Abu al-Aliyah, from Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, who said: When mankind were presented to Adam, brought forth from his loins, and acknowledged their servitude, they were one community, all of them Muslims. They were never one community at any time other than that day. Then they differed after Adam. Its parallel occurs in Surah Yunus: “Mankind was but one community, then they differed” (Yunus 10:19). So Allah sent the prophets.
Their total number was one hundred and twenty-four thousand, of whom three hundred and thirteen were messengers. Those mentioned by name in the Quran are twenty-eight prophets: bearing glad tidings of reward to whoever believes and obeys, and warning of punishment whoever disbelieves and disobeys. And He sent down with them the Book—that is, the Books; the meaning is that He sent down a Book with each one of them—with truth, that is, with justice and truth, so that it might judge between people.
Abu Ja‘far recited “so that judgment might be rendered” in the passive form, with the initial yā’ pronounced u and the kāf pronounced a, here, at the beginning of Surah Al ‘Imran, and in two places in Surah Al-Nur. This is because the Book does not truly judge; rather, judgment is rendered by means of it. (1) The common recitation has it in the active form, meaning, “so that the Book may judge.” This is an expansive manner of expression, as in His saying, “This is Our record, speaking against you in truth” (Al-Jathiyah 45:29). It is also said to mean that every prophet judges according to his Book.
“Concerning that over which they differed.” None differed concerning it—that is, the Book—except those who were given it, after clear proofs had come to them, namely, the rulings of the Torah and the Gospel. Al-Farra’ said: Their differing has two meanings. One is that some of them disbelieved in the Book of others, as Allah Most High says: “They say, ‘We believe in some and disbelieve in some’” (Al-Nisa’ 4:150). 32/b The other is their altering the Book of Allah, as Allah Most High says: “They distort words from their proper places” (Al-Nisa’ 4:46).
It is also said that the verse refers to Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and his Book: the People of the Book differed concerning it after clear proofs had come to them—the description of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, in their Books—out of wrongdoing and envy among themselves. So Allah guided those who believed, by His permission—that is, by His knowledge and will concerning them—to the truth regarding that over which they had differed.
Ibn Zayd said concerning this verse: They differed regarding the direction of prayer: some prayed toward the east, some toward the west, and some toward Jerusalem; so Allah guided us to the Ka‘bah. They differed regarding fasting, so Allah guided us to the month of Ramadan. They differed regarding the days: the Jews chose Saturday and the Christians Sunday, so Allah guided us to Friday. They differed regarding Abraham, peace be upon him: the Jews said that he was a Jew, and the Christians said that he was a Christian; so Allah guided us to the truth concerning this. They differed regarding Jesus: the Jews subjected him to slander, while the Christians made him a god; and Allah guided us to the truth concerning him. “And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.”
“Or do you suppose that you will enter Paradise while there has not yet come to you the like of what befell those who passed on before you? Hardship and adversity afflicted them, and they were shaken until the Messenger and those who believed with him said, ‘When will Allah’s help come?’ Indeed, Allah’s help is near.” (214)
Concerning His saying, “Or do you suppose that you will enter Paradise”: Qatadah and Al-Suddi said that this verse was revealed during the Battle of the Trench.