Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sahih Muslim, which contains 7,459 hadiths across 57 books. It is hadith number 2343 in the Book of The Book of Zakat.

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

Hadith numbering varies across editions and translations (USC-MSA, Dar as-Salam, Fath al-Bari, and others). If you followed a link citing a different number but landed here, you may have been redirected to the canonical version in our library. If you were looking for a different hadith entirely, use the search bar to find it by text.

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#2342

#2343

Sahih Muslim

#2344

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Sahih Muslim #2343

Q: What is Sahih Muslim 2343 about?

This hadith from Sahih Muslim (Book of The Book of Zakat), narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:, states: "There would be two groups in my Ummah, and there would emerge another group (seceding itself from both of them), and the party nearer to the truth among the two would kill them (the group of the Khawa…"

The Book of Zakat

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الزَّهْرَانِيُّ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ قُتَيْبَةُ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ تَكُونُ فِي أُمَّتِي فِرْقَتَانِ فَتَخْرُجُ مِنْ بَيْنِهِمَا مَارِقَةٌ يَلِي قَتْلَهُمْ أَوْلاَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

There would be two groups in my Ummah, and there would emerge another group (seceding itself from both of them), and the party nearer to the truth among the two would kill them (the group of the Khawarij).

Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

Context

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri narrates a warning from the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) about divisions within the Ummah. He foretells the emergence of a group that would deviate from the truth, highlighting the potential for discord among Muslims. This hadith serves as a cautionary reminder to remain steadfast in faith and unity.

Modern Application

In today's context, this hadith encourages Muslims to prioritize unity and understanding within their communities. It serves as a reminder to engage in constructive dialogue and to avoid divisions that can weaken the Ummah.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Prophetic Warning because it addresses the potential for division within the Muslim community and the importance of adhering to the truth.

Prophetic Warning