سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 213
كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ ٱلنَّاسِ فِيمَا ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ ۚ وَمَا ٱخْتَلَفَ فِيهِ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوهُ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتُ بَغْيًۢا بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ فَهَدَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِمَا ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿213﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Mankind were one community and Allâh sent Prophets with glad tidings and warnings, and with them He sent down the Scripture in truth to judge between people in matters wherein they differed. And only those to whom (the Scripture) was given differed concerning it after clear proofs had come unto them through hatred, one to another. Then Allâh by His Leave guided those who believed to the truth of that wherein they differed. And Allâh guides whom He wills to the Straight Path.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
كَانَ
kāna
Was
ٱلنَّاسُ
l-nāsu
mankind
أُمَّةًۭ
ummatan
a community
وَٰحِدَةًۭ
wāḥidatan
single
فَبَعَثَ
fabaʿatha
then raised up
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ
l-nabiyīna
[the] Prophets
مُبَشِّرِينَ
mubashirīna
(as) bearers of glad tidings
وَمُنذِرِينَ
wamundhirīna
and (as) warners
وَأَنزَلَ
wa-anzala
and sent down
مَعَهُمُ
maʿahumu
with them
ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ
l-kitāba
the Book
بِٱلْحَقِّ
bil-ḥaqi
in [the] truth
لِيَحْكُمَ
liyaḥkuma
to judge
بَيْنَ
bayna
between
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
[the] people
فِيمَا
fīmā
in what
ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟
ikh'talafū
they differed
فِيهِ ۚ
fīhi
[in it]
وَمَا
wamā
And (did) not
ٱخْتَلَفَ
ikh'talafa
differ[ed]
فِيهِ
fīhi
in it
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
أُوتُوهُ
ūtūhu
were given it
مِنۢ
min
from
بَعْدِ
baʿdi
after
مَا
mā
[what]
جَآءَتْهُمُ
jāathumu
came to them
ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتُ
l-bayinātu
the clear proofs
بَغْيًۢا
baghyan
(out of) jealousy
بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ
baynahum
among themselves
فَهَدَى
fahadā
And guided
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe[d]
لِمَا
limā
regarding what
ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟
ikh'talafū
they differed
فِيهِ
fīhi
[in it]
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْحَقِّ
l-ḥaqi
the Truth
بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۗ
bi-idh'nihi
with His permission
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
يَهْدِى
yahdī
guides
مَن
man
whom
يَشَآءُ
yashāu
He wills
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
صِرَٰطٍۢ
ṣirāṭin
a path
مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
mus'taqīmin
straight
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
213. 1 That is, upon Tawheed. From Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him) to Hazrat Nuh (peace be upon him), that is, for ten centuries, people remained upon Tawheed, which was taught by the Prophets. The commentators among the Companions have considered the phrase فاختَلَفُوْا as abrogated, meaning that after this, due to the whisperings of Satan, differences arose among them and shirk and outward formalism became widespread. So Allah sent the Prophets with the Books so that they may decide among the people regarding their differences and establish and clarify the truth and Tawheed (Ibn Kathir).
213. 2 Differences always arise due to deviation from the path of truth, and the source of deviation becomes malice and stubbornness. In the Muslim Ummah as well, as long as this deviation did not occur, this Ummah remained established upon its origin and was protected from the intensity of differences. But blind imitation and innovations opened the way for avoidance of the truth, due to which the circle of differences kept expanding and increasing, until the unity of the Ummah has become an impossible thing.
213. 3 For example, the People of the Book differed regarding Jumu'ah; the Jews made Saturday and the Christians made Sunday their sacred day, so Allah guided the Muslims to choose Friday. They differed regarding Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him); the Jews denied him and slandered his mother Hazrat Maryam, while the Christians made him the son of Allah and even Allah. Allah granted the Muslims the ability to adopt the correct stance regarding him, that he was Allah's Messenger and His ruling servant. They also differed regarding Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him); one group called him a Jew and the other a Christian. Allah told the Muslims the correct thing, that he was (حنیفاً مُسْلِماً), and in many such other matters, Allah, by His grace, showed the Muslims the straight path.
213. 2 Differences always arise due to deviation from the path of truth, and the source of deviation becomes malice and stubbornness. In the Muslim Ummah as well, as long as this deviation did not occur, this Ummah remained established upon its origin and was protected from the intensity of differences. But blind imitation and innovations opened the way for avoidance of the truth, due to which the circle of differences kept expanding and increasing, until the unity of the Ummah has become an impossible thing.
213. 3 For example, the People of the Book differed regarding Jumu'ah; the Jews made Saturday and the Christians made Sunday their sacred day, so Allah guided the Muslims to choose Friday. They differed regarding Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him); the Jews denied him and slandered his mother Hazrat Maryam, while the Christians made him the son of Allah and even Allah. Allah granted the Muslims the ability to adopt the correct stance regarding him, that he was Allah's Messenger and His ruling servant. They also differed regarding Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him); one group called him a Jew and the other a Christian. Allah told the Muslims the correct thing, that he was (حنیفاً مُسْلِماً), and in many such other matters, Allah, by His grace, showed the Muslims the straight path.
