( فَلَمَّا عَتَوْا) (So when they were insolent): They refused, disobeyed, and grew arrogant.

( قُلْنَا لَهُمْ ) (We said to them): Allah’s torment for them had been confirmed.

(كُونُوا قِرَدَةً خَاسِئِينَ ) (Be apes, despised.): Allah (swt) transformed the disobedient and insolent ones into despised, humiliated apes with the word: (Be). The details of how this transformation occurred is disputed upon; however, the books of interpretations say that they died afterwards without leaving any descendants. No matter what the details of this story may be, we firmly believe in what is mentioned in the Holy Quran due to our trust in the One Who said it. In all certainty, they were physically transformed into apes, not like some people would claim that they only transformed in behavior. This transformation is the wretched punishment that was afflicted upon the disobedient group so that they serve as a warning and lesson to next generations, and to their contemporaries as well. The other group who did not disobey were spared by Allah (swt).