(Muhammad), ask them about the (people of the) towns on the seashore. They had transgressed by catching fish on the Sabbath. Each Sabbath the fish came openly within their reach but not so on other days. Thus, We were testing them because of their evil deeds. 163 When some of them said: "Why do ye preach to a people whom Allah will destroy or visit with a terrible punishment?"- said the preachers:" To discharge our duty to your Lord, and perchance they may fear Him." 164 So when they forgot the remindings 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). 165 So when they exceeded the bounds of that which they were prohibited We said unto them: be ye apes despised. 166 Then your Lord declared He would send against them he who would oppress them cruelly till the Day of Resurrection. Swift is the retribution of your Lord, yet surely He is Forgiving, the Most Merciful. 167 And We cut them up into nations in the earth, some of them righteous, and some of them otherwise; and We tried them with good things and evil, that haply they should return. 168 They were succeeded by generations who inherited the Scripture and took to the fleeting gains of this world, saying, "We shall certainly be forgiven." If there came to them similar fleeting gains again, they would take them. Was a pledge not taken from them, written in the Scripture, that they would not say anything but the truth about God? And they have studied whatever is in it. Surely the Home of the Hereafter is better for those who fear Him. Will you not understand? 169 And those who hold fast by the Book and establish prayer - verily We shall not waste the hire of the rectifiers. 170 ۞ When We suspended the mountain over them as if it were a canopy, and they thought it was going to fall down on them, We said, "Hold on firmly to what We have given you and remember what is in it, so that you may remain conscious of God." 171