ابْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ أَبِي الْمِقْدَامِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عليه السلام) إِنَّ الْعَامَّةَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ بَيْعَةَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ حَيْثُ اجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ كَانَتْ رِضًا لِلَّهِ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ وَ مَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَفْتِنَ أُمَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ (صلى الله عليه وآله) مِنْ بَعْدِهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عليه السلام) أَ وَ مَا يَقْرَءُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ أَ وَ لَيْسَ اللَّهُ يَقُولُ وَ ما مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ أَ فَإِنْ ماتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ انْقَلَبْتُمْ عَلى أَعْقابِكُمْ وَ مَنْ يَنْقَلِبْ عَلى عَقِبَيْهِ فَلَنْ يَضُرَّ اللَّهَ شَيْئاً وَ سَيَجْزِي اللَّهُ الشَّاكِرِينَ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّهُمْ يُفَسِّرُونَ عَلَى وَجْهٍ آخَرَ فَقَالَ أَ وَ لَيْسَ قَدْ أَخْبَرَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَنِ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ أَنَّهُمْ قَدِ اخْتَلَفُوا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ حَيْثُ قَالَ وَ آتَيْنا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّناتِ وَ أَيَّدْناهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ وَ لَوْ شاءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ما جاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّناتُ وَ لكِنِ اخْتَلَفُوا فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ آمَنَ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ كَفَرَ وَ لَوْ شاءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلُوا وَ لكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ ما يُرِيدُ وَ فِي هَذَا مَا يُسْتَدَلُّ بِهِ عَلَى أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ مُحَمَّدٍ (صلى الله عليه وآله) قَدِ اخْتَلَفُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ آمَنَ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ كَفَرَ.

398. Ibn Mahboub, from Amro Bin Abu Al-Maqdaam, from his father who said: I said to Abu Ja’far (asws) that: ‘The generality (of the Muslims) are alleging that the pledging of the allegiances to Abu Bakr where the people gathered was with the Pleasure of Allah (azwj) and Allah (azwj) did not like the strife (Fitna) in the community of Muhammad (saww) after him (saww). So Abu Ja’far (asws) said: ‘Have you not recited the Book of Allah (azwj)? Has not Allah (azwj) said: “[3:144] And Muhammad is no more than a messenger; the messengers have already passed away before him; if then he dies or is killed will you turn back upon your heels? And whoever turns back upon his heels, he will by no means do harm to Allah in the least and Allah will reward the grateful” I said to him (asws), ‘They are explaining it upon another perspective’. So he (asws) said: ‘Has not Allah (azwj) Informed about those who were before them from the communities who had differed from after the Proofs had come to them, where He (azwj) Said: “[2:253] and We gave clear miracles to Isa son of Marium, and strengthened him with the holy spirit. And if Allah had pleased, those after them would not have fought one with another after clear arguments had come to them, but they disagreed; so there were some of them who believed and others who denied; and if Allah had pleased they would not have fought one with another, but Allah brings about what He intends”, and in this is the evidence against the companions of Muhammad (saww) who had differed among (themselves) after him (saww). “So there were some of them who believed and others who denied”.