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 group among them said, “Why do you preach to a people whom Allah is going to destroy or mete out a severe punishment?” They said, “To have an excuse before your Lord, and that perhaps they may fear.” 164 And when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We saved those who had forbidden evil and seized those who wronged, with a wretched punishment, because they were defiantly disobeying. 165 So when they exceeded the bounds of that which they were prohibited We said unto them: be ye apes despised. 166 And recall when Your Lord proclaimed that 'He would continually set in authority over them, till the Day of Judgement, those who would ruthless oppress thern.' Surely, your Lord is swift in chastising; and yet He is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful. 167 And We divided them throughout the earth into nations. Of them some were righteous, and of them some were otherwise. And We tested them with good [times] and bad that perhaps they would return [to obedience]. 168 Then others succeeded them who inherited the Book and availed themselves of the vanities of this lower world, saying: 'It will be forgiven us' But if similar vanities came their way, they would again take them. Have they not taken the covenant of the Book, which they have studied, to tell nothing of Allah except what is true? Surely, the Everlasting Life is better for the cautious, do you not understand! 169 As for those who hold fast to the Book and are steadfast in prayer, We shall not deny the righteous their reward. 170 ۞ And when We shook the mountain over them as if it were a covering overhead, and they thought that it was going to fall down upon them: Take hold of what We have given you with firmness, and be mindful of what is in it, so that you may guard (against evil). 171