The Jews split into 71 sects
The most knowledgeable of my ummah after me is ‘Ali
March 8, 2018Kill Na’thal for he has committed kufr
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The Jews split into 71 sects
افترقت اليهود على إحدى و سبعين فرقة
The Jews split into 71 sects.
This hadith is sahih due to the abundance of its chains and narrations/wordings.
Al Hakim narrated it in al Mustadrak[1] and commented:
هذه أسانيد تقام بها الحجة في تصحيح هذا الحديث
These asanid (plural of isnad) stand as proof for the authentication of this hadith.
Al Dhahabi concurs with him.
Hafiz al ‘Iraqi comments:
رواه الترمذي من حديث عبد الله بن عمرو و حسنه و أبو داود من حديث معاوية و ابن ماجة من حديث أنس و عوف بن مالك و أسانيدها جياد
Al Tirmidhi narrated it from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr and declared it hasan, Abu Dawood from Muawiyah, and Ibn Majah from Anas and ‘Awf ibn Malik. And their asanid are jayyid (excellent/sound).[2]
The muhaqqiqin of Musnad Ahmed with the tahqiq of Shu’ayb Arna’ut have stated, “Its isnad is hasan.”[3]
Al Tirmidhi reported it. Hafiz qualifies this hadith as being mashhur[4] and mahfuz[5].
‘Abdul Rahman ibn Zaid al Afriqi is present in the isnad.
- Hafiz has stated in al Taqrib, “He is da’if with regards to his memory. However, he was a pious individual.”[6]
The hadith of Muawiyah is its shahid. The hadith with all its chains is hasan.[7]
Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam has enlightened regarding this sect which will attain salvation from all the sects of destruction by saying:
من كان على ما أنا عليه و أصحابي
He who is on mine and my Companions’ path.
Al Majlisi has mentioned in Bihar al Anwar[8] and al Tabataba’i in his Tafsir[9] that the sect to attain salvation will be the followers of the Ahlul Bayt. We the Ahlus Sunnah follow both the Ahlul Bayt and Sahabah. On the other hand, the Shia feel that they are following one group only. So if the hadith of following the Ahlul Bayt is sahih, it will cover the Ahlus Sunnah and if the hadith of following the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum is sahih, it will cover the Ahlus Sunnah likewise. However, it will never cover the Rawafid. Hence, the salvation of the Ahlus Sunnah is established in all conditions.
The narration of dissension according to the Shia
Al Majlisi reported from Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu that he asked the Jews:
كم افترقت بنو إسرائيل فقالوا و لا فرقة واحدة فقال علي كذبتم افترقت على إحدى و سبعين فرقة كلها في النار إلا واحدة فإن الله يقول و من قوم موسى أمة يهدون بالحق و به يعدلون قال فهذه التي تنجو
“Into how many sects did the Banu Isra’il split?”
They replied, “Not even one.”
“You lied,” he emphasises, “they split into 71 sects; all of whom will be in the Fire except one since Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala says:
وَمِن قَوْمِ مُوسَىٰ أُمَّةٌ يَهْدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ
And among the people of Moses is a community which guides by truth and by it establishes justice.[10]
He continued, “This is the one that will attain salvation.”[11]
Ni’mat Allah al Jaza’iri said regarding this hadith:
هو المتفق عليه من علماء الإسلام لكن الترمذي من العامة نقله في صحيحه بزيادة هي قيل و من هم قال الذين هم على ما أنا عليه و أصحابي و أما الشيعة فزادت في روايته هكذا قال افترقت أمة موسى على أحد و سبعين فرقة كلها في النار إلا واحدة و هي التي اتبعت وصيه يوشع و افترقت أمة عيسى على اثنين و سبعين فرقة كلها في النار إلا واحدة و هي التي اتبعت وصيه شمعون و ستفترق أمتي على ثلاثة و سبعين فرقة كلها في النار إلا واحدة و هي التي تتبع وصيي عليا عليه السلام
This hadith is unanimously accepted by the scholars of Islam. However, al Tirmidhi of the Ahlus Sunnah reported it in his Sahih with the addition:
It was asked, “Who are they?”
