“I am convinced about the veracity of my opinions, but I do consider it likely that they may turn out to be incorrect. Likewise, I am convinced about the incorrectness of the views different from mine, but I do concede the possibility that they may turn out to be correct.” — Imam Shafa’i

The ayah declares at the outset كانَ النّاسُ أُمَّةً واحِدَةً ie “ All mankind were once one single community”. In the seventh century it was a readily acceptable statement. But now, in the twenty first century with an explosion in the science of sociology and demography it is a challenging declaration. The translation and the explanation must reflect the present day knowledge on the subject. The literal meaning of this assertion is simple and obvious. The original state of mankind is described as peaceful and cooperative at the dawn of man’s history. But, perhaps it will not stand modern scrutiny. Let us dissect out what this simple declaration stands for? According to the eminent scholar Dr. Mohammed Asad Qur’an does not propound this literal meaning. In his famous commentary “the Message of Quran” he narrates: “What is alluded to in this verse is no more than the relative homogeneity of instinctive perceptions and inclinations characteristic of man’s primitive mentality and the primitive social order in which he lived in those early days.” This apparent homogeneity was devoid of any intellectual and emotional footing. Hence with the flow of time and development of scholarly attitudes and capabilities this homogeneity was replaced by differences and discord. “The single community” very soon took the form of dissenting factions on the basis of their outlook on life and their moral values. These divisions, disagreements and conflict that afflicted mankind throughout history were based on, among other things jealousy, greed, caprice. This state demanded Divine Guidance which came in the form of prophets and “al-kitaab”. It should be noted that the latter refers to, as in many other places in the Quran Devine revelations in general and not to any particular scripture. As against the prevailing view that man began his journey in the darkness of polytheism, Quran maintains that the light of Truth was revealed to the first man Adam which then trickled down the human race. Thus the Qur’ān asserts here that mankind shares the same origin and that we are members of the same human family. This family principle in human life is the cornerstone of the human community as suggested by the eminent scholar Sayyid Qutb in his monumental tafseer Fee Dhilalil Quran. This phase persisted for a period when men lived as a “single community”. Later this tranquillity was corrupted by greed, injustice etc. resulting in fragmentation of the society. “This single community was later to grow, multiply and scatter in various directions; their way of life evolved in different ways, and so did their mental and cultural abilities and norms. New trends, fresh ideas and advanced social and cultural forms emerged which, as God knew, would be useful and advantageous to human society”. As new beliefs, traditions and ideologies appeared the Prophets were sent to correct them and show the true light again. Every Prophet preached on the basis of Tauheed—God’s absolute oneness. With the Prophets, as the index ayah suggest God “sent down the Book, setting forth the truth, to judge between people over all on which they differed”. As time went by people discussed, debated, deviated and fragmented. This demanded the need for a new prophet who maintained the fundamentals of religion but added a new set of teachings to accommodate the intellectual, cultural and material developments that materialized in the meantime. This is one of the fundamental principle in Islamic teachings. What is the source of human values, principles and defining laws for human interactive relationship? The answer is clear. This source is God alone. HE has sent down revelations collected in the form of Books to guide and instruct mankind in all the spheres of life. The index ayah, in a way is defining the Islamic view of “the origin and development of religion and religious ideology in the world”. According to this theory, a Prophet was assigned to guide, educate and train a people on the fundamental principle of Tauheed, God’s absolute oneness. As time went by differences and defections followed leading to utter chaos. This state affairs demanded another Prophet who included the altered thoughts and values that crept up over time in his teachings and training. “The fact is that it was necessary for a definite and firm standard to exist as a reference point for all mankind. It was likewise necessary that this standard should come from a source above the human mind and independent from it. It had to come from an impartial source, not encumbered or swayed by human prejudices or shortcomings”. Such a responsibility requires an infinite and comprehensive knowledge of past, present and future events, not restricted by the limitations of time and space. It also requires perfection, total self- sufficiency, and freedom from all the needs, instincts, ambitions, desires and fears that constrain and control human beings. This can be be realized by God alone who is influenced neither by personal purpose, prejudice or desire, nor by weakness or shortcoming. Briefly stated, the basic and crucial principle of Islamic view of human history is that the Book revealed by God is the final criterion and arbiter for mankind. Right and wrong are not to be decided by human individuals or through a ballot box. The secular thinkers strongly differ; they offer entirely different theory of the history of religion. I find the explanation for this segment of ayah “all men used to be a single ummah” given by Imam Raghib al-Isfahani, محمّد الراغب الاصفهانی an eleventh-century Persian Muslim scholar of Qur’anic exegesis and the Arabic language in his al-Mufradit very meaningful and relevant. He says “that the word, ummah signifies a set of people gathered together for reasons of faith, time or place. This element of unity could be that of beliefs and ideas, or that of presence in a geographical area at a given time, or that of heredity, language, colour and its likes”. “ So, the sense of the statement is that there was a time when all human beings used to be a composite group” adds Mufti Mohammed Shafi in his famous tafseer Ma’aariful Quran. He goes on to state that this composite group was based on ideas and beliefs and further that the majority accepted the God’s message brought by the Prophets. This notion of initial single community reverberates in the Quran: ^[3] . “Mankind were but a single [religious] community; then they differed…….”   “Indeed this community of yours is one community, and I am your Lord. So worship Me”. “Indeed this community of yours is one community, and I am your Lord, so be wary of Me”. What was the period of this universal human unity referred to in the Quran? The opinions in the literature of riwaayah are numerous and diverse. Al-Ṭabarī, an influential scholar from Iran, historian, prolific polymath and commentator on the Qur’an states that the exact dates are not significant to the meaning of the verse. “This may be taken as reference to the very first nucleus of human beings to live on earth, consisting of Adam, Eve and their offspring, before they multiplied and adopted various beliefs and ways of life” according to Sayyid Qutub. Mufti Mohammed Shafi suggests different possibilities: “Azal” a period before the birth of humanity and when the oath of “a-lasto” was taken OR after the birth of Sayyidna Adam OR from the birth of Sayyidna Adam to Sayyidna Idrees OR the time of the deluge in the days of Sayyidna Nuh. For details of his views, please see the footnotes.^[4] At this point, Mufti Mohammed Shafi draws rather a controversial conclusion: “We also discover here that the two-nation theory of Muslim and non-Muslim, the identification of nationhood on the basis of religion is exactly what the Qur’an aims to support……Along with it, we can also clearly see that the real foundation of the two-nation theory stands on raising a united nationhood, which flourished in the very beginning and which was based, not on the factor of the country of origin, but on believing in the Truth and following the straight path”. This line of thinking, not uncommon among Muslims has landed them and Islam in very embarrassing, unpleasant and confrontational situations in dealing with the rest three fourth of humanity. More on this later at an appropriate place and time. Nasr Sayyid Hussain et al have tried to include all the reported commentaries on this ayah in their modern tafseer “The Study Quran”. Some of the suggestions quoted by them for the explanation of “one single community” include: “period between Adam and Noah; another interpretation attributes this oneness to the person of Adam; it is an allusion to the pre-temporal covenant all human beings made with God etc.”. It makes a confused reading to me. I could not make much of it. If you are interested, please look into the footnotes.^[5] The last segment of the ayah declares ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَهدي مَن يَشاءُ إِلىٰ صِراطٍ مُستَقيمٍ ie “for God guides onto a straight way him that wills [to be guided].” There is a nuance in these words which is almost critical for our salvation. The Book has always been there and will be there to guide you to the Truth. But to get advantage and assistance from it, one must avoid all denial and contravention, become a true seeker of Allah and then turn to the Divine Book. The holy text makes the same point elsewhere in these words:^[6] “It is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear God; Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them”. These are the pre-requisite for a Muslim to ensure his salvation from the teachings of Quran. However, this is a multi-purpose and multi-faceted book. Hence this is also the first book for non-believers who are in search of the Truth. The index ayah shows the best way to critically analyse and settle these differences. It also asserts that the Book is “setting forth the truth”. In other words, the book derived from the revelation of God to mankind has the ultimate truth. It should be therefore considered as “the ultimate, pre-eminent and sole arbiter and judge” in all the differences in the human race — ideas or performance. Man needs this authority to avoid and assuage the present day turmoil and disorientation and proceed towards peace and happiness . Sayyid Qutb, an eminent Muslim scholar, political activist.revolutionary and a leading member of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood has adopted a unique style in his tafseer Fi Dhilalil Quran. Usually a commentator selects an ayah or a group of ayahs and explains them keeping in focus the background, the scenario and the need for them. On the other hand Sayyid Qutb starts his narration in his great tafseer Fee Dhilalil Quran as a story and narration of Islamic history and inserts an ayah regularly as needed to support and endorse what he is describing. In the commentary of this ayah he describes a broad idea of the reasons and working of Islam, nay of religion in general. I am sure it will be totally rejected by the staunch secularists and atheists of today as it runs contrary to their views on the subject. He labels this as “a profound truth”. It is natural for humans to differ and disagree. He mentions this is “essential for the fulfillment of man’s role as God’s vicegerent on earth”. Man is equipped with the necessary qualities — a divergence of functions, aptitudes and talent — for this task. God’s universal scheme and wisdom maintains a harmony in the midst of these differences. Simultaneously these “abilities, faculties and resources are given the best chance to grow and develop for the good of the individual and the community, as well as for the benefit of humanity at large”. Mankind needs a universal standard to regulate his performance. Who will provide this? The secularists maintain that human mind alone is sufficient for this task. However, as he puts it “Such a responsibility requires an infinite and comprehensive knowledge of past, present and future events, not restricted by the limitations of time and space. It also requires perfection, total self- sufficiency, and freedom from all the needs, instincts, ambitions, desires and fears that constrain and control human beings. It can then be given only by God who is influenced neither by personal purpose, prejudice or desire, nor by weakness or shortcoming”. These Divine criteria will help man to navigate and adapt smoothly through the changing circumstances to achieve most advantages with the confidence “that their fate and destiny are in the hands of an impartial, fair and caring God”. I am afraid the full impact and ramifications of his view and statements is probably lost in the gist of his comments that I have tried to give. Please taste the flavor of his style and vocabulary here.^[7] ……7….Qutb………. Richard Dawkins the famous evolutionary biologist and a strong and relentless advocate of atheism will frown at this description of religion. He thinks the human mind by its reason and logic has discovered completely the origin, purpose and working of life and universe. Therefore there is no need for a God and hence his book “The God Delusion.” ……..and Allah knows best. May Allah Ta’aala bless us with true understanding–“fahm”–of our Deen, Aameen. Dr. Khalid Mitha