1 — Chapter on the Command to Adhere to the Community and the Prohibition of Division—Indeed, to Follow and to Abandon Innovation
Muhammad ibn al-Husayn—may Allah have mercy on him—said:
By His grace and bounty, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has informed us in His Book about the Jews and Christians who preceded us, the followers of the two Scriptures: they perished only when they divided over their religion. Our Generous Master has informed us that what drove them to separate from the community and incline toward the falsehood they had been forbidden was nothing but transgression and envy, after they had acquired knowledge that others did not possess. Their intense transgression and envy caused them to split into factions, and thus they perished.
Our Generous Master therefore warned us not to become like them and perish as they did. Rather, He, Mighty and Majestic, commanded us to adhere to the community and forbade us to divide. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—likewise warned us against division and commanded us to remain with the community. Our leading scholars of the earlier generations also warned us against it. All the Muslim scholars commanded adherence to the community and forbade division.
If someone asks, “Then set this forth for us so that we may guard against what you have described; and it is Allah who grants us success in following the path of right guidance,” he is told: I shall mention what I can recall of it, to the extent of the knowledge Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has taught me, as sincere counsel to my brothers among the people of the Quran, the people of hadith, the people of jurisprudence, and all other Muslims. Allah alone grants success in what I have undertaken and assists me in it, if Allah wills.
Allah Most High says in Sūrat al-Baqarah:
“Humanity was once one community. Then Allah sent the prophets as bearers of glad tidings and warners, and He sent down with them the Scripture in truth, so that He might judge between people concerning that over which they differed. None differed over it except those who had been given it, after the clear proofs had come to them, out of transgression among themselves. Then, by His permission, Allah guided those who believed to the truth concerning that over which they had differed. Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.” [al-Baqarah: 213]
He, Mighty and Majestic, also says:
“Those messengers—We favored some above others. Among them were those to whom Allah spoke, and He raised some of them in rank. We gave Jesus, son of Mary, the clear proofs and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. Had Allah willed, those who came after them would not have fought one another after the clear proofs had come to them. But they differed: some of them believed and others disbelieved. Had Allah willed, they would not have fought one another, but Allah does whatever He wills.” [al-Baqarah: 253]
Allah Most High says in Sūrat Āl Imrān:
“Indeed, the religion before Allah is Islam. Those who were given the Scripture differed only after knowledge had come to them, out of transgression among themselves. Whoever rejects Allah’s signs should know that Allah is swift in reckoning.” [Āl Imrān: 19]
Allah Most High says in Sūrat al-An‘ām:
“Indeed, as for those who divided their religion and became factions, you have nothing whatsoever to do with them. Their affair rests only with Allah; then He will inform them of what they used to do.” [al-An‘ām: 159]
Allah Most High says in Sūrat Yūnus:
“We certainly settled the Children of Israel in an honorable dwelling and provided them with wholesome things. They did not differ until knowledge came to them. Your Lord will surely judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.” [Yūnus: 93]
Allah Most High says in Sūrat Hā Mīm, ‘Ayn Sīn Qāf:
“They did not divide until after knowledge had come to them, out of transgression among themselves. Were it not for a word that had already gone forth from your Lord, deferring them until an appointed term, judgment would have been passed between them. Indeed, those who inherited the Scripture after them are in troubling doubt concerning it.” [al-Shūrā: 14]
Allah Most High says in the surah beginning “Those Who Disbelieved among the People of the Book Were Not…”:
“Those who were given the Scripture did not divide until after the clear proof had come to them. Yet they were commanded only to worship Allah, devoting the religion sincerely to Him, inclining to pure faith; to establish prayer; and to give zakat. That is the upright religion.” [al-Bayyinah: 5]
Muhammad ibn al-Husayn—may Allah have mercy on him—said:
Our Generous Master has thus informed us that they were given knowledge, but they transgressed and envied one another until this led them to divide, and so they perished.
If someone asks, “Where are the passages in the Quran in which Allah Most High forbids us to become like them, so that we may guard against the division of which our Generous Master has warned us and instead adhere to the community?” he is told: Allah Most High says in Sūrat Āl Imrān:
“O you who believe, fear Allah as He deserves to be feared, and do not die except as Muslims. Hold fast, all together, to the rope of Allah and do not divide. Remember Allah’s favor upon you: you were enemies, but He united your hearts, and through His favor you became brothers. You were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His signs clear to you, so that you may be guided. Let there arise from among you a community that calls to goodness, commands what is right, and forbids what is wrong. It is they who will prosper. Do not be like those who divided and differed after the clear proofs had come to them. They will suffer a tremendous punishment.” [Āl Imrān: 102]
Allah Most High says in Sūrat al-An‘ām:
“This is My path, perfectly straight, so follow it. Do not follow other ways, for they will separate you from His way. This is what He has enjoined upon you, so that you may be mindful of Him.” [al-An‘ām: 153]
Allah Most High says in Sūrat al-Rūm:
“So direct yourself toward the religion in pure faith—the natural disposition from Allah upon which He created humanity. There is no altering Allah’s creation. That is the upright religion, but most people do not know. Turn to Him in repentance, fear Him, establish prayer, and do not be among the polytheists—those who divided their religion and became factions, each party rejoicing in what it has.” [al-Rūm: 30]
Allah Most High says in Sūrat Hā Mīm, ‘Ayn Sīn Qāf:
“He has ordained for you of the religion what He enjoined upon Noah, what We have revealed to you, and what We enjoined upon Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: uphold the religion and do not divide within it. What you call the polytheists to is grievous to them. Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns to Him.” [al-Shūrā: 13]
Muhammad ibn al-Husayn—may Allah have mercy on him—said:
For one who understands Allah’s words and reflects upon how his Generous Master has warned him against division, could any explanation be more compelling than this?
Then know—may Allah Most High have mercy on us and you—that Allah Most High has informed us and you in His Book that disagreement must inevitably occur among His creation, so that He may let whom He wills stray and guide whom He wills. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has made this an admonition from which the believers take heed: they guard against division, adhere to the community, abandon disputation and quarrels over religion, follow rather than innovate.
If someone asks, “Where is this found in the Book of Allah Most High?” he is told: Allah Most High says in Sūrat Hūd:
“Had your Lord willed, He could have made humanity one community, but they will never cease to differ, except those upon whom your Lord has mercy—and for that He created them. The word of your Lord has been fulfilled: ‘I will surely fill Hell with jinn and humanity all together.’ We relate to you each account of the messengers by which We make your heart firm. In this, the truth has come to you, together with an admonition and a reminder for the believers.” [Hūd: 118]
Allah Most High then commanded His Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—to follow what had been revealed to him and not to follow the caprices of the earlier nations regarding that over which they differed. He—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—did so, and warned his nation against disagreement, self-admiration, and following caprice.
Allah Most High says in Sūrat Hā Mīm al-Jāthiyah:
“We certainly gave the Children of Israel the Scripture, judgment, and prophethood; provided them with wholesome things; and favored them above all peoples. We gave them clear proofs concerning the matter, and they differed only after knowledge had come to them, out of transgression among themselves. Your Lord will surely judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ. Then We placed you upon a prescribed way concerning the matter, so follow it and do not follow the caprices of those who do not know. They will never avail you against Allah in the least. Indeed, the wrongdoers are allies of one another, while Allah is the Protector of those who are mindful of Him.” [al-Jāthiyah: 16]
Then Allah Most High says:
“This is enlightenment for humanity, and guidance and mercy for people who possess certainty.” [al-Jāthiyah: 20]