[AmfitNom]

this is off-topic, but i should point out to you - that the word "al-jamaa'ah" in the context u are referring to actually means "those who are on the truth", and not necessarily "the majority".

an example to illustrate this point, during the time of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, the caliph declared that the Quran was created.........with Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal being one of the few scholars to reject such a claim.

now in this case, who is al-jamaa'ah?? is it the majority or is it Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal??

As Salamu Alaikum

In order to answer this question we turn to another related hadith regarding the 73 sects:

"...Are those who follow my and my Sahaba's path" (Tirmidhi 2.89)

Imam Al-Tirmidhi's (ra) commentary: "The explanation of al- Jama'ah according to the people of knowledge: They are the people of Fiqh, knowledge and Hadith." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 4/2167; Ahmad Shakir ed'n)

I would believe the point is to stick to the main Jamat, which would refer to the Ahl-ul-Sunnah Wa'l Jamat.

However if there is no Jama't and no Caliph, we than have to follow the advice of Rasullilah (salalahu alahi wasalam):

"Narrated Hudhaifa bin Al-Yaman........I said, "If there is neither a group of Muslims nor an Imam (ruler)?" He said, "Then turn away from all those sects even if you were to bite (eat) the roots of a tree till death overtakes you while you are in that state." (Bukhari 9.88.206)

Allah knows best.