Surah al-Bayyinah ayah 4
Wa maa tafarraqa alladhina utu al-kitabi illa min ba'adi maa ja'at humu al-bayyinah
And the People of the Scripture did not differ until clear proof came to them
The following is an excerpt of commentary on this ayah:
The surah, giving a description of the earlier people, says that they differed even after the revelation of scriptures from Allah and after the clear evidence was shown to them. A hadith reported in many ways quotes the Prophet as saying, "The Jews were divided in seventy-one sects, the Christians in seventy-two; and my people will be divided in seventy-three sects. Excepting one, all will go to hell." When asked about the one which shall be spared, he said, "Those who adhere to my Sunna and the way of my Companions."
Subscribe to this blog's feed