The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said:
“The best of mankind is my generation, then those that come after them, then those that come after them.” Sahîh Hadîth: Reported by Al-Bukhârî and Muslim from the hadîth of Ibn Mas'ûd. Many Companions narrated this hadîth, amongst them 'Imrân Ibn Husayn and An-Nu'mân Ibn Bashîr. See As-Sahîhah of Imâm Al-Albânî: (699-700).
This hadîth was reported by Al-Bukhârî, Muslim and others from the report of 'Imrân Ibn Husayn and 'Abdullâh Ibn Mas'ûd, may Allâh be pleased with both of them. Muslim reported it on the authority of Abu Hurairah with the wording:
“The best among my nation (ummah) is the generation I was sent to - then those that come after them, then those that come after them.”
Allâh knows best if he mentioned the third or not. Muslim also reported it from 'A'ishah that she said:
“A man once asked the Prophet: ‘Which people are the best?’ So he responded: ‘The generation of people that I am in (now), then the second (generation), then the third.’ ”
It is reported in the two Sahîhs (of Al-Bukhârî and Muslim) from the narration of Abu Sa'îd Al-Khudrî (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allâh (peace and blessing be upon him) said:
“There will come upon the people a time in which a group of people will fight (in Jihâd), and it will be said: ‘Is there anyone amongst you who accompanied Allâh's Messenger (peace and blessing be upon him) [i.e. the Sahâbah (companions)]?' They will reply, ‘Yes,’ and so they will be given victory. Then there will come upon the people a time in which a group of people will fight (in Jihâd), and it will be said: ‘Is there anyone amongst you who accompanied the Companions of Allâh's Messenger (peace and blessing be upon him) [i.e. the Tâbi'în (the students of the Sahâbah)]?’ They will reply, ‘Yes,’ and so they will be given victory. Then there will come upon the people a time in which a group of people will fight (in Jihâd), and it will be said: ‘Is there anyone amongst you who accompanied those who accompanied the Companions of Allâh's Messenger (peace and blessing be upon him) [i.e. the Atbâ' at-Tâbi'în (the students of the Tâbi'în)]?’ They will reply, ‘Yes,’ and so they will be given victory.” Sahîh Hadîth: Reported by Al-Bukhârî (6/88 and 610 of al-Fat'h), Muslim (3532), Ahmad (3/7), Al-Humaidî (743), Al-Baghawî in Sharh-us-Sunnah (14/73-74) from the path of Jâbir Ibn 'Abdillâh from Abu Sa'îd Al-Khudrî.
Ibn Battah reported with an authentic chain of narration - according to ‘Minhâj As-Sunnah’ of Ibn Taimiyyah - from Ibn 'Ab-bâs (may Allah be pleased with both of them), that he said: “Do not revile the Companions of Allâh's Messenger (peace and blessing be upon him), for one hour spent with Allâh's Messenger (peace and blessing be upon him) by one of them is better than a good deed of one of you (done) for forty years.”
In the wording reported by Wakî', he said: “...better than a good deed of one of you (done) for his entire life.”
And when Sa'îd Ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned the ten Companions who were given the good tidings of (entering) Paradise, he said: “I swear by Allâh, the meeting of one man amongst them with the Messenger of Allâh (peace and blessing be upon him) is better than the deed of one of you, even if he does it for the length of Nûh's life.” Reported by Abu Dawûd and At-Tirmidhî. Hasan Hadîth: Reported by Abu Dawûd (4650), An-Nasâ'î in Al-Kubrâ, Ibn Mâjah (134) and Ahmad (1629).
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