Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verse 213

Mankind was but one people; so Allah sent the prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners, and He sent down with them the book with the truth, so that it might judge between the people in that in which they had differed. And none differed about it but the very people who were given it, after clear signs had come to them, revolting among themselves; whereupon Allah guided, by His will, those 'who believed to the truth about which they differed. And Allah guides whom He pleases to the straight path. (213)

GENERAL COMMENT

This verse explains why religion was promulgated and mankind obliged to follow it, and why differences occurred in it.

Mankind, having been created with a natural urge to remain together and cooperate with each other, were in the beginning one single group. Then occurred' differences about the acquisition of the necessities of life. These differences could 'only be settled by creating laws to give each one his right and to make him respect the rights of others. Allah has ordained the law and sent it down as religion, accompanied by good tidings of reward for those who obey and a warning. of punishment for the offenders. This religion was made perfect by the institution of worship. All this was accomplished by sending the prophets and the apostles.

After that, people differed again ‑ this time about the know­ledge of religion, or about matters concerning the beginning and end of mankind. Thus, religious unity was disrupted and various groups appeared on the scene, and their differences contaminated the other aspects of life.

These second differences only occurred because of the revolt of the very people who were given the book, after the fundamentals and characteristics of religion had been fully explained to them and the proof of Allah had been completed for them.

It is clear that there were two differences: First, the difference about worldly gains, which was but natural; second, the difference about matters of religion which was based, not on nature, but on the revolt of mischief‑makers. Then Allah guided the believers to the truth about which they differed; and this guidance was done by His Will; and Allah guides whomsoever He pleases to the straight path.

The divine religion is the only means of happiness and felicity for the human species, and it keeps life in order. It creates a balance between various human instincts and urges, and keeps them on the middle path, preventing them from going towards either extreme. Thus, there appears the best system and the highest discipline in the human life both of this world and of the Hereafter, the material as well as the spiritual.

This is an outline of the social and religious history of human beings, as given in this verse. The details may be seen in various verses throughout the Qur’an.

Qur'an: Mankind was but one people:

nas translated here as mankind literally means 'men'. Ummah translated here as 'people', means 'a group of men'. Sometimes it is used for only one man, as in the verses: Surely Ibrahim was a (ummatan) people, (devoutly) obedient to Allah (16:120); sometimes for a long period, as in the verse: and remembered after an (ummatin) a long time (12:45) and in the verse: And if We hold back from them the punishment until (ummatin Ma’dudatin) stated period of time (11:8). A fourth  usage is for religion, as in the verse: And surely this (ummatukum ummatan wahidah), your religion is one religion and I am your Lord, therefore, fear Me (23:52) and, Surely this your religion is one 'religion' and I am your Lord, therefore worship Me. (21:92) In both these verses, according to some commentators, the word ummah has been used for ‘religion'.

The word ummah is depived from amma (he had an aim); thus it is used for a company of people ‑ not every company, but that which has a single aim, a single goal and a single ambition, and that unity of aim unites all the members and makes them one people. That is why it is correct to use it for one man as well as for many; the other usages mentioned above are based on that basic meaning.

Anyhow, the sentence obviously refers to. the beginning of humanity, when they were united, and lived a simple life and had simple thoughts. There were no differences or any tug‑of‑war in matters of life or livelihood, nor was there any disagreement about religion or religious matters.

That at that time there was no difference about matters of life is evident from the next sentence, so Allah sent the prophets ... so that it (the book) might judge between the people in that in which they had differed, as it shows that the prophets were sent and the book was revealed to remove differences, because earlier they were one people. Thus the difference in matters of life occurred after the unity. And the proof that at that time there was no difference about matters of religion is seen in the following sentences, And none differed about it but the very people who were given it . . . revolting among themselves, as it shows that the disagreement about religion was started by those who were given the book, which obviously means that it started after the book was revealed.

Experience also supports this. Mankind is continuously climbing the heights of knowledge and thought and ever progressing along the path of learning and culture, year after year, and generation after generation. Thus civilization goes forward day by day, new ways are found to fulfill even the slightest needs, natural and physical obstacles are removed and ever newer instruments are invented to make life more and more comfortable.

On the other hand, if we retrace our steps, going back towards the early days of humanity, every step will take us to people less and less acquainted with the secrets of life and the mysteries of nature, till we reach early man who knew almost nothing of the possibilities of life except those facts that were self‑evident, and who used only a little imagination to gather his means of livelihood by the simplest methods. His food consisted of plants and meat which he obtained by hunting; he lived in caves, and defended himself with sticks and stones.

It is clear that a people who lived such a primitive life would not become entangled in any considerable disagreement; nor could there occur among them any lasting differences. They were in a way like a flock of sheep, everyone following the others, all remaining together for the purposes of food and abode.

This was in the very beginning. But, as we have described earlier, man had the natural urge to take advantage of others. And although the need to cooperate with each other in gathering

the necessities of life compelled people to remain together, it did not prevent them from quarrelling with, and getting better of, each other. And every day man acquired new skills, and every new experience added to his store of knowledge. Whenever he used a newly‑acquired expertise, it opened new avenues of progress and dexterity for him. Also, because of the dictates of nature, some individuals were stronger while others were weaker. Those who were stronger in body or mind tried to reduce others to virtual subjugation, taking more from them than they gave them in return. That was the beginning of the differences, which was only natural as it was based on the natural urge to take advantage of others, although it had been the same urge which had led to the creation of society.

It may seem strange that the same natural urge compelled men to remain together, on one hand, and led them to quarrel and find differences, on the other. But there is nothing objectionable in the conflict between two natural demands, provided there is a third faculty above them to judge and decide, and to create a balance between them. For example, there is hunger which urges man to fill his stomach with whatever he can, even when the digestive system cannot tolerate it. There is a conflict between hunger and the power of digestion, but always there is the mind and reason to judge and decide between these two demands. It gives to each power only that which does not hinder the activities of the other.

The conflict between the two natural urges of marshalling others to one's service and cooperating with others as a single society is of the same category, because, Allah decreed to remove that conflict by sending the prophets and revealing to them the book to decide and judge in the matters of their differences and contentions.

This is the correct interpretation of this verse. Unfortunately, some commentators have interpreted it in various other ways, but none of those interpretations conform to the meaning of the verse.

One of them has said: The verse says that all men were on the right path, because the differences began only when the book was sent down to them, and the followers of the book differed, revolting among themselves.

This man did not realize that the verse describes two conflicts, not one; and we have already explained this. Also he did not pause to think that if all men were already on the right path and there was no difference, then what was the justification of sending the prophets and revealing the book and thus giving them an opportunity to differ among themselves by revolt, and thus creating chaos in the world, sowing the seed of unbelief and sin, debauchery and immorality?

Another one has said: Mankind was one group in the meaning that all had gone astray. Otherwise, Allah would not have said, so Allah sent the prophets ...

This man did not ponder upon the verse with a clear mind. This going astray, to which he referred in this interpretation, has been indicated by Allah in His words, whereupon Allah guided ... those who believed to the truth about which they differed. It means that this difference and going astray had started because of the bad motives of the followers of the book and the scholars of religion after the book was revealed and its signs were clarified for people. If people had already gone astray, if they had already been treading the path of disbelief, hypocrisy, sin and immorality, before the coming of the prophets and the book, how could it be attributed to the followers of the book and the scholars of religion?

A third interpretation: Mankind (nas) in this verse refers to the Israelites only. Allah says somewhere else about them: but they did not differ until after knowledge had come to them, revolting among themselves. (45:17) As the same words have been used in the verse under discussion, it means that the people referred to are the same.

But it is proof which has no validity at all. If in one verse, a virtue or vice is attributed to a certain nation, it does not mean that that characteristic is confined to that nation or is its special characteristic.

Even more worthless is the fourth interpretation: Mankind means Adam; and the verse says that Adam (a.s.) was one group on the right path; then his descendants differed among themselves, so Allah sent the prophets ...

