In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

فَلَوۡلَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡقُرُونِ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ أُوْلُواْ بَقِيَّةٍ۬ يَنۡہَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡفَسَادِ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً۬ مِّمَّنۡ أَنجَيۡنَا مِنۡهُمۡ‌ۗ وَٱتَّبَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مَآ أُتۡرِفُواْ فِيهِ وَكَانُواْ مُجۡرِمِينَ

If only there had been among the generations before you, persons having wisdom, prohibiting (others) from Al-Fasad (disbelief, polytheism, and all kinds of crimes and sins) in the earth, except a few of those whom We saved from among them. Those who did wrong pursued the enjoyment of good things of (this worldly) life, and were Mujrimun (criminals, disbelievers in Allah, polytheists, sinners, etc.). [Surah Hud. Aayah 116]

Allaah mentioned the nations that were destroyed due to disbelief in the Messengers and that many of those nations were deviants, including those who received scriptures, and all of that could lead to the disappearance and annihilation of the (sound) religion had He not placed amongst them some of the righteous people who called to guidance, forbade corruption and evil, and thus some benefit remained in the sound religion, even though they were very few. The end result of the affair was that they were saved due to following the  Messengers, adherence to that which the Messengers adhered to in their religion and Allaah’s proofs were established through them, so that those who were to be destroyed (for their rejecting the Faith) might be destroyed after a clear evidence, and those who were to live (i.e. believers) might live after a clear evidence.

However, [وَٱتَّبَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مَآ أُتۡرِفُواْ فِيهِ – Those who did wrong pursued the enjoyment of good things of (this worldly) life]: Meaning, they carried on in a state of enjoyment and luxury (that was accompanied by sinning, disbelief, ungratefulness to Allaah) and did not desire anything as a replacement. [وَكَانُواْ مُجۡرِمِينَ  – And were Mujrimun (criminals, disbelievers in Allah, polytheists, sinners, etc)]: Meaning, wrong-doers due to pursuing a life of luxury (that was accompanied with sinning, disbelief, ungratefulness to Allaah etc) and thus the punishment was justified against them and they were annihilated. This affair contains motivation for this Ummah (by way of a command) that there has to be among them those who rectify what the people have corrupted – adhering to the religion ordained by Allaah, calling – to guidance – those who have gone astray, patiently bearing the harm received from people and showing them guidance after being blinded in misguidance.  This station is the highest one desired by those who desire it, and the one who reaches it will be a righteous leader in religious affairs if he performs his deeds sincerely for the sake of Allaah. [Ref 1]

The Aided Group Until The Day of Judgement

The Prophet [sallal laahu-alayhi wasallam] said:

“There will not cease to be a group amongst my Ummah upon the truth; neither will they be harmed by those who betray them nor those who oppose them until the command of Allaah arrives [i.e. the day of judgement]”. [Bukhaari]

Al-Allaamah Saaleh Al-Fawzaan [may Allaah preserve him] says:

This group will not cease to exist in the Ummah. The Ummah will not be deprived of this Sunni Group. This Taa’ifah can be one group. If it adheres to the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, it is the Taa’ifah Al-Mansoorah [The Victorious Group], even if it is only one. The Ummah will not lose this Sunni Group, this good group, and all praise be to Allaah – until the command of Allaah comes to pass [i.e. the day of judgment]. ‘They will not be harmed by those who forsake them’.  Amongst the people are those who forsake them and those who oppose them, but they will not be harmed. This is from Allaah’s Grace upon His servants and that He will establish the truth for the one who aids the truth and call to it, even if evil is rife. There will be those who adhere to good, call to it and disseminate it amongst the people. Not all the Ummah will be misguided, but some will remain upon truth, but they might be strangers [i.e. their affair will be strange to the people], just as the Prophet [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] said, “Islam began as a strange thing and it will return as a strange thing, and glad tidings to the strangers”, so they said, ‘Who are the strangers O Messenger of Allaah? He said, ‘They are those who will be upright when the people become corrupt’.. and in another version of this hadeeth, “Those who rectify what the people have corrupted’. These are the strangers, because the majority of the people oppose them, belittle, forsake and keep away from what they are upon, but this will not harm them, “They will never be harmed by those who forsake them nor by those who oppose them’. Allaah will make them remain so that His Proofs remain amongst the creation until the end of time. This group might be in the East, the West, or the North etc…They are not in a specific place, but they are present. Whoever wants will find it. It is present and all praise is due to Allaah. Alhamdulil laah, we – at present – are upon a correct methodology, upon a sound methodology; our methodology is that which the Qur’aan and sunnah necessitate, our learning is based upon the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. We study Tafseer, hadeeth and its explanation, the Aqeedah of the pious predecessors and that which they were upon. Alhamadulil laah at present we are upon a correct path, a sound methodology and straight path. We ask Allaah to keep us firm upon it until we meet him, neither substituting nor changing it. [Paraphrased Excerpt: Listen to audio here: https://safeshare.tv/x/ss5ff9eb7b1dda7#

Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadee [may Allaah preserve him] says:

It is obligated on the Taa’ifatul Mansoorah [i.e. the aided group] – those whom Allaah’s Messenger gave glad tidings that they will remain [upon truth] and will be aided, neither harmed by those who betray them nor by those who oppose them till the end of time – to establish [sound] brotherhood for the sake of Allaah, co-operate upon righteousness and piety, roll up their sleeves and get to work, so that this great status is maintained, which is that they will be manifest upon the truth, neither harmed by those who forsake them nor by those who oppose them. And acquaintance with the truth cannot be [reached] except by way of the knowledge inherited from the Prophets and Messengers [alayhimus salaam], and from the seal of the Prophets [i.e. the Messenger Muhammad (sallal laahu alayhi wasallam)]. The scholars are the inheritors of the [knowledge left behind by] the Prophets in calling to the path of Allaah, [in propagating] Allaah’s Message to [mankind], and in enjoining good and forbidding evil. [Ref 2]

The Propagated Signposts of The Sunnah for the Creed of the Saved and Aided Group:

http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/sp.cfm?secID=SCL&subsecID=SCL11&loadpage=displaysubsection.cfm

[Ref 1: An Excerpt from Tafseer As-Sadi. Slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 2: An Excerpt from Marhaban Yaa Taalibal Ilm’ page 200. slightly paraphrased]