And ask thou them concerning the town that was close on the sea, when they transgressed in the matter of the sabt, when their fish came unto them openly on their sabt day, while they came not on the day whereon they kept not the sabt. Thus they were wont to transgress. 163 And when a party of them said: Why do you admonish a people whom Allah would destroy or whom He would chastise with a severe chastisement? They said: To be free from blame before your Lord, and that haply they may guard (against evil). 164 Therefore, when they forgot that of which they were reminded, We saved those who were forbidding evil, and seized the evildoers with an evil punishment for that which they used to do of evil. 165 And when they persisted in pursuing that which had been forbidden We said: 'Become despised apes.' 166 And lo! Thy Sustainer made it known that most certainly He would rouse against them, unto Resurrection Day, people who would afflict them with cruel suffering: verily, thy Sustainer is swift in retribution - yet, verily, He is [also] much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace. 167 And We dispersed them through the earth in communities - some were righteous, others were not -and We tested them with prosperity and adversity that they may turn back (to righteousness). 168 And there succeeded after them a succession who inherited the Book, taking the chance goods of this lower world, and saying, 'It will be forgiven us'; and if chance goods the like of them come to them, they will take them. Has not the compact of the Book been taken touching them, that they should say concerning God nothing but the truth? And they have studied what is in it; and the Last Abode is better for those who are godfearing. Do you not understand? 169 And as to those who hold fast to the Book (i.e. act on its teachings) and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), certainly, We shall never waste the reward of those who do righteous deeds. 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