It is Meccan, and it is said: Medinan, and its verses are 8 [revealed after divorce]. 'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.'

The disbelievers from both groups, the People of the Book and the idol worshippers, used to say before the Prophet's mission: 'We will not cease from what we are upon of our religion nor will we leave it until the promised Prophet comes, who is mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel, and he is Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him.' So Allah, the Exalted, narrated what they used to say, then He said: 'And those who were given the Scripture did not become divided.' This means they used to consider the unity of opinion and agreement on the truth: when the Messenger came to them. Then nothing separated them from the truth nor confirmed them in disbelief except the coming of the Messenger, blessings and peace be upon him. An analogy in speech is that a sinful poor person says to someone who advises him: 'I will not cease from what I am in until Allah grants me wealth.' Then Allah grants him wealth and he increases in sinfulness. The one advising him says: 'You were not ceasing from sin until you became wealthy.' And you did not immerse your head in sin except after becoming wealthy: he reminds him of what he used to say as a rebuke and a binding.

And the separation of something from something is that it distances itself after being attached to it, like a bone when it separates from its joint. The meaning is that they are clinging to their religion and will not leave it except upon the arrival of the proof. And the proof is the clear evidence. [The phrase 'the proof is the clear evidence' in one version replaces 'the proof' with 'the Qur'an.' Did not the clear evidence come to them of what is in the earlier scriptures and a Messenger from Allah: Gabriel, blessings of Allah be upon him, who is the one following the purified scrolls copied from the Tablet mentioned in Surah Abasa? And there must be a missing addition which is revelation. It may be intended that the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, is meant. If you say: How is the recitation of the purified scrolls attributed to him while he is unlettered? I say: If he recited what is mentioned in them, he was reciting them.... (A)] And 'a Messenger' is a substitute for 'the proof.' And in the reading of Abdullah: 'a Messenger,' as a state of 'the proof.'

Purified sheets, papers free from falsehood, in them are written valuable, upright books that speak of truth and justice. And the meaning of their separation is: their separation from the truth and their dispersal from it. Or their separation into factions, some of them believed, and some denied and said: 'It is not true,' and some recognized and opposed. If you say: Why did He combine the People of the Book and the polytheists initially and then specify the People of the Book in His saying: 'And those who were given the Scripture did not become divided?' I say: Because they were knowledgeable of it due to its existence in their books. So when they were described as being divided from it, those who have no scripture are more included in this description. 'And they were not commanded' means in the Torah and the Gospel except with the Hanif religion, but they distorted and altered. 'And that is the upright religion,' meaning the religion of the upright community. It is also read: 'And that is the upright religion,' interpreting 'religion' as 'community.' If you say: What is the meaning of His saying: 'And they were not commanded except to worship Allah?' I say: Its meaning is: And they were not commanded in the two books except for the purpose of worshiping Allah in this manner. Ibn Mas'ud read: 'except that they worship,' meaning: 'that they worship.' Nafi' read: 'the innocent' with a hamza, and the reciters read it lightly. And the Prophet, and the creation: what has continued to be used lightly and rejected the original. And it is read: 'the best of creation,' the plural of 'best,' like 'good horses' and 'good things' in the plural of 'good' and 'good.'

From the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him: 'Whoever recites it will be on the Day of Resurrection with the best of creation, in the evening and in the morning.' [[Narrated by Al-Thalabi, Al-Wahidi, and Ibn Mardawayh with their chain to Abu ibn Ka'b.]]