سُوْرَةُ الشُّوْرٰي
Surah Ash-Shura (42) — Ayah 14
وَمَا تَفَرَّقُوٓا۟ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْعِلْمُ بَغْيًۢا بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى لَّقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُورِثُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مُرِيبٍ ﴿14﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And they divided not till after knowledge had come to them, through (selfish) transgression between themselves. And had it not been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord for an appointed term, the matter would have been settled between them. And verily, those who were made to inherit the Scripture [i.e. the Taurâh (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] after them (i.e. Jews and Christians) are in grave doubt concerning it (i.e. Allâh’s true religion - Islâm or the Qur’ân).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَا
wamā
And not
تَفَرَّقُوٓا۟
tafarraqū
they became divided
إِلَّا
illā
until
مِنۢ
min
after
بَعْدِ
baʿdi
after
مَا
mā
[what]
جَآءَهُمُ
jāahumu
came to them
ٱلْعِلْمُ
l-ʿil'mu
the knowledge
بَغْيًۢا
baghyan
(out of) rivalry
بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ
baynahum
among them
وَلَوْلَا
walawlā
And if not
كَلِمَةٌۭ
kalimatun
(for) a word
سَبَقَتْ
sabaqat
(that) preceded
مِن
min
from
رَّبِّكَ
rabbika
your Lord
إِلَىٰٓ
ilā
for
أَجَلٍۢ
ajalin
a term
مُّسَمًّۭى
musamman
specified
لَّقُضِىَ
laquḍiya
surely, it (would have) been settled
بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ
baynahum
between them
وَإِنَّ
wa-inna
And indeed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
أُورِثُوا۟
ūrithū
were made to inherit
ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ
l-kitāba
the Book
مِنۢ
min
after them
بَعْدِهِمْ
baʿdihim
after them
لَفِى
lafī
(are) surely in
شَكٍّۢ
shakkin
doubt
مِّنْهُ
min'hu
concerning it
مُرِيبٍۢ
murībin
disquieting
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
14. And they did not become divided except after knowledge (revelation) had come to them, out of mutual envy and rivalry [18]. And had it not been for a word that had already gone forth [19] from your Lord for a specified term, the matter would have been settled between them. And those who inherited the Book after them are in disquieting doubt [20] about it.
[18]
Causes of Sectarianism:
Differences and sectarianism among people do not arise because there is something ambiguous or disputed in the Book of Allah, which people do not fully understand. Rather, the real reason is the desire to raise one's own banner, mutual stubbornness, the wish to display one's unique ingenuity, the effort to outdo one another, or the pursuit of wealth and status. These are the very causes that became the motivation for inventing new beliefs and philosophies, new forms of worship and religious rituals, and new systems of life, which led a large portion of God's creation away from the straight and broad path of religion and scattered them into various ways, fragmenting the Ummah.
[19] It is already predetermined that man will be tested in this world after being given free will. And if, in response to such deeds, punishment were to be sent down upon them immediately, the very purpose of the test would be lost. Therefore, they are given respite. And the final time for this test is their death.
[20]
How Did the First Revealed Books Become Suspect?
There were several reasons why the inheritors fell into doubt regarding their revealed books, the greatest of which was that the original language and original text of these books were not preserved and conveyed to the coming generations. Instead, only translations were used, and these translations themselves came to be regarded as the revealed book. The second reason was that the sayings of elders and additional material were included in them, to the extent that it became difficult to distinguish between the two types of text. The third reason was that their historical chain of transmission was also lost. The effect of all these things was that the scholars who came later themselves fell into doubt about the book—about which part was correct and revealed, and which statements were the sayings of elders, etc. And this very doubt and suspicion kept them in anxiety when trying to make a correct decision about anything.
[18]
Causes of Sectarianism:
Differences and sectarianism among people do not arise because there is something ambiguous or disputed in the Book of Allah, which people do not fully understand. Rather, the real reason is the desire to raise one's own banner, mutual stubbornness, the wish to display one's unique ingenuity, the effort to outdo one another, or the pursuit of wealth and status. These are the very causes that became the motivation for inventing new beliefs and philosophies, new forms of worship and religious rituals, and new systems of life, which led a large portion of God's creation away from the straight and broad path of religion and scattered them into various ways, fragmenting the Ummah.
[19] It is already predetermined that man will be tested in this world after being given free will. And if, in response to such deeds, punishment were to be sent down upon them immediately, the very purpose of the test would be lost. Therefore, they are given respite. And the final time for this test is their death.
[20]
How Did the First Revealed Books Become Suspect?
There were several reasons why the inheritors fell into doubt regarding their revealed books, the greatest of which was that the original language and original text of these books were not preserved and conveyed to the coming generations. Instead, only translations were used, and these translations themselves came to be regarded as the revealed book. The second reason was that the sayings of elders and additional material were included in them, to the extent that it became difficult to distinguish between the two types of text. The third reason was that their historical chain of transmission was also lost. The effect of all these things was that the scholars who came later themselves fell into doubt about the book—about which part was correct and revealed, and which statements were the sayings of elders, etc. And this very doubt and suspicion kept them in anxiety when trying to make a correct decision about anything.
