and among them is disputing by means of falsehood, as in His statement, “They argue with falsehood so that by it they may nullify the truth” (Ghafir 40:5). Another form is disputing about His signs, as He says: “They argue with falsehood so that by it they may nullify the truth” (Ghafir 40:4); “Those who dispute concerning the signs of Allah without any authority that has come to them—greatly hateful it is in the sight of Allah and in the sight of those who believe” (Ghafir 40:35); “There is nothing in their breasts but arrogance which they will never attain” (Ghafir 40:56); and “So that those who dispute about Our signs may come to know that for them there is no escape” (al-Shura 42:35). The same rebuke appears in His words: “Those who contend concerning Allah after He has already been responded to—their argument is void in the sight of their Lord” (al-Shura 42:16); “Yet they dispute about Allah, while He is severe in might” (al-Raʿd 13:13); and, “Among mankind is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge, guidance, or an enlightening Book” (al-Hajj 22:8).

Among the matters Allah has forbidden in His Book is splitting up and falling into discord. He says, “Hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah and do not separate,” up to His words, “Do not be like those who split up and differed after clear proofs had come to them; for such there is a tremendous punishment—on the Day when faces will be bright and faces will be dark” (Al ʿImran 3:103–106). Ibn ʿAbbas said, “Bright will be the faces of the people of the Sunnah and the Community, and dark will be the faces of the people of innovation and schism.” Allah also says, “Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects—you have nothing to do with them” (al-Anʿam 6:159); and, “So set your face toward the religion uprightly—the innate disposition with which Allah has created mankind; there is no altering the creation of Allah … and do not be of the polytheists, of those who split up their religion and became sects” (al-Rum 30:30–32).

Those who create division and dissension are censured as well in verses such as, “They did not split up until after knowledge had come to them, out of mutual envy” (al-Shura 42:14); and, “They will not cease to differ, except those upon whom your Lord has mercy” (Hud 11:118–119); and in texts like—