Mustadrak al-Hakim — Hadith 3832

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) concerning the saying of Allah Almighty: "And We placed in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy. And monasticism, they invented it; We did not prescribe it for them, except (that they did so) seeking the pleasure of Allah, but they did not observe it with due observance. So We gave those who believed among them their reward, but many of them are defiantly disobedient" [Surah al-Hadid: 27], that he said: the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: "O Abdullah bin Mas'ud!" I said: Here I am, O Messenger of Allah (three times). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do you know which handhold of faith is the firmest?" I said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The firmest handhold of faith is friendship for the sake of Allah, that is, loving for His sake and hating for His sake. O Abdullah bin Mas'ud!" I said: Here I am, O Messenger of Allah (three times). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do you know which people are the best?" I said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, the best of people are those who are best in deeds, when they gain understanding (fiqh) of their religion. O Abdullah bin Mas'ud!" I said: Here I am, ever ready to obey you (three times). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do you know who is the most knowledgeable of people?" I said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, the most knowledgeable of people is the one who best recognises the truth when people differ, even if he falls somewhat short in deeds, and even if he (through physical weakness) drags himself along on his backside. Those who were before us split into seventy-two (72) sects, of which three were saved and the rest perished. One group confronted the kings and fought them for the religion of Allah and the religion of Isa bin Maryam (peace be upon him) until they were killed. A second group did not have the strength to confront the kings, so they remained among their people and called them to the religion of Allah and the religion of Isa bin Maryam (peace be upon him); then the kings killed them and cut them apart with saws. And a third group had neither the strength to confront the kings nor the courage to remain among their people; they called the people to Allah and to the religion of Isa bin Maryam (peace be upon him), and then went out into the mountains and adopted monasticism there. They are the ones about whom Allah Almighty said: 'And monasticism, they invented it; We did not prescribe it for them, except (that they did so) seeking the pleasure of Allah, but they did not observe it with due observance', up to His saying: 'defiantly disobedient' [Surah al-Hadid: 27]. So the believers are those who believed in me and affirmed me, and the defiantly disobedient are those who disbelieved in me and rejected me."
This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain of narration, but the two Shaykhs did not record it.