BENEFIT 231: The path to Allah is one, whereas the paths to misguidance are many

Ibn Kathir rahimahullah commented: «ولهذا وحد تعالى لفظ النور وجمع الظلمات، لأن الحق واحد والكفر أجناس كثيرة، وكلها باطلة كما قال تعالى: ﴿وَأَنَّ هَذَا صِرَاطِى مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ذَلِكُمْ وَصَاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ﴾ [الأنعام: ١٥٣]، وقال تعالى: ﴿وَجَعَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ وَالنُّورَ﴾ [الأنعام: ١]، وقال تعالى: ﴿عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَالشمَائل﴾ [النحل: ٤٨]، إلى غير ذلك من الآيات التي في لفظها إشعار بتفرد الحق وانتشار الباطل وتفرقه وتشعبه». "For this reason, Allāh Almighty has used the singular form of "light" and the plural form of "darkness" in the Qur'ān, as truth is singular while disbelief takes many forms, all of which are false. As Allah says, "And this is My PATH, which is straight, so follow IT; and do not follow [other] PATHS, for you will be separated from His way. This is what He instructed you that you may become righteous" [Al-An'am: 153]. He also says, "and [He] made the DARKNESSES and the LIGHT" [Al-An'am: 1], and "from the right and the left sides (plural)" [An-Nahl: 48], among other Āyāt. These Āyāt indicate the singularity of truth and the widespread nature of falsehood, with its many paths and divisions." [تفسير القرآن العظيم (٦٨٩/١)] @almanhajussalafi