The Prophet ﷺ mentioned a people who would arise in his community, emerging during a time of division among the people, their distinguishing mark being shaved heads. He said, "They are the worst of creation," or "among the worst of creation. They will be killed by the closer of the two groups to the truth."The Prophet ﷺ then gave them a parable, or made a statement, "A man shoots at game," or he said, "at a target. He examines the arrowhead and sees no trace of blood, he examines the shaft and sees no trace, and he examines the notch and sees no trace."Abu Saeed said, "And it was you, people of Iraq, who killed them."In another wording, "A group will deviate at a time of division among the Muslims, and they will be killed by the worthier of the two groups to the truth."In another wording, "There will be two factions in my community, and from between them a deviant group will emerge, and the one closer to the truth will undertake killing them."
أن النبي ﷺ ذكر قوما يكونون في أمته، يخرجون في فرقة من الناس، سيماهم التحالق، قال: هم شر الخلق- أو من أشر الخلق- يقتلهم أدنى الطائفتين إلى الحق، قال فضرب النبي ﷺ لهم مثلا أو قال قولا: الرجل يرمي الرمية- أو قال: الغرض- فينظر في النصل فلا يرى بصيرة، وينظر في النضيء فلا يرى بصيرة، وينظر في الفوق فلا يرى بصيرة. قال: قال أبو سعيد: وأنتم قتلتموهم يا أهل العراق. وفي لفظ: تمرق مارقة عند فرقة من المسلمين يقتلها أولى الطائفتين بالحق. وفي لفظ: تكون في أمتي فرقتان فيخرج من بينهما مارقة يلي قتلهم أولاهم بالحق.
Muslim narrated it in zakat (1064: 149) from Muhammad bin Muthanna, who said, Ibn Abu Adi narrated to us, from Sulayman, from Abu Nadra, from Abu Saeed, and he related it with the first wording.He also narrated it (1064: 150) from Shayban bin Farroukh, who said, Qasim narrated to us (he is Ibn Fadl Haddani), who said, Abu Nadra narrated to us, from Abu Saeed Khudri, and he related it with the second wording.He also narrated it (1064: 151) through the route of Qutayba, who said, Abu Awana narrated to us, from Qatada, from Abu Nadra, from Abu Saeed Khudri, with the third wording.