What Qur'an and the Prophet of Allah said about Differences

Those who have done some research into the Holy personality of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), will agree that the revolution he did was nothing short of an unlikely event. When he came, the whole Arabia was totally a barbaric nation. They not only used to burry their female child alive for fear of shame, but also used to fight wars between tribes for hundreds of years for very trivial reasons. Prophet  Muhammad (SAW) brought that nation from this complete darkness into the light of Islam for which they were admired by generations to come. Historians attribute different reasons for his (SAW) success. In our opinion, one of the contributing factors was that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) took the best in everyone. In other words, he utilized the best qualities everyone had and ignored their bad ones. One of the worst things human beings can do is to get disunited so that they can be manipulated by others for almost everything. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) brought the hearts of those previously enemies together, made them brethren, abolished all kinds of inequality between them. The Holy Qur'an appears to say this same thing:

And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited, and remember the favor of Allah on you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts so by His favor you became brethren; and you were on the brink of a pit of fire, then He saved you from it, thus does Allah make clear to you His communications that you may follow the right way (Qur'an 3:103)

In many others verses, the Holy Qur'an categorically denounced disunity and invariably commanded the Muslims to remain always united under the banner of "There is no god except Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger.":

And surely this your religion is one religion and I am your Lord, therefore be careful (of your duty) to Me. But they cut off their religion among themselves into sects, each part rejoicing in that which is with them (Qur'an 23:52-53)

Surely they who divided their religion into parts and became sects, you have no concern with them; their affair is only with Allah, then He will inform them of what they did (Qur'an 6:159)

And certainly We sent to Samood their brother Salih, saying: Serve Allah; and lo! they became two sects quarrelling with each other (Qur'an 27:45)

Surely this Islam is your religion, one religion (only), and I am your Lord, therefore serve Me. And they broke their religion (into sects) between them: to Us shall all come back (Qur'an 21:92-93)

Then set your face upright for religion in the right state-- the nature made by Allah in which He has made men; there is no altering of Allah's creation; that is the right religion, but most people do not know-- turning to Him, and be careful of (your duty to) Him and keep up prayer and be not of the polytheists, of those who divided their religion and became sects,  every sect rejoicing in what they had with them (Qur'an 30:30-32)

It is easily seen from the above verses that dividing into sects is something Allah has denounced with utmost emphasis. Not only did Allah has command us not to be divided into many groups, but He has also prohibited us not to quarrel among ourselves lest we become weak:

And obey Allah and His Messenger and do not quarrel for then you will be weak in hearts and your power will depart, and be patient; surely Allah is with the patient (Qur'an 8:46)

Very similar statements can be found in the sayings of the Prophet (SAW) to the extent that he equated killing of each other as becoming disbelievers:

Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 3, Number 593:The Prophet (SAW) said: Don't differ, for the nations before you differed and perished (because of their differences).

Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Number 458: The Prophet (SAW) said: Your blood, properties and honor are as sacred to one another as this day of yours in this town of yours in this month of yours. You will meet your Lord, and He will ask you about your deeds. Beware! Do not go astray after me by cutting the necks of each other. It is incumbent upon those who are present to convey this message to those who are absent.

Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Number 187: The Prophet (SAW) said: Do not become disbelievers after me by cutting the necks of one another.

Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 9, Number 7: The Prophet (SAW) said: "After me (i.e. after my death), do not become disbelievers, by striking (cutting) the necks of one another.

Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 9, Number 391: The Prophet (SAW) said: "Leave me as I leave you) for the people who were before you were ruined because of their questions and their differences over their prophets. So, if I forbid you to do something, then keep away from it. And if I order you to do something, then do of it as much as you can."

From the standpoint of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah (way) of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), it is clear that unity is of utmost importance in Islam. However, a quick glance at the history of Islam will show that there is not even a single subject, having any relevance to religion was left without a discord of one type or the other. Muslims have divided themselves into many groups, each group boasting of what they have to the extent of calling each other disbelievers and fighting among themselves and this still goes on without any end in sight. Allah willing, we will discuss as to the reasons of these differences among the Muslims and more importantly try to find ways to once again unite under "La Ilaha illallah, Muhammad ar-Rasulullah".