وَيَعْصِمَنَا مِنَ الْأَهْوَاءِ الْمُخْتَلِفَةِ وَالْآرَاءِ الْمُتَفَرِّقَةِ وَالْمَذَاهِبِ الرَّدِيَّةِ.
And may He protect us from diverse passions, divergent opinions, and corrupt doctrinal positions.
Ahwāʾ denotes inclinations that lead a person away from truth. Divergent opinions here concern rival doctrinal approaches that depart from sound belief.
Protecting religion is not simply a matter of debating views. It also involves avoiding self-serving desires, partisanship, and unwarranted confidence in one's own judgments. That is why both steadfastness and protection are sought.