Satan, who made their deeds seem fair to them. He is their ally today, and theirs will be a painful punishment.”

“We have sent down the Scripture to you only so that you may make clear to them that over which they differed, and as guidance and mercy for people who believe.”

The Most High thus states that He sent messengers to nations before Muhammad, that Satan made their deeds seem fair to them and was their ally when Muhammad was sent, and that He sent down the Scripture to them so that Muhammad might make clear to them that over which they differed.

The Most High says:

“Indeed, this Quran recounts to the Children of Israel most of that over which they differ. And it is certainly guidance and mercy for the believers.”

He says to the community of Muhammad:

“Do not be like those who became divided and differed after clear proofs had come to them. For them there will be a tremendous punishment.”

This makes clear that they became divided and differed after clear proofs had come to them, before Muhammad, and Allah has forbidden his community to be like them.

The Most High also says:

“From those who said, ‘We are Christians,’ We took their covenant, but they forgot a portion of what they had been reminded of. So We stirred up enmity and hatred among them until the Day of Resurrection.”

He says of the Jews:

“We cast enmity and hatred among them until the Day of Resurrection.”

He also says:

“We scattered them throughout the earth as communities. Some of them were righteous, and some were otherwise.”

Hadiths have been transmitted through various chains in the Sunan collections and the Musnad, reporting that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“The Jews divided into seventy-one sects, and this community will divide into seventy-three sects.”

Although some, such as Ibn Hazm, judge these hadiths to be weak, most scholars have accepted them and affirmed their truth.