Need help with understanding a verse in the Qur'an. - Al Imran Verse 19

And they did not become divided until after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves... [Shura 42:14]



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وَمَا تَفَرَّقُوا إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى لَّقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُورِثُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مُرِيبٍ

And they did not become divided untilafter knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. And if not for a word that preceded from your Lord [postponing the penalty] until a specified time, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed, those who were granted inheritance of the Scripture after them are, concerning it, in disquieting doubt.

[Shura 42.14]



Baghiy- urge to dominate the other.Out of Ego, self pride.
Ie a king wanting to take over another to prove his power. Or a scholar wanting to defeat another due to 'intellectual power'.

Haal [their state]: they disagreed only to defeat the other out of rivalry.
Maf'ool lahu: due to ego and to prove you're more knowledgeable.



مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ اللَّهِ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ
Muhammad (SAW) is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are severe against disbelievers, and merciful/humble among themselves. [Fat-h 48:29]

Are we correcting humbly to convey the truth which unifies us?

Or are we causing disputes to raise our ego and cause disunity through this harshness?




بِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ ۖفَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْوَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْوَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ ۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ

So by mercy from Allah , [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah . Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him].

[aal Imraan 3:159]


1 - Fa'fuw 'an hum (forgive them lovingly)
2 - Wastaghfir lahum (and seek forgiveness for them)
3 -And consult them (shawir - shoowra)- so if they did wrong - they still feel honored because their opinions are still heard by Allah's Messenger or the Muslim leader.

3 strong ways to show you have forgiven someone. Each stronger than the previous.




Shura 42:14 tafseer continued;


وَمَا تَفَرَّقُوا إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى لَّقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُورِثُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مُرِيبٍ


And they did not become divided untilafter knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. And if not for a word that preceded from your Lord [postponing the penalty] until a specified time, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed, those who were granted inheritance of the Scripture after them are, concerning it, in disquieting doubt.

[Shura 42.14]



Allah gets angry when Muslims argue worthlessly, and He would send a punishment straightaway for their arguments with each other, was it not for the fact that He delays that for a wisdom.

The effects of their arguments harms the next generation;


OoWrith-ul kitab - those who inherited the book.

Not أوت الكتابoowtul kitab (those given the book), or those who believed in the kitaab.. No, Warith وارث is an inheritor.



la fee[no doubt- in]

Shak - doubt - so you are not confident to go forward.

mureeb - a doubt which prevents you from going forward.

the next generation is in doubt about the religion, so they do not advance in it.

Why?

Because the previous generation was always disputing, fighting - and the evil they did - passed onto later generations, so that they could not distinguish what was right or wrong/halal or haram etc.



This is why Allah tells us to pray;

وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا

Rabbana hablana min azwajina wa dhurriyatanaa qurratta a'yunin, wa ja'alna lil muttaqeena imaama.

And those who say: "Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the Muttaqun [the God fearing]"

[Surah al Furqan 25:74]


So on Judgment Day - we have descendants who were strong upon Islam, instead of gradually turning away from the religion.

If we do not stop these petty disagreements in the religion, we will be responsible if any of our future generations did not become Muslim. Since we were the ones who made our own children and the future generations dislike the religion.



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Assalamualaikum,

Thank You for both of your help in your explanations of the Ayaah.

Allhamdullilah I think i understand now.

The core of the Ayaah and the lesson that we should learn is to not let envy and our ego misdirect our focus and path from Allah as how ad happened to them; even after the message was revealed to them. And Allah SWT is swift in punishment ..

Is that right?

One question though; They as mentioned in the Surah

وَمَا تَفَرَّقُوا إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى لَّقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُورِثُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مُرِيبٍ

And they did not become divided untilafter knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves.

It seems that the word divided makes the closest translation and Since the Ayaah contains the word Baghyi, it makes me wonder if "they" who mentioned in the ayaah not only refers to Christians and the Jews but the ayah further focus on the small group of people who disbanded our army from the battle of Badr? (since this Section of the soorah was revealed to Muhammad (PUH) right after the battle?.

Or should I not look and analyze that deep into the ayaah? or it might cause me to misinterpreter it ?

If both of our brother may add and put this discussion to close. Do you have any advice for someone such as me in Learning the Qur'an on our own?

Thank you again to you brother Ahmad Waheed and brother Qatada.

Assalamualaikum.

I think you mean the battle of Uhud. But even in the battle of Uhud, the Muslims ran for the Quraysh's wealth because they thought they had won the battle.


This ayah is more specifically criticizing people who debate the religion for their own self respect and pride. None of the Sahaba/companions of the Prophet had these characteristics. Only later generations of Muslims did.

Assalamualaikum.

Yes it was the battle of Uhud. The section of the surah was revealed after badr and even after that mistake was made during Uhud Battle

I should proceed with my learning very carefully. And after that with constant self reminding of what I have learned.

Thank you again.

in these verses it is stated that the true and right religion is only Islam and we should follow this religion to go to paradise. '...except out of envy among them self, and after true knowledge had come to them." this verse means that ALLAH has given us the holy book Quran which is the guide to right path. But still people having Quran go to wrong paths, the path of Satan.

[QUOTE=aworkinprogress;1384423]Bismillahhirrahmanirrahim

I need help in understanding a verse in The Qur'an.

Al-Imran, Verse 19.

(3:19) The true religion with Allah is Islam. *16 The People of the Book adopted many different ways rather than follow the true way of Islam even after the knowledge of truth had reached them, and this merely to commit excesses against one another. *17 Let him who refuses to follow the ordinances and directives of Allah know that Allah is swift in His reckoning.


*16. In the sight of God there is only one system of life and way of conduct which is both in accord with reality and morally right. This consists of man's acknowledging God as his Lord and the sole object of his worship and devotion; of surrendering himself unreservedly to God in obedience and service.
In doing so he should follow in toto the guidance communicated by God through His Messengers rather than try to devise ways of serving God according to his own lights.

This mode of thought and action is known as Islam, and it is only reasonable that the Lord and Creator of the universe should accept nothing less from His creatures and servants. In his folly man thinks that he has the right to believe in and follow every doctrine that comes his way whether it be atheism or idolatry. In the sight of the Sovereign of the universe, however, all such attitudes amount to nothing short of rebellion against God.

*17. This shows that the religion of every Messenger of God, in every age and time, was none other than Islam (submission to God). Likewise, every Divine book, in whichever language it was revealed, and to whichever people it was addressed, contained the teachings of Islam.

The various religions which have spread among mankind are distortions of this true, original religion, and are the result of tampering. Coveting privileges over and above those to which they were entitled, people altered the beliefs, principles and injunctions of the true religion in a manner conducive to their own interests.