عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ لَوْ شاءَ رَبُّكَ لَجَعَلَ النَّاسَ أُمَّةً واحِدَةً وَ لا يَزالُونَ مُخْتَلِفِينَ إِلَّا مَنْ رَحِمَ رَبُّكَ فَقَالَ كَانُوا أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ النَّبِيِّينَ لِيَتَّخِذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْحُجَّةَ.
573. Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr, from Abdullah Bin Sinan who said: ‘Abu Abdullah  was asked about the Statement of Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic: “[11:118] And if your Lord had pleased He would certainly have made people a single nation, and they shall not cease to differ [11:119] Except those on whom your Lord has mercy”, so he  said: ‘They were one community, so Allah (azwj) Sent the Prophets  to take the Proof against them’.