What is the authenticity of these hadiths, O honorable Shaykh? The first is: “Indeed, the Ummah does not agree upon misguidance…” Please guide us on this.

Machine translationRead the Arabic original

The questioner : What is the authenticity of the hadith:

Indeed, the Ummah does not agree upon misguidance

إن الأمة لا تجتمع على ضلالة

Please guide us on this?

The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, his Companions, and those who follow them in excellence until the Day of Judgment. This hadith in this wording is not valid.

That the Ummah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) does not agree upon misguidance

أن أمة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لا تجتمع على ضلالة

However, the evidence indicates that the consensus of the Ummah is a proof, and that the Ummah is excused for acting upon it. As for what is misguidance, the Ummah is not excused for acting upon it. Among the evidence for this is the saying of the Exalted:

O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ

[An-Nisa 4:59]

The apparent meaning of His saying:

And if you disagree over anything

فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ

[An-Nisa 4:59]

indicates that if agreement is reached, then their statement is like that which is established by evidence from the Book and the Sunnah. Among the evidence for this, meaning that the consensus of the believers is a proof, is the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:

And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers - We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.

وَمَنْ يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَى وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّى وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا

[An-Nisa 4:115]

Accordingly, the consensus, meaning the consensus of the Ummah, and what is meant is the consensus of the mujtahid scholars of the Ummah, becomes a valid proof to be acted upon in rulings. However, it is generally the case that what the scholars have agreed upon in terms of rulings is indicated by the Book and the Sunnah, either through the explicit wording, the implied meaning, or the indication. The evidence may be known to the majority of scholars, or it may be hidden from some scholars.

Source alathar.net

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

Similar fatwas