But the context of the whole verse disagrees with such a meaning. It is not possible to accept even a part of this interpretation, let along the whole.

A fifth interpreter said: "Was" (kana) in this sentence should not be taken as a past tense; rather it stands for "is" and shows a continuously existing reality, as in the words of Allah: and Allah is (kana) Mighty, Wise (48:19). In short, it means that mankind is by nature one group, because people are dictated by nature to remain together, and as cooperation and sociability is their natural urge, they have to live together in a society. But this togetherness breeds difference and conflicts. Therefore, Allah sent the prophets and revealed the book to judge about that difference.

There are three defects in this interpretation:

First: It supposes that sociability and cooperation is the primary natural urge. But it has been explained that it is not so. The primary urge is to take advantage of others and use them for one's own benefit. It is only when a man finds out that others have the same design about him that he comes to a compromise with them, and this "give‑and‑take" results in cooperation. So this cooperation is based on compromise, not on any natural urge. The Qur’an also goes against that supposition, as has been explained earlier.

Second: The mere fact that man is "social by nature", does not justify sending the prophets and revealing the book, unless it is mentioned that this "natural sociability" leads to conflict and disturbance. In other words, this interpretation makes it necessary to read this verse in this way: "Mankind is but one people (but that oneness breeds conflict) so Allah sent the prophets . . .'!. But the said interpreter does not accept that 'conflict' is implied in this sentence.

Third: This interpretation mentions only one conflict. But the verse clearly shows two conflicts ‑ first, before the revelation of the book, when the differences were common to all people (so that it might judge between the people in that in which they had differed); and, second, after its revelation, which was confined to the religious scholars, and not common to all people (And none differed about it ‑ i.e. about the book ‑ but the very people who were given it . . . revolting among themselves.) Thus there were two differences, one was after receiving the knowledge and based on revolt, the other was not so.

Qur’an: so Allah sent the prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners:

Ba'th literally means to revive, to awaken, to bring back to life. Its past tense, ba'atha  has been translated here as 'sent down', only to make the meaning clear; otherwise, 'sent down' is the translation of arsala not of ba’atha.

Why did Allah use here the word ba’atha (awakened, revived) here and not arsala (sent down)? The early period of mankind, which is being discussed in this sentence, was a period of quietness and inactivity. And it was more relevant to say that they were awakened and revived than that someone was sent to them.

Perhaps that is also the reason why those representatives of Allah are here referred to as prophets (nabiyyan ) and not apostles (mursalin) It has been described in the first volume that the purpose of raising the prophets and revealing the books was to explain the truth to people, and to teach them the realities of their existence, making them aware of the fact that they have been created by their Lord, Allah Who has no colleague or partner in His divinity or power; and that they are to return to Him and then shall be resurrected and brought back to life on a great day; that presently they have halted in a midway station which has no more reality than a sport or play. Having realized this basic fact, they must keep it before their eyes in all situation and all their actions, always bearing *in mind where they have come from, where they are, and what is their destination.

This waking up to the realities of life is more appropriately described by the word nabiyyin (prophets) because naba means "one who has the news (naba)".

Allah sent the prophets: The authority and responsibility for sending the prophets is on Allah alone. It is only He Who sends them. It proves their sinlessness in receiving the revelation and explaining it to the people. (This topic. is described in detail at the end of this commentary).

The prophets were sent as beaters of good tidings and as warners. They brought the good news of the mercy of Allah and His pleasure and paradise for those who believe in Him and guard themselves against evil. And they gave the warning of the chastisement from Allah and His displeasure and Fire, to those who reject the truth and commit sins. The two aspects of prophethood ‑ good tidings and. warnings ‑ are the most effective ways of keeping an average person on right path and making the prophetic mission a success, although some righteous servants of Allah do good and desist from evil only for the sake of their Lord without thinking about any reward or punishment.

