Mukhtasar Muslim

`Sayyiduna Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) says:` People used to ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about good things, but I used to ask about evil out of fear that I might fall into it. I said, "O Messenger of Allah! We were in ignorance and evil, then Allah brought us this good (i.e., Islam). Will there be any evil after this good?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Yes, but there will be a stain in it." I said, "What will that stain be?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "There will be people who will follow a way other than my Sunnah and will follow guidance other than my guidance. Among them will be good things and bad things." I said, "Will there be evil after that?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Yes, there will be people who will call towards the doors of Hell. Whoever responds to them, they will throw him into Hell." I said, "O Messenger of Allah! Describe those people to us." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "They will have our complexion and will speak our language (i.e., they will be from among us)." I said, "O Messenger of Allah! What should I do if I reach that time?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Stick to the group of Muslims and their Imam." I said, "What if there is no group and no Imam?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Then keep away from all those sects, even if you have to bite the root of a tree, and remain in that state until death overtakes you."