them, regardless of whether it was with nets or by trapping them in reservoirs.  

The people who cared about religion invited the transgressors towards righteousness. They told them that the trick they were using was against divine law, and that they were disobeying the commands of Allah Almighty. But the transgressors did not pay heed to the advice given to them. They continued to disobey Allah Almighty and refused to repent and refrain from committing this sin. In the end, due to their continued disobedience, they became deserving of the wrath of Allah Almighty. One morning, the people saw the faces of the disobedient had become deformed, and they all had turned into monkeys.^[1]

This event is mentioned in the Quran:

وَ لَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتُمُ  الَّذِیۡنَ اعۡتَدَوۡا مِنۡکُمۡ فِی السَّبۡتِ فَقُلۡنَا لَہُمۡ کُوۡنُوۡا قِرَدَۃً خٰسِئِیۡنَ (ۚ۶۵)

Translation from Kanz al-Īmān: “And undoubtedly, you definitely know those amongst you who had transgressed in the matter of Saturday (i.e. the Sabbath). So, we said to them that ‘Become apes; despised.’”^[2]

Sinning is a declaration of war against Allah

Dear Islamic brothers, the disobedience of Allah Almighty results in a terrible punishment. Allah Almighty made the punishment of Banī Isrāˈīl a form of admonition for us. Allah Almighty states in the Quran regarding this incident:

فَجَعَلۡنٰہَا نَکَالًا لِّمَا بَیۡنَ یَدَیۡہَا وَ مَا خَلۡفَہَا وَ مَوۡعِظَۃً لِّلۡمُتَّقِیۡنَ (۶۶)

Translation from Kanz al-Īmān: “Henceforth, We made this incident of that town a lesson to those who were present, and to those who succeeded them and advice for the pious.”^[3]