وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُم بَيِّنَـٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْرِ ۖ فَمَا ٱخْتَلَفُوٓا۟ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْعِلْمُ بَغْيًۢا بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقْضِى بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ 17
Translations
And We gave them clear proofs of the matter [of religion]. And they did not differ except after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.
Transliteration
Wa-ataynāhum bayyinātin min al-amr famā ikhtalafu illā min ba'da mā jāʾahum al-ʿilm baghyan baynahum. Inna rabbaka yaqdī baynahum yawm al-qiyāmah fīmā kānū fīhi yakhtalifūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah granted the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) clear proofs and guidance from His religion, yet they did not differ except out of jealousy and spite after knowledge had come to them. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah illustrates that their disagreement was not due to lack of clarity in the message, but rather from wilful rejection and tribal rivalry (baghyan). On the Day of Judgment, Allah will judge between them regarding all their disputes and make manifest the truth of the matter.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Jathiyah's discussion of Allah's signs and the rejection of disbelievers despite clear evidence. It specifically addresses the historical pattern of the People of the Book receiving divine knowledge yet choosing to dispute over it from motives of arrogance and worldly rivalry, setting the stage for the final judgment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The most hated of all people to Allah is the most quarrelsome' (reported in various forms in adab literature). Related thematically: 'Whoever follows a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise' (Sahih Muslim 2699), contrasting those who seek knowledge sincerely versus those who dispute after receiving it.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that possessing religious knowledge is not sufficient without sincere intention; disputes rooted in ego, jealousy, and desire for worldly gain contradict the purpose of revelation. We should examine our own disagreements in faith and scholarship to ensure they stem from genuine seeking of truth rather than pride or sectarian interests, knowing that Allah will ultimately judge all our disputes with perfect justice.