This is part 6 of 7 of “The Book of the Merits of the Companions”, book 44 of Sahih Muslim — Hadith 6,426–6,475. The book is long enough that it is split across 7 pages so each one stays quick to load; the parts run in order and are linked at the foot of the page.
حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ بَحْرٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو دَاوُدَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَرْبُ بْنُ شَدَّادٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، أَنَّ أَبَا أُسَيْدٍ الأَنْصَارِيَّ، حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّهُ، سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " خَيْرُ الأَنْصَارِ أَوْ خَيْرُ دُورِ الأَنْصَارِ " . بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِهِمْ فِي ذِكْرِ الدُّورِ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ قِصَّةَ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ رضى الله عنه .
Abu Usaid Ansari reported that he heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:The worthiest of the Ansar or the worthiest of the settlements and the clans of Ansar; the rest of the hadith is the same, but there is no mention of the story of Sa'd b. 'Ubida (Allah be pleased with him)
وَحَدَّثَنِي عَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ - حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ وَعُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ سَمِعَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ فِي مَجْلِسٍ عَظِيمٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ " أُحَدِّثُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ دُورِ الأَنْصَارِ " . قَالُوا نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " بَنُو عَبْدِ الأَشْهَلِ " . قَالُوا ثُمَّ مَنْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " ثُمَّ بَنُو النَّجَّارِ " . قَالُوا ثُمَّ مَنْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " ثُمَّ بَنُو الْحَارِثِ بْنِ الْخَزْرَجِ " . قَالُوا ثُمَّ مَنْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " ثُمَّ بَنُو سَاعِدَةَ " . قَالُوا ثُمَّ مَنْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " ثُمَّ فِي كُلِّ دُورِ الأَنْصَارِ خَيْرٌ " . فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ مُغْضَبًا فَقَالَ أَنَحْنُ آخِرُ الأَرْبَعِ حِينَ سَمَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَارَهُمْ فَأَرَادَ كَلاَمَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ لَهُ رِجَالٌ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ اجْلِسْ أَلاَ تَرْضَى أَنْ سَمَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَارَكُمْ فِي الأَرْبَعِ الدُّورِ الَّتِي سَمَّى فَمَنْ تَرَكَ فَلَمْ يُسَمِّ أَكْثَرُ مِمَّنْ سَمَّى . فَانْتَهَى سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ عَنْ كَلاَمِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying in a large gathering of the Muslims:Should I not tell you of the best clans of the Ansar? They said: Allah's Messenger, (kindly) do this. Thereupon Allah's Messenger said: That is Banu Abd al-Ashhal. They said: Allah's Messenger, then next? He said: Banu Najjar. They again said: Allah's Messenger, then next? He said: Then of Banu Harith b. Khazraj. They then said: Allah's Messenger, then next? He said. Then of Banu Sa'ida. They said: Allah's Messenger, then next? He said: There is good in all the clans of the Ansar. It was upon this that Sa'd b. Ubida stood up in annoyance and said: Are we the last of the four as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has determined (the order of precedence) of their clans? He decided to talk with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on this issue, but the people Of his tribe said to him: Be seated, are you not happy with this that Allah's Messenger' (ﷺ) has mentioned your clan as one of the four (best) clans and those whom he left and did not mention (the order of their precedence) are more than those whom he mentioned? And Sa'd b. 'Ubada dropped the idea of talking to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (on this issue)
Anas b. Malik reported:I set out along with Jabrir b. 'Abdullah al-Bajali on a journey and he used to serve me. I said to him: Don't do that. Thereupon he said: I have seen Ansar doing this with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). I swore by Allah whenever I accompany any one of the Ansar, I would serve him and Ibn Muthanni, and Ibn Bashshir made this addition in their narrations: Jarir was older than Anas, and Ibn Bashshir said: He was of a more advanced age as compared with Anas. Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) invoked blessings for the tribes of Ghifar and Aslam
حَدَّثَنَا هَدَّابُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ الْمُغِيرَةِ، حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ هِلاَلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ، اللَّهِ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو ذَرٍّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " غِفَارُ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهَا وَأَسْلَمُ سَالَمَهَا اللَّهُ " .
