The hadith: The difference among my Ummah is a mercy
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Fatwa number ( 16113 )
Q: There is a hadith that says: (The difference among my Ummah is a mercy). Is this hadith authentic or not? And most scholars say: that the difference among the imams, meaning that the schools of jurisprudence are a mercy, and most preachers repeat this hadith on the pulpits. What is your opinion regarding the authenticity of this hadith and acting upon it, and the statement of some scholars and preachers, even though each of these preachers follows whichever of these schools he wishes and acts according to it and says: my school is such and such?
A: This famous saying on people's tongues: (The difference among my Ummah is a mercy) has no basis: meaning: it has no chain of narration, so it is not permissible to attribute it to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Perhaps the first to mention it without a chain was al-Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him) in (Al-Risalah al-As'ariyyah) as in (Tabyin Kadhb al-Muftari) by Ibn Asakir (may Allah have mercy on him) (p. 106), and more than one scholar of hadith has established this.
The noble al-Suyuti (may Allah have mercy on him) in (Al-Jami' al-Saghir) was unable to mention anyone who narrated it with a chain, and despite the expansion of al-Munawi in his commentary (Fayd al-Qadir 1\209-212), he did not mention a basis for it. Therefore, it is not permissible to attribute it to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), nor to use it as evidence. And whoever mentions it as attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) should be pointed out to this. And the difference among scholars in matters of knowledge returns to the evidence from the Book and the Sunnah, therein is mercy, therein is guidance and light, and the one who errs in that case is rewarded with one reward, and the one who is correct has two rewards. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q: There is a hadith that says: (The difference among my Ummah is a mercy). Is this hadith authentic or not? And most scholars say: that the difference among the imams, meaning that the schools of jurisprudence are a mercy, and most preachers repeat this hadith on the pulpits. What is your opinion regarding the authenticity of this hadith and acting upon it, and the statement of some scholars and preachers, even though each of these preachers follows whichever of these schools he wishes and acts according to it and says: my school is such and such?
A: This famous saying on people's tongues: (The difference among my Ummah is a mercy) has no basis: meaning: it has no chain of narration, so it is not permissible to attribute it to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Perhaps the first to mention it without a chain was al-Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him) in (Al-Risalah al-As'ariyyah) as in (Tabyin Kadhb al-Muftari) by Ibn Asakir (may Allah have mercy on him) (p. 106), and more than one scholar of hadith has established this.
The noble al-Suyuti (may Allah have mercy on him) in (Al-Jami' al-Saghir) was unable to mention anyone who narrated it with a chain, and despite the expansion of al-Munawi in his commentary (Fayd al-Qadir 1\209-212), he did not mention a basis for it. Therefore, it is not permissible to attribute it to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), nor to use it as evidence. And whoever mentions it as attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) should be pointed out to this. And the difference among scholars in matters of knowledge returns to the evidence from the Book and the Sunnah, therein is mercy, therein is guidance and light, and the one who errs in that case is rewarded with one reward, and the one who is correct has two rewards. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.