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Unity in Religion

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Unity in Religion

الوحدة في الدين

"Unity in Religion" (الوحدة في الدين) is a profound and central theme in Islam, reflecting Allah's desire for humanity to worship Him as [one community]. The Quran teaches that mankind initially existed as [one religion] before differences arose, leading Allah to send prophets to guide them back to truth. This concept emphasizes the importance of adhering to the singular, unadulterated message of divine revelation, free from division and sectarianism. Islam strongly cautions against splintering into factions, reminding believers that [this, your religion, is one religion, and I am your Lord, so fear Me]. The Quran highlights how previous communities, even after receiving clear guidance, [differed until after knowledge had come to them], often out of jealousy or animosity. Thus, Muslims are urged to learn from these lessons and diligently follow [the straight path] without creating divisions. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is even explicitly disassociated from [those who have divided their religion and become sects], underscoring the severity of such fragmentation. Embracing unity is seen not merely as an organizational goal, but as a spiritual imperative, essential for the strength and guidance of the *Ummah* (global Muslim community).

Quran 9 verses

كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ ٱلنَّاسِ فِيمَا ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ وَمَا ٱخْتَلَفَ فِيهِ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوهُ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتُ بَغْيًۢا بَيْنَهُمْ فَهَدَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِمَا ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِهِۦ وَٱللَّهُ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

Kaanan naasu ummatanw waahidatan fab'asal laahun Nabiyyeena mubashshireena wa munzireena wa anzala ma'ahumul kitaaba bilhaqqi liyahkuma bainan naasi feemakh talafoo feeh; wa makh talafa feehi 'illallazeena ootoohu mim ba'di maa jaaa'athumul baiyinaatu baghyam bainahm fahadal laahul lazeena aamanoo limakh talafoo feehi minal haqqi bi iznih; wallaahu yahdee mai yashaaa'u ilaa Siraatim Mustaqeem

Mankind was [of] one religion [before their deviation]; then Allah sent the prophets as bringers of good tidings and warners and sent down with them the Scripture in truth to judge between the people concerning that in which they differed. And none differed over the Scripture except those who were given it - after the clear proofs came to them - out of jealous animosity among themselves. And Allah guided those who believed to the truth concerning that over which they had differed, by His permission. And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.

(پہلے تو سب) لوگوں کا ایک ہی مذہب تھا (لیکن وہ آپس میں اختلاف کرنے لگے) تو خدا نے (ان کی طرف) بشارت دینے والے اور ڈر سنانے والے پیغمبر بھیجے اور ان پر سچائی کے ساتھ کتابیں نازل کیں تاکہ جن امور میں لوگ اختلاف کرتے تھے ان کا ان میں فیصلہ کردے۔ اور اس میں اختلاف بھی انہیں لوگوں نے کیا جن کو کتاب دی گئی تھی باوجود یہ کہ ان کے پاس کھلے ہوئے احکام آچکے تھے (اور یہ اختلاف انہوں نے صرف) آپس کی ضد سے (کیا) تو جس امر حق میں وہ اختلاف کرتے تھے خدا نے اپنی مہربانی سے مومنوں کو اس کی راہ دکھا دی۔ اور خدا جس کو چاہتا ہے سیدھا رستہ دکھا دیتا ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Earlier, the real cause of the opposition to truth has been identified as the love of the worldly life. Now, the present verses point out that, all along the lanes of time, Allah has been showing clear signs to establish the true faith, yet the seekers of the mundane benefits have been working again...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: People were one community in faith but they fell into disagreement and some believed while others disbelieved; then God sent forth the prophets to them as bearers of good tidings of Paradise for the believers and warners of the Fire for the disbelievers; and He revealed with them the Scripture meani...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Disputing, after the Clear Signs have come, indicates Deviation Ibn Jarir reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "There were ten generations between Adam and Nuh, all of them on the religion of Truth. They later disputed so Allah sent the Prophets as warners and bringers of glad tidings." He then said that ...

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا۟ دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا۟ شِيَعًا لَّسْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِى شَىْءٍ إِنَّمَآ أَمْرُهُمْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ

Innal lazeena farraqoo deenahum wa kaanoo shiya'allasta minhum fee shai'; innamaaa amruhum ilallaahi summma yunabbi'uhum bimaa kaanoo yaf'aloon

Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you, [O Muhammad], are not [associated] with them in anything. Their affair is only [left] to Allah; then He will inform them about what they used to do.

جن لوگوں نے اپنے دین میں (بہت سے) رستے نکالے اور کئی کئی فرقے ہو گئے ان سے تم کو کچھ کام نہیں ان کا کام خدا کے حوالے پھر جو کچھ وہ کرتے رہے ہیں وہ ان کو (سب) بتائے گا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary As pointed out earlier, a major portion of Surah Al-An'am is devoted to addressing the disbelievers of Makkah and answering questions asked by them. They were told that the straight path to Allah was following the Qur'an and the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Before him, during the time of past prophet...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Those who have sundered their religion by being at variance over it accepting some aspects of it and rejecting others and have become differing parties sects with regard to such matters a variant reading for farraqū ‘they have sundered’ has fāraqū meaning that they have abandoned the religion to whi...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Criticizing Division in the Religion Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi said that this Ayah was revealed about the Jews and Christians. Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas commented, إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُواْ دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُواْ شِيَعًا (Verily, those who divide their religion and break up into se...

