It is thus plain that the great majority of those who fall into dispute on either side are doomed, save for one faction alone: the People of the Sunnah and the Community.

This blameworthy form of dissension sometimes arises from a corrupt intention—ambition, envy, the desire to dominate the earth, and similar motives. Because of that corruption a person may disparage the statement or deed of another, strive to overpower him so as to distinguish himself, or prefer the view of someone who shares his lineage, school of thought, hometown, or friendship, for the sake of the honor and leadership that come when his own view prevails. Such behavior is rife among the children of Adam, and it is sheer injustice.

At other times the cause is ignorance. The disputants may not grasp the true nature of the issue over which they contend, or they may be unaware of the evidence by which one could guide the other. One of them may also be ignorant of the measure of truth the other possesses—whether regarding the ruling itself or the proof for it—while still recognizing the truth he himself holds in both ruling and evidence.

Ignorance and injustice are the root of every evil, as the Exalted says:

“…yet man undertook it. Indeed, he has always been exceedingly unjust and profoundly ignorant.” (al-Aḥzāb 33:72)

Categories of Disagreement
In essence, disagreement is divided into two main kinds: