and return. These verses invite humankind to reflect on their deeds and choose the path of righteousness.
The Holy Quran, in verse 168 of Surah l Imrn, refers to the dispersion of the people of Bani Israel across the earth, describing them as divided into various nations.
And We divided them throughout the earth into nations. Among them are the righteous, and among them are those less than that. And We tested them with good and evil that perhaps they might return [to obedience].
The phrase wa qaanhum f al-ari umaman indicates the fragmentation and dispersion of Bani Israel across the land. This dispersion is the consequence of disunity and lack of cohesion among them. The people have split into various groups, each following its own path. Some are righteous (minhum a-lin), while others fall short (minhum dna dhlik), treading the path of disobedience and oppression in varying degrees.
This dispersion resembles pieces of cloth once unified but now torn into separate fragments. The people of Bani Israel, once a single nation, have become scattered groups due to disobedience and division, losing their unity.
Verse 168 points to a divine test faced by the people of Bani Israel: and We tested them with good and evil that perhaps they might return. God tested them with blessings (good) and afflictions (evil) to encourage their return to Him. This trial is an invitation to reflection and repentance; however, the people, instead of returning, proceeded along the path of disobedience and division.
This trial is like a gardener who nurtures his saplings with water and sunlight, but sometimes tests them with wind and storm to measure their steadfastness. Similarly, God tested the people with blessings and calamities, but their response, save for a few, was disobedience rather than repentance.
Verse 168 of Surah l Imrn, by highlighting the dispersion of Bani Israel and their testing with blessings and afflictions, offers profound lessons on the consequences of division and disobedience. These verses call humankind to reflect on unity, repentance, and return to God. The dispersion resembles torn pieces of cloth that can only be mended by returning to divine wisdom.
