(163) “And ask them”—that is, ask the Children of Israel—“about the town that was by the sea,” meaning on its coast, concerning their transgression and Allah’s punishment of them.

“When they transgressed concerning the Sabbath.” Allah Most High had commanded them to honor and revere it and not to catch any fish on that day. Allah therefore tried and tested them: the fish would come to them “openly on their Sabbath”—that is, in abundance, floating on the surface of the sea.

“But on the day when they did not observe the Sabbath”—that is, once the Sabbath had passed—“they did not come to them”; rather, they would disappear into the sea, and the people would see none of them. “Thus We tested them because they persisted in disobedience.” It was their disobedience that necessitated Allah’s testing them (1) and subjecting them to this trial. Had they not disobeyed, Allah would have spared them and would not have exposed them to tribulation and evil.

They therefore devised a stratagem to catch the fish: they dug pits for them and set nets. When the Sabbath came and the fish fell into those pits and nets, they did not take them that day; but when Sunday came, they took them. This practice became widespread among them, and they divided into three groups:

(164) The majority transgressed, acted brazenly, and did so openly.

Another group openly forbade them and denounced them.