Quran: and He sent down with them the book with the truth, so that it might judge between the people in that in which they had differed: kitab is on the paradigm of fi’al and means 'the written'. The word generally refers to anything written by pen. But as the covenants and decrees are confirmed through writing, it is not infrequently used for compulsory and obligatory commands, and for every confirmed fact or idea which is irrefutable. And it has been used in this meaning in numerous verses of the Qur’an. The Qur'an itself is called the book (kitab) with this very meaning; otherwise, it is the talk of Allah.

It is said in the Qur’an: (It is) a "book" which We revealed to you, abounding in blessings ... (38:29); Surely, prayer is (compulsory) on the believers (kitaban mawaquta), a timed ordinance. (4:103).

The words, in that in which they had differed show that the meaning is, "Mankind was but one people, then they different, so Allah sent the prophets . . ."

The definite article "the" (al,) 'the book' (al‑kitab) indicates either the genus of book (and, accordingly re­fer to all divine books revealed to the prophets) or a known (and implied) book. In later case, it would refer to the book of Nuh (a.s.), because Allah says in the Qur’an: He has prescribed for you of the religion what He enjoined upon Nuh and that which We have revealed unto you and that which We enjoined upon Ibrahim  and Musa and Isa... (42:13). This verse describes the grace and favor of Allah by saying that the shari'ah (Law) sent down to the Muslims combines in itself what was given piecemeal to the previous prophets and over and above it contains many new features revealed to the prophet of Islam. It means that the Law was given only to those great prophets who are named here: Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and Muhammad (peace be on them all).

Now, the verse under discussion (He sent down with them the book . . . ) clearly says that the shari’ah was given in written form. Look at these two verses together and you will see that:‑

First: Nuh (a.s.) was given a book containing the Law, and that book is surely referred to in this verse, He sent down with them the book either alone (if "the" is for a known and implied book) or with other divine books (if "the" denotes the genus of the book).

Second: The book of Nuh was the first divine book containing the shari’ah. Had there been any other such book before him it would have contained a Law to judge between the people, and Allah would have mentioned that shari’ah in verse (42:13).

Third: The period referred to in the sentence, Mankind was but one people was the era before the mission of Nuh (a.s.) and his book decided and judged between the people in their differences.

Qur’an: And none differed about it but the very people who were given it, after clear signs had come to them, revolting among themselves:

It has been explained that it refers to the difference about the matters of religion among the followers of the religion. As the religion is based on the nature of man as created by Allah (Then set your face uprightly for the (right) religion ‑ the nature made by Allah in which He hag made men ‑ 30:30), Allah attributed these differences to the revolt of the followers and the scholars of the religion.

The words - but the very people who were given it - indicate the origin of the religious differences about the meaning of the book. It does not say that every one who goes astray or follows a false religion is a rebel, although it is true that he has lost his way. Allah would not accept the excuses of a rebel; but He might accept the entreaties of those who were confused and could not find the right path. Allah says: The way (to blame) is only against those who do injustice to the people and revolt in the earth un­justly ... (42:42); And others have confessed evil (one); may be Allah will turn to them (in mercy); surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful . . . And others are made to wait Allah's command ‑whether He will chastise them or whether He will turn (in mercy), to them; And Allah is All‑knowing, All‑wise (9:102‑106); Except the weakened ones from among the men and the women and the children who have not in their power the means nor do they find a way; so these, it may be, Allah will pardon them, and Allah is the Clement, Oft‑forgiving (4:98‑99)

Moreover, nature may go hand in hand with forgetfulness or doubt, but it cannot with revolt and intentional transgression. That is why the verse uses the words of revolt especially for those who knew the book and for whom the signs were made clear. Allah says: And (as to) those who disbelieve in and reject My signs, they are the inmates of the Fire, in. it they shall abide. (2:39) There are numerous verses of this meaning in the Qur’an; and in all of them the disbelief has been made conditional on the rejection of the signs of Allah and then it is followed by the threat of punishment.

In short, this sentence shows that the second differences began because of the rebellion of the scholars of the book, after they were given knowledge of it.

