The virtue of a group of the Companions, among them Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and others

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The most merciful of my Ummah towards my Ummah is Abu Bakr; the gentlest of my Ummah towards my Ummah is Umar; the most truthful in modesty in my Ummah is Uthman; the most capable of giving judgement in my Ummah is Ali bin Abi Talib; the most knowledgeable of them about what is lawful and unlawful is Mu'adh bin Jabal, who will come on the Day of Resurrection ahead of the scholars by a ratwah (that is, prominently); the greatest scholar of the Qur'an in my Ummah is Ubayy bin Ka'b; the greatest scholar of inheritance is Zayd bin Thabit; and Uwaymir has been granted devotion in worship." By this the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) meant Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him). May Allah Almighty bestow His pleasure upon all of them.
Imam al-Tabarani recorded this narration in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and its chain is hasan (good).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The most compassionate of my Ummah towards my Ummah is Abu Bakr; the sternest of them in matters of Islam is Umar; the most truthful of them in modesty is Uthman bin Affan; the most capable of giving judgement is Ali; the greatest scholar of inheritance is Zayd bin Thabit; the most knowledgeable about what is lawful and unlawful is Mu'adh bin Jabal; the greatest scholar of the Qur'an is Ubayy bin Ka'b; and every Ummah has a trustee, and the trustee of this Ummah is Abu Ubaydah."
Imam Abu Ya'la recorded this narration. Its chain contains a narrator, Muhammad bin Abd al-Rahman bin al-Baylamani, and he is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was on Mount Hira, and the mountain began to shake. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Hira! Stay firm in your place; upon you are a prophet, a siddiq (truthful one) and a martyr." The narrator says: At that time on that mountain were the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayyiduna Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayyiduna al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Sa'id bin Zayd bin Amr bin Nufayl (may Allah be pleased with him).
Imam al-Tabarani and Imam Abu Ya'la recorded this narration, and its chain contains a narrator, al-Nadr bin Umar, and he is matruk (abandoned).

Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: One day Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) adjured the people, asking: "Do you know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) climbed Mount Uhud, and the mountain began to shake, while on it were Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna Umar and Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them), and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'O Uhud! Stay firm in your place, for upon you are a prophet, a siddiq (truthful one) and two martyrs'?" (Allamah al-Haythami says: I say:) The hadith narrated by Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was recorded by Imam al-Tirmidhi, and in it he recorded these words: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) climbed Mount Hira.
Imam al-Tabarani recorded this narration, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Sa'd bin Abi Sarh (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: Once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was among ten of his Companions, including Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna Umar, Sayyiduna Uthman, Sayyiduna Ali and Sayyiduna al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with them) and others. They were on Mount Hira, and meanwhile the mountain moved. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Hira, be still, for upon you are a prophet, a siddiq (truthful one) and a martyr."
Imam al-Tabarani recorded this narration in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and its chain is hasan (good). (Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: Before this, in the chapter on the virtues of Sayyiduna Sa'id bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him), the hadith narrated by Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) has already passed, and in my view it is more authentic; besides it, the hadith narrated by Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) has also passed.

Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Abza (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: It is as if I am still looking at them, behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna Umar, Sayyiduna Ali, Sayyiduna Uthman, Sayyiduna Talhah, Sayyiduna al-Zubayr, Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas, Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah and Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with them) were present.
Al-Tabarani recorded it in this way; its chain contains a narrator, Ibrahim bin Ishaq al-Darir, who is matruk (abandoned).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: When Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was stabbed, he gave instructions to set up the Shura (consultative council). Then Sayyidah Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), came to Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: People are saying that those whom you have included in the Shura are not acceptable. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Prop me up. The people propped him up, and in that state he said: What could you people say about Uthman? I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "On the day Uthman dies, the angels of the heaven will offer the funeral prayer over him." The narrator says: I asked: Is this specific to Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) or general for all people? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Rather, it is specific to Uthman. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: People are talking about Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him). I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when he was suffering severe hunger, and Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman (may Allah be pleased with him) brought two loaves with meat between them. He placed it before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May Allah Almighty suffice you in the affairs of your world; as for the Hereafter, I am its guarantor." (Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said:) You talk about Talhah; I saw the Messenger of Allah one night when his saddle fell off his mount, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Who will put my saddle right? He will have Paradise. Sayyiduna Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) hurried to the saddle and put it right, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Talhah! Giving you Paradise tomorrow is upon me." (Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said:) You will talk about Zubayr; I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was sleeping, and Sayyiduna al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) kept driving the flies away from his face until he woke up. He said to him: O Abu Abdullah! Have you been doing this all along? He replied: I have been doing it all along, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This is Jibril conveying salam to you, and he says to you: It is upon me to drive the sparks of Hell away from your face on the Day of Resurrection." (Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said:) Are you people talking about Ali? I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "O Ali! On the Day of Resurrection your hand will be in my hand, and you will enter where I enter."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat; its chain contains a narrator, Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Sulayman al-Khurasani, about whom al-Dhahabi spoke on his own account because of this hadith; he did not give his attribution. And Allah knows best.

