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wa-mā kāna n-nāsu ʾillā ʾummatan wāḥidatan fa-khtalafū wa-law-lā kalimatun sabaqat min rabbika la-quḍiya baynahum fī-mā fīhi yakhtalifūna
Mankind were but a single [religious] community; then they differed. And were it not for a prior decree of your Lord, decision would have been made between them concerning that about which they differ.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Yunus – Verse 19
19. “And mankind were only one community, then they differed, and had not a Word already gone forth from your Lord, their differences would have been judged between them.”
This verse refers to the monotheistic nature of all human beings, alluding in part to the previous verse in connection with negating unbelief and idol worshipping. It implies that in the beginning, all human beings were of a single nation, and, with no exception, all were monotheists. The verse says:
“And mankind were only one community...”
This monotheistic nature, that was untouched at the beginning, because of shortsightedness and some satanic attitudes, underwent changes. With the passage of time, some went astray from the monotheistic path and became the adherents of polytheism. Thus the human society spitted into two groups: Monotheists and Polytheists. The verse continues saying:
“…then they differed...”
Therefore, polytheism is in fact a deviation from what is innate in human nature, and its roots lie in some baseless ideas and conjectures. One might raise the issue at this point as to why the Almighty does not hasten to eradicate the origin of such differences by the speedy punishment of the polytheists? The Qur’an immediately gives an answer to this question implying that if Allah’s command in regard to the absence of their speedy punishment had not been already issued, arbitration would have been administered and their differences would have been judged, then all of them would meet their painful fate.
The verse says:
“…and had not a Word already gone forth from your Lord, their differences would have been judged between them.”