Abū Bakr Umar ibn Saʿīd al-Qarātīsī informed us, saying: Ahmad ibn Mansūr al-Ramādī narrated to us, saying: Abū Sālih Abd Allah ibn Sālih informed us, saying: Muʿāwiyah ibn Sālih narrated to us, from Alī ibn Abī Talhah, from Ibn Abbās—may Allah be pleased with him and his father—concerning Allah Most High’s words:

“Indeed, as for those who divided their religion and became factions” [al-Anʿām: 159];

His words:

“Do not be like those who divided and differed” [Āl Imrān: 105];

His words:

“As for those in whose hearts is deviation, they follow what is ambiguous therein” [Āl Imrān: 7];

His words:

“He has already revealed to you in the Book that when you hear Allah’s signs being denied and mocked, you must not sit with them” [al-Nisāʾ: 140];

His words:

“Do not follow other ways, for they will separate you from His way” [al-Anʿām: 153];

and His words:

“Uphold the religion and do not divide within it” [al-Shūrā: 13].

Ibn Abbās said: Allah commanded the believers to adhere to the community and forbade them to disagree and divide. He informed them that those before them perished only because of disputation and quarrels over the religion of Allah Most High.

Muhammad ibn al-Husayn said: This is what I can presently recall of Allah Most High’s commands to the nation of Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—to adhere to the community and guard against division.

If someone asks, “Then cite from the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—his warnings to his nation against this,” he is told: Yes. You are duty-bound to heed it, guard against division, adhere to the community, and seek the assistance of Almighty Allah in doing so.