What is the meaning of the hadith: "My Ummah will split into seventy-three sects, all of them in the Fire except one"?
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The questioner : The other question: It came in the hadith: Are they eternal in the Fire, or are they from the misguided sects among the Muslims?
The Shaykh : The statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): does not mean that all of them are eternal in the Fire. Rather, some will commit an innovation that warrants eternal abode in the Fire, or an innovation for which a servant deserves to enter the Fire, but he will not be eternal in it. His state will be according to the innovation he committed and in which he contradicted what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his companions) was upon.
The questioner : And one is in Paradise, meaning: Does no man from the saved sect enter the Fire?
The Shaykh : He may enter the Fire, but he will not be eternal in the Fire.
The questioner : How is it that he is not eternal? How do we understand this?
The Shaykh : We say, for example, that people are of four categories:
First: A pure innovator who has no Sunnah at all. This person is eternal in the Fire, and there is no doubt in that.
A mixed innovator. This person deserves to enter the Fire, but he will not be eternal in it.
Third: A pure follower of the Sunnah. This person enters Paradise and does not deserve to enter the Fire.
And the fourth: A mixed follower of the Sunnah[At-Tawbah 9:102] This person deserves to enter the Fire, but he will not be eternal in it.
My Ummah will split into seventy-three sects, all of them in the Fire except one
ستفترق أمتي إلى ثلاث وسبعين فرقة كلهم في النار إلا واحدةThe Shaykh : The statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
This Ummah will split into seventy-three sects, all of them in the Fire except one.
ستفترق هذه الأمة على ثلاث وسبعين فرقة كلها في النار إلا واحدةThe questioner : And one is in Paradise, meaning: Does no man from the saved sect enter the Fire?
The Shaykh : He may enter the Fire, but he will not be eternal in the Fire.
The questioner : How is it that he is not eternal? How do we understand this?
The Shaykh : We say, for example, that people are of four categories:
First: A pure innovator who has no Sunnah at all. This person is eternal in the Fire, and there is no doubt in that.
A mixed innovator. This person deserves to enter the Fire, but he will not be eternal in it.
Third: A pure follower of the Sunnah. This person enters Paradise and does not deserve to enter the Fire.
And the fourth: A mixed follower of the Sunnah