I heard one Hadith that Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) said:
‘My Ummah will be divided into seventy three sects, seventy two will go in the fire and one will go in Jannah.’
How authentic is this Hadith?
Answer:
1. Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (radiyallahu’anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) said:
‘The Jews were divided into seventy one or seventy two sects, and so were the Christians.
My Ummah will be divided into seventy three sects.’
(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 2640 and Sahih Ibn Hibban; Al-Ihsan, Hadith: 6247 & 6731)
Imams Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibban (rahimahumallah) have declared this Hadith as authentic (hasan sahih & sahih).
2. Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr ibnil ‘As (radiyallahu’anhuma) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) said:
‘…indeed the Banu Israel (Jews) were divided into seventy two sects. My Ummah will be divided into seventy three. All of them will be [deserving of being] in the fire besides one sect.
It was asked: ‘which one will that be?’
Nabi (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) replied:
‘The one who follows my way and the way of my Companions.’
(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 2641)
Imam Tirmidhi (rahimahullah) has declared this Hadith as sound (hasan).
3. Sayyiduna Mu’awiyah (radiyallahu’anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) said:
‘Behold! Those before you were divided into seventy two sects. This Ummah will break into seventy three. Seventy two will be [deserving of being] in the fire, and one will be in Jannah. That’s the one that follows the Group (of my Sahabah and my way).’
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 4587)
Also see here.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,
Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar