42. Surah Ash-Shuraa, Verse 14

And they only divided after the knowledge had come to them, due to resentment among themselves. And had it not been for a predetermined decision from your Lord, they would have been judged immediately. Indeed, those who inherited the Scripture after them are full of doubts.

And they became sects for no reason but through rivalry among themselves, after the Knowledge had come to them. Had it not been for a Word that has already gone forth from your Lord for an appointed term, all matters would have been decided among them. (The Word = The Law of free will, in this context). Behold, the later generations who inherited the Scripture of the old still keep harboring doubts about it.

And they became divided only after knowledge came to them, through sectarian zealotry between them. And were it not for a word that preceded from thy Lord to a stated term, it would have been concluded between them. And those who were caused to inherit the Writ after them are in sceptical doubt concerning it.

And they only divided after the knowledge had come to them, due to resentment among themselves. And had it not been for a predetermined decision from your Lord, they would have been judged immediately. Indeed, those who inherited the Book after them are full of doubts.

They only divided after the knowledge had come to them, due to resentment among themselves. Had it not been for a predetermined decision from your Lord, they would have been judged immediately. Indeed, those who inherited the book after them are full of doubts.

They only split up after knowledge came to them, tyrannising one another. And were it not for a prior decree from your Lord for a specified term, the judgement between them would already have been made. Those who inherited the Book after them are indeed in grave doubt about it.

Ironically, they broke up into sects only after the knowledge had come to them, due to jealousy and resentment among themselves. If it were not for a predetermined decision from your Lord to respite them for a definite interim, they would have been judged immediately. Indeed, the later generations who inherited the scripture are full of doubts.

Yet they did not differ about it until knowledge came to them, through rivalries among themselves. If the Word of your Lord, (staying) it for a time ordained, had not preceded it, the matter would have been settled among them. But those who came to inherit the Book after them are also in doubt and disturbed about it.

And they did not become divided until after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. And if not for a word that preceded from your Lord [postponing the penalty] until a specified time, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed, those who were granted inheritance of the Scripture after them are, concerning it, in disquieting doubt.

And [as for the followers of earlier revelation, ] they broke up their unity, out of mutual jealousy, only after they had come to know [the truth]. And had it not been for a decree that had already gone forth from thy Sustainer, [postponing all decision] until a term set [by Him], all would indeed have been decided between them [from the outset]. As it is, behold, they who have inherited their divine writ from those who preceded them are [now] in grave doubt, amounting to suspicion, about what it por­tends.

And they were not divided until after the knowledge came unto them, through rivalry among themselves; and had it not been for a Word that had already gone forth from thy Lord for an appointed term, it surely had been judged between them. And those who were made to inherit the Scripture after them are verily in hopeless doubt concerning it.

Yet they only became divided into sects and factions, through envy and enmity, each with a belief cherished in their minds after their acquaintance with facts and intellectual perception of the truth. And had it not been for Allah's word proclaimed beforehand to put punishment in respite to a determined point of time, their Hereafter would have been planted in the now. And now your contemporaries, the successors who have inherited the Book AL-Tawrah (the Torah) are in perplexity about it on account of its present Intricate character

[Ironically, the followers of the scriptures] broke up into sects after the knowledge was revealed to them, in account of jealousy between themselves! If God had not made a pre-determined decision to take care of them on the Day of Judgment, He would have settled the matter immediately. The fact of the matter is that the followers of the Scriptures have inherited nothing but a bunch of doubts.

And they divided not till after knowledge had come to them, through (selfish) transgression between themselves. And had it not been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord for an appointed term, the matter would have been settled between them. And verily, those who were made to inherit the Scripture [i.e. the Taurâh (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] after them (i.e. Jews and Christians) are in grave doubt concerning it (i.e. Allâh’s true religion - Islâm or the Qur’ân).

And they became divided only after Knowledge reached them,- through selfish envy as between themselves. Had it not been for a Word that went forth before from thy Lord, (tending) to a Term appointed, the matter would have been settled between them: But truly those who have inherited the Book after them are in suspicious (disquieting) doubt concerning it.

They did not split ˹into sects˺ out of mutual envy until knowledge came to them.[1] Had it not been for a prior decree from your Lord for an appointed term,[2] the matter would have certainly been settled between them ˹at once˺. And surely those who were made to inherit the Scripture[3] after them are truly in alarming doubt about this ˹Quran˺.

And they were not divided, in jealousy with each other, but after the knowledge had come to them. Had it not been for a word that had come forth earlier from your Lord (and was effective) until a specified time, the matter would have been decided between them. And those who were made to inherit the Book after them are in confounding doubt about it.

They divided, out of rivalry, only after knowledge had come to them, and, if it had not been for a decree already passed by your Lord to reprieve them until an appointed time, they would already have been judged. Those after them, who inherited the Scripture, are in disquieting doubt about it.

They scattered not, save after knowledge had come to them, being insolent one to another; and but for a Word that preceded from thy Lord until a stated term, it had been decided between them. But those to whom the Book has been given as an inheritance after them, behold, they are in doubt of it disquieting.

But they did not part into sects until after the knowledge had come to them, through mutual envy; and had it not been for thy Lord's word already passed for an appointed time, it would surely have been decided between them; but, verily, those who have been given the Book as an inheritance after them, are in hesitating doubt concerning it.

And they did not become divided until after knowledge had come to them out of rivalry among themselves; and had not a Word already gone forth from your Lord for an appointed term, certainly judgment would have been given between them; and those who were made to inherit the Book after them are most surely in hopeless (or suspicious, disturbing) doubt concerning it.

And in no way were they disunited except even after knowledge had come to them, being inequitable among themselves; and had it not been for a Word that had gone before from your Lord until a stated term, indeed it would have been decreed between them. And surely the ones who were made to inherit the Book even after them are indeed in doubt of it, causing suspicion.

Those who lived in times past were not divided among themselves, until after that the knowledge of God's unity had come unto them; through their own perverseness: And unless a previous decree had passed from thy Lord, to bear with them till a determined time, verily the matter had been decided between them, by the destruction of the gain-sayers. They who have inherited the scriptures after them, are certainly in a perplexing doubt concerning the same.

And they (to whom you call) became divided only after knowledge came to them— Through selfish transgression and envy between themselves. If it was not for a Word that reached them before from your Lord, (regarding) a period (for repentance) appointed, the matter would have been settled between them. And truly, those (the Jews and Christians) who have inherited the Book (of Message, Torah and Gospel) after them are in (uneasy and) suspicious doubt about it (the Quran).

And these (rejecters of the faith) split themselves into factions only after (true) knowledge (of the fundamental principles of faith) had come to them (and that too) out of jealousy among themselves and to spite one another. But for the word (of promise) already gone forth from your Lord, (that they would be given respite) for a fixed term, the judgment upon these (disbelievers) would surely have long been passed (by their complete annihilation). As for those who have been made to inherit the Scripture after these (Prophets) they are in a disquieting and grave doubt about this (Qur'ân).

They did not divide [into sects] except after the knowledge had come to them, out of envy among themselves; and were it not for a prior decree of your Lord [granting them reprieve] until a specified time, decision would have been made between them. Indeed those who were made heirs to the Book after them are surely in grave doubt concerning it.