Divisions Within the Main Religious Groups
Abû Hurayrah reported that the Prophet - sallallâhu ’alayhi wa sallam - said: "The Jews have split into seventy-one sects, and my Ummah will divide into seventy-three."
'Awf ibn Malik reported that the Prophet said: "The Jews split into seventy-one sects: one will enter Paradise and seventy will enter Hell. The Christians split into seventy-two sects: seventy-one will enter Hell and one will enter Paradise . By Him in Whose hand is my soul, my Ummah will split into seventy-three sects: one will enter Paradise and seventy-two will enter Hell." Someone asked, "O Messenger of Allâh, who will they be?" He replied, "The main body of the Muslims (al-Jama'ah)."'Awf ibn Malik is the only one who reported this Hadîth, and its isnad is acceptable.
[Note: "The main body of the Muslims (al-Jama'ah) means the people of the Qur'ân, Hadîth, Fiqh and other sciences, who have agreed to follow the Traditions of the Prophet in all circumstances without introducing any changes or imposing their own confused ideas.]
[Note: "The main body of the Muslims (al-Jama'ah) means the people of the Qur'ân, Hadîth, Fiqh and other sciences, who have agreed to follow the Traditions of the Prophet in all circumstances without introducing any changes or imposing their own confused ideas.]