وَمَا كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ إِلَّآ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً فَٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ فِيمَا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ

Wa maa kaanan naasu illaaa ummmatanw waahidatan fakh talafoo; wa law laa kalimatun sabaqat mir Rabbika laqudiya bainahum fee maa feehi yakhtalifoon

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.

اور (سب) لوگ (پہلے) ایک ہی اُمت (یعنی ایک ہی ملت پر) تھے۔ پھر جدا جدا ہوگئے۔ اور اگر ایک بات جو تمہارے پروردگار کی طرف سے پہلے ہوچکی ہے نہ ہوتی تو جن باتوں میں وہ اختلاف کرتے ہیں ان میں فیصلہ کر دیا جاتا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary Disbelievers and Believers are two separate nationalities: Nationality based on race and country is absurd The statement: كَانَ النَّاسُ إِلَّا أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً (And people were but one community) in verse 19 means that the progeny of Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) was essentially a single ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Mankind was but one community following one religion that is submission to the One God from the time of Adam to the time of Noah; but it is also said that this was the case from the time of Abraham to that of ‘Amr b. Luhayy; then they differed some of them remaining firmly upon belief in One God whi...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): What do the Idolators believe about Their Gods Allah reproaches the idolators that worshipped others beside Allah, thinking that those gods would intercede for them before Allah. Allah states that these gods do not harm or benefit. They don't have any authority over anything, nor do they own anythin...

وَلَقَدْ بَوَّأْنَا بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ مُبَوَّأَ صِدْقٍ وَرَزَقْنَٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِ فَمَا ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْعِلْمُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقْضِى بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ

Wa laqad bawwaanaa Baneee Israaa'eela mubawwa-a sidqinw wa razaqnaahum minnat taiyibaati famakh talafoo hattaa jaaa'ahmul 'ilm; inna Rabbaka yaqdee bainahum Yawmal Qiyaamati feemaa kaanoo feehi yakhtalifoon

And We had certainty settled the Children of Israel in an agreeable settlement and provided them with good things. And they did not differ until [after] knowledge had come to them. Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ

اور ہم نے بنی اسرائیل کو رہنے کو عمدہ جگہ دی اور کھانے کو پاکیزہ چیزیں عطا کیں لیکن وہ باوجود علم ہونے کے اختلاف کرتے رہے۔ بےشک جن باتوں میں وہ اختلاف کرتے رہے ہیں تمہارا پروردگار قیامت کے دن ان میں ان باتوں کا فیصلہ کردے گا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The second verse (93) brings the future of a people bulldozed in disgrace by the Pharaoh into sharp focus making it stand out against the evil end of the tyrant. It was said that Allah gave the Bani Isra'il a good place to live. They had the whole country of Egypt for themselves. Then, they were giv...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And verily We appointed for the Children of Israel an excellent abode a noble place of residence namely Syria and Egypt and We provided them with good things; and they did not differ such that some believed while others disbelieved until the knowledge came to them. Truly your Lord will judge between...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Establishment of the Children of Israel in the Land and Their Provision from the Good Things In these Ayat, Allah tells us about all the worldly and religious gifts which He bestowed upon the Children of Israel. Allah's statement, مُبَوَّأَ صِدْقٍ (honorable dwelling place) means in Egypt and Sy...

وَإِنَّ هَٰذِهِۦٓ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً وَأَنَا۠ رَبُّكُمْ فَٱتَّقُونِ

Wa inna haaziheee ummatukum ummatanw waahidatanw wa Ana Rabbukum fattaqoon

And indeed this, your religion, is one religion, and I am your Lord, so fear Me."

اور یہ تمہاری جماعت (حقیقت میں) ایک ہی جماعت ہے اور میں تمہارا پروردگار ہوں تو مجھ سے ڈرو

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: وَإِنَّ هَـٰذِهِ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً (And surely this is your creed, a single creed - 23:52). The word اُمَّہ is used to describe a group or the followers of a prophet. Sometimes it is also used in the sense of "faith", "creed" or "way of life", as in the verse وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَىٰ أ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And know that this creed of Islam is your community your religion O you being addressed that is you must adhere to it as one community — a necessary state of affairs a variant reading for anna ‘that’ has the softened form in; a variant has inna ‘truly’ indicating the beginning of an independent new ...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Command to eat Lawful Food and to do Righteous Deeds Allah commands His servants and Messengers, peace be upon them all, to eat lawful food and do righteous deeds, which indicates that eating what is lawful helps one to do righteous deeds. The Prophets, peace be upon them, did this in the most p...

