It is related from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (sa) said:

"The Children of Israa’eel divided into seventy-one sects and the Christians divided into seventy-two sects. And my Ummah shall divide into seventy-three sects, all of them being in the Fire except one sect."

Sunni references:[Related by al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak with the Talkhees of adh-Dhahabee (1/128), it is related in Majmoo‘ul Fataawaa (3/340) and (16/491) of Ibn Taymiyyah and ash-Shaatibee in al-I‘tisaam (2/189-191) and by al-‘Iraaqee in Takhreejul Ihyaa (3/230) and Ibn Hajar in Takhreej Ahaadeethul Kashaaf (p. 63). It was authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaanee in as-Saheehah (no. 203-204, 1492) and in Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah (no. 3225-3227) and in Dhilaalul Jannah (no. 63-67).]


"I swear by Him Who controls my life that this man (Ali) and his Shia shall secure deliverance on the Day of Resurrection."-Prophet Muhammad (sa).

Sunni references:

Fadha'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p655
Hilyatul Awliyaa, by Abu Nu'aym, v4, p329
Tarikh, by al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi, v12, p289
al-Awsat, by al-Tabarani
Majma' al-Zawa'id, by al-Haythami, v10, pp 21-22
al-Darqunti, who said this tradition has been transmitted via numerous authorities.
al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami , Ch. 11, section 1, p247


as for the others who call themselves names and give themselves titles like "ahlus-sunnah wa'l Jam'a",did the Prophet (sa) or the Quran ever mention such a name? are such names not bid'ah (innovation)?was it not Muawiyah,the enemy of the Ahlul-Bayt (as) which the Quran command us to love who first uttered that name to distinguish all those who were either indifferent or staunch enemies of the Ahlul-Bayt (as) and the Imams (as)?


The Messenger of Allah (sa) said: "O Ali! (On the day of Judgment) you and your Shia will come toward Allah well-pleased and well-pleasing, and there will come to Him your enemies angry and stiff-necked (i.e., their head forced up).
Sunni references:

al-Tabarani, on the authority of Imam Ali
al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p236

TAFSIR DURREL MANTHUR OF PROMINENT SUNNI SCHOLAR JALALUDDIN AL-SUYUTHI:

It is in praise of the Shi'a of Ali that Allah (swt) sent down the following revelation:

"Those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of the creatures. Their reward from their Lord shall be everlasting gardens, below which flow rivers, they will abide there forever. Well pleased is God with them and they are well pleased with Him"
Quran 98:7

Muhammad bin Ali narrates in Tafsir ibne Jarir, Volume 33 page 146 (Cairo edition) that the Prophet (saww) said:

"The best of creations are you Ali and your Shi'as".

Tafseer Durre Manthur

Jalaladin Suyuti, (849 - 911 AH) is one of the highest ranking Sunni scholars of all times. In his commentary of this verse, he records through 3 Isnaad (chains) of narrators that the Prophet (saww) told his companions that the verse referred to Ali and his Shia. Hadhrath Ali narrates in Tafsir Durre Mansur, Volume 6 page 379 (Cairo edition) "Have you not heard this verse:

"Their reward from their Lord shall be everlasting gardens, below which flow rivers, they will abide there forever"? This verse refers to you and your Shi'a, I promise you that I will meet you at the Fountain of Kawthur".

The 3 Sahaba who narrated this Hadeeth are (1) Ali (as) himself (2) Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari (ra) (3) Abdullah ibne Abbas (ra). They are acknowledged by the majority school as truthful narrators of Hadeeth. Had this been in a Shi'a book, our opponents would have deemed it a forgery, but it's presence in their own books has perplexed the minds of many of their scholars. There are no Hadeeth in which the Prophet (saaws) guaranteed paradise for a specific Sahabi and his followers, with the sole exception of Ali (as) and his Shi'a. Other Sunni scholars have also recorded this Hadeeth from Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari in their commentaries of the above verse.

Hadhrath Abdullah Ibn Abbas narrates:

"that when this verse descended the Prophet (s) Ali you and your Shi'a will be joyful on the Day of Judgement"
ibid. Jalaladin Suyuti

Ahmad ibn Hajr al Makki quotes from Imam Dar Qatany in his al Sawaiq al Muhriqah page 159 (Cairo edition):

"O Abul Hasan you and your Shi'a will attain paradise".

We appeal for justice as we have cited 18 Sunni works that records that Maula 'Ali (as) and his Shi'a will enter Paradise. If Nasibi raise any objection to these traditions we would then ask: 'what forced your great Ulema to coin a tradition confirming Paradise for 'Ali (as) and his Shi'a, and why did your Ulema support and interpret this Hadeeth in favour of the Ahl'ul Sunnah'? Why did you Ulema try to say that the real Shia are Ahl'ul Sunnah?

http://www.answering-ansar.org/answers/shia_of_ali_appraisal/en/chap3.php

vedaxcool:

“You and your shias are the best of creation.”

It should be known that it is not authentic.

It was narrated in Tafseer at-Tabari in regards to Verse 98:7 of the Quran:

“Those who have faith and do righteous deads, they are the best of creatures.” (98:7)

29208

From Ibn Humayd, Eesa ibn Farqad, from Abu Jarud, from Muhammad ibn Ali: “They are the best of creatures”, the Prophet said to Ali: “That is you and your shias.”

[size=18pt]The narration is Mursal. The chain ends at Muhammad ibn Ali who did not see the Prophet, and as such, he could not witness the so-called event.[/size]

[size=18pt]Additionally, the chain is extremely weak and goes through Rawaafidh (Shia extremists). The chain goes through Abu Jarud (Ziyad ibn Manzoor) and he was criticized by the scholars of Hadith.[/size]
[size=18pt]
Ibn Hajar said about him: “Rafidhi (Shia extremist) who was declared to be a liar by Yahya ibn Ma’een” (Taqreeb Al Tahzheeb 1/221), and he described him as a “liar and not trustworthy” (Al Jarh wal Ta’deel 3/454).[/size]

Dhahabi reported about Abu Jarud in Mizan (#2965):

[size=18pt]Ibn Mueen said: “He is a liar.” Nasai and others said he is Matrook[/size].

[size=18pt]Abu Hatim Muhammad ibn Hibban al-Busti in his book “Marjoohin” (p.306) wrote about him:


“(He) narrated baseless stories about the honor of Ahlel Bayt.”
[/size]

[size=18pt]

We all know the level to which Shia will go to make their path acceptable, even to the extent of criticizing Angel Jibrel for going to the Holy Prophet Muhammad pbuh instead of Ali r.a. [/size]