Abu Dawud

Benefits and Issues:
➊
In these hadiths, the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) and the members of the Ummah have been warned that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had already informed them beforehand.

➋
Al-jama‘ah, meaning gathering, is actually an infinitive noun and is used for a people who are united and assembled together in every way.
The name Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah is also in this sense, that these people are united upon the Book and the Sunnah, and there is no such division among them that they go about declaring each other misguided.
Shaykh Jilani (rahimahullah) has explained that by al-jama‘ah is meant those who follow the group of the Companions.
Because in the time of the Companions, everyone was united solely and exclusively upon the Book and the Sunnah.
Desires and innovations (bida‘) aside, even the existence of any juristic school of thought (madhhab) was not present.

➌
Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah is that very one sect which, according to the tongue of Prophethood, is saved.
When people refrain from the causes of division, then agreement and unity come among them, and then they become al-jama‘ah.
The fundamental cause of division is abandoning the authentic Sunnah and following innovations (bida‘).

Hadith Authentication
Its chain is hasan (good).
This narration, like in Sunan Abi Dawud and Musnad Ahmad, is also present in Al-Mustadrak of Al-Hakim [1 128 ح443] through the chain of «ازهر بن عبدالله الهوزني الحرازي عن ابي عامر عبدالله بن لحي الخمصي عن معاويه بن ابي سفيان رضي الله عنه».
Abu Amir Abdullah bin Luhay was a trustworthy (thiqa) mukhadram. See: [تقريب التهذيب : 3562]
◄ Mukhadram refers to that tabi‘i who lived during the time of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam but, for some reason, did not meet him, and thus was deprived of the honor of being a companion (sahabi). In other words, they were cut off from the group of companions and included among the tabi‘in.
◄ There is great disagreement regarding the lineage of Azhar bin Abdullah; he is also called Azhar bin Abdullah, Azhar bin Yazid, and Azhar bin Sa‘id. See: [تهذيب الكمال 1 165]
◄ Hafiz Ibn Hibban, in Kitab al-Thiqat, has made them into four separate narrators instead of one...!
◄ Azhar bin Abdullah has been declared trustworthy and truthful (thiqa wa saduq) by Imam ‘Ajli and the majority of hadith scholars, and his being a nasibi is not established with an authentic chain.
◄ A narrator whom the majority of hadith scholars declare trustworthy is considered hasan al-hadith (good in hadith).

Fiqh of the Hadith:
➊ Among the Ummah of Ijabah (those who profess the kalimah and claim Islam), there will be seventy-three [73] sects, of which seventy-two will be destined for Hell and one sect will be destined for Paradise. This is also established from other ahadith.
➋ The example of the people of innovation (ahl al-bid‘ah) and innovations is like that of a rabid dog which, after biting someone, makes them rabid and mad as well.
➌ The misguided sects whose beliefs are of disbelief (kufr) and polytheism (shirk) will remain in Hell forever, as is established by general evidences [مثلا سورہ النساء آيت : 48].
➍ Al-Jama‘ah refers to those people who, in beliefs and actions, are in agreement and conformity with the group of the companions (sahabah). They are called Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah and Ahl al-Hadith, etc. These people were and are upon the path of the Book, the Sunnah, and consensus (ijma‘), and they are the Ta’ifah Mansurah (the victorious group).
➎ The occurrence, appearance, and manifestation of innovations (bid‘ah), polytheism (shirk), and disbelief (kufr) in the Ummah has been indicated, and this has occurred as foretold. «اعاذنا الله منها»
➏ Allah ta‘ala sent our master Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, as a true Messenger and informed him of some matters of the unseen (ghaybiyyat) through revelation (wahy).
➐ Hadith is also revelation (wahy).
➑ One should keep away from the people of innovation (ahl al-bid‘ah) so as to remain safe from their disease.
◄ Imam Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani rahimahullah, when he saw a person coming towards him, said:
«قوموا لا يعدينا بجربه»
“Get up, lest his itch (disease) afflict us.”
➒ There is no love or gentleness with the people of innovation; rather, having hatred and enmity towards them is a sign of faith (iman).
➓ Consensus (ijma‘) is a proof (hujjah).