وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَهُمْ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً وَلَـٰكِن يُدْخِلُ مَن يَشَآءُ فِى رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ وَٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ مَا لَهُم مِّن وَلِىٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ 8
Translations
And if Allāh willed, He could have made them [of] one religion, but He admits whom He wills into His mercy. And the wrongdoers have not any protector or helper.
Transliteration
Wa-law shaa-a Allahu laja-alahum ummatan wahidatan wa-laakin yudkhilu man yashaa fee rahmatih. Wa-az-zalimun ma lahum min waliyyin wa-la nasir.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah teaches that Allah could have made all humanity follow one religion, but He chose to test them with different beliefs and paths, allowing whomever He wills to enter His mercy. Ibn Kathir explains that this demonstrates Allah's divine wisdom in creating free choice and accountability, while Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that the wrongdoers (az-zalimun) who reject guidance will have no protector or helper on the Day of Judgment to save them from punishment.
Revelation Context
Surah Ash-Shuraa is a Meccan surah revealed during the period when the Muslims faced persecution and ideological opposition from the Quraysh. This ayah addresses the reality of religious pluralism in the pre-Islamic Arabian society and the broader context of humanity's diversity in belief, reassuring the Prophet and believers that Allah's plan encompasses human free will and that ultimate justice belongs to Allah alone.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari (Book of Tawheed) where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Each child is born upon the fitrah (natural disposition), but his parents make him a Jew, Christian, or Magian.' This relates to the theme of how people are guided or led astray. Additionally, Surah 76:3 complements this with 'Indeed, We have guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims that while diversity in belief exists by Allah's divine wisdom, our responsibility is to follow the straight path and show compassion to others while remaining firm in faith. It also reassures believers that ultimate justice is Allah's alone, so we should trust in His judgment rather than despair over the world's spiritual confusion.