Al-Bayyinah Verse 4

It was not until this clear proof came to the People of the Book that they became divided ˹about his prophethood˺—

Yet those who were given the Scripture did not disagree except after the clear proof came to them,

And they scattered not, those that were given the Book, excepting after the Clear Sign came to them.

[Yet] those who were given the Scripture became divided only after they were sent [such] clear evi-dence

And those who are vouchsafed the Book divided not save after there had come Unto them the evidence.

Nor did the People of the Book make schisms, until after there came to them Clear Evidence.

Nor did those to whom the Book had been given split up until after the Proof (of the Right Way) had come to them.

The people of the Book were not divided among themselves till after the clear proof had come to them.

Nor did the People of the Book(s) get divided until after the clear proof came to them.

Those who were given the Book did not divide except after the proof had come to them.

Those who were given the Book before did not split into parties until after the Clear Evidence (of the truth) came to them.

Those to whom the Scripture was given became divided only after the manifest proof had come to them.

And those who were given/brought the Book did not separate except from after what came to them (from) the evidence.

Nor did the People of the Book(s) get divided until after the clear proof came to them.

Nor did those who were given the Book divide into sects until after there came to them the Manifest Sign.

And the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) differed not until after there came to them clear evidence. (i.e. Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and whatever was revealed to him).

And they are enjoined naught but to serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience, upright, and to keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, and that is the right religion.

And those who were given the Book did not become divided except after clear evidence had come to them.

Nor were the People of the Scripture divided until after the clear proof came unto them.

Nor did the People of the Book disagreed among themselves until after receiving the ancient divine testaments.

Those to whom the Book was given did not divide themselves until the Clear Proof came to them.

And the People of the Scripture differed not until after there came to them the Bayyinah.

Those who were given the Book did not become divided except after clear evidence was given to them.

Those who were given the Scripture did not splinter, except after the Clear Evidence came to them.

And those who were given the Scripture did not become divided, regarding belief in him [the Prophet] (s), except after the clear proof had come to them, namely, the Prophet (s) -- or the Qur'n which he brought as his miracle. Before his (s) arrival they had all agreed to believe in him when he would come; then those who disbelieved in him from among them became envious of him.

And the People of the Scripture differed not until after there came to them the Bayyinah.

This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَلَا تَكُونُواْ كَالَّذِينَ تَفَرَّقُواْ وَاخْتَلَفُواْ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَأءَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَـتُ وَأُوْلَـيِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ

And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves after the Bayyinat came to them. It is they for whom there is an awful torment. (3;105)

This refers to the people of those divinely revealed Scriptures that were sent down to the nations that were before us. After Allah established the proofs and evidences against them, they divided and differed concerning that which Allah had intended in their Scriptures, and they had many differences.

This is like what has been reported in a Hadith that has many routes of transmission,

إِنَّ الْيَهُودَ اخْتَلَفُوا عَلَى إِحْدَى وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً

وَإِنَّ النَّصَارَى اخْتَلَفُوا عَلى ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً وَسَتَفْتَرِقُ هَذِهِ الاْإُمَّةُ عَلَى ثَلَإثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً كُلُّهَا فِي النَّارِ إِلاَّ وَاحِدَة

- Verily, the Jews differed until they became seventy-one sects.

- And verily, the Christians differed until they became seventy-two sects.

- And this Ummah will divide into seventy-three sects, and all of them will be in the Fire except one.

They said, "Who are they, O Messenger of Allah"

He replied,

مَا أَنَا عَلَيْهِ وَأَصْحَابِي

(Those who are upon), what I and my Companions are upon.
The Command of Allah was merely that They make their Religion solely for Him

Allah says,

وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ
.

And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, making religion purely for Him alone,

This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَمَأ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِى إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ

And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed to him;La ilaha illa Ana. (21;25)

Thus, Allah says,

حُنَفَاء

Hunafa'

meaning, avoiding Shirk and being truly devout to Tawhid.

This is like Allah's statement,

وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ

And Verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming);"Worship Allah, and avoid the Taghut (false deities)." (16;36)

A discussion of the word Hanif has already been mentioned previously and in Surah Al-An`am, so there is no need to repeat it here