Author: Sheikh Al-Islam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, Translation: Maulana Mukhtar Ahmad Nadwi, may Allah protect him
When they heard the hadith regarding sectarianism from the Prophet (peace be upon him), in which he stated that my Ummah will split into seventy-three sects, and that all will be in Hell except for one sect, everyone began to claim that the saved sect was theirs. This is similar to what Allah said about the Jews and Christians:
“And the Jews say, ‘The Christians have nothing to stand on,’ and the Christians say, ‘The Jews have nothing to stand on.’”
However, in the end of the same hadith, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) defined the saved sect as one that follows the path on which I and my companions tread. Allah further refuted their claims:
“And they say, ‘None will enter Paradise except those who are Jews or Christians.’ Those are their wishful thinking. Say, ‘Bring your proof if you should be among the truthful.’ Yes, but whoever submits his face to Allah while being a doer of good will have his reward with his Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.”
[Al-Baqarah: 111]
This means that they do not possess proof to support their claims; rather, they have evidence against them. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) has written extensively on this hadith about sectarianism in his book Minhaj al-Sunnah, which is noteworthy and cannot be added to. He mentioned that the Raafidi (Shia) have also used this hadith to argue for the truthfulness of their sect and the invalidation of the Ahl al-Sunnah. One should study this discussion in Minhaj al-Sunnah.
When they heard the hadith regarding sectarianism from the Prophet (peace be upon him), in which he stated that my Ummah will split into seventy-three sects, and that all will be in Hell except for one sect, everyone began to claim that the saved sect was theirs. This is similar to what Allah said about the Jews and Christians:
“And the Jews say, ‘The Christians have nothing to stand on,’ and the Christians say, ‘The Jews have nothing to stand on.’”
However, in the end of the same hadith, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) defined the saved sect as one that follows the path on which I and my companions tread. Allah further refuted their claims:
“And they say, ‘None will enter Paradise except those who are Jews or Christians.’ Those are their wishful thinking. Say, ‘Bring your proof if you should be among the truthful.’ Yes, but whoever submits his face to Allah while being a doer of good will have his reward with his Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.”
[Al-Baqarah: 111]
This means that they do not possess proof to support their claims; rather, they have evidence against them. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) has written extensively on this hadith about sectarianism in his book Minhaj al-Sunnah, which is noteworthy and cannot be added to. He mentioned that the Raafidi (Shia) have also used this hadith to argue for the truthfulness of their sect and the invalidation of the Ahl al-Sunnah. One should study this discussion in Minhaj al-Sunnah.