Majma al-Zawaid — Hadith 2327

Qays bin Zuhayr narrates: I went with Sayyiduna Hanzalah bin al-Rabi' (may Allah be pleased with him) to the mosque of Furat bin Hayyan. The time of prayer came, and he said to him: Go forward (and lead the prayer). He replied: I would not go ahead of you when you are older than me in age, you emigrated before me, and this place of prayer is your place of prayer. Then Sayyiduna Furat (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say something about you, so because of that I will never go ahead of you. He asked: Were you present on the day I came to him? That was at the time of the campaign of Ta'if, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent me out as a scout. The other replied: Yes! So Sayyiduna Hanzalah (may Allah be pleased with him) went forward and led them in prayer. Then Sayyiduna Furat (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O my son! Be quick, for I have put forward the one whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent as a scout to Ta'if. He then came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him of the whole situation, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You have spoken the truth. Return to your lodging, for you have stayed awake all night." When he had left, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to us: "Follow him and those like him."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its narrators have been declared trustworthy.