Transliteration:( Wa maa tafarraqal lazeena ootul kitaaba il-la mim b'adi ma jaa-at humul baiyyinah )
Prior to the arrival of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) were united in their anticipation of a final prophet as foretold in their scriptures. However, when the Prophet (ﷺ) emerged, their responses diverged: some embraced faith, while others rejected him. This divergence reveals profound spiritual and theological lessons:
Key Benefits Derived from This Reality
1. Superficial Knowledge vs. Illumined Faith
Limitations of Literal Understanding: Merely reciting scripture or grasping its superficial meanings—as practiced by some People of the Book, as well as groups like the Aryans and Christians—does not guarantee faith. True belief arises only when one attains the inner light and mystical depths (haqa’iq) of divine revelation.
Analogy: Just as the devil (Iblis) and Abu Jahl physically saw the Prophet (ﷺ) but remained blind to his spiritual luminosity, faith requires recognizing his transcendent reality, not merely observing his human form.
2. Divine Inspiration vs. Acquired Knowledge
Two Types of Knowledge:
Superficial Knowledge: Acquired through scholarly study alone, this remains devoid of divine grace and fails to inspire true faith.
Divinely Inspired Knowledge: Rooted in spiritual insight (ilham), this leads to acceptance of truth.
Analogy: A cultivated field cannot thrive solely on well water; it requires the life-giving rain sent by Allah. Similarly, hearts nourished only by human intellect remain barren until illuminated by divine guidance.
3. Greater Accountability for Scholars
Allah specifically censures the People of the Book in the Quran because their scholars (Ulama)—despite possessing knowledge of prophecy—chose rejection. Their sin is graver than that of the ignorant, as they betrayed their responsibility to guide others. This principle extends to all who willfully distort truth after receiving clarity.
4. Divine Grace and Spiritual Receptivity
Not all are capable of receiving the Prophet’s (ﷺ) light, just as a bat cannot benefit from sunlight. Spiritual blindness—rooted in arrogance, envy, or attachment to worldly status—renders some hearts impervious to guidance, even when truth stands manifest before them.
The advent of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) exposed a critical dichotomy:
For the Receptive: His message became a fountain of eternal light, transforming hearts through divine grace.
For the Resistant: Their obsession with superficial knowledge or worldly pride barred them from truth, despite its clarity.
This underscores the Quranic principle:
مَن يَهْدِ اللَّـهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيًّا مُّرْشِدًا
“Whoever Allah guides is truly guided. And whoever He leaves astray, you will never find for them a protecting guide.”
(Surah Al-Kahf 18:17)
Thus, faith is not merely intellectual assent but a divine gift granted to those whose hearts are open to the Nur (light) of prophethood and the Quran.
The tafsir of Surah Bayyinah verse 4 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Bayyinah ayat 1 which provides the complete commentary from verse 1 through 5.
(98:4) Nor did those to whom the Book had been given split up until after the Proof (of the Right Way) had come to them.[6]
6. That is, the reason why the people of the Book beforethis were divided into countless sects because of differentkinds of errors and deviation, was not that Allah had failedto send a clear evidence from Himself for their guidance,but the fact that they adopted the wrong way afterguidance had come from Allah. Therefore, they themselveswere responsible for their deviation, for Allah had fulfilledHis obligation towards them. Likewise, since theirscriptures are no longer pure and their books no longerconsist of original and correct teachings, Allah by sending aMessenger of His, as a clear evidence, with a hallowedBook, containing sound and pure teachings, has againfulfilled His obligation towards them, so that even if afterthat they remained divided, they themselves should beresponsible for it and should have no excuse left to pleadbefore Allah. This has been stated at many places in the Quran, e.g. see (Surah Al-Baqarah, ayat 213) (Surah Al-Baqarah, ayat 253); (Surah Al-Imran, Ayat 19); (Surah Al-Maidah, ayat 44); (Surah Younus, Ayat 93);(Surah Ash-Shura, Ayat 13); (Surah Al-Jathiyah, Ayat 16), along with the corresponding notes for full understanding.
[1960]- Into sects and denominations.
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