He replied, “Those who are upon what I and my companions are upon.”
As for the Shia, they have added in the narration the following:
The ummah of Musa split into 71 sects, all of whom will be in the Fire except one; those who followed his wasi Yusha’. The ummah of ‘Isa split into 72 sects, all of whom will be in the Fire except one; those who followed his wasi Sham’un. And my ummah will split into 73 sects, all of whom will be in the Fire except one, those who will follow my wasi ‘Ali ‘alayh al Salam.[12]
Al Fayd al Kashani says:
و في الحديث المشهور ستفترق أمتي على ثلاث و سبعين فرقة كلها في النار إلا واحدة و هي التي تتبع وصيي عليا
It appears in the famous hadith: “My ummah will split into 73 sects all of whom will be in the Fire except one, those who will follow my wasi ‘Ali.”[13]
Next⇒ Kill Na’thal for he has committed kufr
[1] Al Mustadrak vol. 1 pg. 128.
[2] Takhrij al Ihya’ vol. 3 pg. 199.
[3] Musnad Ahmed vol. 14 pg. 124.
[4] Lisan al Mizan vol. 1 pg. 128.
[5] Lisan al Mizan vol. 6 pg. 56.
[6] Al Taqrib vol. 1 pg. 480.
[7] Study the explanation of al Albani in Silsilat al Ahadith al Sahihah Hadith: 203.
[8] Bihar al Anwar vol. 28 pg. 30.
[9] Tafsir vol. 3 pg. 380.
[10] Surah al A’raf: 159.
[11] Bihar al Anwar vol. 6 pg. 82; Tafsir al Mizan vol. 8 pg. 291.
[12] Nur al Barahin vol. 1 pg. 61.
[13] Al Tafsir al Asfa vol. 1 pg. 355.
BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents
The Jews split into 71 sects
افترقت اليهود على إحدى و سبعين فرقة
The Jews split into 71 sects.
This hadith is sahih due to the abundance of its chains and narrations/wordings.
Al Hakim narrated it in al Mustadrak[1] and commented:
هذه أسانيد تقام بها الحجة في تصحيح هذا الحديث
These asanid (plural of isnad) stand as proof for the authentication of this hadith.
Al Dhahabi concurs with him.
Hafiz al ‘Iraqi comments:
رواه الترمذي من حديث عبد الله بن عمرو و حسنه و أبو داود من حديث معاوية و ابن ماجة من حديث أنس و عوف بن مالك و أسانيدها جياد
Al Tirmidhi narrated it from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr and declared it hasan, Abu Dawood from Muawiyah, and Ibn Majah from Anas and ‘Awf ibn Malik. And their asanid are jayyid (excellent/sound).[2]
The muhaqqiqin of Musnad Ahmed with the tahqiq of Shu’ayb Arna’ut have stated, “Its isnad is hasan.”[3]
Al Tirmidhi reported it. Hafiz qualifies this hadith as being mashhur[4] and mahfuz[5].
‘Abdul Rahman ibn Zaid al Afriqi is present in the isnad.
- Hafiz has stated in al Taqrib, “He is da’if with regards to his memory. However, he was a pious individual.”[6]
The hadith of Muawiyah is its shahid. The hadith with all its chains is hasan.[7]
Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam has enlightened regarding this sect which will attain salvation from all the sects of destruction by saying:
من كان على ما أنا عليه و أصحابي
He who is on mine and my Companions’ path.
