What is the meaning of, "The Hand of Allaah is with the united group?"

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , said that the Hand of Allaah is with the united group. At-Tirmithi narrated this Hadeeth on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas and his father.

The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, also said that the Muslim nation would never agree on an act of deviation and that the Hand of Allaah is with the united group. At-Tirmithi narrated this Hadeeth on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar and his father. Al-Albaani graded this Hadeeth as Saheeh (authentic).

There is a consensus among Ahlus-Sunnah wa'l Jamaa‘ah (the Sunni mainstream) that "the Hand of Allaah is with the united group" means that Allaah The Almighty protects and takes care of them. However there is a difference of opinion among Muslim scholars on the intended meaning of "the united group." Ash-Shaatibi mentioned five opinions:

1-      The Muslim community, including its jurists and others.

2-      Muslim scholars.

3-      The Sahaabah (Companions).

4-      What the Muslim community agrees on.

5-      Muslims if they agree on one leader. This is the opinion of

At-Tabari .

There is a considerable point of view behind each of these different opinions. Still, they all have two aspects in common, which are that:

1-      The united group refers to Muslims who follow the Salaf (predecessors).

2-      The united group refers to Ahlus-Sunnah (followers of the Sunnah).

Allaah Knows best.