The Meaning of the Victorious Group and the Multiplicity of Islamic Groups

The questioner:
The victorious group mentioned by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Shaykh:
Yes.

The questioner:
There are many groups that claim to be that victorious group, and they are holding fast to the religion, such as the Salafis, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Tabligh, and the Jihad groups. Should I fight those among these groups who disagree with me because they do not join us in victory?

The Shaykh:
The victorious group is the one that is upright upon the Shari'ah, the one that is victorious just as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: do not let the group of your Ummah that is upon the truth be [victorious] upon the truth, . So the one that is upright upon the truth, and preserves it in obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and professes Islam, and holds fast to it, that is the victorious group. Even if they are groups, even if they are multiple groups, whether they are called Salafis, or supporters of the Sunnah, or the Muslim Brotherhood, if they all hold fast to the truth, seek the truth, and respond to it, and some of them may err in a way that does not harm, they are all supporters of the Sunnah and all part of the victorious group, though they differ in degree. Some may be more right, or these may be more right, or these may be more knowledgeable, or these may be more diligent in ijtihad. This does not prevent the multiplicity of associations or sects, as long as they all follow the truth and strive in seeking the truth, and they do not disagree on some issues. The Tabi'un and the Companions were upon the truth, all of them upon the truth and guidance, and there was disagreement among them on some issues in the era of the Companions, the era of the Tabi'un, and the followers of the Tabi'un, even among the four Imams: Malik, Abu Hanifah, al-Shafi'i, and Ahmad. They disagreed on some issues, and each one has his merits. It does not prevent them all from being among the Salaf, and all from being among the Imams of the truth. The issues on which they disagreed are secondary issues that do not exclude them from being part of the victorious group. The criterion is in the creed; if the creed is sound, they are from the victorious group, even if they differ on some issues.