Sayyiduna Zayd bin Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the Prophet's Mosque, and he began saying: Where is so-and-so son of so-and-so? He kept asking about different people and sending for them until they gathered with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I am about to tell you something; preserve it, remember it, and relate it to those who come after you. Indeed Allah Almighty chose a special creation from among His creation. Then he recited this verse: "Allah Almighty chooses messengers from among the angels and from among people." So Allah Almighty has chosen a creation whom He will admit into Paradise, and I will choose from among you the one whom I would love to choose, and I will establish brotherhood between you just as Allah Almighty established brotherhood between the angels. O Abu Bakr, stand up. He stood up and then knelt on his knees, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: You have done me a great favour, and Allah Almighty will reward you for it. If I were to take anyone as a khalil (intimate friend), I would have taken you as a khalil. Your standing with me is that of the shirt to the body. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said this while moving his shirt with his blessed hand. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Umar, come close. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came close, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Abu Hafs! You used to be our fierce opponent, so I prayed to Allah Almighty that He grant the religion dominance through you or through Abu Jahl, and Allah Almighty did that through you; and of the two, you were in any case the more beloved to me. You will be with me in Paradise, the third of three from this Ummah. Then he moved back, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) established brotherhood between him and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) called Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: O Uthman, come close to me. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) kept bringing him closer until his knees touched the knees of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) first looked at him, then looked towards the sky and said: Glory be to Allah, the Magnificent, three times. Then he looked at Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), and his fastenings were undone, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fastened them with his blessed hand and said: Gather the two edges of your cloak over your side, for you have a special standing among the people of the heaven. You are one of those who will come to me at the Pond while blood is flowing from your veins. I will ask: Who did this to you? And you will say: So-and-so and so-and-so. This is what Jibril said, when he called out from the sky: Behold! Uthman is a trustee over every khadhil (one who abandons others in time of need). Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) called Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: O trustee appointed by Allah, and the one declared a trustee in the heaven! Allah Almighty has given you control over your wealth with truth. I have a special supplication for you with me, which I have deferred. Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah! Choose something for me. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Abd al-Rahman, you have entrusted me with a trust; may Allah Almighty increase your wealth. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) began moving his hand. Then he moved back, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) established brotherhood between him and Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). Then Sayyiduna Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) came, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Come close to me. The two of them came close to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: You two are my disciples, just as Sayyiduna Isa bin Maryam (peace be upon him) had disciples. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) established brotherhood between the two of them. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) called Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Ammar bin Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: O Ammar, a rebellious group will kill you. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) established brotherhood between the two of them. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) summoned Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda', Uwaymir, and Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with them) and said: O Salman! You are one of us, the Ahl al-Bayt (People of the Household). Allah Almighty has given you the knowledge of the earlier ones and also the knowledge of the later ones, the knowledge of the first Book and also the knowledge of the later Book. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Abu al-Darda', shall I not guide you? He said: O Messenger of Allah! May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, yes indeed! The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: If you criticise these people, they will criticise you; if you leave them, they will not leave you; and if you flee from them, they will catch up with you. So lend them your honour for the day of your need. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) established brotherhood between the two of them. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) looked at the faces of his Companions and said: Receive glad tidings and let your eyes be cooled, for you will be the first to come to me at the Pond, and you will be in the highest chambers. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) looked at Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) and said: All praise belongs to Allah Almighty, who grants guidance away from misguidance. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah! My soul was about to leave me and my back was about to break when I saw that you treated your Companions this way and did nothing with me. If you are displeased with me in any way, then honour and excellence belong to you. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: By the One who sent me with the truth, I deferred you only because I kept you for myself. Your relation to me is that of Sayyiduna Harun (peace be upon him) to Sayyiduna Musa (peace be upon him), and I have left you as my heir. He said: O Messenger of Allah! What will I inherit from you? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: That which the prophets leave as inheritance. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: What did the prophets before you leave as inheritance? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the people's Prophet. So you will be with me in my palace in Paradise, along with my daughter Fatimah; you are my brother and my companion. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse: "They will be brothers, on couches, facing one another." And he said: "Those who are close friends for the sake of Allah Almighty will look at one another."
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and al-Bazzar recorded something similar, except that about Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) he recorded the words: He will be an amir over every makhdhul (one who is abandoned to his fate in time of need); and about Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) he recorded the word "arshuka" in place of "arshiduka". In it he also recorded the words: "Lend them your honour on the day of your need, and know that the recompense lies ahead of you." The chains of both narrations contain narrators whom I do not know.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out to all his Companions, as many as were present, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Last night I saw your dwellings in Paradise and the nearness of your dwellings. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: O Abu Bakr, I know a man; I know his name, I know his father's name and I know his mother's name. Whichever of the gates of Paradise he comes to, the angels will say: Welcome to you, welcome to you. Sayyiduna Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah! That man's rank must be very high. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: That man is Abu Bakr bin Abi Quhafah. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned to Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: O Umar! I saw in Paradise a palace made of white pearl, set with rubies. I asked: Whose will this be? It was said: A young man from Quraysh. I thought that perhaps I would receive it, and I was about to enter it when the angel said: O Sayyiduna Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), this will belong to Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). (The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:) So, O Abu Hafs! The only reason I did not enter it was your protective jealousy. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) began to weep and said: O Messenger of Allah! May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, would I show jealousy towards you? Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned to Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Uthman! Every prophet will have a companion in Paradise, and you will be my companion in Paradise." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) by the hand and said: "O Ali! Are you not pleased that your dwelling in Paradise will be facing my dwelling?" Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned to Sayyiduna Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Talhah and O Zubayr! Every prophet has a disciple, and you two are my disciples." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned to Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Of all my Companions, only you were delayed in reaching me, until I feared that you might have perished. When you came, you were sweating heavily. I asked: Why were you delayed? You replied: O Messenger of Allah! It was because of the abundance of my wealth; I was continually held back and taken to account, and I was asked about my wealth: how I had earned it and where I had spent it." The narrator says: Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman (may Allah be pleased with him) began to weep and said: O Messenger of Allah! Here are one hundred she-camels that came to me last night from the trade of Egypt. I call you to witness that they are charity for the people of Madinah and their orphans, so that Allah Almighty may grant me ease on that Day.
Al-Bazzar recorded it, and al-Tabarani recorded something similar. Its chain contains a narrator, Ammar bin Sayf, whom Yahya bin Ma'in, Abu Zur'ah, Abu Hatim and Abu Dawud declared da'if (weak), while al-Ijli and others declared him thiqah (trustworthy); the remaining narrators of this report are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Those who take the lead are four: I am the one who takes the lead among the Arabs, Salman is the one who takes the lead among the Persians, Bilal is the one who takes the lead among the Abyssinians, and Suhayb is the one who takes the lead among the Romans."
Al-Bazzar recorded it, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abu Umamah al-Bahili (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "I am the one who takes the lead to Paradise among the Arabs, Suhayb is the one who takes the lead to Paradise among the Romans, Bilal is the one who takes the lead to Paradise among the Abyssinians, and Salman is the one who takes the lead to Paradise among the Persians."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Saghir and al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains a narrator, Ayyub bin Abi Sulayman al-Suri, a teacher of al-Tabarani, whom I do not know. The remaining narrators of this report are the narrators of the Sahih, except Baqiyyah, whose case is different, and he has explicitly stated that he heard it directly.