Qur’an: whereupon Allah guided, by His will, those who believed to the truth about which they differed. And Allah guides whom He pleases to the straight path:

the truth about which they differed explains the subjects of the differences and that it was the truth with which the book was sent down ("the book with the truth").

At this juncture, Allah guided the believers to the truth in both differences: differences in affairs of this life, and differences in the matters of religion. The guidance of the believers was by His will, because they could not make it binding upon Allah to guide them, for the simple reason that there is none to impose upon Him. It is only He Himself who takes upon Himself whatever He pleases. Therefore, the guidance was by His will; if He were not pleased, He would not have willed and would not have guided.

Accordingly, the sentence, And Allah guides whom He pleases to the straight path gives the reason of "by His will". He guided them because it is His discretion to guide whom He pleases, nobody can impose upon Him to guide this or to guide that. And He surely willed to guide the believers to the straight path.

Looking at the verses as a whole, we come to know the following:‑

First: The definition of religion: Religion is a way of life which contains the good of this world in a manner that ensures perfection of the next life ‑ the life that is the real and eternal one near to Allah.

It means that the shari’ah must contain the necessary laws for this worldly life and one's livelihood.

Second: Originally religion was promulgated to remove natural differences; then it was perfected to remove both types of dif­ferences; then it was perfected to remove both types of differ­ence ‑ the natural ones and the un‑natural ones emanating from the rebellion of religious scholars.

Third: Religion goes on perfecting itself until its laws cover all the possible needs and eventualities of life. When it reaches that stage of perfection it is finalized and no other religion comes after it. Conversely, if a religion is the final one, it must be comprehensive enough to cover 0 eventualities and fulfill all the needs of life. Allah said: Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Last of the prophet. . . (33:40); and We revealed unto you the book, explaining clearly everything . . . (16:89); and most surely it is a mighty book; falsehood shall not come to it from before it nor from? behind it ... (41:41‑42).

Fourth: Every succeeding shari'ah was more perfect than the preceding one.

Fifth: Why were the prophets sent and the books revealed? In other words, what was the reason for the prophetic mission? Man, by his nature, develops towards differences in matters of life, as much as he progresses towards social cooperation. As it is nature itself which leads to differences, it is incapable of removing them. How can it repel a thing when it is forcefully pulling it towards itself? Therefore, Allah took it upon Himself to remove that conflict; and He sent the prophets with the laws to lead men to their perfection ‑ real perfection which is a part of their creation. Allah says: Our Lord is He Who gave to everything its creation, then guided it (to its goal.) (20:50) It shows that Allah completes the creation of everything and guides it to its perfection. The creation of man is completed when he is guided to his perfection in both lives. Also He says: All do We aid ‑ these as well as those ‑ out of the bounty of your Lord; and the bounty of your Lord is not confined. (17:20). It means that Allah aids out of His bounty everyone who is in need of His aid in his life and existence; He gives him what he deserves. His bounty is neither confined nor limited, so far as Allah is concerned. If there is any limitation, it is from man's side, not from his Creator's.

Obviously, man cannot perfect himself, because it is his own nature which is the case of this defect. As it is nature which leads to the conflict, and as that nature is unable to mend what it has damaged, the reform (if there is to be any) must come from somewhere outside nature ‑ it must come from the Creator; and it came in the form of prophethood guided by divine revelation. The sending of the 'prophets for this reform and removal of conflict has been given the name of ba'th (awakening, revival, and never has this verb been attributed, in the Qur’an, to anyone except Allah, although the prophetic calls, like everything else, have some connection with their place and time.

Prophethood is a divine (say, if you will, unseen) condition which has the same relation to general human perception and activity as wakefulness has to sleep. The prophet receives the knowledge by which the conflicts and differences of human life can be removed. This perception received from the unseen is called, in the language of the Qur’anic 'revelation'; and the quality and condition of receiving that revelation is called 'prophethood'. Therefore, the reason for initiating the prophetic mission rests on the following factors:‑

(1) Human nature leads man to social cooperation;

(2) At the same time it creates friction and conflict;

(3) Nature itself cannot remove that conflict;

(4) Therefore, a force outside of nature, should intervene to remove that conflict;

(5) Allah completes creation and in His mercy, has taken it upon Himself to guide everything to its perfection; As a result of that undertaking, He sent prophets and revealed to them the book to reform human society. All these factors are proved by reason and experience.

