Musnad Ahmad — Hadith #45169

Ya'qub told us, my father told us, on the authority of Ibn Ishaq, he said, and Muhammad bin Ka'b Al-Qurazi mentioned on the authority of Al-Harith bin Abdullah Al-A'war, he said, I said I will come to the Commander of the Faithful and ask him about what I heard in the evening. He said, “I came to him after the evening meal and entered upon him, and he mentioned the hadith.” Then he said: I heard the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, saying: Gabriel, peace be upon him, came to me and said, “O Muhammad, your nation will be divided after you.” He said So I said to him, “Where is the way out, O Gabriel?” He said, “The Book of God Almighty, with which God will punish every tyrant who adheres to it.” He is saved, and whoever abandons him will perish twice. It is a decisive statement, and it is not a joke. Languages will not fabricate it, and its wonders will not end. There is news of what happened in it. Before you, and the separation of what is between you, and the knowledge of what will happen after you.