The Quran at S62:9-10 exposed what went wrong with the original Jewish Sabbath.
Sabbath is first mentioned in the Genesis creation narrative, where the seventh day is set aside as a day of rest and made holy by God as stated –
Genesis 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Exodus 35:1-3 And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, these are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them. Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath day.
Leviticus 23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.
Deuteronomy 5:14 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
On the contrary when Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) came and brought in the message of the Quran there is no concept or belief of Allah ever rested. Resting is a false notion of God as the attribute of God is He never tire, or weary, or fatigue, or exhausted as stated –
S50:38 We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us.
S46:33 See they not that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, and never wearied with their creation, is able to give life to the dead? Yea, verily He has power over all things.
The Quran teaches that Allah does not sleep or take a nap and therefore there is no necessity for humans also to cease work on that particular day as the Jews are doing by dedicating the whole day in rest, prayer, religious study, and festive meals with family and friends, while refraining from any forms of work or commerce.
S2:255 Allah! There is no god but He the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him or sleep…….
To expose the Jews for making the Sabbath day a “Holy Day” reserved only for the dedication to God, Allah lure them with a bait as stated –
S7:163 Ask them concerning the town standing close by the sea. Behold! They transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath. For on the day of their Sabbath their fish did come to them, openly holding up their heads, but on the day they had no Sabbath, they came not: thus did We make a trial of them, for they were given to transgression.
They transgressed the Sabbath by fishing –
Nehemiah 13:16-18 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, what evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day? Did not your father thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? Yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath.
For the violation and transgression of the Sabbath by the Jews, Allah showed in the Quran what the real “Sabbath” is when men on that particular day should allocate a period of interval for God but at the same time should not neglect his responsibility to earn a living during the day as stated –
S62: 9-10 – O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on the Day of Assembly (Friday), hasten earnestly to the Remembrance of Allah, and leave off business: That is best for you if ye but knew! And when the Prayer is finished, then may ye disperse through the land, and seek of the Bounty of Allah and celebrate the Praises of Allah often that ye may prosper.
Thus, this is the description of the “Real Sabbath” that Allah does not need a complete day to be “Holy” solely for His dedication but men are allowed to do his normal routine before and after making dedication and commitment to Allah at that specific time.
A “rest day” or “holiday” should be dedicated to humans themselves and their families and the communities should enjoyed the peace and relaxing atmosphere as there should be no restriction to whatsoever he pleases to enjoy the day with his family and friends while not neglecting his normal duty to Allah.
As such in the Quran there is no command to make a day in a week special or “holy” to attribute it solely for the worship or for the remembrance of Allah. And neither is it to be treated as a crime for those who do other works for business activities to bear a heavy penalty as that of the Jewish Sabbath.
A day of congregation in the Quran at S62:9 therefore should not be appointed on a holiday when man rested but should be on a day when they themselved are doing their daily work and business as only a moment of his time is needed to allocate to do the prayer of remembrance of Allah as He had commanded.
It is preposterous to think of a God who treats those who did not respect his “Holy Day” or rest day by they doing some simple activities to seek profit be treated as criminals and deserved the death penalty!
This shows that it is a Jewish falsehood to fabricate a “Holy Day” for God when He does not need a rest day while it is man who does need a “holiday” a rest day for himself.
S4:47 O ye People of the Book! Believe in what We have now revealed, confirming what was with you, before We change the face and fame of some of you beyond all recognition, and turn them hind wards, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers, for the decision of Allah must be carried out.
S3:60 The Truth comes from Allah alone; so be not of those who doubt.
Pondering with Saifuddin's index 