And ask them (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) of the township that was by the sea; when they used to exceed in the matter of the Sabbath – when their fish used to come swimming atop the water in front of them on the day of Sabbath and not come on the days it was not Sabbath; this is how We used to test them, due to their disobedience. 163 When some of them asked, "Why do you admonish a people whom God is going to destroy or to afflict with a severe punishment?" They answered, "In order to be free from blame before your Lord, and that they may perhaps fear Him." 164 And when they forgot the advices they had been given, We rescued those who forbade evil, and seized the unjust with a dreadful punishment – the recompense of their disobedience. 165 And when they persisted in pursuing that which had been forbidden We said: 'Become despised apes.' 166 (Muhammad), consider, when your Lord declared to the (Israelites) His decision to raise a people above them who would make them suffer the worst kinds of torments until the Day of Judgment. Certainly your Lord's retribution is swift. He is All-forgiving and All-merciful. 167 We broke them up into sections on this earth. There are among them some that are the righteous, and some that are the opposite. We have tried them with both prosperity and adversity: In order that they might turn (to us). 168 After them succeeded an (evil) generation: They inherited the Book, but they chose (for themselves) the vanities of this world, saying (for excuse): "(Everything) will be forgiven us." (Even so), if similar vanities came their way, they would (again) seize them. Was not the covenant of the Book taken from them, that they would not ascribe to Allah anything but the truth? and they study what is in the Book. But best for the righteous is the home in the Hereafter. Will ye not understand? 169 But those who hold fast to the Book and establish prayer - indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of the reformers. 170 ۞ And when We shook the mountain above them as if it were a canopy, and they supposed it was about to fall on them: 'Take forcefully what We have given you, and remember what is in it; haply you will be godfearing.' 171