It is reported about Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man came to him and said: "Give me some advice." He said: "You have asked me about something which I asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about before you. (And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had said:) 'I counsel you to have taqwa (fear) of Allah Almighty, for it is the foundation of everything. Hold fast to jihad, for it is the monasticism of Islam. Hold fast to the remembrance of Allah Almighty and the recitation of the Qur'an, for it will be a means of ease for you in the heavens and a means of your mention on earth.'"
Ahmad and Abu Ya'la recorded it, but he reported these words: "A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Give me counsel.' The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Hold fast to taqwa of Allah, for it is the sum of all good.'" After this the narrator reported the hadith as before, with these additional words: "Use your tongue only for good, for by that you will overcome Satan." Ahmad's narrators are thiqat (trustworthy); Abu Ya'la's chain contains Layth bin Abi Sulaym, who is a mudallis.
Hadith Referenceمجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد / كتاب الوصايا / 7111
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:رواہ أحمد : إسنادہ صحیح
Hadith Takhrij«اخرجه ابو يعلي فى المسند (1000) اخرجه احمد فى المسند (82/3) ، أخرجه مسند أحمد برقم: 11365، 18173، وأخرجه المعجم الصغير للطبراني برقم: 910، وأخرجه المستدرك على الصحيحين برقم: 2916»