Al-Anbya 21:93
The Prophets · Juz 17 · Page 330
وَتَقَطَّعُوٓاْ أَمۡرَهُم بَيۡنَهُمۡۖ كُلٌّ إِلَيۡنَا رَٰجِعُونَ ٩٣
And [yet] they divided their affair [i.e., that of their religion] among themselves,1 [but] all to Us will return.
1 translator’s note
- Becoming sects and denominations. ↩
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 21:92–94
God has sent all prophets with the same religion, namely, one according to which the one and only God should be one’s God and that He alone should be worshipped. Had people been steadfast in this original religion, all of them would have continued as one Community (ummah). But, people on their own started entering into disputes and thus concocted different versions of the same religion. Individuals exercised their ‘right’ to choose whatever religion best suited their interests. Thus one religion came to be divided into many religions. To God, faith and deeds have importance only when they signify true realization of Him and true obedience to Him. Anything other than these will not be appreciated by God, however much the individuals themselves may attach value to them.
Page 330
21:91
وَٱلَّتِيٓ أَحۡصَنَتۡ فَرۡجَهَا فَنَفَخۡنَا فِيهَا مِن رُّوحِنَا وَجَعَلۡنَٰهَا وَٱبۡنَهَآ ءَايَةٗ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٩١
And [mention] the one who guarded her chastity [i.e., Mary], so We blew into her [garment] through Our angel [i.e., Gabriel], and We made her and her son a sign for the worlds.
21:92
إِنَّ هَٰذِهِۦٓ أُمَّتُكُمۡ أُمَّةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ وَأَنَا۠ رَبُّكُمۡ فَٱعۡبُدُونِ ٩٢
Indeed this, your religion, is one religion,1 and I am your Lord, so worship Me.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., a collective way of life or course of conduct followed by a community. ↩
21:93
وَتَقَطَّعُوٓاْ أَمۡرَهُم بَيۡنَهُمۡۖ كُلٌّ إِلَيۡنَا رَٰجِعُونَ ٩٣
And [yet] they divided their affair [i.e., that of their religion] among themselves,1 [but] all to Us will return.
1 translator’s note
- Becoming sects and denominations. ↩
21:94
فَمَن يَعۡمَلۡ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَهُوَ مُؤۡمِنٞ فَلَا كُفۡرَانَ لِسَعۡيِهِۦ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ كَٰتِبُونَ ٩٤
So whoever does righteous deeds while he is a believer - no denial will there be for his effort,1 and indeed We [i.e., Our angels], of it, are recorders.
1 translator’s note
- Such a person will not be deprived of his due reward. ↩
21:95
وَحَرَٰمٌ عَلَىٰ قَرۡيَةٍ أَهۡلَكۡنَٰهَآ أَنَّهُمۡ لَا يَرۡجِعُونَ ٩٥
And it is prohibited to [the people of] a city which We have destroyed that they will [ever] return1
1 translator’s note
- They cannot return to this world, nor can they repent to Allāh. ↩
21:96
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فُتِحَتۡ يَأۡجُوجُ وَمَأۡجُوجُ وَهُم مِّن كُلِّ حَدَبٖ يَنسِلُونَ ٩٦
Until when [the dam of] Gog and Magog has been opened and they, from every elevation, descend
21:97
وَٱقۡتَرَبَ ٱلۡوَعۡدُ ٱلۡحَقُّ فَإِذَا هِيَ شَٰخِصَةٌ أَبۡصَٰرُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يَٰوَيۡلَنَا قَدۡ كُنَّا فِي غَفۡلَةٖ مِّنۡ هَٰذَا بَلۡ كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ ٩٧
And [when] the true promise [i.e., the resurrection] has approached; then suddenly the eyes of those who disbelieved will be staring [in horror, while they say], "O woe to us; we had been unmindful of this; rather, we were wrongdoers."
21:98
إِنَّكُمۡ وَمَا تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنتُمۡ لَهَا وَٰرِدُونَ ٩٨
Indeed, you [disbelievers] and what you worship other than Allāh are the firewood of Hell. You will be coming to [enter] it.
21:99
لَوۡ كَانَ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ ءَالِهَةٗ مَّا وَرَدُوهَاۖ وَكُلّٞ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ ٩٩
Had these [false deities] been [actual] gods, they would not have come to it, but all are eternal therein.
21:100
لَهُمۡ فِيهَا زَفِيرٞ وَهُمۡ فِيهَا لَا يَسۡمَعُونَ ١٠٠
For them therein is heavy sighing, and they therein will not hear.
21:101
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ سَبَقَتۡ لَهُم مِّنَّا ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰٓ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ عَنۡهَا مُبۡعَدُونَ ١٠١
Indeed, those for whom the best [reward] has preceded from Us - they are from it far removed.