Abu Dharr reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Go to your people and say that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) says: Ghifar (is a tribe) to whom Allah granted pardon, and Aslam (is the tribe) to whom Allah granted safety
This hadith has been narrated through other chains of transmitters on the authority of Jabir and Abu Huraira that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said:To the tribe of Aslam Allah has granted safety and to the tribe of Ghifar Allah has granted pardon
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:To the tribe of Aslam Allah has granted safety and to the tribe of Ghifar Allah has granted pardon. Verily it is not I that say this, but (it is) Allah the Exalted and Glorious. (who) says this
Khufaf b. Jura' reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said in prayer:O Allah, hurl curse upon the tribe of Lihyan and Ri'l aid Dhakwan and Usayya for they disobeyed Allah and His Messenger, (and for) Ghifar Allah has granted pardon and for the tribe of Aslam Allah has granted safety
Ibn 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Allah has granted pardon to the tribe of Ghifar and to the tribe of Aslam Allah has granted safety and as for Usayya tribe, they disobeyed Allah and His Messenger
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ سَوَّادٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي أُسَامَةُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَالْحُلْوَانِيُّ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم . بِمِثْلِهِ وَفِي حَدِيثِ صَالِحٍ وَأُسَامَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ .
This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Ibn Umar with a slight variation of wording (and the wording) that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said this on the pulpit
Abu Ayyub reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:The tribes of Ansar, Muzaina and Juhaina and Ghifar and Ashja' and those from Banu 'Abdullah, they are my friends amongst the people and Allah and His Messenger are their protectors
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Quraish, Ansar, Muzaina, Juhaina and Ghifar, they are my friends and there is no friend of theirs besides Allah and His Messenger
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:The tribes of Ashja', Ghifar and Muzaina and from the tribe of Juhaina they are better than Banu Tamim, Banu Amir and the allies of Asad and Ghatfan
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:By Him in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, (the tribes of) Ghifar, Aslam, Muzaina, or from the tribe of Juhaina or from the tribe of Muzaina, they would be better in the eye of Allah than Asad, Tayyi, and Ghatfan on the Day of Resurrection
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Aslam, Ghifar or some people from Muzaina, Juhaina (with the variation of words) are better in the eye of Allah than Asad, Ghatfan, Hawizin and Tamim. The narrator said: I think he also said:" On the Day of Resurrection
Abu Bakra reported from his father that al-Aqra' b. Habis reported that he came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said to him:How did the tribes of Aslam, Ghifar, Muzaina (and I think he also said Juhaina and the narrator is in doubt about it) owe allegiance to you, whereas they plundered the pilgrims? Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:" you were to say that Aslam, Ghifar, Muzaina and I think Juhaina are better than Banu Tamim, Banu 'Amir and Asad, Ghatfan, then would these people (of latter group of tribes) be in loss? He said: Yes. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, these people are better than Banu Tamim, Banu Amir, Asad and Ghatfan, and in this hadith of Abu Shaiba (these words are not found) that Muhammad (the narrator) had a doubt about
Abu Bakra reported from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that Aslam, Ghifar, Muzaina and Juhaina are better than Banu Tamim, Banu Amir and their allies Banu Asad and Ghatfan
Abu Bakra reported on the authority of his father that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:What is your view if Juhaina, Aslam, Ghifar were better than Banu Tamim, Banu 'Abdullah b. Ghatfan and 'Amir b. Sa'sa'a' respectively (then what would be status of the latter one)? He said this in a loud voice. They said: Allah's Messenger, they would be definitely at a loss and disadvantage. Thereupon he said: They (the first group) are decidedly better than the others; and in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Abu Kuraib the words are: It you were to find that Juhaina, Muzaina and Aslam and Ghifar (are better than)
حَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ مُغِيرَةَ، عَنْ عَامِرٍ، عَنْ عَدِيِّ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ، قَالَ أَتَيْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ فَقَالَ لِي إِنَّ أَوَّلَ صَدَقَةٍ بَيَّضَتْ وَجْهَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَوُجُوهَ أَصْحَابِهِ صَدَقَةُ طَيِّئٍ جِئْتَ بِهَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Adi b. Hatim reported:I came to Umar b. Khattab and he said to me: The first consignment of Sadaqa brought to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) which brightened the face of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and the faces of his Companions was that of Tayyi
Abu Huraira reported that Tufail and his companions said:Allah's Messenger, the tribe of Daws has disbelieved and has belied you, so invoke curse upon them. It was said: Let Daws be destroyed, whereupon he (Allah's Messenger) said: Allah guide aright the tribe of Daws and direct them to me
