Sayyiduna Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while he (peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting in the mosque, and I sat down. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Abu Dharr! Have you performed (voluntary) prayer? I submitted: No! He said: Get up and perform prayer! The narrator says: I got up and performed prayer; then when I sat down, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Abu Dharr! Seek refuge with Allah from the evil of the devils of mankind and the jinn! The narrator says: I submitted: O Messenger of Allah! Are there devils among mankind too? He (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: Yes! I submitted: O Messenger of Allah! Prayer? He said: It is an excellent thing; whoever wishes may do a little of it, and whoever wishes may do much. The narrator says: I submitted: O Messenger of Allah! Fasting? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It is an obligation that suffices, and with Allah Almighty there is more (reward and recompense). The narrator says: I submitted: O Messenger of Allah! Charity? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (Its reward) is multiplied many times over. I submitted: O Messenger of Allah! Which (charity) is most excellent? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (The charity) of a person of meagre means given with effort, or giving secretly to a poor person. I submitted: O Messenger of Allah! Which Prophet was the first? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sayyiduna Adam (peace be upon him). I submitted: O Messenger of Allah! Was he a Prophet? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Yes! He was a Prophet who was spoken to. I submitted: O Messenger of Allah! How many Messengers are there? He said: Somewhat more than 310, a large number. On one occasion the narrator reported these words: 315. I submitted: O Messenger of Allah! Was Sayyiduna Adam (peace be upon him) a Prophet? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Yes! He was spoken to. I submitted: O Messenger of Allah! Which is the greatest verse revealed to you? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Ayat al-Kursi, that is, "Allah, there is no god but He, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all."
Ahmad, al-Bazzar and al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat recorded something similar; al-Nasa'i (may Allah have mercy on him) recorded part of this narration. Its chain contains a narrator, al-Mas'udi, who is thiqah (trustworthy) but suffered from confusion (ikhtilat). In al-Tabarani's narration there is an addition; that narration will come later in the chapter on history.
Hadith Referenceمجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد / كتاب العلم / 726
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسنادہ حسن
Hadith Takhrij«اخرجه الامام احمد فى مسنده 178/5 ، 179 ، 265 ، 266 ، اورده المؤلف فى زوائد المسند 3586 اورده المؤلف فى كشف الاستار 160 ، أخرجه مسند أحمد برقم: 21036»