Sayyiduna Sa'id bin Amir al-Jumahi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: One day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Abu Bakr", then he said: "O Umar, I have been commanded to make you two brothers of one another, in accordance with revelation sent down to me from the heaven. So you two are brothers in this world and will be brothers in Paradise. Each of you should greet the other with salam and shake his hand." The narrator says: So Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) took Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) by the hand. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) smiled and said: This one will be before him, and this one will die before him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Zubayr and O Talhah! Come forward, you two. I have been commanded to establish brotherhood between you two, so you two are brothers in this world and will also be two brothers in Paradise. Each of you should greet the other with salam." So the two of them did likewise. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Ali, come forward; O Ammar, come forward. I have been commanded to establish brotherhood between you two, so you two are brothers to each other for the sake of Allah and will also be two brothers in Paradise. Each of you should greet his companion with salam. So the two of them did likewise." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the like of this to Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), and they did likewise. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the like of this to Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him), and the two of them did likewise. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the like of this to Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Suhayb (may Allah be pleased with him), and the two of them did likewise. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the same about Sayyiduna Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him), and they did likewise. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Usamah and O Abu Hind, come forward, you two. Abu Hind was a cupper who used to cup the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he had drunk the blood of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The two of them stood up, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the like of this to them as well. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the like of this to Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) as well, and the two of them also did likewise. The narrator says: After this he mentioned the complete hadith.
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its chain contains narrators whom I do not know.

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The most merciful of my Ummah towards my Ummah is Abu Bakr; the kindest of my Ummah towards my Ummah is Umar; the most genuine of my Ummah in modesty is Uthman; the most capable of my Ummah in giving judicial rulings is Ali bin Abi Talib; the most knowledgeable of them about the lawful and the unlawful is Mu'adh bin Jabal, who will come on the Day of Resurrection ahead of the scholars by a 'ratwah' (that is, with a distinguished standing); the greatest scholar of the Qur'an in my Ummah is Ubayy bin Ka'b; the one with the deepest understanding (of the religion) is Zayd bin Thabit; and Uwaymir has been given devotion in worship." The narrator says: This refers to Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him). May the pleasure of Allah Almighty be upon all of them.
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains a narrator, Mindal bin Ali, who is da'if (weak), though he has also been declared trustworthy.

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Behold! Paradise longs for four of my Companions, and my Lord has commanded me to love them (those four)." At that time Sayyiduna Suhayb al-Rumi, Sayyiduna Bilal bin Rabah, Sayyiduna Talhah, Sayyiduna al-Zubayr, Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas, Sayyiduna Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman and Sayyiduna Ammar bin Yasir (may Allah be pleased with them) were present. They said: O Messenger of Allah! Who are those four (please tell us), so that we may love them? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Ammar! Allah Almighty has given you knowledge of the hypocrites. As for these four, one of them is Ali bin Abi Talib, one is al-Miqdad bin al-Aswad al-Kindi, the third is Salman al-Farisi and the fourth is Abu Dharr al-Ghifari."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy), except that the narrator named Ibn Ishaq is a mudallis.

Sayyiduna Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Jibril came to me and said: Your Lord loves four of your Companions, and He commands you to love them as well." One of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Messenger of Allah! Name them for us. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Ali is one of them. The next day the people said: O Messenger of Allah! The persons about whom Allah Almighty has told you that He loves them (who are they)? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Ali, Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, al-Miqdad bin al-Aswad and Salman al-Farisi." (Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: Al-Tirmidhi and others have also recorded it in abridged form.
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains a narrator, Abd al-Nur bin Abdullah, whom Shu'bah declared a liar, while Ibn Hibban declared him thiqah (trustworthy).