Abu Huraira reported:There are some distinguishing features of Banu Tamim which I heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and my love for them is never on the decline after that and the words are: They are the bravest amongst people in the battlefield and there is no mention of (the word)" Dajjal
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:You would find people like those of mine, the good amongst you in the Days of Ignorance would be good amongst you in the days of Islam, provided they have an understanding of it and you will find good amongst people the persons who would be averse to position of authority until it is thrust upon them, and you will find the worst amongst persons one who has double face. He comes with one face to them and with the other face to the others
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Good amongst the women are those who ride camels. One of them said: They are pious women of the Quraish, and the other one said: The women of the Quraish are kind to the orphans in their childhood and look after the wealth of their spouses
Abu Huraira reported:I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: The women of the Quraish are good amongst the womenfolk. They ride camels and show affection to their children and zealously guard the wealth of their husbands. Abu Huraira said at the end of this narration that Mary, the daughter of Imran, never rode the camel
حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِ��ٍ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالَ عَبْدٌ أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ ابْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَطَبَ أُمَّ هَانِئٍ بِنْتَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي قَدْ كَبِرْتُ وَلِيَ عِيَالٌ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " خَيْرُ نِسَاءٍ رَكِبْنَ " . ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ يُونُسَ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ " أَحْنَاهُ عَلَى وَلَدٍ فِي صِغَرِهِ " .
Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) gave a proposal of marriage to Umm Hani, the daughter of Abu Talib, whereupon she said:Allah's Messenger, I am of an advanced age with a (large) family. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: The best women are those who ride (the camels) ; the rest of the hadith is the same but with this difference that, instead of the word Ar'a the word Ahna has been used (and the complete sentence is like this): That they treat children in their childhood with affection
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:The best women who ride the camels are the pious women of the Quraish; they treat with affection children in their childhood and keep a strict watch on the wealth of their spouses
حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ غِيَاثٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَاصِمٌ الأَحْوَلُ، قَالَ قِيلَ لأَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ بَلَغَكَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ حِلْفَ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ " . فَقَالَ أَنَسٌ قَدْ حَالَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَ قُرَيْشٍ وَالأَنْصَارِ فِي دَارِهِ .
It was said to Anas b. Malik:You must have heard this that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: There is no alliance (hilf) of brotherhood in Islam. Anas said: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) established the bond of fraternity between the Quraish and the Ansar in his home
Jubair b. Mut'im reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:There is no alliance (hilf) in Islam but (the hilf) established in the pre-Islamic days (for good). Islam intensifies and strengthens it
Abu Burda reported on the authority of his father:We offered the sunset prayer along with Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). We then said: If we sit (along with Allah's Messenger) and observe night prayer with him it would be very good, so we sat down and he came to us and said: You are still sitting here. I said: Allah's Messenger, we observed evening prayer with you, then we said: Let us sit down and observe night prayer along with you, whereupon he said: You have done well or you have done right. He then lifted his head towards the sky and it often happened that as he lifted his head towards the sky, he said: The stars are a source of security for the sky and when the stars disappear there comes to the sky, i. e. (it meets the same fate) as it has been promised (it would plunge into darkness). And I am a source of safety and security to my Companions and when I would go away there would fall to the lot (of my Companions) as they have been promised with and my Companions are a source of security for the Umma and as they would go there would fall to the lot of my Umma as (its people) have been promised
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ، زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدَةَ الضَّبِّيُّ - وَاللَّفْظُ لِزُهَيْرٍ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعَ عَمْرٌو، جَابِرًا يُخْبِرُ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ يَغْزُو فِئَامٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ فِيكُمْ مَنْ رَأَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيَقُولُونَ . نَعَمْ فَيُفْتَحُ لَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَغْزُو فِئَامٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ فِيكُمْ مَنْ رَأَى مَنْ صَحِبَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيَقُولُونَ نَعَمْ . فَيُفْتَحُ لَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَغْزُو فِئَامٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ هَلْ فِيكُمْ مَنْ رَأَى مَنْ صَحِبَ مَنْ صَحِبَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيَقُولُونَ نَعَمْ . فَيُفْتَحُ لَهُمْ " .
