Tafsir: Yunus 10:20

Commentary

Disbelievers and Believers are two separate nationalities: Nationality based on race and country is absurd

The statement: كَانَ النَّاسُ إِلَّا أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً (And people were but one community) in verse 19 means that the progeny of Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) was essentially a single community of monotheists in the earlier stages of man's presence in the world. Shirk and Kufr were unknown as such. Then came up difference in the principle of pure monotheism that divided human beings in different nations and groups of people.

How long this period of a single community of believers last? Original sources of Islamic Tradition tell us that this situation prevailed up to the time of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) (Noah). It was during his time that Shirk and Kufr showed up and he was the one who had to confront it first. (Tafsir Mazhari)

Then, it is also obvious that there is a long period of time between Sayyidna Adam and Sayyidna Nuh may peace be on them both. Human race had multiplied and population had spread out in the world. The presence of differences in color, ethnicity and social life styles was natural. That people had spread themselves out in different regions would have certainly generated differences on the basis of country and homeland. Then, it is also possible that spoken languages may have become somewhat different. But, the Holy Qur'an did not allow these natural genealogical or tribal differences or those of color and country to become impediments to the grand design of one community. In fact, it did not declare the progeny of Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) to be different nations and communities because of these differences. Instead, it gave them the status of one community.

Of course, when Kufr and Shirk spread out and posed a threat to 'Iman or true belief, Kafirs and Mushriks were declared to be a separate community of people as indicated in: فَاخْتَلَفُوا (later, they differed). Another verse of the Holy Qur'an: هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ فَمِنكُمْ كَافِرٌ‌ وَمِنكُم مُّؤْمِنٌ is He who created you; yet there is among you a disbeliever and there is among you a believer - At-taghabun, 64:2) makes it more explicit. It tells that the thing that separates the progeny of Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) created by Allah into different peoples is the deviation from 'Iman and Islam. Bonds of lineage or country do not make people separate. Bracketing human beings into different groups on the basis of language, homeland, color or race is ignorance dished out in the garb of enlightenment. It is new. But everything new is not necessarily true and wise. In fact, it might as well be the exact opposite of what is wise. Today, there are many educated people who have also fallen into the trap of this narrow concept of nationalism based on the factors enumerated above. Unfortunately, this approach towards ordering the social life of human beings is fraught with seeds of countless unseen disasters. May Allah keep Muslims safe from its evil effects.