AL IFTIRAAQ - Sectarian Divisions

Allah said:

"Verily, this is My way, leading straight: follow it: follow not (other) paths: they will scatter you about from His (great) path: thus does He command you. So that you may be righteous." [6: 153]

So beyond doubt there is a single right path and there is divisions. You cannot deny that there will be divisions, it is inevitable but instead you must search for the right path.

THE AHADEETH OF AL IFTIRAAQ

There are Ahadith that there will be 73 sects, 72 of which will be in hellfire.

The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"…by the one whose hand my soul is in, My Ummah will be divided into 73 sects, 72 are in hellfire." The Sahabah asked "who are the saved sect?" he (pbuh) said: "Al Jama'ah".

If this is the reality, then we must search for the saviour sect, especially as Ahl Al Sunnah Wal Jama'ah is the minority, it is only one out of 73 sects. So Ahl Al Sunnah wal Jama'ah will always be the minority.

Abu Huraira narrated
"The Prophet (pbuh) said: "the jews were divided into 71 or 72 sects, and Christians the same, and my Ummah will be divided into 73 sects." [Tirmidhi 2564, Kitab ul Imaan] 

In the sharh of Tirmidhi, Imam Ahwazi said,
"The answer to this hadith is in the hadith of Abdullah ibn Amru, that "all of them are in the hellfire, and one is in Jannah" and that this is one of the proofs of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) because he speaks about the ghaib." And that the saviour sect is Ahl Al Sunnah Wal Jama'ah.

Abdullah ibn Amru narrated:
"The Prophet (pbuh) said: "My Ummah will face what bani Israel faced step by step, even if one of them approached his mother publicly (sexually) there will be one of my Ummah will approach his mother. The people of Israel divide into divided into 72 sects, my Ummah will divide into 73 sects, all of them are in the hellfire, and one of them is in paradise." We asked "which one is saved?" the Prophet (pbuh) said: "the one that is Me and my companions."" [Tirmidhi 2565]

Abu Salamah, and Abu Huraira narrated:
"The Prophet (pbuh) said: "My Ummah will face what bani Israel faced step by step, even if one of them approached his mother publicly (sexually) there will be one of my Ummah will approach his mother. The people of Israel divide into divided into 72 sects, my Ummah will divide into 73 sects, all of them are in the hellfire, and one of them is in paradise." We asked "which one is saved?" the Prophet (pbuh) said: "the one that is on what Me and my companions are on today."" [Sunan ibn Majah 3981, Kitab Al Fitan]

Awf bin Malik narrated:
"The Prophet (pbuh) said: "the jews divided into 71 sects, 1 is in Jannah and 70 are in hellfire, the Christians were divided into 72 sects, …, by the one whose hand my soul is in, My Ummah will be divided into 73 sects, 72 are in hellfire." The Sahabah asked "who are the saved sect?" he (pbuh) said: "Al Jama'ah"." [Sunan ibn Majah 3982, Kitab Al Fitan]

That they are in the hellfire does not mean that they will be in hellfire forever, however it means that Ahl Al Sunnah will be accounted for their actions, but others will be accounted for their belief as well.

Anas bin Maalik narrated
"The Prophet (pbuh) said: "the people of bani Israel will be divided into 71 sects, and My Ummah will be divided into 73 sects, ALL are in hellfire, except one, that is Al Jama'ah." [Sunan ibn Majah 3983, Kitab Al Fitan]

Abu Huraira narrated
"The Prophet (pbuh) said: "the jews were divided into 71 or 72 sects, and Christians the same, and my Ummah will be divided into 73 sects." [Sunan Abu Dawood 3980, Kitab Al Sunnah]

Mu'tazilah ibn Abu Sufyan stood and gave khutbah and said:
"The Prophet (pbuh) stood and gave khutbah … he said: "this millah will be divided into 73 sects, all in hellfire, one is in Jannah, it is Al Jama'ah, Al Jama'ah, and from my Ummah will come sects that follow their hawa, the way the dog follows his master, until this desire will leave no organ, or flesh, or vein or bone (etc.…) except that it will enter."" [Sunan Abu Dawood 3981]

Mu'awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan
"The Prophet (pbuh) stood and gave khutbah … this millah will be divided into 73 sects, all in hellfire, one is in Jannah, it is Al Jama'ah, Al Jama'ah, and ther will come from my Ummah, sects that follow their hawa, the way the dog follows his master, until this desire will leave no organ, or flesh, or vein or bone (etc…) except that it will enter." [Sunan Ad Darimi 2406, Kitab Al Siyar]

Mu'awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan
"The Prophet (pbuh) said: "the two people of the books divided in their deen into 72 sects, and from this Ummah will be division into 73 sects, all are in hellfire, one is in Jannah, it is Al Jama'ah, Al Jama'ah. and there will be from my Ummah, sects that follow their hawa, the way the dog follows his master, until this desire will leave no organ, or flesh, or vein or bone (etc…) except that it will enter. O Arab, if you do not rise and follow what your nabi brought …(the hadith continues)" [Musnad Imam Ahmad 16329]

The Jews were divided into 72 (or 71) sects, all are in hellfire, except 1 sect, they are Musa (as) and his companions. The Christians were divided in to 72 sects, all in hellfire, except 1 sect, they are 'Isa (as) and his companions,

Similarly the Muslim Ummah, is divided in to 73 sects, all in hellfire, except 1 sect, they are Muhammad (pbuh) and his companions.

The saviour sect is called Al Firqah Al Najiyah, on the day of judgement there will be only one Firqah Al Najiyah, all of these saved sects are from the Firqah Al Najiyah, and there will be many deviant sects.