13ذٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُم شاقُّوا اللَّهَ وَرَسولَهُ ۚ وَمَن يُشاقِقِ اللَّهَ وَرَسولَهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَديدُ العِقابِMuhammad AsadThis, because they have cut themselves off from1 God and His Apostle: and as for him who cuts himself off from God and His Apostle - verily, God is severe in retribution.Or: "contended against" (Baghawi). However, since the primary meaning of shaqqahu ("he separated himself from him" or "cut himself off from him") comprises the concepts of both estrangement and opposition (Tabari, Zamakhshari, Razi), the rendering adopted by me seems to be the most suitable in this context.