فَتَقَطَّعُوٓا۟ أَمْرَهُم بَيْنَهُمْ زُبُرًا كُلُّ حِزْبٍۭ بِمَا لَدَيْهِمْ فَرِحُونَ

Fataqatta'ooo amrahum bainahum zuburaa; kullu hizbim bimaa ladaihim farihoon

But the people divided their religion among them into sects - each faction, in what it has, rejoicing.

تو پھر آپس میں اپنے کام کو متفرق کرکے جدا جدا کردیا۔ جو چیزیں جس فرقے کے پاس ہے وہ اس سے خوش ہو رہا ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: فَتَقَطَّعُوا أَمْرَهُم بَيْنَهُمْ زُبُرًا But they split up ways from one another (dividing themselves) into factions - 23:53). The word زُبُر is the plural of زُبُور meaning a book, and the verse would mean that Allah had commanded all prophets and their followers to adhere to the one and only fai...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: But they the followers split into sects regarding their affair their religion zuburan ‘sects’ is a circumstantial qualifier of the subject of the verb taqatta‘ū ‘they split’ in other words they became opposing parties the likes of the Jews and the Christians and others each party rejoicing in exulta...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Command to eat Lawful Food and to do Righteous Deeds Allah commands His servants and Messengers, peace be upon them all, to eat lawful food and do righteous deeds, which indicates that eating what is lawful helps one to do righteous deeds. The Prophets, peace be upon them, did this in the most p...

مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا۟ دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا۟ شِيَعًا كُلُّ حِزْبٍۭ بِمَا لَدَيْهِمْ فَرِحُونَ

Minal lazeena farraqoo deenahum wa kaanoo shiya'an kullu hizbim bimaa ladaihim farihoon

[Or] of those who have divided their religion and become sects, every faction rejoicing in what it has.

(اور نہ) اُن لوگوں میں (ہونا) جنہوں نے اپنے دین کو ٹکڑے ٹکڑے کر دیا اور (خود) فرقے فرقے ہو گئے۔ سب فرقے اسی سے خوش ہیں جو اُن کے پاس ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: مِنَ الَّذِينَ فَرَّ‌قُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا (Among those who split up religion and became sects - 30:32) that is, these disbelievers are those who have created a difference between Natural Faith and the true religion, or they have alienated themselves from the Natural Faith, as a result of...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: of those mina’lladhīna is a substitution for al-mushrikīna ‘idolaters’ using the same operator of the oblique min who have divided up their religion by being at variance over what they worship and have become dissenting factions sects divided over this matter each party among them rejoicing delighti...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Command to adhere to Tawhid Allah says: `so set your face and persevere in the religion which Allah has prescribed for you, the worship of Allah Alone, the religion of Ibrahim, to which Allah has guided you and which He has perfected for you with the utmost perfection. In this manner, you will a...

فَٱخْتَلَفَ ٱلْأَحْزَابُ مِنۢ بَيْنِهِمْ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمٍ أَلِيمٍ

Fakhtalafal ahzaabu mim bainihim fawailul lillazeena zalamoo min 'azaabi Yawmin aleem

But the denominations from among them differed [and separated], so woe to those who have wronged from the punishment of a painful Day.

پھر کتنے فرقے ان میں سے پھٹ گئے۔ سو جو لوگ ظالم ہیں ان کی درد دینے والے دن کے عذاب سے خرابی ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: وَلِأُبَيِّنَ لَكُم بَعْضَ الَّذِي تَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ (and to explain to you some of those matters in which you differ...43:63) Since Bana Isra'il were drowned in arrogance and obstinacy, they had tampered with the Divine laws. Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) disclosed the reality of such distortions....
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: But the factions differed among themselves regarding the status of Jesus was he God or the son of God or the third of Three deities? So woe waylun is a term implying chastisement to those who do wrong those who blaspheme in what they say about Jesus from the chastisement of a painful day.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Contempt of the Quraysh for the son of Maryam, and His true Status with Allah Allah tells us how the Quraysh persisted in their disbelief and stubborn arguments: وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلاً إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ (And when the son of Maryam is quoted as an example, behold, y...

وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَةُ

Wa maa tafarraqal lazeena ootul kitaaba il-la mim b'adi ma jaa-at humul baiyyinah

Nor did those who were given the Scripture become divided until after there had come to them clear evidence.

اور اہل کتاب جو متفرق (و مختلف) ہوئے ہیں تو دلیل واضح آنے کے بعد (ہوئے ہیں)

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Verse [ 4] وَمَا تَفَرَّ‌قَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ (And those who were given the Book did not disagree but after the Clear Proof came to them.) The verb tafarraqa here means 'to deny, reject or differ and disagree'. The verse means to say that the...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And those who were given the Scripture did not become divided regarding belief in him the Prophet s except after the clear proof had come to them namely the Prophet s — or the Qur’ān which he brought as his miracle. Before his s arrival they had all agreed to believe in him when he would come; then ...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Which was revealed in Madina The Messenger of Allah recited this Surah to Ubayy Imam Ahmad recorded from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah said to Ubayy bin Ka`b, «إِنَّ اللهَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَقْرَأَ عَلَيْكَ» لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ (Verily, Allah has command...

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