وَمَا كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ إِلَّآ أُمَّةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ فَٱخۡتَلَفُواْۚ وَلَوۡلَا كَلِمَةٞ سَبَقَتۡ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ فِيمَا فِيهِ يَخۡتَلِفُونَ
Rowwad Translation Center
The whole of mankind was but a single community, then they differed[1]. If it had not been for a prior decree from your Lord, a decisive judgment would have been passed between them concerning their differences[2].
Notes
[1] Ibn ‘Abbās (رضى الله عنهما) reported: “The time between Adam and Noah was ten centuries. Throughout these, people were on the right path of Allah, but then they started disputing [over matters of Faith, i.e., idol worshiping]. So, Allah sent prophets bearing glad tiding and warning”. [Al-Hākim, Al-Mustadrak: 2:546, cf. Al-Tabarī]
[2] i.e., not to punish anyone before evidence has come to him, or not to judge between them in this life.
Translation: Rowwad Translation Center. Source: QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.20.
Arabic text: King Fahd Glorious Quran Printing Complex. Surah details: Tanzil.net (CC BY 3.0).
This is a translation of the meanings of the Quran. Like any human work, it may contain errors.