His saying:
[مِنَ الَّذِينَ
فَرَّقُواْ دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُواْ شِيَعاً كُلُّ حِزْبٍ بِمَا لَدَيْهِمْ فَرِحُونَ
]
(Of those who Farraqu Dinahum (split up their religion), and became sects,
each sect rejoicing in that which is with it.) means, do not be of the idolators
who split up their religion, i.e., changed it by believing in parts of it and
rejecting other parts. Some scholars read this as Faraqu Dinahum, meaning
"neglected their religion and left it behind them.'' These are like the Jews,
Christians, Zoroastrians, idol worshippers and all the followers of false
religions, besides the followers of Islam, as Allah says:
[إِنَّ الَّذِينَ
فَرَّقُواْ دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُواْ شِيَعًا لَّسْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِى شَىْءٍ إِنَّمَآ
أَمْرُهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ]
(Verily, those who divide their religion and break up into sects, you have no
concern in them in the least. Their affair is only with Allah) (6:159). The
followers of the religions before us had differences of opinions and split into
false sects, each group claiming to be following the truth. This Ummah too has
split into sects, all of which are misguided apart from one, which is
Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jama`ah, those who adhere to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah
of the Messenger of Allah and what was followed by the first generations, the
Companions, their followers, and the Imams of the Muslims of earlier and later
times. In his Mustadrak, Al-Hakim recorded that the Messenger of Allah was asked
which of the sects was the saved sect and he said:
«مَا أَنَا عَلَيْهِ
وَأَصْحَابِي»
(What I and my Companions are upon.)
[وَإِذَا مَسَّ
النَّاسَ ضُرٌّ دَعَوْاْ رَبَّهُمْ مُّنِيبِينَ إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ إِذَآ أَذَاقَهُمْ
مِّنْهُ رَحْمَةً إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ بِرَبِّهِمْ يُشْرِكُونَ لِيَكْفُرُواْ
بِمَآ ءاتَيْنَـهُمْ فَتَمَتَّعُواْ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ أَمْ أَنزَلْنَا
عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَـناً فَهُوَ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِمَا كَانُواْ بِهِ يُشْرِكُونَ وَإِذَآ
أَذَقْنَا النَّاسَ رَحْمَةً فَرِحُواْ بِهَا وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ بِمَا
قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ إِذَا هُمْ يَقْنَطُونَ أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ
يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لأَيَـتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ
يُؤْمِنُونَ ]
(33. And when harm touches men, they cry sincerely only to their Lord,
turning to Him in repentance; but when He gives them a taste of His mercy,
behold, a party of them associates partners in worship with their Lord.) (34. So
as to be ungrateful for the graces which We have bestowed on them. Then enjoy;
but you will come to know.) (35. Or have We revealed to them an authority, which
speaks of that which they have been associating with Him) (36. And when We cause
mankind to taste of mercy, they rejoice therein; but when some evil afflicts
them because of what their hands have sent forth, behold, they are in despair!)
(37. Do they not see that Allah expands the provision for whom He wills and
straitens (it for whom He wills). Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people
who believe.)