( وما تفرقوا ) يعني أهل الأديان المختلفة ، وقال ابن عباس - رضي الله عنهما - : يعني أهل الكتاب كما ذكر في سورة المنفكين . ( إلا من بعد ما جاءهم العلم ) بأن الفرقة ضلالة ولكنهم فعلوا ذلك ، ( بغيا بينهم ) أي : للبغي ، قال عطاء : يعني بغيا بينهم على محمد - صلى الله عليه وسلم - ( ولولا كلمة سبقت من ربك ) في تأخير العذاب عنهم ، ( إلى أجل مسمى ) وهو يوم القيامة ، ( لقضي بينهم ) بين من آمن وكفر ، يعني أنزل العذاب بالمكذبين في الدنيا ، ( وإن الذين أورثوا الكتاب ) يعني اليهود والنصارى ، ( من بعدهم ) من بعد أنبيائهم ، وقيل : من بعد الأمم الخالية . وقال قتادة : معناه من قبلهم أي : من قبل مشركي مكة . ( لفي شك منه مريب ) أي : من محمد - صلى الله عليه وسلم - .
The disbelievers and the idolaters only became divided after the proof for the mission of Muhammad (peace be upon him) to them was established. Their division was only on account of rivalry and oppression. Were it not for what had already been in Allah’s knowledge that the punishment will be postponed from them until a time determined in His knowledge, which is the day of resurrection, Allah would have decided between them and punished them quickly on account of their rejection of Allah and denial of His messengers. Those Jews who were made to inherit the Torah, and those Christians who were made to inherit the Gospel, after their predecessors and these idolaters, are in doubt about and deny this Qur’ān which Muhammad (peace be upon him) has brought.