His saying, the Exalted: "And do not be like those who became divided and differed."

3944 - Ahmad ibn 'Isam narrated to us, Abu 'Amir—meaning al-'Aqadi—informed us, Kathir narrated to us from his father, from his grandfather, from the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said: "O assembly of Quraysh, you are the guardians of this affair after me, so do not die except while you are Muslims, and do not become divided, and do not be like those who became divided and differed after the clear proofs had come to them."

3945 - My father narrated to us, Abu Salih narrated to us, Mu'awiyah ibn Salih narrated to me, from 'Ali ibn Abi Talhah, from Ibn 'Abbas regarding His saying: "And do not be like those who became divided and differed," and similar [verses] in the Quran, he said: Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, commanded [the believers] to hold to the community (jama'ah) and forbade them from disagreement and division, and informed them that those who were before you were destroyed by disputation and contentions regarding the religion of Allah, the Almighty and Exalted.

3946 - Al-Hasan ibn Ahmad narrated to us, Musa ibn Muhkam narrated to us, Abu Bakr al-Hanafi narrated to us, 'Abbad ibn Mansur narrated to us from al-Hasan regarding His saying: "And do not be like those who became divided and differed," he said: From the Jews and the Christians.

His saying, the Exalted: "And differed after the clear proofs had come to them."

3947 - I read to Muhammad ibn al-Fadl, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Muzahim narrated to us, Bukayr ibn Ma'ruf narrated to us from Muqatil ibn Hayyan regarding His saying: "And do not be like," meaning: for the believers, he says: Do not be like those who became divided and differed after Moses, so Allah, the Exalted, forbade the believers from becoming divided after their Prophet, just as the Jews did.

His saying, the Exalted: "And for them is a great punishment."

This has already been mentioned in its exegesis.

His saying, the Exalted: "On the Day [when] faces will become white."

3948 - My father narrated to us, Abu Tawbah al-Rabi' ibn Nafi' narrated to us, Mu'awiyah ibn Salam narrated to us, from Zayd ibn Salam, that he heard Abu Salam, 'Abd al-Rahman narrated to me, a man from Kindah narrated to me, who said: I came to 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and she said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) narrated to me—and I asked him? He said: "Yes, on the Day [when] faces will become white and faces will become black, until I see what is done with me," or he said: "with my face."