وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِحَبْلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا۟ ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَآءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِۦٓ إِخْوَٰنًا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ 103
Translations
And hold firmly to the rope of Allāh all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allāh upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allāh make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.
Transliteration
Wa'tasimoo bihablillahi jamee'an wa laa tafarraqoo, wadhkuroo ni'matallahi alaikum idh kuntum a'daa'an fa allafa baina qulubikum fa asbahatum bini'matihi ikhwanan wa kuntum alaa shafa hufratim minan nari fa anqadhakum minha, kadhalika yubayyinullahu lakum ayatihi la'allakum tahtadun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the believers to hold firmly to the rope of Allah (the Quran and Islamic teachings) collectively and to refrain from division. It reminds them of Allah's grace in transforming them from mutual enemies into brothers united in faith, and warns them that without this unity they would have been on the brink of hellfire. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that 'the rope of Allah' refers to the Quran and adherence to Islamic guidance, while Al-Tabari notes the historical context of pre-Islamic Arab tribal enmities that Islam healed.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period when the Muslim community (Muhajirun and Ansar) faced internal tensions and the threat of disunity. The immediate context follows verses about the People of the Book and precedes guidance on leadership and community cohesion, emphasizing that social unity is essential for the survival and success of the Islamic state.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are like one body. When one limb complains, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever' (Sahih Muslim 2586). Also relevant: 'Do not envy one another, do not inflate prices against one another, do not hate one another, and do not turn away from one another' (Sahih Muslim 2564), emphasizing unity and brotherhood.
Themes
Key Lesson
Muslims must prioritize communal unity as a religious obligation and spiritual lifeline, recognizing that their strength and salvation lie in holding together on the path of Allah rather than fragmenting into competing factions. This requires constant remembrance of how far the Ummah has come through divine grace and conscious effort to maintain brotherhood despite differences.