Humankind Began as one Single Community
2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
كَانَ
النَّاسُ أُمَّةً
وَاحِدَةً
فَبَعَثَ اللّهُ
النَّبِيِّينَ
مُبَشِّرِينَ
وَمُنذِرِينَ...
2: 213. Mankind was one single nation, and Allah sent Messengers with glad tidings and warnings;
... وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فِيمَا اخْتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ...
and with them He sent the Book in truth, to judge between people in matters wherein they differed;
... وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ فِيهِ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ ...
but the People of the Book, after the clear Signs came to them, did not differ among themselves, except through selfish contumacy.
... فَهَدَى اللّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لِمَا اخْتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِهِ...
Allah by His Grace guided the believers to the truth, concerning that wherein they differed.
... وَاللّهُ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاء إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿٢١٣﴾
For Allah guides whom He will to a path that is straight.
Asad’s Version:
2: 213 All mankind were once one single community; whereupon God raised up the prophets as heralds of glad tidings and as warners, and through them bestowed revelation from on high, setting forth the truth, so that it might decide between people with regard to all on which the yhad come to hold divergent views……..
2: 253 Some of these apostles have We endowed more highly than others: ……………….and if God had so willed, they who succeeded those would not have contended with one another after all evidence of the truth had come to them; but they did take to divergent views, and some of them attained to faith, while some of them came to deny the truth. Yet if God so willed, they would not have contended with one another: but God does whatever He wills.
[asad note 245: Once again-as in verse 213 above – the Quran alludes to the inevitability of dissension among human beings: in other words, it is the will of God that their way to the truth should be marked by conflicts and trial by error.]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَا كَانَ
النَّاسُ إِلاَّ
أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً
فَاخْتَلَفُواْ...
10: 19. Mankind was but one nation, but differed (later).
C1406. Cf. 2:213.
All mankind was created one, and Allah's Message to mankind is in essence one, the Message of Unity and Truth.
But as selfishness and egotism got hold of man, certain differences sprang up between individuals, races, and nations, and in His infinite Mercy He sent them messengers and messages to suit their varying mentality, to test them by His gifts, and stir them up to emulation in virtue and piety (5:48).
...وَلَوْلاَ كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ فِيمَا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ ﴿١٩﴾
Had it not been for a word that went forth before from thy Lord, their differences would have been settled between them.
C1407. Cf. 6:115. 9:40, and 4:171.
"Word" is the Decree of Allah, the expression of His Universal Will or Wisdom in a particular case.
When men began to diverge from one another (see last note). Allah made their very differences subserve the higher ends by increasing their emulation in virtue and piety, and thus pointing back to the ultimate Unity and Reality. (R).
Asad’s Version:
10: 19 All mankind were once but one single community, and only later they begin to hold divergent views. And had it not been for a decree that had already gone forth from your Sustainer, all their differences would indeed have been settled. [asad, see asad notes]
[asad note 29: ……….Since, however, such a uniformity would have precluded men’s intellectual, moral and social development, God has left it to their reason, aided by prophetic guidance, gradually find their way to the truth.