General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab)
43/94. Chapter:
What has been narrated about eloquent speech
Sunan Abi Dawud
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ الْبَهْرَانِيُّ، أَنَّهُ قَرَأَ فِي أَصْلِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ عَيَّاشٍ وَحَدَّثَهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ ابْنُهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي ضَمْضَمٌ عَنْ شُرَيْحِ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو ظَبْيَةَ أَنَّ عَمْرَو بْنَ الْعَاصِ قَالَ يَوْمًا وَقَامَ رَجُلٌ فَأَكْثَرَ الْقَوْلَ فَقَالَ عَمْرٌو لَوْ قَصَدَ فِي قَوْلِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ أَوْ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَتَجَوَّزَ فِي الْقَوْلِ فَإِنَّ الْجَوَازَ هُوَ خَيْرٌ " .
One day when a man got up and spoke at length Amr ibn al-'As said If he had been moderate in what he said: It would have been better for him. I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: I think (or, I have been commanded) that I should be brief in what I say, for brevity is better.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 5008In-book reference : Book 43, Hadith 236English translation : Book 42, Hadith 4990