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mina lladhīna farraqū dīnahum wa-kānū shiyaʿan kullu ḥizbin bi-mā ladayhim fariḥūna
—those who split up their religion and became sects: each faction boasting about what it possessed.
— Ali Quli Qarai
30Ar-RūmالرومVerse 32 of 60
The Romans30. Ar-Rūmالروم
Al Rūm
The Romans
MeccanVerse 32 of 60
Surah Ar-Room – Verse 32
32. “Of those who split up their religion, and have become sects, every party rejoicing in what is with them.”
Polytheism is not only worshipping the sun, the moon, and idols; every one who is the cause of separation in the religion of Allah is polytheist. Under the shade of repentance, piety, and prayer a person can obtain the power of being distanced from polytheism. The verse under discussion has stated one of the signs and sequels of polytheism in a short and expressive sentence. It implies: you should not be among the polytheists, those who scattered their religion and divided into groups.
It says:
And it is wonderful that, with all the ethical differences that they had, every group of them was happy with their own sect. The verse says:
Yes, one of the symptoms of polytheism is separation in belief, because having different objects of worship is the cause of having different methods which is the origin of separations and deviations, in particular that polytheism is always with carnal desire and bigotry, and pride, individualism, and selfishness are its sequels. Therefore, union and Unity is impossible save under the shade of theology, wisdom, humility, and donation. Thus, wherever we see discord, deviation, and separation we must know that a kind of polytheism domains there. This subject can be stated as a clear conclusion that the fruit of polytheism is separation of rows, opposition, and powers being spoiled and its end is weakness, vileness, and inability.
The reason why every group of deviated persons and polytheists are rejoicing in the way they have chosen, and imagine it as True, is clear, because carnal desire decorates the wishes in the man’s view, and the fruit of this decoration is an increasing affection and rejoice for the way he has chosen, though that way is wrong and aberration. Sensuality never lets man see the feature of truth in its real form and find a correct judgment free from love and wrath.
In Surah Fatir, No. 35, verse 8, the Holy Qur’an says:
and is he like the one who is on the Path of Truth and sees the facts as they are?