This may therefore remain undecided, but it should be noted
that in every case the Qur'an clearly shows that those whom Allaah proclaims to
have been a single umma were so designated on the basis of their belief
and their religion of truth and that there was with them no unbelief and no
idolatry. Allaah has said in the sura in which Jonah is mentioned: 'The people were
(originally) only one umma; then they fell into disagreement. Had it not
been for a word from thy Lord that preceded, a decision would already have been
given between them concerning their differences' (Sura 10:19/20). Thus, Allaah has
pronounced a threat against disunity and not against harmony and the existence
of a single umma. If the people were in agreement in unbelief before
disunity entered and if they became at variance later, then such disunity would
have originated only under the assumption that some of these people turned (from
unbelief) to belief. In this case, however, it would have been more appropriate
to divine wisdom for a promise to be pronounced rather than a threat, since it
then would have been the case that some of these people would have turned to
obedience to Allaah. It is unthinkable that Allaah would pronounce a threat if such a
condition for repentance and conversion existed, or that he would neglect to do
so if all (people) were in agreement in unbelief and idolatry.
Indeed (at -Tabari concludes), Allaah's words then Allaah sent
forth the prophets as messengers of good tidings and as warners mean that he
sent messengers to those who obeyed him, bringing good tidings concerning
abundant reward and precious return (to Allaah). With the expression as warners
Allaah means that the prophets should warn the disobedient and the unbelievers
about severe punishment, harmful revenge, and their eternal stay in the
hell-fire.
And He sent down with them the Book with the truth, that He
might decide between the people concerning their differences: by which Allaah means
that the Book (al-kitab), that is, the Torah (at-taurat), should decide between
the people concerning that about which they disagreed. Allaah has assigned the
decision to the Book and has established it and not the prophets and messengers
as that which decides between the people, since whenever one of the prophets or
messengers had to bring down a decision, he did this on the basis of the
indications which are given in the Book which is sent down by Allaah. Thus the Book
was the deciding factor between the people on the basis of its indications of
that which (at that time)had qualified as an indication of the right decision,
since the verdict between the people was also set down from the other side (that
is, from the prophets).
The discussion of the interpretation (ta'wil) of Allaah's
words But those to whom it had been given disagreed concerning it, after
clear signs had come to them, being insolent one to another. His words
disagreed concerning it mean that they disagreed concerning the Book
which Allaah had sent down, that is, the Torah. (His words) those to whom it had
been given mean the Jews of the Children of lsrael.~ They are the ones who
had been given the Torah and its knowledge. ... (His words) after clear signs
had come to them mean: after they had received the arguments and the proofs
(adilla) of Allaah indicating that the Book, concerning which they disagreed
in their decisions, had come from Allaah and that it constituted the truth,
concerning which they were not to disagree and which must not be disobeyed.
Thus, Allaah proclaims that the Jews of the Children of Israel disobeyed the Book,
the Torah, and disagreed concerning it in spite of the knowledge that it
contains. Thereby they deliberately disobeyed Allaah since they violated his
command and the decision of his Book.
Thus Allaah proclaims that this (disunity) occurred through mutual
rebellion among themselves, when they sinned intentionally and committed
disobedience by disobeying Allaah's command. ...
Allaah's words But those to whom it had been given disagreed
concerning it, after clear signs had come to them, being insolent one to another
mean: Those who disagreed among the Jews of the Children of Israel disagreed
concerning my Book, which I sent down to them by my prophets, not because they
had not known it; on the contrary, they came to disagree regarding it only after
knowing it, for they disobeyed the decision of the Book, when its arguments had
already been presented thoroughly. (This disunity originated) out of rebellion
among themselves because some of them desired mastery over the others and
regarded them with scorn. ...