Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

there is a saying of the prophet s.w.a on paradise,that he has said:my ummah are divided into 73 groups and only one shall enter paradise.please describe which type of this group shall enter paradise and why?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Seventy three sects

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 171 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr

That Allah's Messenger (saws) said: “There will befall my Ummah exactly all those evils which befell the people of Israel (Jews and Christians), so much so that if there was one amongst them who openly committed fornication with his mother, there will be amongst my Ummah one, who will do the same. And if the people of Israel were fragmented into seventy-two sects, my Ummah will be fragmented into seventy-three sects. All of them will be in Hell Fire except one sect.” The noble Companions asked: “O Allah's Messenger (saws), which one is that?” Whereupon he (saws) said: “It is one to which I and my companions belong.”

Your Question: please describe which type of this group shall enter paradise and why?

In light of the above absolutely clear guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws), only that sect of muslims who strictly follow the practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and his noble companions will enter Paradise.

The ‘why’ is absolutely obvious, for the Lord Most High appointed Prophet Mohamed (saws) as His Messenger, revealed His Last and Final Revelation upon him, and guided him in every single aspect of his life…thus making the Prophet Mohamed (saws) as the absolute best example of every such person to follow who sincerely looks forward to Allah and the Last Day.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 21:

There is indeed the best example for you to follow in the Messenger of Allah, for every such person looks forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.

The noble companions of the Prophet (saws) learnt the tenets and dictates of the deen directly from the Messenger of Allah (saws) and strove earnestly to follow his (saw’s) example….thus all those who followed the example of the noble companions in fact followed the example of the Prophet (saws), whose ‘way of life’ was approved by Allah Subhanah.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imran verse 31-32:

O Prophet, tell the people, “If you sincerely love Allah, follow me. Then Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, for He is All Forgiving, All Merciful.” Also say to them, “Obey Allah and His Messenger.” And if, in spite of this, they do not accept your invitation, warn them that Allah does not love those, who refuse to obey Him and His Messenger.

Thus whoever wishes to follow the Islamic ‘way of life’ must look at the life and follow the example of the perfect ‘muslim’, Prophet Mohamed (saws). If one follows a ‘way of life’ which was not exercised by the Messenger of Allah (saws) and his noble companions who followed him, then obviously that life would not and cannot be the ‘way of life’ or Islam approved by Allah….and any ‘way of life’ other than that practiced by the Messenger (saws) and his noble companions would not be acceptable to Allah Subhanah.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Al Maidah verse 3:

Today I (Allah) have perfected your deen for you and completed my Blessing on you and approved Islam as your way of life.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale-Imran verse 19:

Indeed, Islam in the ONLY Right Way of life in the Sight of Allah.

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan