‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God's messenger as saying, “My people will experience what the B. Isra’il experienced, as closely as one sandal resembles another. If they had among them one who openly- had intercourse with his mother, among my people there will be one who does that. The B. Isra’il divided into 72 sects, but my people will divide into 73 sects, all of which but one will go to hell.” On being asked which it was, he replied, “It is the one to which I and my companions belong.” Tirmidhi transmitted it. A version by Ahmad and Abu Dawud from Mu'awiya has, “Seventy-two will be in hell and one in paradise, it being the community. And folk will come forth from among my people in whom those passions will run as does hydrophobia in one who suffers from it, permeating every vein and joint.”
Commentary on the Hadith of Division
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This profound narration from the Book of Faith in Mishkat al-Masabih (171, 172) contains crucial warnings for the Muslim ummah. The comparison to Banu Isra'il demonstrates how religious communities can deviate from their original purity when they abandon divine guidance.
The Nature of Imitation
The phrase "as closely as one sandal resembles another" indicates precise similarity in moral decline, not merely superficial resemblance. Just as Banu Isra'il gradually normalized major sins, so too will Muslims face similar moral deterioration when they prioritize desires over revelation.
The Seventy-Three Sects
The division into 73 groups represents theological and methodological differences that emerge when people interpret Islam through personal opinion rather than following the Quran and authentic Sunnah. The single saved group is identified as "what I and my companions are upon," establishing the companions as the measuring stick for correct understanding.
The Saved Sect Defined
Scholars explain the saved group as Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah - those who adhere to Quranic teachings, the prophetic methodology, and maintain unity with the mainstream Muslim community. They avoid innovation in matters of belief and worship while maintaining the principles of the righteous predecessors.
The Metaphor of Hydrophobia
The version mentioning passions spreading like rabies illustrates how deviant beliefs penetrate every aspect of a person's spiritual life, just as rabies affects every part of the body. This emphasizes that incorrect beliefs are not merely intellectual errors but spiritual diseases affecting one's entire relationship with Allah.
Practical Implications
This hadith teaches Muslims to constantly verify their beliefs and practices against the Quran and authentic Sunnah as understood by the early generations. It warns against sectarianism while encouraging adherence to the unified understanding of Islam preserved through reliable scholarly chains.