How did Hudhayfah say: (If they have no congregation and no imam), given that the hadith is established: (A group from my Ummah will always remain)?
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The questioner : How do we reconcile the hadith of Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him): Sahih Muslim 1847a with the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 1923?
The Shaykh : It is not necessary that, because they are manifestly upon the truth, they must have an imam. A group may be isolated in a certain place and be upholding the truth. The negation of an imam includes two things: first, the absence of an imam, and second, that there are two imams who are equal in status. In such a case, they have no imam. As long as there are two equal imams, the reality is that there is no imam, because whom would a person obey? So there is no imam.
If they have no (such thing as the) main body and have no leader?
فإن لم تكن لهم جماعة ولا إمامA group of people from my Umma
لا تزال طائفة من أمتيThe Shaykh : It is not necessary that, because they are manifestly upon the truth, they must have an imam. A group may be isolated in a certain place and be upholding the truth. The negation of an imam includes two things: first, the absence of an imam, and second, that there are two imams who are equal in status. In such a case, they have no imam. As long as there are two equal imams, the reality is that there is no imam, because whom would a person obey? So there is no imam.