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
“Mankind were one community, and Allah sent (unto them) prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners, and revealed therewith the Scripture with the truth that it might judge between mankind concerning that wherein they differed. And only those unto whom (the Scripture) was given differed concerning it, after clear proofs had come unto them, through hatred one of another. And Allah by His Will guided those who believe unto the truth of that concerning which they differed. Allah guideth whom He will unto a straight path.” — M. M. Pickthall
Taberî9-10. c.✓ Citation verified
In this section, Taberî interprets the expression 'kâne'n-nâsü ümmeten vâhideh' to mean that people were united upon the religion of Adam, upon a single faith and community, and later fell into disagreement. He transmits the view that this period of unity lasted from Adam to Noah, comprising ten generations (nesil), all upon the correct divine law. He also considers it possible that this period refers either to the moment when Adam's offspring were presented to him or to some other time. Allah, at the time of disagreement, sent messengers as bearers of good news and warners, and revealed scriptures; this constitutes mercy and clear excuse for His servants.
وأولى التأويلات في هذه الآية بالصواب أن يقال إن الله عز وجل أخبر عباده أن الناس كانوا أمة واحدة على دين واحد وملة واحدة
Zemahşerî12. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Zemahşerî, Allah's punishment does not encompass those who believe in the messengers and follow what they brought, and who perform the necessary reform; the messengers were not sent to toy with people or to fulfill requests for miracles after the proofs are clearly evident. The phrase about 'the Book being revealed with Gabriel' either means that prophethood came together with the Qur'an, or, connecting it to the verb 'to follow', it refers to following the Qur'an and the Prophet's Sunnah.
من آمن بهم وبما جاؤا به وأطاعهم ، ومن كذبهم وعصاهم ولم يرسلهم ليتلهى بهم ويقترح عليهم الآيات بعد وضوح أمرهم بالبراهين القاطعة
Fahreddin er-Râzî12-13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to this exegete, people were initially a single community, and this unity was based upon the true faith (Islam), not upon falsehood; the disagreement that emerged later arose because of envy and transgression (bağy). This view is supported by the example that Adam and his offspring were initially obedient Muslims submitting to Allah, and disagreement only began when Cain killed Abel. Furthermore, it is stated that the sending of prophets occurred after this disagreement, because the state of people being a single community upon disbelief would be inconsistent from both rational and textual perspectives.
فثبت أن الناس كانوا أمة واحدة في الدين الحق لا في الدين الباطل وثالثها : أن آدم عليه السلام لما بعثه الله رسولا إلى أولاده ، فالكل كانوا مسلمين مطيعين لله تعالى ، ولم يحدث فيما بينهم اختلاف في الدين
Kurtubî13. c.✓ Citation verified
In this section, Kurtubî addresses multiple verses (the number of prophets, the judgment of the Book, the community's disagreement, and matters of guidance) by presenting grammatical analyses, reports of different Quranic recitations, and differences of opinion among exegetes. Particularly, he presents in detail the question of which subject the verb 'ليحكم' is attributed to, the reason for the word 'بغيا', and different interpretations of the expression 'هدى الله الذين آمنوا لما اختلفوا فيه من الحق' (Ferrâ's view of 'maklûb' and Ibn Atiyya's objection to it). In conclusion, he emphasizes that Allah guides believers to the truth, and that disagreement stems from envy and the desire for leadership.
قال بن عطية : ودعاه إلى هذا التقدير خوف أن يحتمل اللفظ أنهم اختلفوا في الحق فهدى الله المؤمنين لبعض ما اختلفوا فيه وعساه غير الحق في نفسه
İbn Kesîr14. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Ibn Kesîr, people were initially a single community upon the religion of Adam, but then began worshipping idols, whereupon Allah sent Noah as the first prophet. The disagreement arose only from envy (bağy) among them after the proof had been established. This text also explains through a hadith of the Prophet that the previous communities disagreed about Friday, the direction of prayer, prayer, fasting, and about Abraham and Jesus, while Allah guided the Community of Muhammad to the truth in these disagreements.
كانوا على ملة آدم حتى عبدوا الأصنام فبعث الله إليهم نوحا عليه السلام فكان أول رسول بعثه الله إلى أهل الأرض ولهذا قال تعالى أي من بعد ما قامت الحجج عليهم وما حملهم على ذلك إلا البغي من بعضهم على بعض
Beydâvî13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Beydâvî, people were united upon ignorance and disbelief after the flood or during the time of Idris or Noah, when Allah sent prophets as bearers of good news and warners, and revealed with them the Book that guides to the truth. While the purpose of revealing the Book was to remove disagreement among people, those who were given the Book did the opposite: they made what was revealed to remove disagreement the source and means of strengthening disagreement because of their envy and worldly desires. In conclusion, Allah, by His permission, guided those who believed to the truth about which they disagreed.
أي عكسوا الأمر فجعلوا ما أنزل مزيجا للاختلاف سببا لاستحكامه
Comparison
Common ground
All exegetes agree within the framework that people were initially a 'single community', then fell into disagreement, and that Allah sent prophets and revealed scripture to guide them to the truth in response to this disagreement. Furthermore, the emphasis that envy and bağy (transgression/desire for leadership) are the fundamental causes of disagreement is common in Râzî, Kurtubî, Ibn Kesîr, and Beydâvî.
Differences
Taberî and Ibn Kesîr concretize this initial period of unity in a historical-narrative manner (ten generations from Adam to Noah, or the shift to idolatry and Noah being sent as the first prophet); Beydâvî, by contrast, reads this period as unity upon ignorance and disbelief, and connects its timing to after the flood or the period of Idris-Noah. Râzî, however, defends that the initial unity was upon the true faith (Islam) with rational and textual proofs, rejecting the Mu'tazila's interpretation of guidance; Kurtubî addresses the matter largely through grammatical and Quranic recitation discussions (the attribution of the verb, the grammatical case of words) and comparative transmission between exegetes. Zemahşerî, rather than focusing on this part of the verse, turns his attention linguistically to the nature of the mission and the matter of following the Qur'an, shifting to a different axis.
Historical context
The earlier exegete Taberî follows a transmission-heavy method and leaves possibilities open; in later periods, Zemahşerî and Beydâvî bring linguistic and rhetorical analysis to the forefront, while Râzî employs more systematic theological-rational argumentation. In Kurtubî and Ibn Kesîr, a combined approach of transmission and grammatical analysis is observed, representing a synthesis of earlier scholarship; while the basic framework (transition from a single community to disagreement, prophets as mercy) remains constant, the methods and emphases have diversified over time.
Modern connection
This comparative reading reminds us that many social disagreements often stem from envy and self-interest, and that the pursuit of knowledge and truth can play a unifying role in response. The sending of prophets as bearers of good news and warners can be considered, in our time, as a signal that a constructive, service-oriented, and patient approach can strengthen social solidarity. The existence of different interpretations side by side offers a cautious suggestion about the importance of tolerance and dialogue in the scholarly tradition.
AI analysis — not a fatwa or ruling, not yet reviewed by a scholar