from your own opinion, or did you hear the Messenger of Allah say it?' He said: 'If I were to do that, I would be very bold, I would be very bold, I would be very bold! I have heard it from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) not once or twice.' He repeated this until he reached seven times, then he placed his two fingers into his ears and said: 'If not, then may they go deaf!' Then he said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: The Children of Israel split into seventy sects; one is in Paradise and the rest are in the Fire. And this nation shall surely exceed them by one; so one is in Paradise and the rest are in the Fire.' I asked: 'What do you command me to do?' He replied: 'Stick to the Sawad al-A'zam (the overwhelming majority).' I said: 'As for the overwhelming majority, you see what is happening.' He replied: 'To listen and obey is better than to divide and disobey.'
بِرَأْيِكَ، أَمْ سَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ يَقُولُهُ؟ قَالَ: إِنِّي إِذَنْ لَجَرِيءٌ، إِنِّي إِذَنْ لَجَرِيءٌ، إِنِّي إِذَنْ لَجَرِيءٌ! لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ غير مرّة وَلَا مرَّتَيْنِ. حَتَّى بلغ سبعا، وَوضع أصبعيه فِي أُذُنَيْهِ ثمَّ قَالَ: وَإِلَّا فصمتا. ثمَّ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: تَفَرَّقَتْ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ عَلَى سَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً؛ وَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَسَائِرُهَا فِي النَّارِ، وَلَتَزِيدَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةُ وَاحِدَةً؛ فَوَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَسَائِرُهَا فِي النَّارِ: فَقُلْتُ: فَمَا تَأْمُرُنِي؟ قَالَ: عَلَيْكَ بِالسَّوَادِ الأَعْظَمِ. قَالَ: فَقُلْتُ: فِي السَّوَادِ الأَعْظَمِ مَا قَدْ تَرَى. قَالَ: السَّمْعُ وَالطَّاعَةُ خير من الْفرْقَة وَالْمَعْصِيَة)).
