Q1: What is the Arabic text of Verse 2:213?
كَانَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ النَّبِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فِيمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ ۚ وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ فِيهِ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ فَهَدَى اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
Q2: What is the English translation of this verse?
“Mankind was once a single community; then Allah sent the prophets as bearers of good tidings and warners, and sent down with them the Book in truth, to judge between people concerning that in which they differed. And none differed concerning it except those who were given it, after clear proofs had come to them, out of mutual jealousy. Then Allah, by His leave, guided those who believed to the truth about which they had differed. And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.”
Q3: What does “كَانَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً” mean, and what does Maududi say about it?
It means “Mankind was once a single community.” Maududi clarifies this does not necessarily mean humanity followed one organized religion. Rather, it refers to a state of unified human nature — all people shared an innate recognition of God’s Oneness and basic moral truths. This innate disposition is called the Fitrah. In that simple, early state, there was no need for complex or divergent religious laws.
Q4: Why did Allah send prophets, according to this verse?
“فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ النَّبِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ” — “Then Allah sent the prophets as bearers of good tidings and warners.”
As societies grew complex and people deviated from the Fitrah through ignorance, superstition, and desire, Allah sent prophets out of mercy. Their role was twofold: to give glad tidings of Allah’s reward for the obedient, and to warn of His punishment for the rebellious.
Q5: What was the purpose of the revealed Books?
“وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فِيمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ” — “And sent down with them the Book in truth, to judge between people concerning that in which they differed.”
The Books were revealed to support the prophets and serve as a permanent, objective criterion of truth. Their core function was to act as the final, authoritative arbitrator in human disputes over truth, justice, and morality — matters that human intellect and custom alone could not definitively resolve.
Q6: Where did religious differences actually originate, according to this verse?
“وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ فِيهِ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ” — “And none differed concerning it except those who were given it, after clear proofs had come to them, out of mutual jealousy.”
Differences did not arise from ambiguity in the original revelation. The clear proofs (Al-Bayyinat) came first. Divisions emerged later — among the very recipients of scripture — driven by Baghyan baynahum: mutual envy, arrogance, and desire for supremacy. People corrupted the teachings out of worldly ambition and partisan spirit, producing fabricated interpretations and sects. Maududi stresses the corruption was in the hearts of later followers, not in the original message.
Q7: What role does the Qur’an play in this grand history of revelation?
“فَهَدَى اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِهِ” — “Then Allah, by His leave, guided those who believed to the truth about which they had differed.”
After a long history of prophetic missions followed by corruption, Allah sent the final Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) with the Qur’an as the ultimate fulfillment of the entire revelatory process. It restores the original, undistorted truth on all matters — monotheism, law, morality — about which previous communities had fallen into dispute through arrogance.
Q8: What does the verse’s closing statement mean?
“وَاللَّهُ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ” — “And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.”
This affirms a foundational principle: ultimate guidance belongs to Allah alone. He grants it to those who sincerely seek the truth, shed arrogance (baghy), and submit to Him when the clear message reaches them. The Straight Path (Siraat al-Mustaqeem) is Islam — the original, uncorrupted way of life now fully preserved in the Qur’an and the example of the final Prophet.
Q9: What is the historical philosophy of religion that this verse presents?
The verse outlines a grand narrative in five stages: human unity in basic truth → deviation from the Fitrah → sending of prophets with revealed Books to arbitrate → corruption of those teachings by later followers due to arrogance and envy → and finally, the sending of the Qur’an to restore the original truth for those who believe.
Q10: What does this verse teach about the cause of sectarianism?
According to Maududi’s Tafheem, religious division is not a sign of intellectual vitality or honest disagreement — it is a symptom of spiritual disease. The root cause is baghy: envy, arrogance, and the lust for dominance. Sects formed not because the revelation was unclear, but because people allowed their desires and ambitions to override the plain truth that had already come to them.
Q11: Is divine guidance automatic or conditional?
It is conditional. “وَاللَّهُ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ” — Allah’s guidance is granted to those whose hearts are open, sincere, and free from the very arrogance (baghy) that caused the original divisions. The verse implies that those who cling to pride and jealousy effectively shut the door to divine guidance upon themselves.
Messages from Quran 