Tafsir of Ar-Rum 30:30

{So set your face toward the religion} Make your face upright for it and direct it toward it, without turning away from it to the right or the left. This is a metaphor for his devotion to the religion, his steadfastness upon it, his firmness, and his concern for its requirements. For whoever is concerned with a thing fixes his gaze upon it, directs his sight toward it, and turns his face toward it, approaching it with focus.

{Hanifan (inclining to truth)} This is a state (hal) of the one commanded, or of the religion.

{The fitrah (natural disposition) of Allah} Meaning: Adhere to the natural disposition of Allah, or "upon you is the natural disposition of Allah." I have implied the command to the group because of His saying: {Turning in repentance to Him}. "Turning in repentance" is a state of the pronoun in "Adhere." His saying: {And fear Him, and establish prayer, and do not be...} is coordinated with this pronoun.

{Al-Fitrah} It is the creation. Do you not see His saying: {There is no changing the creation of Allah}? The meaning is that He created them capable of accepting monotheism and the religion of Islam, neither distant from it nor denying it, because it is responsive to reason and consistent with sound reflection. If they were left alone, they would not choose any other religion. Whoever among them goes astray does so through the seduction of the devils of mankind and jinn.

From this is the saying of the Prophet (ﷺ): "All My servants I created as hanifs (inclined to truth), but the devils diverted them from their religion and commanded them to associate with Me that for which I have sent down no authority." And his saying (ﷺ): "Every child is born upon the fitrah, until his parents are the ones who make him a Jew or a Christian."

{There is no changing the creation of Allah} Meaning: It is not fitting that this natural disposition be altered or changed.

If you ask: Why was the address singular at first, then plural? I say: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was addressed first, and the address to the Messenger is an address to his nation, along with the honor it contains for the leader. Then, it was made plural thereafter for clarity and summary.

{Of those who} This is a substitute (badal) for "the polytheists."

{...divided their religion} They abandoned the religion of Islam. It is also read as farraqu (with a shadda), meaning: they made it into different religions due to the divergence of their desires.

{And became sects} Factions, each one following the leader who led it astray.

{Every faction} Among them is happy with its doctrine, rejoicing, thinking its falsehood is the truth. It is possible that {of those who} is disconnected from what precedes it, meaning: "Among those who abandoned their religion, every faction is happy with what they have." However, farihun (happy) is in the nominative case as a description for "every," like the saying: "And every friend, not suppressing his soul..."

{And when adversity touches the people, they call upon their Lord, turning in repentance to Him; then when He lets them taste mercy from Him, at once a party of them associate others with their Lord. So that they will deny what We have given them. Then enjoy yourselves, for you are going to know.}