Al-Hasan narrates: A man said to Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him): What is your view of a man whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) loved at the time of his passing; would he not be a righteous man? Sayyiduna Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: Yes indeed! The man said: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) loved you, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had appointed you as a governor. Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did appoint me as a governor, but by Allah, I do not know whether that was because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) loved me or because he wanted to make use of my services in that work. However, I will tell you of two men whom he (peace and blessings be upon him) loved when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away: they are Abdullah bin Mas'ud and Ammar bin Yasir.
Imam Ahmad and Imam al-Tabarani recorded this narration, except that he narrated these words: "When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, he (peace and blessings be upon him) was pleased with the two of them." The narrators of Imam Ahmad are the narrators of the Sahih. (Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: Some chains of this narration will come in the chapter on the life of Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him).
Hadith Referenceمجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد / كتاب المناقب / 15570
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسنادہ صحیح
Hadith Takhrij«اخرجه احمد فى المسند (203/4) ، أخرجه مسند أحمد برقم: 17351»