What is the meaning of the statement of Allah the Exalted: “And mankind was but one community, then they diverged. And had it not been for a word that preceded from your Lord, judgment would have been rendered between them concerning that over which they differed”?
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The questioner : He asks about the statement of Allah the Exalted, O honorable Shaykh, I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan: [Yunus 10:19]?
The Shaykh : In this verse, Allah informs us that people were one community, meaning on one religion, which is the religion of the fitrah (the innate natural disposition). However, they diverged when time passed for them. So Allah sent the prophets as bringers of good news and warners, and He sent down the Book with them to judge between people in that over which they differed. Thus, people divided into two groups regarding the acceptance of these messengers: some believed and some disbelieved. Had Allah Mighty and Majestic willed, He would have rendered judgment between them in this world, destroying the disbelievers and leaving the believers, so that the state would have been theirs. In that case, the community would have remained one upon faith, and the great wisdom behind the divergence of the community and their division into believers and disbelievers would have been lost. This is the word that preceded from Allah Mighty and Majestic: that people remain in two groups, believers and disbelievers, so that the Fire may have its people and Paradise may have its people.
The questioner : A listener who referred to herself by the name "The Believer" ... H M A from Al-Haqqiyyah sent a long message, which I summarize as follows: she says.
And mankind was not but one community [united in religion], but [then] they differed. And if not for a word that preceded from your Lord, it would have been judged between them [immediately] concerning that over which they differ.
وَمَا كَانَ النَّاسُ إِلَّا أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَاخْتَلَفُوا وَلَوْلا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِنْ رَبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ فِيمَا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَThe Shaykh : In this verse, Allah informs us that people were one community, meaning on one religion, which is the religion of the fitrah (the innate natural disposition). However, they diverged when time passed for them. So Allah sent the prophets as bringers of good news and warners, and He sent down the Book with them to judge between people in that over which they differed. Thus, people divided into two groups regarding the acceptance of these messengers: some believed and some disbelieved. Had Allah Mighty and Majestic willed, He would have rendered judgment between them in this world, destroying the disbelievers and leaving the believers, so that the state would have been theirs. In that case, the community would have remained one upon faith, and the great wisdom behind the divergence of the community and their division into believers and disbelievers would have been lost. This is the word that preceded from Allah Mighty and Majestic: that people remain in two groups, believers and disbelievers, so that the Fire may have its people and Paradise may have its people.
The questioner : A listener who referred to herself by the name "The Believer" ... H M A from Al-Haqqiyyah sent a long message, which I summarize as follows: she says.