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