There is an hadith that there will be 73 sects of Islam and out of 73 sects one sect will be in true path and rest of the 72 sects will be in wrong path. Could you please enlight on this because all sects are claiming that they are in right path.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa
Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
There is
an hadith that there will be 73 sects of Islam and out of 73 sects one sect
will be in true path and rest of the 72 sects will be in wrong path. Could you
please enlight on this because all sects are claiming that they are in right
path.
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Answer:
Which sect on right
path
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask
for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever
He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that
there is no one (no idol, no person, no
grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai,
nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 171 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr
That Allah's Messenger (saws) said: “There
will befall my Ummah exactly all those evils which befell the people of
Your Question: Could
you please enlight on this because all sects are claiming that they are in
right path.
Dear and Beloved brother in Islam, not only does every sect of Islam, but every religion, every movement, and every belief in existence claims that they alone are on the Right Path!!!
To determine, choose, and follow the One and Only Right
Path between all these million of false beliefs and paths is precisely the
‘test’ that the All-Knowing Lord has ordained for mankind!
The All-Knowing, All-Wise Lord bestowed two things upon
His best creation (ie. mankind) which He did not bestow upon any in His Supreme
Creation, and thus put mankind to a test:
- Intelligence
or the Power of Reasoning
- A
‘free will’ for a limited period of one life-time to choose whatever path
one wishes to live his life.
Whoever amongst man studies and ponders over the
innumerable wonders and Signs in the various creations of the Majestic Lord,
and uses his bestowed intelligence and power of reasoning to understand his
mission of creation, recognize His Supreme Lord and Creator, and of his own
‘free will’ chooses to submit his will to the Will of his Creator, and chooses
to live his life in accordance with the guidance of his Creator, passes the
test of life and is promised the Eternal Mercy, Grace, and Rewards of Allah
Subhanah.
And whoever amongst man uses his bestowed intelligence and
power of reasoning to do everything else but does not recognize or denies his
Supreme Creator, refuses to submit his will to the Will of His Creator, and of
his own ‘free will’ chooses to live his life in accordance with any guidance
other than that of His Supreme Creator, miserably fails the test of life and
will have a severe accounting in the Presence of His All-Mighty and Majestic
Lord on an Inevitable Day.
For one who has already professed belief in Allah and His
Last Messenger (saws), it would indeed be very easy to determine which sect
amongst all the sects of Islam is on the Right Path!
The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘And if
the people of
Sahih Muslim Hadith 1885 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah
That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a
sermon: “The best speech is that
which is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al Quran; and the best guidance is the guidance given
by me, Mohamed (saws). The most
evil affairs are the innovations, and every innovation is an error.”
The Prophet of Allah (saws) said in an
authentic narration: “I (saws) leave behind me two things, which if you (the believers) follow, you will never be mis-guided:
1.The Al Quran and 2. My Sunnah.”
Thus my dear and beloved brother in Islam, the one and
only way to determine which amongst all these sects is on the one Right Path
that leads to Allah’s Mercy is to, without any prejudice, predisposition and
bias, study and understand the Glorious Quran and the authentic and established
Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and using nothing but these two
barometers of Knowledge to determine which sect or community or ‘jama’a’ is
closest to the one followed by the Messenger of Allah (saws) and his
companions!
If you are sincere in your search for the Truth, and
strive the necessary striving with sincerity, humility, and hope….. Allah is
our witness brother, He will not only help you in your search, but He Will make
your striving easy for you and rush towards you with His Mercy, Grace, Pardon,
and Forgiveness; for our Lord Most Gracious never ever leaves astray those who
sincerely strive to seek His Guidance.
Sahih Muslim Hadith 6499 Narrated by Abu Dharr
Allah's Messenger (saws) said: that Allah,
the Exalted and Glorious, stated: 'He who comes with goodness, there are in
store for him ten like those and even more than those; And he who comes with
vice, it is only for that that he is called to account. I even forgive him as I
like, and he who draws close to Me by the span of a palm I draw close to
him by a cubit, and he who draws close to Me by a cubit I draw close to him by
the space (covered) by two hands, and he who walks towards Me I rush towards
him, and he who meets Me in the state that his sins fill the earth, but
not associating anything with Me, I would meet Him with the same (vastness) of
pardon (on My behalf)."
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to
Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your brother and well wisher in
Islam,
Burhan
Wister