Mankind was once a single community, [but then people developed differences], so God sent prophets to them as bearers of good tidings and warning, and sent down with them the Book containing the truth, so that He might judge between their disputes. It was only those to whom it [the scripture] was given who disagreed about it after clear signs had come to them, because of rivalry between them. God by His will guided the believers to the truth about which the others had disputed. God guides whom He will to a straight path.
مردم يك امّت بودند، پس خدا پيامبران بشارت‌دهنده و ترساننده را بفرستاد، و بر آنها كتاب بر حق نازل كرد تا آن كتاب در آنچه مردم اختلاف دارند ميانشان حكم كند، ولى جز كسانى كه كتاب بر آنها نازل شده و حجّتها آشكار گشته بود از روى حسدى كه نسبت به هم مى ورزيدند در آن اختلاف نكردند. و خدا مؤمنان را به اراده خود در آن حقيقتى كه اختلاف مى‌كردند راه نمود، كه خدا هر كس را كه بخواهد به راه راست هدايت مى‌كند.