وَلَقَدْ بَوَّأْنَا بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ مُبَوَّأَ صِدْقٍ وَرَزَقْنَـٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ فَمَا ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْعِلْمُ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقْضِى بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ 93
Translations
And We had certainly settled the Children of Israel in an agreeable settlement and provided them with good things. And they did not differ until [after] knowledge had come to them. Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.
Transliteration
Wa-laqad bawwa'nā banī Isrā'īla mubawwa'a sidqin wa-razaqnāhum min al-ṭayyibāt fa-mā ikhtarafū ḥattā jā'ahum al-'ilm. Inna rabbaka yaqdī baynahum yawm al-qiyāmah fīmā kānū fīhi yakhtalifūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah reminds the Children of Israel of Allah's blessings upon them—establishing them in a land of truth and providing them with pure sustenance—yet they fell into disagreement and divided despite these favors. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this refers to their divisions regarding the Torah and the message of the prophets. Allah assures that on the Day of Judgment, He will judge between them regarding all their disputes, settling matters with perfect justice.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Yunus within a broader passage addressing the historical fate of the Children of Israel and their repeated disobedience despite divine guidance. The context emphasizes how receiving blessings and knowledge does not guarantee unity if people choose discord. This serves as a reminder to the early Muslims about the consequences of schism and disagreement.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim (1718): The Prophet ﷺ warned against divisions, stating 'My ummah will not unite upon misguidance.' Additionally, Sunan Ibn Majah contains hadiths about the 73 sects that will emerge from the Muslim community, reflecting the universal principle that disagreement stems from rejecting clear knowledge.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that material and spiritual blessings alone do not prevent division—only sincere adherence to divine knowledge and unity of purpose can. For modern believers, it is a warning that prosperity and access to Islamic knowledge require humility and consensus-seeking to avoid the destructive path of sectarianism.
Related Ayahs
ثُمَّ قِيلَ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ ذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابَ ٱلْخُلْدِ هَلْ تُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْسِبُونَ
Then it will be said to those who had wronged, "Taste the punishment of eternity; are you being recompensed except for what you used to earn?"
قَالَ مُوسَىٰٓ أَتَقُولُونَ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَكُمْ ۖ أَسِحْرٌ هَـٰذَا وَلَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلسَّـٰحِرُونَ
Moses said, "Do you say [thus] about the truth when it has come to you? Is this magic? But magicians will not succeed."
۞ وَٱتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ نُوحٍ إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِۦ يَـٰقَوْمِ إِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكُم مَّقَامِى وَتَذْكِيرِى بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ فَأَجْمِعُوٓا۟ أَمْرَكُمْ وَشُرَكَآءَكُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُنْ أَمْرُكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ غُمَّةً ثُمَّ ٱقْضُوٓا۟ إِلَىَّ وَلَا تُنظِرُونِ
And recite to them the news of Noah, when he said to his people, "O my people, if my residence and my reminding of the signs of Allāh has become burdensome upon you - then I have relied upon Allāh. So resolve upon your plan and [call upon] your associates. Then let not your plan be obscure to you. Then carry it out upon me and do not give me respite.
قُلِ ٱنظُرُوا۟ مَاذَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَمَا تُغْنِى ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتُ وَٱلنُّذُرُ عَن قَوْمٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ
Say, "Observe what is in the heavens and the earth." But of no avail will be signs or warners to a people who do not believe.