How many sects are affiliated with Islam other than Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamaah? And what is the evidence from the Holy Qur’an for the preservation of the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him)? And will the Qur’an be preserved until the Day of Judgment, and what is the evidence for that?

First: The dissenting sects that oppose the Sunnis (Ahl al-Sunnah) and claim to be part of Islam number seventy-two sects in the Fire and one in Paradise, according to the Hadith of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, narrated by Ibn Majah and authenticated by Al-Albani.

Second: The evidence for the preservation of the Sunnah lies in the preservation of the Qur'an itself, for the Sunnah expounds and clarifies the Qur'an. Scholars have stated that the term "the Reminder" (al-dhikr) in His saying, the Almighty: "Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder, and indeed We will be its guardian" [Al-Hijr:9], includes both the Qur'an and the Sunnah. They further substantiated this with His saying, the Almighty: "And We have sent down to you the Reminder that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them and that they might give thought" [An-Nahl:44].

Third: This preservation of the Sunnah remains until the Day of Judgment, because Allah the Almighty has guaranteed the preservation of what He revealed to His Prophet, both Qur'an and Sunnah.