Al Majlisi has mentioned in Bihar al Anwar[8] and al Tabataba’i in his Tafsir[9] that the sect to attain salvation will be the followers of the Ahlul Bayt. We the Ahlus Sunnah follow both the Ahlul Bayt and Sahabah. On the other hand, the Shia feel that they are following one group only. So if the hadith of following the Ahlul Bayt is sahih, it will cover the Ahlus Sunnah and if the hadith of following the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum is sahih, it will cover the Ahlus Sunnah likewise. However, it will never cover the Rawafid. Hence, the salvation of the Ahlus Sunnah is established in all conditions.
The narration of dissension according to the Shia
Al Majlisi reported from Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu that he asked the Jews:
كم افترقت بنو إسرائيل فقالوا و لا فرقة واحدة فقال علي كذبتم افترقت على إحدى و سبعين فرقة كلها في النار إلا واحدة فإن الله يقول و من قوم موسى أمة يهدون بالحق و به يعدلون قال فهذه التي تنجو
“Into how many sects did the Banu Isra’il split?”
They replied, “Not even one.”
“You lied,” he emphasises, “they split into 71 sects; all of whom will be in the Fire except one since Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala says:
وَمِن قَوْمِ مُوسَىٰ أُمَّةٌ يَهْدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ
And among the people of Moses is a community which guides by truth and by it establishes justice.[10]
He continued, “This is the one that will attain salvation.”[11]
Ni’mat Allah al Jaza’iri said regarding this hadith:
هو المتفق عليه من علماء الإسلام لكن الترمذي من العامة نقله في صحيحه بزيادة هي قيل و من هم قال الذين هم على ما أنا عليه و أصحابي و أما الشيعة فزادت في روايته هكذا قال افترقت أمة موسى على أحد و سبعين فرقة كلها في النار إلا واحدة و هي التي اتبعت وصيه يوشع و افترقت أمة عيسى على اثنين و سبعين فرقة كلها في النار إلا واحدة و هي التي اتبعت وصيه شمعون و ستفترق أمتي على ثلاثة و سبعين فرقة كلها في النار إلا واحدة و هي التي تتبع وصيي عليا عليه السلام
This hadith is unanimously accepted by the scholars of Islam. However, al Tirmidhi of the Ahlus Sunnah reported it in his Sahih with the addition:
It was asked, “Who are they?”
He replied, “Those who are upon what I and my companions are upon.”
As for the Shia, they have added in the narration the following:
The ummah of Musa split into 71 sects, all of whom will be in the Fire except one; those who followed his wasi Yusha’. The ummah of ‘Isa split into 72 sects, all of whom will be in the Fire except one; those who followed his wasi Sham’un. And my ummah will split into 73 sects, all of whom will be in the Fire except one, those who will follow my wasi ‘Ali ‘alayh al Salam.[12]
Al Fayd al Kashani says:
و في الحديث المشهور ستفترق أمتي على ثلاث و سبعين فرقة كلها في النار إلا واحدة و هي التي تتبع وصيي عليا
It appears in the famous hadith: “My ummah will split into 73 sects all of whom will be in the Fire except one, those who will follow my wasi ‘Ali.”[13]
Next⇒ Kill Na’thal for he has committed kufr
[1] Al Mustadrak vol. 1 pg. 128.
[2] Takhrij al Ihya’ vol. 3 pg. 199.
[3] Musnad Ahmed vol. 14 pg. 124.
[4] Lisan al Mizan vol. 1 pg. 128.
[5] Lisan al Mizan vol. 6 pg. 56.
[6] Al Taqrib vol. 1 pg. 480.
[7] Study the explanation of al Albani in Silsilat al Ahadith al Sahihah Hadith: 203.
[8] Bihar al Anwar vol. 28 pg. 30.
[9] Tafsir vol. 3 pg. 380.
[10] Surah al A’raf: 159.
[11] Bihar al Anwar vol. 6 pg. 82; Tafsir al Mizan vol. 8 pg. 291.
[12] Nur al Barahin vol. 1 pg. 61.
[13] Al Tafsir al Asfa vol. 1 pg. 355.