The Unity of Muslims — Page 21
21 In some cases, disputes arise between parties, one leading people to falsehood and the other to truth: ِ ہ ۡ فِی اخۡتَلَفُوۡا لِمَا اللّٰہُ الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا فَہَدَی God Almighty shows the path of success to those who differ. In other words, differing is so noble in certain instances that Allah the Exalted grants success to such people—not for uniting, but rather for diverging. The verse further says that they differed َ مِن ِّ الۡحَق for the sake of truth; and not for personal reasons but ٖ بِاِذۡنِہ as per divine command. For the same deed, one is granted honour and respect by Allah, while another is afflicted with punishment. This distinction arises because the latter disagrees for the sake of falsehood, instead of truth. The disbelievers also advocated for unity, but the Holy Quran disapproved it. They accused the Holy Prophet s as of sowing discord by introducing a new religion, asserting that they were united in their ancestral faith, but Muhammad s as sought to divide them. Though the disbelievers called for unity, God Almighty declared disagreement as the valid course of action. It is stated in the Holy Quran: عَلَیۡہِ اٰب َٓاءَن َا ؕ اَوَلَوۡ کَانَ اٰب َٓاؤُہُمۡ لَا بَلۡ نَتَّبِعُ مَاۤ اَلۡفَیۡنَا مَاۤ اَنۡزَلَ اللّٰہُ قَالُوۡا قِیۡلَ لَہُمُ اتَّبِعُوۡا وَاِذَا command, guided the believers to the truth regarding which they differed, and Allah guides whomsoever He pleases to the right path. ( Sūrah Baqarah , 2:214) [Publishers]