44/52. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2533d — Best People and Later Warnings
The Virtues Of the Sahabah, Then Those Who Come After Them, Then Those Who Come After Them
Hadith About the Best People and Careful Speech
Sahih Muslim : 2533d
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2533d
وَحَدَّثَنِي الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْحُلْوَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَزْهَرُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ السَّمَّانُ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَوْنٍ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَبِيدَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " خَيْرُ النَّاسِ قَرْنِي ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ " . فَلاَ أَدْرِي فِي الثَّالِثَةِ أَوْ فِي الرَّابِعَةِ قَالَ " ثُمَّ يَتَخَلَّفُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ تَسْبِقُ شَهَادَةُ أَحَدِهِمْ يَمِينَهُ وَيَمِينُهُ شَهَادَتَهُ " .
`Abdullah Narrated from:
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.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2533dIn-book reference : Book 44, Hadith 301USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 31, Hadith 6153
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2533d
This hadith about the best people is reported from Abdullah b. Mas'ud. Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said the best among people are those of his generation, then those next to them, then those next to them. The narrator was not sure whether the next part came in the third or fourth mention. The report then speaks about people after them whose evidence would come before their oath, and in some cases their oath before their evidence. The hadith gives praise to the early generations and a warning about later carelessness in serious speech. It teaches that witness and oath should be connected to truth and responsibility.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet's generation is described as the best among people.
- The generations after them are also praised in order.
- The narration warns about people who treat testimony and oaths carelessly.
- The narrator's uncertainty is honestly preserved in the report.
