Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 7 Al-A'raf, Ayat 77-77

فَعَقَرُوا النَّاقَةَ وَعَتَوۡا عَنۡ اَمۡرِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَ قَالُوۡا يٰصٰلِحُ ائۡتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَاۤ اِنۡ كُنۡتَ مِنَ الۡمُرۡسَلِيۡنَ‏ ﴿7:77﴾

(7:77) Then they hamstrung the she-camel,61 disdainfuliy disobeyed the commandment of their Lord, and said: '0 Salih! Bring upon us the scourge with which you threatened us if you are truly a Messenger [of Allah].'


Notes

61. Although the she-camel was killed by an individual, as we learn also from surahs al-Qamar (54) and al-Sharns (91), the whole nation was held guilty since it stood at the killer's back. Every sin which is committed with the approval and support of a nation, is a national crime even if it has been committed by one person. In fact the Qur'an goes a step further and declares that a sin which is committed publicly in the midst of a gathering is considered to be the collective sin of the people who tolerate it.