وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لَجَعَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً ۖ وَلَا يَزَالُونَ مُخْتَلِفِينَ 118
Translations
And if your Lord had willed, He could have made mankind one community; but they will not cease to differ,
Transliteration
Wa-law shaa'a rabbuka la-ja'ala al-nasa ummatan wahidah wa-la yazalun mukhtalifin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that if Allah willed, He could have made all humanity follow one religion and path, but He has decreed that people will always differ and hold various beliefs. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir explain that this divine wisdom permits human free will and the test of faith—differences among people persist as part of Allah's established sunnah (divine law), and these differences themselves serve as a test for believers in maintaining their faith and practicing patience with those who disagree.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Hud's discussion of divine wisdom and the stories of the prophets sent to various nations. It reflects the Meccan period's themes of addressing the polytheistic Arabs' rejection of monotheism and the reality that despite prophetic guidance, people choose different paths. The verse contextualizes human diversity within Allah's overarching plan and divine knowledge.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'My ummah will not agree upon misguidance' (Ummati la tajma'u 'ala dalalah) addresses the positive aspect of diversity—that the community's collective agreement cannot be wrong. Additionally, the hadith about the 73 sects in At-Tirmidhi relates to the reality of differences predicted in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to recognize that disagreement among people is part of Allah's divine decree and tests our conviction rather than weakening it; we should remain steadfast in faith while showing mercy and forbearance toward those who differ, understanding that ultimate judgment belongs only to Allah.