Nafi' relates about Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that it was said to him: You praise Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) greatly. He said: Why should I not do so, when I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Learn the Qur'an from four people: Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Salim the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, Ubayy bin Ka'b and Mu'adh bin Jabal." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I intended to send them to various peoples, just as Sayyiduna Isa bin Maryam (peace be upon him) sent the disciples. It was said: O Messenger of Allah! Why do you not send Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)? They are both more virtuous. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I cannot do without them. The standing of these two in the religion is that of hearing and sight in the head."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains a narrator, Hammad bin Umar al-Nasibi, who is matruk (abandoned).

Sayyidah Aishah Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: There are three men from the Ansar such that, after the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), no one else could be counted as more virtuous than them: Sa'd bin Mu'adh, Usayd bin Hudayr and Abbad bin Bishr.
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy), except that Ibn Ishaq has narrated it with 'an'anah (using "from").

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: Zayd bin Harithah left Makkah and brought along the daughter of Sayyiduna Hamzah bin Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him). Sayyiduna Ja'far bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I will take this girl, for I have the greater right to her; she is my paternal uncle's daughter, her maternal aunt is my wife, and a maternal aunt is in the place of a mother. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Rather, I have a greater right to this girl than both of you; she is my paternal uncle's daughter, and the daughter of the Messenger of Allah is my wife, and she has a greater right to her. I had raised my voice so that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would learn of my argument before he came out. Sayyiduna Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Rather, I have the greater right to this girl, because I went out for her, travelled, and brought her back. The narrator says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out and asked: What is the matter with you? They repeated their respective positions before him, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I will give a judgement between you, on this matter and on other matters. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The command of the Qur'an was revealed concerning our raising our voices. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Sayyiduna Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him): As for you, you are my mawla and the mawla of this child. He said: O Messenger of Allah! I am content with this. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Ja'far, as for you, you resemble me most in outward appearance and in character, and you are from the same family tree from which I was created. He said: O Messenger of Allah! I am content with this. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Ali! As for you, you are my chosen companion and my trustee. He said: O Messenger of Allah! I am content. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: As for the girl, I rule that she will go to Ja'far and live with her maternal aunt, for a maternal aunt is in the place of a mother." The narrator says: We said: O Messenger of Allah! We accept it. (Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: Abu Dawud recorded this narration in abridged form.
Al-Bazzar also recorded it, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Every prophet who came was given seven companions who were nujaba' (noble ones) and wuzara' (ministers), and I have been given fourteen such companions: Hamzah, Ja'far, Ali, Hasan, Husayn, Abu Bakr, Umar, Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Abu Dharr, al-Miqdad, Hudhayfah, Ammar, Salman and Bilal." (Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: In al-Atraf this narration is attributed to some narrations of al-Tirmidhi, but I did not find it in my copy. Al-Bazzar and Ahmad recorded it, and he added the words: "Abdullah bin Mas'ud". Al-Tabarani recorded it in abridged form, and in some of his routes he mentioned Sayyiduna Mus'ab bin Umayr (may Allah be pleased with him) among these persons. Its chain contains a narrator, Kathir al-Nawwa', whom Ibn Hibban declared thiqah (trustworthy) while the majority declared him da'if (weak); the remaining narrators of this report are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sahl bin Yusuf bin Sahl relates from his father, from his grandfather: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) returned from the Farewell Hajj, he ascended the pulpit, praised and extolled Allah Almighty, and then said: "O people! Abu Bakr never did me any wrong, so recognise this about him. O people! I am pleased with Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali, Talhah, al-Zubayr, Sa'd, Abd al-Rahman bin Awf and the early Muhajirun, so recognise this for them. O people! Have regard for me concerning my Companions, my in-laws and my sons-in-law, lest Allah Almighty call you to account for any wrong done to any one of them. O people! Restrain your tongues from the Muslims, and when one of them dies, speak well of him."
Al-Tabarani recorded it. Its chain contains a group of narrators whom I do not know.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) says: There are three men from Quraysh who are the most handsome of face, the finest in character and the firmest of heart. If they speak to you, they will not lie to you, and if you speak to them, they will not call you a liar. They are Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah and Sayyiduna Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with them).
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its chain is hasan (good).