Abu Sa'id Khudri reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying:A time would come for the people when groups of people would set out for fighting in the cause of Allah and it would be said to them: Is there one amongst you who saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? And they would say: Yes, and they would be victorious. Then the people would set out for fighting in the cause of Allah and it would be said to them: Is there one amongst you who saw those (who have had the privilege of sitting in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? And they would say: Yes, and victory would be granted to them. Then a group of persons would set out for fighting in the cause of Allah and it would be said to them: Is there one amongst you who saw one of those who saw those who (had the privilege) of sitting in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? And they would say: Yes, and the Victory would be granted to them
حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الأُمَوِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنْ أَبِي، الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ زَعَمَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيُّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ يُبْعَثُ مِنْهُمُ الْبَعْثُ فَيَقُولُونَ انْظُرُوا هَلْ تَجِدُونَ فِيكُمْ أَحَدًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيُوجَدُ الرَّجُلُ فَيُفْتَحُ لَهُمْ بِهِ ثُمَّ يُبْعَثُ الْبَعْثُ الثَّانِي فَيَقُولُونَ هَلْ فِيهِمْ مَنْ رَأَى أَصْحَابَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيُفْتَحُ لَهُمْ بِهِ ثُمَّ يُبْعَثُ الْبَعْثُ الثَّالِثُ فَيُقَالُ انْظُرُوا هَلْ تَرَوْنَ فِيهِمْ مَنْ رَأَى مَنْ رَأَى أَصْحَابَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ يَكُونُ الْبَعْثُ الرَّابِعُ فَيُقَالُ انْظُرُوا هَلْ تَرَوْنَ فِيهِمْ أَحَدًا رَأَى مَنْ رَأَى أَحَدًا رَأَى أَصْحَابَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيُوجَدُ الرَّجُلُ فَيُفْتَحُ لَهُمْ بِهِ " .
Abu Sa'id Khudri reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:There would come to the people a time when a detachment would be sent for fighting in the cause of Allah and they would say: See, if you can find amongst them someone from amongst the Companions of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). They would find a person and they would be granted victory because of him. Then a second detachment would be sent to them and they would say: Do you find amongst them one who had had the privilege of seeing the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? -and the victory would be granted to them because of him. Then the third detachment would be sent and it would be said to them: See, if you find amongst them (who had had the honour of seeing one) who saw those who saw the Companions of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). Then the fourth detachment would be sent and it would be said to them: See it you find amongst them one who had the privilege (of seeing) one who saw those who saw those who saw the Companions of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), and a person would be found and they would be granted victory because of him
Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:The best of my Umma would be those of the generation nearest to mine. Then those nearest to them, then those nearest to them, then people would come whose witness would precede the oath and the oath will precede the witness. Hannad has not made the mention of Qarn in his narration. Qutaiba said that, instead of the word Qaum, the word Aqwam has been used
Abdullah reported:It was asked from Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) who amongst the people were the best. He said: (People) of my generation, then those next to them, then those next to them, then there would come a people whose evidence would precede their oath and their oath would precede their evidence. Ibrahim said: They forbade us to make vows and bear witness when we were too young
Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying:The best among people are of my generation, then those next to them. (The narrator said): I do not know whether (he said) it three times or four times. Then there would fellow after them such persons whose evidence would precede the oath, and in case of some others, the oath (would precede) the evidence
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may, peace be upon him) as saying:The best age of my Umma is one in which I was sent (by Allah as an Apostle), then the one next to that. (The narrator said): And Allah knows best whether he stated this third (time) or not. Then there would come people who would love (to look) bulky and they would hasten to the witness box before they are asked to bear witness
This hadith has been reported on the authority of Abu Huraira through another chain of transmitters (but with this variation) that Abu Huraira said:I do not know whether he (the Holy Prophet) said (these words:" Then next" ) twice or thrice
Imran b. Husain reported Allah's-Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:The best among you (are) the people (who belong to) my age. Then those next to them, then those next to them, then those next to them. 'Imran said: I do not know whether Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said twice or thrice (the words:" Then next" ) after (saying) about his (own age but he then said): Then after them (after successors or those who would succeed them) would come a people who would give evidence before they are asked for it, and would be dishonest and not trustworthy, who would make vows but would not fulfil them, and would be significant in being bulky
Text from the open hadith-api dataset. Hadith numbering follows that edition and can differ slightly from a printed copy — check the Arabic against a trusted mushaf of hadith before relying on a reference.