Takhrij Hadith 646: ""O Ibn Masʿud!" I replied:…"

"O Ibn Masʿud!" I replied: "Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah". He said: "Do you know that the Children of Israel split into seventy-two sects? Only three of them were saved. One group arose among the kings and tyrants after Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him), calling people to the religion of Allah and the religion of Jesus, son of Mary. They fought the tyrants, were killed, remained steadfast, and were saved. Then another group arose that did not have the strength to fight. They stood before the kings and tyrants and called them to the religion of Allah and the religion of Jesus, son of Mary. They were killed, cut apart with saws, and burned in fires, yet they remained steadfast and were saved. Then another group arose that had neither the strength to fight nor the ability to uphold justice openly. So they withdrew to the mountains, where they devoted themselves to worship and monasticism. They are the ones about whom Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said:{As for monasticism, it was invented by them; We did not ordain it for them} [Qur'an 57:27]"