Never has man desisted from exploiting others to his advantage; never has that exploitation, after action and reaction, failed to created a society; never has any society been free from conflict; never has that conflict been removed without social laws; and never has human wisdom been able to make such laws which could cut away all the roots of conflict. Look at the present world. See the chaos in human society, the degradation of moral values, the never‑ending chain of wars,

the destruction of crops and cattle, the fighting which exterminate millions and millions of people, the autocracies, the subjugation of nations, the abasing of the human spirit, the usurping of lives and property; you will find all these and much more. And it is happening in this, the twentieth century, the century of civilization, the age of progress, the era of culture and science.  What could have been the situation in the old day ‑ the age of ignorance and darkness?

That the teaching and training of religion, emanating from the prophets and revelation, have the ability to eradicate this conflict is proved by reason and experience.

Reason: Religion calls people to real knowledge, high ethics, and noble deeds. Humanity can reach the highest peak of perfection by following such teachings.

Experience: Islam has proved it during the short period when it had control over Muslim society, as will be explained, God willing, in a proper place.

Sixth: The religion, which has been sent as the last of all religions, proves that humanity has reached the final stage of its completion and perfection. That is why the Qur’an has decreed that prophethood has come to its end with Muhammad (s.a.w.a.). His religion will never be abrogated, and his shari'ah will remain in force till the end of the world. It means that human perfection, individual as well as collective, shall always, remain within the limits of the laws ordained by Islam. There ran never arise a situation for which Islam has no guidance.

It is a prophecy of the Qur’an confirmed by the history of humanity in the last fourteen centuries. Mankind has, in this period, progressed tremendously, and reached unimaginable heights in the field of the material and physical sciences. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about his ethics and morality. It has not progressed even one step since that time. Rather, it could be claimed that in this respect it has taken many steps backwards. Thus humanity has not progressed as a whole. It is a lop-sided development. Man has strengthened his body, neglecting his soul, which has become weaker.

It is clear from above that the laws of Islam have as much relevance in this era as they had fourteen centuries ago. And they will not loose their relevancy even in the future.

Some people say: The laws of religion were made for the reform of man and the good of society. If society changes, and climbs further towards the summit of perfection, religion and its law also must change, to stay in step with the changing society. It is no secret that the difference between this age and that when the Qur’an came down and Islamic laws were promulgated is far greater than the difference between the times of Musa and 'Isa (a.s.) and that of the Prophet of Islam. This vast difference demands the abrogation of the laws of Islam, so that other laws, more appropriate to a modem progressive society, can be ordained.

Reply: Religion does not aim only at the material and physical perfection of man. It looks at the human being as a whole, and seeks to make him perfect both physically and spiritually, so that he may attain both material and spiritual bliss. Its deal is the social man who is perfect from the above‑mentioned point of view, not a social man who might be perfect in technology and politics but bankrupt in other aspects of humanity. These people looked at societies based on materialism. Matter is always in change, climbing up the ladder of perfection, and the same is true of materialistic societies. These people thought that a society based on religion would also always be subject to change and abrogation. But they over‑looked the fundamental difference between the two societies. They forgot that Islam does not aim at a lop-sided development of man; instead, it seeks well‑balanced development, where man becomes perfect as a whole, both in body and soul. Before demanding the abrogation of Islam, they should produce an individual or a society which combines religious tenets and material progress. Then they should say what defi­ciency has been left therein which should be completed by a new shari’ah, or what weakness is there which needs a new law. Unless and until they produce such a society to point to the supposed defects, they have no justification in claiming that Islam should be abrogated.

Seventh: The prophets (peace be on them all) were sinless and protected from error and sin.

TRADITIONS