10 Preface وَلَقَد أَرسَلنا مِن قَبلِكَ في شِيَعِ الأَوَّلينَYusuf AliWe did send messengers before thee amongst the religious sects1 of old:Shiya', plural of Shi'ah = a sect, a religious division. Mankind sees fragments of Truth at a time, and is apt to fall into fragments and divisions. All true Messengers of God come to reconcile these fragments or divisions, for they preach the true Gospel of Unity. So came Al Muṣṭafā to bring back to Unity the many jarring sects among the Jews, Christians, and Pagans. His mission was held up to ridicule, but so was the mission of his predecessors. Mockery itself should not discourage the preachers of Truth.