Sayyiduna Ubadah bin al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I was alone with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and I said: Which of your Companions is the most beloved to you, so that I too may love the one whom you love? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Ubadah! You must keep this hidden during my lifetime. I said: Very well. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Abu Bakr, then Umar, then Ali. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fell silent. I asked: Then who? He said: Who else could there be after them? There is al-Zubayr, Talhah, Sa'd, Abu Ubaydah, Mu'adh, Abu Talhah, Abu Ayyub, and you, O Ubadah, and Ubayy bin Ka'b, Abu al-Darda', Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn Awf, Ibn Affan; and these people from among the mawali (freed slaves): Salman, Suhayb, Bilal and Salim the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah. These are my special ones; and otherwise every one of my Companions is honoured and beloved to me, even if he be an Abyssinian slave." The narrator says: I asked Sayyiduna Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not mention Sayyiduna Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Ja'far (may Allah be pleased with him)? Sayyiduna Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: They had already been martyred at the time I asked this question; this was a later matter.
Al-Tabarani recorded it. Its chain contains a narrator, Ishaq bin Ibrahim, who narrated from Abu Qilabah. The author mentioned him in Mizan al-I'tidal and did not cite anyone's criticism of him; he only mentioned that a false hadith about virtues is transmitted through him. The author says: I do not know what the reason for its falsehood is. And Allah knows best.

Qays bin Abi Hazim narrates: Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), and he said: He recited the Qur'an, became acquainted with its ambiguous verses, treated as lawful what it made lawful and treated as unlawful what it made unlawful. He was asked about Sayyiduna Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him), and he said: He is a believer who forgets; when he is reminded, he remembers; and his state is that from the parting of his hair to his ankles he is filled with faith. He was asked about Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him), and he said: He is the most knowledgeable of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah about the hypocrites; he asked about them and was told about them. The people said: Tell us about Sayyiduna Salman (may Allah be pleased with him). Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: He attained the knowledge of the earlier ones and also attained the knowledge of the later ones; he is an ocean whose water cannot be drained, and he is one of us, the Ahl al-Bayt. The people said: Tell us about Sayyiduna Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him). Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: He holds a knowledge (perhaps meaning his asceticism) which people have neglected. The people said: Tell us about yourself. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: What do you intend? When I remained silent, I was told first, and when I asked for something, I was given it; and within me there is abundant knowledge.
Al-Tabarani recorded it. Its chain contains a narrator, Ali bin Abis, who is da'if (weak).

Abu al-Aswad Wardan al-Kindi narrates: One day we were with Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and the people found him in a cheerful mood, so someone said: O Commander of the Faithful, tell us about your companions. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: About which of my companions? The man said: About the Companions of Sayyiduna Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: All the Companions of Sayyiduna Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) are my companions too; about which of them do you want to ask? The people said: Tell us about Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him). Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: He recited the Qur'an and acquired knowledge of the Sunnah, and that is sufficient for him. The narrator says: By Allah! We did not understand what he meant by "that is sufficient for him": whether he meant that acquiring the knowledge of the Qur'an and the knowledge of the Sunnah is sufficient, or that this is sufficient for Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him). The narrator says: He was asked about Sayyiduna Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him), and he said: He used to ask questions frequently; sometimes he was answered and sometimes he was not. He was very eager and covetous regarding his religion, and eager for knowledge. He is an ocean for whom a vessel was filled until it became full. We said: Tell us about Sayyiduna Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him). He said: He knew the names of the hypocrites; he asked about difficult matters and understood them, and you will find him knowledgeable about those things. The narrator said: Tell us about Sayyiduna Salman (may Allah be pleased with him). Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Which of you could be like Luqman the Wise? Salman was one of us, a member of the Ahl al-Bayt. He attained the earlier and the later knowledge, and attained the knowledge of the earlier and the later Book. He was an ocean that does not run dry. We said: Tell us about Sayyiduna Ammar bin Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him). Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: He was a man in whose flesh, blood, hair and skin faith had become infused; wherever he was, faith was with him. It is not fitting for the Fire to consume anything of him. We said: Tell us about yourself. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Stop! Allah Almighty has forbidden praising oneself. A man said to him: But Allah Almighty has also said: "As for the favour of your Lord, proclaim it." Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then, proclaiming the favour of my Lord, I say: By Allah! I was a person who, when I asked for something, was given it, and when I remained silent, was approached first.
Al-Tabarani recorded it through two routes. The better of the two contains a narrator, Hibban bin Ali, about whom there is disagreement; the remaining narrators of this report are the narrators of the Sahih.

