Al-Matalib al-'Aliyah 4174 — The virtue of the first generations

Mu'awiyah bin Qurrah al-Muzani (may Allah have mercy on him) relates: I came to Madinah in the season of dried cheese and ghee (when they were plentiful), and at that time the desert Bedouins used to come with leather bags which they filled with these things. There my eyes fell upon a man who was looking at the people with a deep and eager gaze. I thought he might be a traveller, so I went near him and greeted him. He returned my greeting and asked me: "Are you from the people of Madinah?" I replied: "Yes." Then I sat with him and asked him: "Where are you from?" He said: "I am from Banu Hilal and my name is Kahmas." Then he said to me: "Shall I not tell you of an incident that I myself witnessed in the gathering of Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him)?" I said: "Certainly (please tell me)." He said: "Once, while we were sitting with him" — then he narrated the full story — in which Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "The best of my Ummah are those of the generation (era) in which I was sent, then those who come after them, then those who come after them. Then people will arise whose oaths will precede their testimony; they will give testimony before being asked to testify, and there will be much noise, clamour and uproar from them in their markets."
Mu'awiyah said that Kahmas said: "Do you fear that these people might also be among those?" Then he mentioned the whole hadith.
A part of this hadith has already passed in the Book of Fasting and a part in the Book of Marriage.
Its chain is qawi (strong).
Ibn Abi Asim, Imam Bukhari, Samawayh and Imam al-Hakim also narrated it through various routes.