And when He clarified their wickedness in the worship of other than Allah and concluded with His glorification and perfection, He explained that this false religion is an innovation. He demonstrated its purity and perfection by stating that people were initially united in obedience to Him, then they opposed His command. His kindness towards them did not cease, but He continued to grant them respite despite their persistence in their evil deeds, as was previously known in His knowledge and decreed by His judgment. So He said, "And mankind was not but one community"; meaning: all of them, despite their confusion, "except for a few". And when He made them understand their unity in purpose, He affirmed and emphasized it by saying, "one"; meaning: upright, agreeing in obedience to Allah. They differed in that during the time of Noah, peace be upon him - as narrated by Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him - after their unity due to what they had of doubts, so the disbelievers among them deserved the fulfillment of punishment. "And if it had not been for a word that had preceded"; meaning: a great word, "from your Lord"; meaning: the One who is kind to you with the mercy of your nation by granting them respite. He clarified the emphasis with what indicated an oath due to their denial that their delay was for that reason. So He said, "It would have been judged between them"; meaning: quickly, in the easiest matter, "in what". And when the speech did not clarify the matter regarding the adoption that is the subject of His command, which is addressed internally, He did not mention the pronoun unlike in the Surah Al-Zumar, so He said: "in it"; meaning: not in other than it, by hastening their recompense upon it: "they differ". This indicated that this matter to which they called is not a recent occurrence that would require stopping to consider its consequences and to reflect on its sources and origins. Rather, it is - with the appearance of its signs, the correctness of its methods, and the innate nature of submission to it - the foundation upon which the servants were, and what they are in now is the recent occurrence along with the appearance of its corruption and the clarity of its sickness. And it refers to His saying, "Was it a wonder to mankind"; because His saying, "The disbelievers said, 'Indeed, this is a clear magician'" indicates that they are of two types: disbeliever and believer; and the nation is the group in one meaning in one character, as if they are aiming - meaning: intending - one thing.