ESTRANGEMENT FROM THOSE WHO SOW DISCORD AND DIVISION. (VERSE NO. 159)

      The verb, `DIVIDED' and the auxiliary verb, `WERE' are both in past tense in this verse; and therefore, it may refer to those religions before Islam, such as the Jews and Christians who were divided in so many sects and subsects. Some varied on account of their principles and tenets, like those who left monotheism and adhered to trinity. Some varied in details of the commandments, and some forged and invented new ideas and introduced it as part of their religious belief. This is where their God is one, their prophet is one, and their Books is one too! Yet they differed in their religion and became opposites and enemies, instead of being friends and brothers!

      Unfortunately so has happened in Islam too, after the death of our prophet; and in spite of the oneness of our God, our prophet, and our Divine Book which is the Quran! For example there are the main sects of Sonni and the Shiite, and both sects have been divided to other subsects! The Sonni are of four subsects, who call themselves;MطLEKI, HANBALY, HANAFI and SHطFEIE. The Shiite have also some difference about the numbers of their Imam and other ideas and opinions!

      Logically, all the sects and divisions cannot be in the right and straight path of God, which may lead to salvation; and eventually God will judge upon them all, and inform them that, in what stage of belief and deeds they were standing. For the time being Allah said to His Messenger that, you have nothing to do with such variances and god Himself will look after the sects and their affairs:

      ``Those who have divided up and scattered in their religion, and turned into various sects, you have nothing to do with them.''

      The Arabic verb, `FARRAGH' has also another shade of meaning or a connotation which can be translated thus: ``These who parted, and left behind their religion.''

      If so; it may still refer to the Jews who turned their backs to the most important one of their ten commandments, which is Monotheism, and joined the pagans, and united with the polytheists of Mecca against the Messenger of God, whose first Messages are applicable to the Jews and Christians contemporary to Mohammad. S.A.