3. With this chain of narrators, from Ahmad bin Abi Abdillah, from Abdullah bin Muhammed al-Hajjal, from ‘Asem ibn Hameed, that he ascribed it, saying
A man came to the Commander of the Believers, peace be upon him, and said: Inform me about the tradition and innovation, and the community and schism? Then the Commander of the Believers, peace be upon him, said: The tradition is what was made a tradition by the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family. The innovation is what was invented after him. The community are the people of truth, even if they were a few. The schism are the people of falsehood, even if they were many.