Surah Al A'raf Tafseer

فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ

So when they forgot the reminder that had been given to them,

when the evil doers refused the advice,

أَنجَيْنَا الَّذِينَ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ السُّوءِ وَأَخَذْنَا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ

We rescued those who forbade evil, but We seized who did wrong,

who committed the transgression,

بِعَذَابٍ بَيِيسٍ

with a severe torment,

Allah stated that those who enjoined good were saved, while those who committed the transgression were destroyed, but He did not mention the end of those who were passive (the third group), for the compensation is comparable to the deed. This type did not do what would warrant praise, nor commit wrong so that they are admonished.

Ikrimah said,

"Ibn Abbas said about the Ayah:`I do not know whether or not the people were saved who said;

لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوْمًا اللّهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ

("Why do you preach to a people whom Allah is about to destroy..."). So I continued discussing it with him until I convinced him that they were. Then he gave me (the gift of) a garment."

Allah said,

وَأَخَذْنَا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ

بِعَذَابٍ بَيِيسٍ

and We seized those who did wrong with a Ba'is torment,

indicating that those who remained were saved.

As for `Ba'is', it means `severe', according to Mujahid, or `painful', according to Qatadah. These meanings are synonymous, and Allah knows best.

بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفْسُقُونَ

because they used to rebel against Allah's command.

Allah said next,

فَلَمَّا عَتَوْاْ عَن مَّا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ قُلْنَا لَهُمْ كُونُواْ قِرَدَةً خَاسِيِينَ