ﲓ ﲔ ﲕ ﲖ ﲗ ﲘ ﲙ ﲚ ﲛ ﲜ ﲝ ﲞ ﲟ ﲠ ﲡ ﲢ ﲣ ﲤ ﲥ ﲦ ﲧ ﲨ ﲩ ﲪ ﲫ ﲬ ﲭ ﲮ ﲯ ﲰ ﲱ ﲲ
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.
Tafsir
Verse range: 42:14
وما تفرقوا إﻻ من بعد ما جاءهم العلم
And they divided not till after knowledge had come to them, means, their opposition to the truth arose after it had come to them and proof had been established against them. Nothing made them resist in this manner except their transgression and stubbornness.
بغيا بينهم
ولوﻻ كلمة سبقت من ربك إلى أجل مسمى
And had it not been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord for an appointed term, means, were it not for the fact that Allah had already decreed that He would delay the reckoning of His servants until the Day of Resurrection, the punishment would have been hastened for them in this world.
لقضي بينهم
the matter would have been settled between them.
وإن الذين أورثوا الكتاب من بعدهم
And verily, those who were made to inherit the Scripture after them, means, the later generation which came after the earlier generation which had rejected the truth.
لفي شك منه مريب
are in grave doubt concerning it. means, they do not have any firm conviction in matters of religion; they merely imitate their forefathers, without any evidence or proof. So they are very confused and doubtful