Rib'i bin Hirash narrates: Once Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) sought permission to enter upon Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). At that time people from the various branches of Quraysh were with Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), and Sayyiduna Sa'id bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) was sitting on the right of Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). When Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) saw Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) coming, he said: O Sa'id! By Allah! I will put some questions to Ibn Abbas which he will be unable to answer. Sayyiduna Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him) replied to him: A man like Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) cannot be left helpless by your questions. When Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) sat down, Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: What do you say about Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)? Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: May Allah Almighty have mercy on Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). By Allah! He was a reciter of the Qur'an, far removed from deviation (this way and that), heedless of indecent things and one who forbade wrongdoing. He knew his religion and feared Allah Almighty. He stood in voluntary prayer at night and kept voluntary fasts by day. He was safe with regard to his worldly life and resolute in justice towards creation. He enjoined good and moved towards good. He was grateful in every state and remembered Allah morning and evening. He kept mastery over his own self in matters of righteousness. He surpassed his companions in piety, chastity, detachment from the world, guarding his honour, doing good, caution, contentment with little and competence (that is, capability). Whoever speaks ill of him, Allah Almighty will keep cursing him until the Day of Resurrection. Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: What do you say about Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him)? Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: May Allah Almighty have mercy on Sayyiduna Abu Hafs (that is, Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)). By Allah! He was an ally of Islam and a refuge for orphans, the abode of faith and a shelter for the weak, and a sanctuary for the followers of the upright religion. He was a fortress for creation and a helper in hardship. He established the right of Allah with patience and in hope of reward, until Allah Almighty granted the religion dominance. He conquered cities, and Allah began to be remembered in the corners (of the earth), at watering places, on hills and in barren places (that is, in the various parts of the earth). He was dignified in the face of foul speech, grateful in hardship and ease alike, and one who remembered Allah at every time and every moment. Whoever bears hatred towards him, Allah Almighty will curse him until the Day of Regret (that is, the Day of Resurrection). Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: What do you say about Sayyiduna Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him)? Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: May Allah Almighty have mercy on Sayyiduna Abu Amr (that is, Sayyiduna Uthman Ghani (may Allah be pleased with him)). By Allah! He was the most honoured of helpers, the one among creation who most maintained the ties of kinship, and the most patient of warriors. He was much given to worship in the time before dawn and shed abundant tears at the remembrance of Allah. He constantly reflected, day and night, upon what concerned him. He hastened towards every good thing, ran towards everything that brings salvation and fled far from everything that brings ruin. He was the one who equipped the army (that is, Jaysh al-Usrah, on the occasion of the Battle of Tabuk), and the one who (bought and endowed) the well (that is, Bi'r Rumah). He was the son-in-law of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) through two of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) daughters. Whoever speaks ill of him, Allah Almighty will keep him in regret until the Day of Resurrection. Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: What do you say about Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him)? Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: May Allah Almighty have mercy on Sayyiduna Abu al-Hasan (that is, Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him))! By Allah! He was a banner of guidance, a refuge of piety, the abode of intelligence and a mountain of understanding (that is, of experience), and a light for those travelling in the darkness of night. He called to the great proof, and he knew what is mentioned in the earlier scriptures. He upheld the interpretation (of the Qur'an) and its admonition, clung to the means of guidance, abandoned oppression and causing harm, and turned away from the paths of ruin. He was the best of those who believed and practised piety, the leader of those who wear the shirt and the cloak (that is, of all people), the most excellent of those who performed Hajj and the Sa'y, the most gentle of those who did justice and treated people equally, and the greatest orator of the people of the world apart from the prophets (peace be upon them) and the Chosen Prophet. He prayed facing both qiblahs, so can any believer in the Oneness of Allah be his equal? He was the husband of the best of women (Sayyidah Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her)) and the father of the two grandsons (of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)) (Sayyiduna Imam Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Imam Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him)). My eyes have never seen anyone like him, nor will they see anyone like him until the Day of Resurrection and the Day of meeting (in the presence of Allah Almighty). Whoever curses him, may the curse of Allah Almighty and of all His servants be upon him until the Day of Resurrection! Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: What do you say about Sayyiduna Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him)? Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: May the mercy of Allah Almighty descend upon them both. By Allah! Both of them were chaste and righteous Muslims; both were pure and sought purity; both were martyrs and both were scholars. Both of them fell into a slip, and because of their being early helpers, early Companions, and because of their (other) good deeds, Allah Almighty will forgive them, if Allah wills. Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: What do you say about Sayyiduna al-Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him)? Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) replied: May Allah Almighty have mercy on Sayyiduna Abu al-Fadl (Sayyiduna al-Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him))! By Allah! He was in the place of the father of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the coolness of the eyes of Allah Almighty's chosen servant (that is, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)). He was a refuge for people and the chief of all the paternal uncles. His vision in affairs was lofty and his insight into consequences was deep. He was adorned with knowledge; at the mention of his virtue all other lineage merit fades away, and at the pride of his family other ancestries fall far behind. And why should it not be so, when he was brought up by the one who is the most honoured of all people, living and departed, namely Abd al-Muttalib, who has more cause for pride than anyone of Quraysh who walks on foot or rides (that is, all the members of Quraysh). Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: Why were Quraysh given the name Quraysh? Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: This name was given after an animal in the sea which is the most dangerous of all sea creatures; whatever sea creature comes before it, it devours. Quraysh were given this name because in terms of standing they are the greatest of the Arabs. Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: Can you relate anything about this? So Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) recited these verses of al-Jumahi: "Quraysh is the name of the creature that lives in the sea, and after it Quraysh were named Quraysh. That creature devours every kind of creature, weak and fat, and leaves not a single feather of any winged creature. Thus it is mentioned in the Book: the tribe of Quraysh will devour all the lands as grass is devoured. And among Quraysh, in the last age, a Prophet will be born; at that time killing and wounding will abound among Quraysh. That Prophet's horsemen and foot soldiers will fill the earth, and they will swiftly gather the mounts together." Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Ibn Abbas! You have spoken the truth, and I bear witness that you are the spokesman of your household. (The narrator says:) When Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) left him, Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Whenever I have spoken with him, about whatever matter, I have found him prepared (to answer).
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its chain contains narrators whom I do not know.

Masruq narrates: I examined the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and I found that their knowledge culminated in six persons: Sayyiduna Umar, Sayyiduna Ali, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Sayyiduna Mu'adh, Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda' and Sayyiduna Zayd bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with them). Then I examined these six persons, and the knowledge of these men culminated in Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him).
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih, except al-Qasim bin Ma'in, whose case is different, and he is thiqah (trustworthy).

Sa'id bin Abd al-Aziz narrates: After Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), the scholars were these: Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda', Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi and Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with them). After these men, the scholar was Sayyiduna Zayd bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him), and after Sayyiduna Zayd bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) they were Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar and Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them).
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih. (Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: Before this, some ahadith have already passed concerning the virtue of a group of the Companions, among them Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) and others. They passed before the virtues of Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and after the virtues of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).

Hisham bin Urwah narrates: Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: What would Abu Sa'id and Anas know about the ahadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)? They were only young boys in those days.
Al-Tabarani recorded it, except that the narrator Hisham did not live in the time of Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her); the remaining narrators of this report are the narrators of the Sahih.