hadith
906
۞
Imam al-Sadiq (AS) was asked by Abd al-Mumin al-Ansari, ‘Verily some people narrated from the Prophet (SAWA) that he said, “
The separation of my community is a mercy” and they were truthful, so I ask that if their separation is a mercy then is their congregation a chastisement?, to which the Imam replied, ‘It is not as you understand it nor as they understood it, actually he meant the saying of Allah, “But why should not there go forth a group from each of their sections…” so He commanded them to go forth to the Prophet (SAWA) and to frequent him and learn from him then to return to their people and teach them, so what is meant is [physical] separation from their cities, not separation or difference with regards to the religion of Allah, for verily the religion of Allah is one.
عن عبد المُؤمِن الأنصاريّ
قلت للإمامِ الصّادقِ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) : إنّ قَوماً رَوَوا أنَّ رسولَ اللّهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) قالَ : إنّ اخْتِلافَ اُمَّتي رَحمَةٌ؟ فقالَ : صَدَقوا . قلتُ : إنْ كانَ اخْتِلافُهُم رَحمَةً فاجْتِماعُهُم عَذابٌ ؟ قالَ : لَيس حيثُ ذَهَبْتَ وذَهَبوا ، إنَّما أرادَ قولَ اللّهِ عزّوجلّ: «فلَولا نَفَرَ مِن كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِنْهُمْ طائِفَةٌ لِيَتَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِ» ، فأمَرَهُم أنْ يَنْفِروا إلى رسولِ اللّهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) ويَخْتَلِفوا إلَيهِ فيَتَعلّموا ثُمَّ يَرْجِعوا إلى قَومِهِم فيُعَلّموهُم ، إنّما أرادَ اخْتِلافَهُم مِن البُلْدانِ ، لا اخْتِلافاً في دِينِ اللّهِ ، إنّما الدِّينُ واحِدٌ .