The Book of the Merits of the Companions
44/52. Chapter:
The Virtues Of the Sahabah, Then Those Who Come After Them, Then Those Who Come After Them
Sahih Muslim
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَشُجَاعُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنٌ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجُعْفِيُّ - عَنْ زَائِدَةَ، عَنِ السُّدِّيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْبَهِيِّ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَىُّ النَّاسِ خَيْرٌ قَالَ " الْقَرْنُ الَّذِي أَنَا فِيهِ ثُمَّ الثَّانِي ثُمَّ الثَّالِثُ " .
'A'isha reported that a person asked Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as to who amongst the people were the best. He said: Of the generation to which I belong, then of the second generation (generation adjacent to my generation), then of the third generation (generation adjacent to the second generation).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2536In-book reference : Book 44, Hadith 307USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 31, Hadith 6159